Feel like you’re spinning your wheels at the gym? Many people hit a plateau at some point on their fitness journey, where progress and motivation stall. It can feel impossible to break out of a fitness rut, but it just takes the right approach.

Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, shares these strategies to kick-start your progress and revive your passion for working out.

• Prioritize recovery – If you don’t give yourself time to recover and rebuild when training, you could end up with overtraining syndrome, which negatively impacts fitness and can lead to injuries. Quality sleep is one part of recovery, along with resting between sets, staying hydrated and cooling down after your workout. Foam rolling and massage can help, too.
• Mix up your routine – Doing the same workout for too long can lead to you hitting a plateau, which is why cross-training helps. It keeps you doing a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups so your workouts don’t get boring and you challenge muscles in new ways.
• Set SMART goals – This guideline helps you set meaningful, actionable goals. So instead of a vague goal like “I want to be healthier so I can be a better parent,” a SMART goal would break it down as:
  • Specific – “I aim to increase my strength and cardiovascular endurance so I can better care for and play with my daughter.”
  • Measurable – “I will be able to confidently carry my daughter and play with her without feeling fatigued.”
  • Achievable – “I will reach my goal by waking up an hour earlier to exercise with strength training three times a week and cardio two times a week.”
  • Relevant – “This goal aligns with my desire to be an active and engaged parent and follow a healthy lifestyle for both myself and my daughter.”
  • Time-bound – “I’ll achieve this goal within six months by following a structured workout routine and monitoring my progress regularly.”

• Track progress – both big and small – Monitor your workouts and learn to recognize indicators of success, like weights lifted, distances walked/run, and heart-rate levels, so you focus on small, but significant progress.