So, you consider yourself someone that works out? Are you at the gym almost every day, faithfully plugging away on the cardio machines? Do you plow through your strength training exercises and dutifully complete each set? If you answered yes to these questions, then you might be in trouble.

Working out is a wonderful thing for your body, we all know that. But if you're doing the same, monotonous activities day in and day out, your body is going to tune out and stop reacting. Sure you're getting a workout for your heart and lungs, and your muscles are maintaining, but they're not seeing any changes, are they?

When was the last time you noticed some physical transformations in your body? When was the last time you put on a pair of jeans and noticed that they were getting looser around the butt and the waist? If it's been more than a few months, then you need to shake things up a bit. You need to confuse your body.

In order to confuse your body, you need to alter your workouts. It can be increased or decreased sets or reps (higher weight less times or lower weight more times), it can be interval training on the treadmill (running hills for 30 seconds with walking intervals), or it can even be doing different muscle groups with completely new exercises all in one go. Whatever you decide, make sure that you really change it up and don't just add an extra five minutes onto the Stairmaster.
Muscles that are bored don't react. If you want to get your muscles thinking again, give them a little shock.

Try adding some pure body strength exercises into your routine:

• Pushups
• Pullups
• Dips
• Plank

If you're always using machines, go to free weights

• Free weight incline flyes
• Upright row
• Bicep curls with rotation
• Tricep overhead extensions

If you're always indoors running, take to the trails

• Run up hills
• Run sideways
• Run fast then walk
• Enjoy the fresh air

You will be amazed at the feeling you will have in your body, not to mention the way you look over the next few weeks.

Of course nutrition is key in the way you look as well, but that's another article. Right now, I want to focus on what you're doing physically.

Take a close look at your routine and see where you can change it. Make some minor tweaks at first if you're uncomfortable, and gradually add more to see how you feel.

With your new routine in place, don't get stuck in the same rut that you just got yourself out of! Change it up every time you work out (it could just be one more rep or hit it from another angle) but don't get complacent.

When you start seeing changes, remember that you got there by confusing your body and getting out of your comfort zone.

Have fun!