How to Make Movement More Enjoyable
By now, most of the world knows that physical activity is necessary for health. It keeps our body limber, helps our immune system, and keeps our joints and muscles in shape. But just knowing it is good doesn’t help us get to the actual working out part. Many of us have the best of intentions to make it apart of our lifestyle, but fall back on lack of time, resources, interest, or motivation. Use our tips to turn up the fun level, get creative with your workouts, and make healthy movement a part of your life.
Assess your workout style: evaluate all the things out enjoy about exercise and tailor your workouts to suite what you like. You might have been mindlessly following an exercise program our routine because you heard it gives good results. It is very important to make your workout something YOU enjoy. Think about factors such as location (indoor/outdoor/at the gym/at home), with who (solo vs. group), style (pilates, HIIT, etc.). Give yourself your ultimate workout set-up and you are sure to get more satisfaction out of it.
Make your workout productive: some days we all need a little boost in motivation to get moving. Counter that by crossing something off your to-do while you mix in a workout - essentially killing two birds with one stone! Some ideas include listening to an audio book while running or walking, Studying or checking emails while on the treadmill or stationary bike, digging in your garden, or cleaning.
Team up with a friend: some people find working out with friends or in a group to be incredibly motivating. You and a friend could take turns picking a different style or type of exercise to do. Working out with friends and in a group promotes higher accountability and increases satisfaction, and in some cases results, due to the added social element.
Turn family time into active time: Go on walks or hikes with your loved ones. Get outside and bring out your inner child by playing with your kids or pet. Initiate an exercise challenge amongst your family and relatives. These ideas are a great way to promote a culture of health and vitality within your family. You will also be creating memories with your family that you can all cherish. Find more ideas here.
Make it a challenge: while yes, it is beneficial to challenge yourself in your workouts, that is not the type of challenge we are referring to. Like we mentioned in tip #4, making a workout challenge with your yourself, your family, friends, co-workers, or other individuals in your life is a great way to make movement more fun. A challenge can keep you accountable and motivate you to work harder than you may have without a challenge. Technology makes this very easy for us these days through devices like the Apple Watch and FitBit. You can also set up groups on Facebook and other social media sites. Make it a themed challenge to spice it up. This is also a healthy way to keep socially connected while social distancing.
How have you been keeping active? Share in the comments below or let us know on Facebook and Instagram!
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Resources:
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-6537-3
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/exercise-in-groups-get-more-health-benefits
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/getting-active/breaking-down-barriers-to-fitness