Top 5 Ways to Enjoy Exercise
I always say that the very best way to exercise is to do something you love and guest author Holly McCarthy in the article below is very much in agreement.
You never have a prima ballerina complaining about dancing or a baseball fanatic complaining about playing a game in the park.
What will you find to love this year? If you don’t think there’s anything, you haven’t tried enough activities!
But if you still insist there’s nothing that will get you going, Holly has 4 more ways to encourage you to exercise …
Top 5 Ways to Enjoy Your Exercise
Exercise! Now all of us know its benefits and how we must make it a part of our daily lives so that we may be fit and healthy. Most of us start a fitness program with great enthusiasm but find it difficult to stick to the program when we get bored or when the results come too slowly. It is quite a challenge to beat exercise boredom. But that should be no excuse to quit your workout. Check out these tips to make your exercise program more enjoyable.
- Do physical activities that you enjoy doing. Nothing can be more fun than doing something that you love doing. You like dancing? Then maybe your exercise routine should be all about dance – some salsa, jazz or, ballroom dancing would be a lot of fun and at the same time give you a perfect workout. Don’t like dancing? Then, how about bicycling, swimming, or maybe even a game of football or basket ball? That should do the trick. Exercise does not have to be about boring gym equipment alone?
- Join a friend or a group of friends in their routine. Wise was he who said ‘the more, the merrier’. Unless you are one of those loners that like no company, working out all alone can be very boring. Join a group and make exercise more fun. A group can keep you more committed to your routine and it will also cheer you up when you are down. Friendly competition and challenges can keep you greatly motivated. Also, a few laughs with friends while working out can make exercise something to look forward to.
- Have a nice mix of activities. However much you like what you are doing, there is a chance that it will get monotonous when you do it everyday. So have a nice variety of activities so that when you are bored with one activity, you could try another one. I love dancing, power walking, bicycling, and high energy aerobics. But I get very bored when I stick to just one of these. If its dance for Monday and Wednesday, I try bicycling on a Tuesday and Thursday and aerobics on Sunday. Believe-you-me, this is a great way to beat the drudgery that goes with exercise.
- Take your routine outdoors. Yes, I agree, gym routines, swimming in an indoor pool and aerobics in a studio are fun and effective but make sure you do not miss out on the pleasures of working out outside too. Jogging through the local park, a walk along the beach, ice skating in winter can all make exercise more exciting. And if it is done in the morning, you get to take in the cool fresh air too – an added advantage!
- Take a break occasionally. If in spite of the above tips you find your exercise is getting boring, just take a break. I know you have to be consistent with your exercise. But a break from routine once in a while will do no harm. In fact, it will make you return to your routine with more gusto. While taking that break, you could do some stretches and lunges as you clean your windows, rake your garden or run up and down the stairs at home. That way you will not feel very guilty about your break.
Now, if exercising could be made fun and enjoyable, who wouldn’t want to go for that healthy and chic body that comes with it?
This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of geriatric nursing certificates She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com
Secrets of a 4 Minute Workout
The idea of a 4 minute workout is very appealing. Let’s get it all done in 4 minutes and get on with your life.
I came across this fitness video today which is meant to be a 4 minute workout for beginners.
No beginners I ever met could manage this 4 minute exercise program, so please don’t even try unless you are reasonably fit!
But if you are why not give it a go…
If this 4 minute workout looks too strenuous for you, yet you want to get fit without taking up much time, my Fitness in No Time program will be much more to your liking 
27 Ways to Get Fit for FREE
If you’d love to get fit but don’t have any funds just now to join a gym or buy the latest fitness equipment, don’t despair – you can get fit without spending money at all.
(For those with a little cash to splash out on a few bits and pieces take a look at our $100 home gym project page where we review some of the best equipment for getting in shape that you can get for very little indeed. )
Cardio Fitness
1. Walk
Actually save money by walking everywhere within a reasonable distance. You save wear and tear on your car. And you’ll save gas costs and parking charges and/or cab, bus or subway fares. All you need are comfortable shoes (take your dressier shoes with you if necessary) and walk, walk, walk.
Pick up the pace as you get fitter to make those short journeys even quicker and smile at all the traffic travelling bumper to bumper in the rush hour. If there’s nowhere suitable to walk in your area try mall walking (but don’t get tempted to buy stuff!)
2. Cycle
If you have a little further to go and access to a bike, try cycling – it’s a great way to get about – just make sure you have all the safety gear you need and take care on the road.
Of course, if you have to buy a bike and safety gear this one isn’t free for you but how many of us have these things at home and rarely use them?
