FITSMART: Breaking a fitness rut. Treating groin injuries

by Stephanie Oakes

I'm 30 years old, 5-foot-6 and 135 pounds. In my 20s I could hit the road running and drop 5 to 10 pounds, but in my 30s it has become more difficult to shed the unwanted pounds. I've recently been in a rut, and I'm not enjoying my exercise routine -- or anything else about staying fit.
Stacey Dominicci, Brooklyn, N.Y.

You're not alone! Being locked in a fitness rut can happen to anyone, even the most committed exerciser. A change in schedule, or simply realizing you've done the same exercises for too long, can make you feel bored, especially after an injury or illness.

Try shaking things up. Whenever I hit that wall, I try a new sport, find a workout partner, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to get motivated, or hit a new path on my runs for a change of scenery. By adding new exercises, you will challenge your body to change (even our bodies sense stale routines by changing less and less as we adapt to a specific routine). Small changes can make a big difference in renewing your enthusiasm and helping you stick to your commitment to stay fit.

It is almost impossible to follow a long-term exercise program without a few setbacks. Just make sure they don't last. We get into ruts because we don't consider exercise fun; the truth is, the less you exercise, the more difficult it becomes. Conversely, the more you exercise, the better you'll feel physically and psychologically.

Guidelines to jump-start your fitness routine:
Do a variety of exercises, and always try new ones.
Set daily goals, but be consistent. Try to make exercise a habit.
Don't overtrain. At first, work until you are tired, instead of for a set period of time, so your body can adjust. As you get better, exercise longer or in intervals.
Change the way you view exercise. Count everything you do as working toward your goal. Example: Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther from the store when shopping.

Treating a groin injury

If you feel pain in your groin or inner thigh during exercise, you may have pulled a groin muscle -- one of the most enduring injuries. Normally, this occurs during forced stretching or vigorous activity without a proper warm-up. Rest, apply ice and refrain from stretching in the early phase of this injury. If you take good care of yourself, you'll be fine in two to three weeks.

As your condition improves, you can get back to some slow, easy exercise. If you feel any pain, however, don't continue; that is an indication you are not completely healed.

Once you've been free from pain for at least two weeks, you can start to do some mild stretches, but stay away from any vigorous yoga or Pilates until you have totally recovered.