Are you longing for the days when every time you worked out, you felt fresh and rejuvenated? Exercise is incredibly important for our overall health and losing weight If you're at the point when exercise is part of your daily routine (good for you!), but feeling like you're not getting the maximum benefits out of your workout, here are 7 tips to boost it.

1. Integrate strength training and cardio: These don't always have to be separate. Try interval training and mixing up your routine by inserting a strength exercise in between 10 minute intervals of running on the treadmill or the elliptical. Even add a cardio interval in between lifting weights such as jumping rope or 30 second sprints will boost your metabolism and still build up strength.  

2. Visualize: An example could be during a dumbbell row exercise, picture yourself cracking an egg. This allows less dependency on the upper trapezius (muscle at top of back). Visualizing this will make you squeeze your shoulder blades together, which activates the middle and lower trapezius. 

3. Focus during strength training: Many people think constant motion is the secret to success when it comes to building strength but try striking a pose. Contracting your muscles and holding them in position provides endurance benefits that constant motion cannot achieve. Start with a goal of 15-30 seconds of holding and build up from there. 

4. Bike, Stairclimber, Treadmill Tip: Try this, when you're on one of these machines, imagine a large grapefruit between your thighs. During these exercises, we rend to rotate our legs and knees inward to take some of the work off your glutes. By imagining this, you will feel your glutes take over the workout. Be sure to fight the urge of your feet turning out. 

5. Find a workout buddy: Research shows those who have an exercise partner are more likely to extend their workout or actually go. It's instantly increases the accountability factor and provides increased motivation to work harder during an exercise session. Research also shows that social support gained through talking about health and fitness goals increase the likelihood of achieving those goals. 

6. Get explosive: New research shows explosive movements achieved through high-intense moves during a workout such as kickboxing, kettlebell swings and push ups can achieve a greater response from what is called fast-twitch muscles. 

7. Complete the circuit and add resistance: Interval training and moving from one exercise to another quickly creates a cardio-focused workout. Make sure any circuit you set up works muscles throughout the body evenly. Another great way to boost your workout is to add resistance to any workout. A recent study showed those who lifted heavy weights even as little as 8 reps burned double the calories.