If you use a bike instead of forking out for transport costs then you might find this way of getting fit actually works out as better than free – it will save you money. (Might even be worth buying a reasonably priced or used bike for those savings)
3. Run
If you already have good running shoes you can start a running program – you’ll find a great free program to take you right from beginner level over at Cool Running. I used this one to train for a 5K race from a standing start this year. If you don’t have (or can’t afford) good shoes, give this one a miss as you’ll damage your joints running without them.
4. Play
Take the kids to run around in the park (or a game of football or baseball) and JOIN IN instead of watching them. If you don’t have any kids then you probably know a parent or two who would welcome a break while you take their kids to run off steam. Flying a kite is great fun too and good exercise especially if you climb a hill to reach the best spot.
You’ll find more active play ideas over at this site such as Obstacle courses, Den building, Apple bobbing, Leap frog, Puddle jumping, treasure hunts and welly wanging.
Of course if you are lucky enough to have snow in winter the possibilities for play are endless.
5. Man’s (and Woman’s) Best Friend
Take the dog out for exercise twice a day and run about too instead of just throwing a ball to fetch. If you don’t have a dog offer to walk your neighbor’s dog for free. For more great activities you can enjoy with your dog, take a look at this Dog Play website. Who knew Fido could offer all these opportunities for exercise?
6. Step it Up
Use the bottom stair of a flight of stairs in your house as a step and step up and down to music. Or run up and down the whole flight. You can try this in an appartment or office building too (as long as your neighbors/coworkers don’t mind). For more about using stairs for free exercise take a look at this article on Fit Sugar.
7. Fitness DVD
Borrow a selection of fitness DVDs from you local library or a friend and follow them at home (or get out those you have lurking in the closet, basement or garage from the days when leg warmers were in fashion the first time). If you’re already a member of one of those DVD clubs you can always choose a fitness DVD as one of your selections and change it each month when you get bored with it.
8. Skip
Jump rope in your lounge or back yard using an old piece of rope or clothesline. For inspiration take a look at this rope jumping video on You Tube by a Ford Fitness model
You can also get a free rope jumping workout at ivillage.
9. Dance
Play music and dance the night (or day) away – around your bedroom – you can try out your best moves with nobody watching and pretend you’re Madonna.
10. Clean Up
Clean your place from top to bottom once a week for a vigorous workout. In fact you can burn 50,000 calories a year (that’s 14lbs of fat) just from cleaning up according to this article
11. Dig for Victory
If you have a yard get your garden in shape while you get in shape yourself. Here is a whole free plan for using your garden to get fit at Gardenfitness.com
12. Community
Get fit while making a contribution – you’ll feel great in more ways than one. Join a conservation project where there are usually plenty of activities to get involved in such as cleaning beaches, clearing overgrown beauty spots, planting trees, building walls etc Or join a volunteer project for a disadvantaged group where there’s always something to be done. A great way of making friends too. Do a search on Google for volunteering in your local area.
Strength Training
13. Isometric Exercises
You can tone up and build strength without any equipment at all – just using the weight of your body. Here is a whole series of exercises you can print for free (select those which don’t require any equipment)
And here is a complete 15 minute multi-sequence routine you can print out and use anywhere without equipment
14. Callanetics
Callanetics has been around a long time though it is not that well known but I know it works! It tones up your muscles at a very deep level using tiny ultra-slow motion pulsing movements without using equipment (other than a chair or makeshift barre). See if you can borrow one of these Callanetics books or DVDs
15. Pilates
Pilates is another great exercise system which you can do without equipment to tone and strengthen your muscles and which is highly respected. You might have more luck with getting your hands on information about this because it is a bit better known and there are free sources of information about this on the web.
Here is a FREE Pilates ebook to download. (Right click on the link and choose “Save target as” or “Save Link as). The accompanying Easy Vigour site is also useful.
And here is a series of free beginners pilates videos
16. From the Kitchen
Use the equipment you already have at home as small hand-weights. You can use soup cans (still with contents intact!) or water bottles (filled with water or sand). You can use these for any exercises where you would usually use small hand weights.
If you use water bottles start with water and then as you get stronger you can progress to sand and then maybe to small pebbles or coins. Another alternative for kitchen hand-weights are those plastic milk or orange juice jugs filled with water. They are great because they have a handle to hold.
17. Improve your Grip
Don’t buy an expensive hand grip trainer – squeeze a rubber ball or tennis ball as hard as you can instead.
Flexibility
18. Yoga
Borrow a yoga DVD from your library or use information available for free online and practice the movements every day. You’ll build strength along with getting more flexible. Download a free 73 minute yoga DVD from yoga.org.nz to get started.
