* Guest Post by Jessica Socheski *
5 Ways to Exercise and Have Fun
Keeping up with physical fitness is a healthy trend in today’s culture. From bright work out clothes and running shoes to the rage about cleaning to intense training routines like Tabata, exercise is definitely hip, not to mention great for your body.
But unfortunately, many people give up on exercise because it proves too hard to commit to grueling activity which they don’t really enjoy. But maintaining a physically active lifestyle does not have to mean running marathons and repeating endless lunge and squat routines.
If your relationship with working out has been less than friendly in the past, here are five fun ways to reclaim exercise as an enjoyable and rewarding part of your life.
1. Fitness with Friends
A great way to combine two important parts of your life, forming a fitness friendship can help you incorporate both social and physical activity. Find a partner who can help you enjoy getting out for a walk, jog, swim or visit to the gym will make working out more fun and help keep both of you accountable to staying active on a regular basis.
Whether it is a roommate, spouse, friend, family member or colleague, working out together or in a group can positively impact both your attitude and success. One study of group fitness discovered “that women who find it hard to stick to an exercise routine worked out more regularly and got better results when they worked out with their daughters,” reports WebMD.
2. Hiking
A fantastic way to stay fit and explore the outdoors, hiking also offers the opportunity to work on cardio, balance, agility and more skills. You can even make it a weight training session by carrying a backpack.
Find a local trail book or do some easy research online to discover new areas with fun hiking paths. If you live in a wooded area, then you may be able to hike through a forest up to a waterfall. For city dwellers, there are many beautiful parks and urban areas to enjoy walking through.
3. Water Sports
Paddle Boarding and kayaking are fantastic ways to work on balance and upper body strength. Whether in a local harbor, beach or lake, you can enjoy the cool water and sunshine while building muscle and burning calories. Both paddle boards and kayaks are great to take on camping or beach trips to nearby areas worth discovering.
4. Dancing to Health
Another great alternative to normal gym workouts is taking fitness to the dance floor. There are so many different options when it comes to creative movement, and many offer a serious sweaty work out. Ballroom styles like salsa or swing can be a fun way to work out with a partner or in a class. Other group work outs like Zumba or Jazzercise have rapidly gained popularity as aerobic exercise that is really a blast.
5. Play Team Sports
Joining a team makes a wonderful way to enjoy activity in a social setting. Some of the most popular adult recreation sports include:
•Cricket
•Football
•Ultimate Frisbee
•Sand Court Volleyball
Having regular practices and scheduled games will help you get out and about on a regular basis. Coaching and working with teammates can help improve your game. And getting to enjoy a sport you are passionate about can take all the “work” out of working out.
With these great activities, you can find a fun way to exercise that makes getting healthy a happy part of your everyday.
Jessica Socheski
Jessica Socheski is a writer and wellness freak who enjoys researching healthcare.
You can connect with Jessica on Twitter.
