When the body performs one type of exercise on an on going basis the muscles have something called muscle memory. That is when the body repeats the same type of movement time after time your muscles do get used to the movement. For athletes trying to perform and perfect one movement that is great...but for the rest of us non athletes trying to lose weight or strengthen muscle variety is the key.

Personally I get bored very quickly and love using variety. I find that when variety is added to your workouts... your muscles are not sure what is coming next and you can keep your body constantly challenged and continue to lose weight and gain strength.

I have heard from many clients who walk miles per day tell me that when they first started walking they did lose weight and after a while they stopped losing.. After a while your muscles are just going through the motion. EXAMPLE - take an individual walking on the treadmill at 3.5 miles per hour every day. After a few weeks this does get easier but you continue to walk the same 3.5 day after day. Your body will get used to this and then the weight loss will stop. Just a little change will help you get off your plateau. You could add in intervals of a quicker pace for 30-60 seconds every few minutes or add in an incline. That little change will help you get right back on track to achieve the results you are looking for which is your weight loss.

With exercise variety also helps you to challenge your muscles. If you belong to a gym and just use the machines... change it up and perform some floor exercise using ankle weights for the legs and hand weights for the upper body. You can also change up a full range of motion to an isometric exercise.

There are lots of programs on the market that will challenge the body with different intensity and movements. You can also start your program with an isometric exercise until your muscles become fatigued and then challenge your muscles with full range of motion.

Ellen Miller is a certified Fitness Practitioner/Personal Trainer teaching for the past 25 years. Ellen writes for her monthly newsletter, New Orleans Wedding Magazine and North Shore Health and Wellness. Isobreathing has been nominated for Innovator of the year 2006 by New Orleans City Business. She has snippets at www.youtube.com/isobreathing. Ellen sells DVD's,CD's and Booklets of the IsoBreathing program at www.isobreathing.com