Ideal for those looking for new fitness motivation.
Despite what your aching limbs sometimes suggest, getting fit doesn’t have to be a chore. Honestly, hear us out. Though our busy schedules, topsy turvy sense of willpower, and the current erratic state of opening hours of gyms in the UK may be presenting obstacles, exercise needn’t be a burden. Whisper it, exercise can even be fun.
If you don’t like doing sport or jogging, or if the gym fills you with a particular feeling of dread, there are many other activities you can try that will burn just as many calories. And if you actively enjoy working out – however that looks – then you’re far more likely to be motivated to continue.
Yep, this thing feeds itself, releasing endorphins and feel good chemicals which keep you returning for more, if only you can get into the right rhythm in the first place. Whether it’s dancing, exploring, or simply playing, you can find a fun way to get in shape so you won’t even notice you’re doing it. With that in mind, here are 7 ways to keep fit by having fun, IDEAL for those looking for new fitness motivation.
Never Stop Playing
Remember when you were little and you ran around for hours? Take us back! The unbridled joy of simply letting loose and living in the moment was something we’d love to recapture. It might seem harder now but it’s important to try and rediscover this joy for movement.
If you have children, endeavour to play with them outside more, taking inspiration from their gloriously free-spirited nature. Alternatively, take the dog for a walk or play in the garden any way you like (ignore the curtain twitchers!). Should you be seeking a little external motivation, there are also several fitness games and apps designed to keep you entertained and active. No matter your age, this should be your mantra: never stop playing.
Geocaching
Geocaching is the world’s largest treasure hunt, and can be done with any smartphone as all you need is GPS. In fact, it’s an activity taking the world by storm. Simply search your location and find out about hidden gems near you and as you find more treasure, you’ll be given clues to move on. Sometimes, the treasure takes the form of a logbook and pen, to record your movements, or sometimes a Tupperware box containing a trinket is your reward.
It’s a great activity for summer and you can do it alone, in pairs or bring along the whole family along for the ride. It’s also a fantastic way to discover natural and interesting places in your local area or when on holiday.
Dance The Night Away
Dancing is a great way to feel more energised, to connect with your body and find comfort in your own skin. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a natural dancer there is such a wide variety of options out there that you’re sure to find the type of dance for you. And, even if you find you’re not terribly good at any dance discipline, you can still throw shapes at home in a carefree, loose-limbed way conducive to getting a sweat on. And that’s why you’re here, right?
If you want to dance with a partner you could try ballroom, jive or salsa? Generally, dancing Ballroom and Latin dances has many mental and physical benefits. Aside from being enjoyable, it can be a perfect activity that promotes great posture, while also enhancing your body’s abdominal muscles.
Also, it can provide your whole body with an effective workout routine designed to improve endurance and core strength. Lastly, when you dance Ballroom and Latin, you can burn calories particularly easily, as these are high-octane disciplines, which is crucial in keeping yourself fit while having fun.
On the other hand, if you would rather dance on your own how about tap, hula, or hip hop? There are so many videos online to enable you to practice from the comfort of your own home, away from prying eyes. Apps like Just Dance Now are a great way to make dancing into a game, to really inject some fun into proceedings.
Take An Active Holiday
For your next holiday, why not plan an active break, combining the stress-relieving sense of being on vacation with a focus on exercise? You could book a walking holiday, trekking or skiing, for example, allowing those holiday beers at the end of a long day to be entirely guilt-free!
Since an active holiday requires physical preparation, there’s the added bonus of extra motivation before your trip, to train for it. If you’ve planned to hike up a mountain on holiday then it’s a good idea to get in shape first and having something to look forward to will help push you along.
Gadgets
Sometimes all you need to do to breathe new life into your workout routine is to invest in a device which makes working out easier and more fun. Perhaps the most simple is also the most effective here; Fitbit is guaranteed to give you that little extra motivation you need to change your routine, encouraging you to get off the bus a few stops early, to use the stairs instead of the lift, and take yourself out for an evening walk if you haven’t yet achieved the number of steps you’re targeting.
Or, why not look into the popular app Fiit, which is kind of like the Netflix of home workouts, and makes exercising in your living room as fun and motivating as is humanely (or technologically) possible.
Whatever fitness gadgets you choose, make sure you prioritise ones specifically designed to make your body workout routine more exciting. But aside from fun, these modern innovations offer many benefits, which can help you stay fit. For example, they can help you keep track of your progress and ensure they’re aligned with your fitness goals. They can also provide you with an overview of all the physical activities you’ve performed. That way, you can better understand how your body works as well as determine the things that should be improved to ensure better wellness.
Boot Camps
Boot camp might not sound fun initially. In fact, it might sound like most people’s idea of hell, but its efficiency can’t be denied.
In fact, fun workouts exist even in the most trying of settings, and those who run fitness boot camps aren’t there to humiliate you. Rather, such sessions can be incredibly motivating and before long, that sense of challenge and goal-oriented exercise can be fun in itself.
For those who identify as being the masochistic, glutton-for-punishment type, you might find particular ‘fun’ in Xtreme Bootcamps, which really do push you to your limits. Whilst undeniably tough, the feeling of satisfaction afterwards is pretty unparalleled.
However, it’s essential to know that not all types of fitness boot camps are suitable for every person. Thus, if you want to get the most out of fun while keeping yourself fit, you should conduct thorough research about your prospects to ensure they have the ability to provide what you need.
A New Hobby
If you’re not having fun while getting fit, then it’s time to try something new. You might want to think about getting into a new sport that you can follow online, preferably one with a competitive edge and involving teamwork for that all-important, hugely motivating accountability factor.
Try and find more information on your chosen sport and immerse yourself in the culture behind it as an additional contributor to your improved motivation. Search for Jan Molby’s stats on Wikipedia, do a deep dive into Roger Federer’s career, or even cultivate a new interest in Lacrosse.
Then, find other willing participants in your local area and combine this new, potentially esoteric hobby with working out. Taking pleasure in keeping fit is bound to follow.
The Bottom Line
If you’re not enjoying exercise, it’s not that you’re not cut out for keeping fit. More likely, you simply haven’t yet found the most appropriate regime, discipline or style for you. Approach keeping fit with a broad, inquisitive mind and eventually, you’ll find a routine which you can’t help but come back to, time and time again.