Everyone knows that staying active is good for your health, but not everyone takes it seriously. Perhaps the fun is simply missing for those that struggle to keep moving. Use our tips to make exercise fun and well worth your while!
Staying active is important for every one of us, so why do we make it difficult? It can have a big impact on your overall well being, including your mental health. When you don’t get the right amount of necessary activity, your physical and mental well being will assuredly decline. This doesn’t mean a huge time commitment, but a commitment to getting moving every day.
Because fitness is so important, we put together a few simple suggestions you can follow to make exercise fun and stay more active more consistently. This will help keep a smile on your face during a time when we all need help staying happy. In the United States, mental health issues are ever present, and lack of exercise is a contributing factor. In fact, 1.1% of U.S. adults experience schizophrenia; 2.6% of adults live with bipolar disorder; 6.9% of people battle depression; and 18.1% of us experience anxiety disorders. While there is no one-stop trick to remedy these issues, staying active will help.
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This is because exercise releases endorphins in the brain that stimulate “feel-good” emotions. Feelings like happiness, excitement, and eagerness are all examples of how you will feel when physical activity is regularly incorporated into your lifestyle. In fact, people who do regular physical activity have up to a 30% lower risk of depression. If you’re someone who struggles with your mental health, or simply want a “workout” refresher, following our suggestions will be all the more important for you.
Tips to Make Exercise Fun
Go For Walks
For those who struggle with mental health or simply lack motivation, the desire to get up and go exercise is missing. For that reason, start small. Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Link up with some friends and take a hike through a park. Whatever gets you up and moving a bit more than the day before is going to help how you feel.
If you have a pet, the exercise for them will be beneficial as well. Take your dog for a walk around the park and when you get back, jot down how you feel. While it’s likely you’ll feel tired or maybe even a little annoyed, it’s also true that you will probably have a more positive outlook for the rest of the day. You may even feel accomplished and pleased with yourself. Minimally, your dog is thankful for the time outdoors. All of this will help you to go for another walk tomorrow and keep up the routine of getting more exercise. Strive to get moving daily.
Start With Simple Weights
If you don’t want to go outside, consider buying some lighter dumbbells and do some easy exercises within the house. Lifting weights doesn’t have to mean getting a gym membership and becoming a bodybuilder. You can do simple exercises right within the comfort of your home, and they’re not hard to learn. That feeling of strength you get is pretty amazing.
If traditional dumbbell exercises aren’t your thing, there are other simple exercises you can do too. Go back to the basics with some crunches, squats, and push-ups. Start out slow, but gradually push yourself to do more and more. Grab a partner and start a 30 day workout challenge together. Investing in more fitness time will allow you to help track your progress better than solely relying on a scale. Your health will benefit from as much exercise as you are willing to give it.
Pick Up A Sport
Picking up a sport is a great way to get in more exercise, but also make it fun while you’re at it. Instead of making it seem like a chore, this activity is social! Making friends with those on your team will help you to enjoy the whole experience. Not only that, but having people to keep you accountable is a great way to get into fitness.
Consider joining club volleyball, a baseball team, or a soccer team. Then learn the best practices for each. If you’re playing baseball, for example, be sure not to use a shaved bat in cold temperatures lower than 65 degrees, or it won’t work as well. Since most of the U.S. is now transitioning into colder weather months, investing in an indoor sport might be the way to go. Learn about the equipment, your teammates, and the rules of the game. This will distract you from the actual task at hand: getting more exercise. The sooner you can have fun while you’re working out, the easier it will be for you to make exercise a part of your lifestyle.
Try Yoga
For many, the typical exercise routines are just not appealing. If you’re someone like this, try yoga! The relaxing vibe that yoga encourages might just be more appealing, and the workouts are just as beneficial to your health. Stretching and testing your limits is important, and exactly what yoga forces you to do. There are dozens of videos online and even more DVDs to rent that can help you learn on your own. However, there are always classes available to sign up for — whether virtually or in person.
There are lots of ways to stay active beyond the few we noted, but the bottom line is simple. Make exercise fun, because its more important that you exercise, as opposed to how you choose to do it. At the end of the day, you just need to get up and do something. Your health will thank you for it!
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