Not all exercise is fun; when you’ve had a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is go to the gym and spend an hour on the treadmill, followed by abdominal crunches and weightlifting. Boredom might be one of the reasons why you haven’t been to the gym in months, yet continue to pay for a membership in hopes that you’ll be inspired to hop on a treadmill once more. This isn’t the only way to go about getting more exercise; working out can be a lot of fun, and enjoying the activity can make your fitness efforts more effective. Here are just a few activities you could add to your social calendar.
Dancing
Whether you buy a dance workout DVD, look them up on YouTube, or just blast the music on your radio, dancing is a fun and free exercise. Dancing is a full body workout that’s good for your heart, makes you stronger, and aids with balance and coordination. A 30 minute workout can burn as many calories as jogging. But unlike running on a treadmill, dancing is also a creative outlet; you can make up your own moves, learn established steps, and choose your own music. Also, dancing is a social exercise. Whether you go to a club with some friends, or go to a class and meet new people, you’re guaranteed to have a good time with an intense dance session.
Walking
Some health experts recommend that people walk at least 10,000 steps per day if they want to get into shape. It might not seem like much, but when you think about how much sitting you do at work and at home, 10,000 steps could be a major change for your body. The first thing you’ll need is some appropriate footwear, because feet can easily get blisters when you start walking for long distances. You can find a well-fitting pair at any high street store or visit this site to do more research into which kind of shoes are made for walking. Next, you just need to find someplace where you don’t mind taking a leisurely stroll for half an hour; perhaps you live in a historical city, near the coast, or you have a hiking trail nearby.
Cycling
Even if you already cycle to work, there’s something different about riding your bike for pleasure. It takes you back to when you were a child, and cycling was the closest thing you had to freedom. The next time the sun is out and you have the day off, take your bike to the coastline or to the woods and just ride for the sheer pleasure of it. The benefits for you body are even better; sports physiologists have found that even after cycling for 30 minutes, you could be burning a higher amount of total calories for a few hours after you stop. Also, cycling improves cardiovascular and aerobic fitness, lowers blood pressure, boosts energy, builds muscle, and improves coordination.
What are your favorite ways to exercise?