19. Simple Stretching
If you prefer classic stretching exercises, you’ll find a selection of simple stretching exercises (along with some to build strength) in this illustrated stretching guide.
General
20. Make Exercise Your Entertainment
Although not exactly free it’s often cheaper (and therefore free in a way) than meeting a friend for a coffee or a meal. Why not meet up and go swimming or ice skating instead? Or take a class together such as belly dancing or tai-chi?
21. Use Local Facilities
Make use of what you can find locally and save travel costs too. You can walk in local beauty spots such as hills and beaches – you’ll often find nature trails already marked out for you. And some local authorities offer free classes and program to help promote health in the local community.
22. Free Gym
Take advantage of open days at local gyms – as long as you’re strong willed enough (or poor enough) to avoid signing up for membership.
23. Websites
You will often get a free selection of exercises of every type at membership sites which provide online fitness guidance. For example, the Workout Pass site which offers specific training suited for every kind of sport and situation imaginable offers a sample of 15 exercises you can download without joining the site including the best 4 exercises for a rock-solid abs, a fat-blasting workout and a 15 minute workout you can do anywhere.
You could build up a whole routine with a little searching.
Also check out government advice on the websites such as http://www.healthierus.gov/. Though the information is generally targeted at beginners you might find a suitable routine.
24. TV
You’ll find many exercise programs on TV these days – find a few that suit your schedule in the listings – or record for later use.
25. Charity
Charities often use fun activities (and sometimes really tough ones) as fund-raisers. Although it normally costs money to join you may be able persuade a whole lot of people to sponsor you and cover your entry fee for a good cause.
26. Freecycle
If you ask or keep an eye out you may find exercise equipment or a set of weights that someone is glad to get rid of on Freecycle.org – they are the kind of things which people buy with high hopes and then the the equipment lies around gathering dust ready for you to happilly take it off their hands.
27. Become an Opportunist
Find opportunities for exercise throughout your day. Use the stairs instead of the elevator (“That old chestnut”, you say, but do you do it?). Park a little further away than you normally would. Stretch at your desk. Hold your tummy in when waiting in line. It all counts. Do whatever you can to be more active wherever you are. It costs nothing.
28. Flat Abs fast – 5 Easy Ways to a Washboard Stomach
Bonus No 28 just added – my easy abs exercises course – no crunches required. Pick up Flat Abs Fast for free.
If you can think of more ways then please share here in the comments. Thanks
Fitness Motivation : 6 Simple Steps to the Point of No Return
It’s too easy to give up a new exercise program when you don’t seem to be getting results but please don’t let unrealistic expectations about changing your shape and fitness level within a few days get the better of you.
Results CAN be truly remarkable within a few weeks – but you have to be a little patient with yourself if you are trying to reach that next level in your fitness goals or even to go from a complete standing start to super lean and fit.
A shiny new exercise program or workout routine IS often the best way to jump start your achievement. You just have to give it time to work its magic.
I have seen people have results within a week and I have seen others have a wait a month for similar results. Some of that has to do with the effort put into a fitness program or with the choice of program but in some cases it’s just that our bodies are all different and so is their response to any particular exercise regime.
The guy lifting mega weights at the gym is not you. And you probably haven’t been into a dozen sports since the age of 6 like the girl at the pool. You have your own body, preferences and capabilities so work with them and avoid comparing notes with anyone else.
The important thing is to get to your individual point of no return – the point where you start to see your hard work IS worth it and you decide that you want your new level of fitness to become part of your life. You need to reach that place well before the point where you decide to jack it all in and give up on your new program.
To increase your chance of success give yourself time…
- Have no expectations for 1 to 2 months – just decide to do the program no matter what and then review it
- Have an open mind – just see the program as a 30-day or 60 day experiment in looking and feeling good. Be curious about the results
- Schedule your sessions so they fit into your day – if possible complete them first thing in the morning before your life has a chance to get in the way
- Don’t be resentful about the time and effort – look at your fitness sessions as giving your body a treat and spending time focusing on you
- Choose an exercise program that fits into your lifestyle rather than one which you will continually struggle with. If it helps join a health club or gym near your office or home – whichever will be most convenient or work out at home if that suits you better
- if you doubt your ability to stick with the program get a personal trainer or partner to keep you accountable
Those who have reached the other side of this “motivation divide” and know how it feels and could tell you that the effort is SO worth it. In fact, you have probably heard quite a lot from them already. The problem is you don’t really “get it” until you experience it for yourself. So make sure you give yourself enough of a chance to find out how good being fit and getting in shape feels.
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