In this day and age of technology and progress, most of us are cooped up indoors. Kids are stuck in front of their TVs and gaming consoles. Teenagers can’t get off their laptops because they can still reach their friends without having to step out of their bedroom door. Desk jobs have most adults boxed in offices the whole day. The demands of school or work take up so much space in our lives that we’ve let exercise and fitness habits fall by the wayside.
You might have that friend who jokes about how their only form of exercise is the journey to the fridge. Yes, it’s funny, but once you’re done laughing, you realize how sad it really is. As organic, living things we were blessed with a brain and a body, engineered to think and then act on those thoughts. We are creatures of action, dynamic and capable of countless pursuits. If a person’s most elaborate journey is to their refrigerator or toilet then what does this say about our generation? This, ladies and gentlemen, is our reality.
We think of exercise as something that requires a lot of effort. It’s monotonous, repetitive and boring. Corny exercise videos or ridiculous workout contraptions on the home shopping network have sucked most of the enjoyment out of exercise. Imagine all the hours of sweating it out on a treadmill or a bike. All that time of running and peddling but with you not really going anywhere. The only sense of fulfillment you get from all these calorie-burning exploits is that you are doing your little bit to try and stay in shape.
Stop wasting away your life like this. There are better options, different avenues you can take to get up and active. Why torture yourself with tedious workouts when you can be healthy and happy? Shake things up with alternative and inventive ways to get fit. Believe it or not, there are activities that will actually make you look forward to the next session. Not only will they benefit your body, they’ll feed your soul as well.
As much as possible, go outdoors. Fresh air can do wonders for your mood. You can try jogging with your dog and maybe even play a couple rounds of Frisbee with your four-legged buddy in the park. If you’re more into running, take to the streets. With proper safety measures a run around your part of the city, the energy of the urban jungle egging you on as you blur past by, will prove more interesting than your standard treadmill experience.
Of course, you can bring out the competitive tiger in you and get into sports. You can shoot some hoops with a couple of friends or play tennis with people from work. Perhaps you fancy a few lengths at the local swimming pool? Aside from blowing off steam and de-stressing, sports build character and a sense of teamwork.
For those who are into trying new things, take dance lessons. Dancing uses all of your muscles. There are many forms you can choose from, from energetic dances like Salsa and the Jive to slower but still enjoyable ones like Ballroom. Dance is truly one of the best workouts.
Now don’t go thinking that exercise is all there is to it. You need a proper diet and lifestyle as well. All this fun exercise is good for you; just make sure that you do not ruin all your good fun by maintaining self-defeating habits like smoking, for example. For that you need help. If you want to stop smoking, there is help available. Don’t let smoking be your downfall. Campaigns such as Quit With Help have sprung up to aid quitters in their quest to become a lifelong non-smoker, so there is plenty of help at hand should you decide to quit.
Those were just some of the fun ways to get your activity levels up.
Now that you’re all fired up, get out of your chair, get fit, and make a day of it!