When I wrote this post, this is what I was hearing in my head, Must exercise. Exercise is boring and difficult. Do not want to exercise. Maybe writing about exercise will motivate me.
If you’re one of those super-motivated types who loves to hit the gym, this post isn’t for you because you probably get intrinsic enjoyment out of working out. Good for you, and do check back in here after your next workout.
If, however, you’re like me and less than super-motivated to exercise regularly, this post is for you. I’ve been looking for exercise alternatives that offer fun ways to fit more fitness into my everyday life, because I figure that might help me.
The mental hurdles to exercising regularly are big, but not insurmountable. It’s really just a matter of a) making a commitment, and b) finding ways to exercise that work for us. When most of us think about exercise, we think about activities that are more like boot camp (push ups, running, lifting weights) and less like recreational fun. I’m proposing that if you can find phsyical activities that you enjoy doing, exercising will not seem like so much work.
Surprisingly Fun Ways to Exercise (that don’t sound as scary as Boot Camp):
Dancing - Belly dancing (harder than you can imagine), hip hop, salsa
Outdoor Adventure - hiking, biking, mountain climbing, rock climbing
Water Sports - water polo, water aerobics, synchronized swimming, canoing, kayaking
From Childhood - skipping, gymnastics, capture the flag, roller blading, horseback riding, baton twirling
Family Friendly - Frisbee, tag, playing catch, bicycling, bowling, yard work, camping
Back in this post, I talked about a 500 calorie/day deficit. Check out this awesome Activity Burn Rate Calculator to see which of your ideal fitness activities can help you achieve this goal. Try it, it’s fun. Example: At my weight, if I spend 1 hour at a beauty salon receiving hairstyling and a manicure (yes, it’s on the list), I’ll burn 117 calories, which means I can have a 100 Calorie Pack of snacks while getting my nails done and still have a caloric deficit. See, exercising can be fun!
Update: This post was included in Weight Master’s Weight Management and Fitness Forum carnival.
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Cindy // Aug 30, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Love the calorie deficit in the salon! Making exercise fun is important. It’s how we’re able to make it part of our lifestyle over time. How neat will it be to belly dance and learn to hip hop?
2 admin // Aug 31, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Belly dancing was totally fun, and more so if you go with friends! It’s harder than you think!
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