Exercise should be a source of happiness and an avenue for relieving stress, but it often becomes a chore that we dread or try to avoid. Without physical activity, you cannot lead a healthy lifestyle, but exercise doesn’t need to be a burden.
Finding a Frugal Fitness activity or a workout routine that you look forward to is the most important part of bringing fun into your fitness routine, but there are other tactics that can make working out more exciting. Try out some of our suggestions to increase your interest in exercising and begin enjoying your workout time.
The Importance of Daily Physical Activity
Daily activity is important for people of all ages, but it becomes even more important as we age to help reduce the chance of injury or disease. Over time, our metabolisms slow down, making it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight. Building up muscle mass while we’re younger is important as this begins to deteriorate with age as well.
Exercise not only helps diminish the effects of age but it promotes an overall healthy lifestyle through weight management, elevated mood, higher energy level, improved immune system and, of course, building muscle mass.
7 Tips To Make Your Exercise Routine Fun Again
Work Out In Nature
Sometimes hitting the gym every day can be part of the reason you grow tired of your workout routine. As the spring and summer weather begins, keeping yourself inside while the weather is beautiful can add to the difficulty. Make exercising more enjoyable by taking your workout routine outside. Find a park nearby and bring a Pilates mat to work on core and leg exercises or pick a running route nearby and get some cardio in for the day. Working out outside also allows you time to explore someplace new. Biking is another great option for outdoor workouts that will keep you fit and break the constraints of an indoor gym.
Set Short-Term and Long-Term Goals for Yourself
Having a goal and reaching it gives us an unparalleled sense of accomplishment. If you’re working out without a clear goal in mind, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself, even losing sight of the reason you’re exercising in the first place. Try determining a long-term goal that you hope to accomplish over a few months and then establish short, weekly or bi-weekly goals. For example, if you’re working on upper body strength, set a goal for how many push-ups you’d like to be able to do in one set in two weeks’ time. Achieving these small objectives will give you a strong sense of accomplishment that can continue to motivate you on a daily basis.
Try A Fitness Class
Classes are an excellent way to enjoy exercise because there are so many fun available fitness routines. Barre, yoga, kickboxing, HIIT training and CrossFit are some of the most popular workout classes right now. Each of these offers different benefits and will appeal to people with a range of skills and interests. Classes can be helpful for those who need a boost in motivation as well because having an instructor guide you makes you feel more confident and pushes you further than you might on your own. This is a great opportunity to try out different types of workouts and find a routine that you truly enjoy. After attending a workout class, it’s a good idea to bring a protein shake along with you to help with post-exercise recovery.
Make It A Social Activity
Research has found that people are more likely to enjoy participating in some kind of physical activity when they bring along a friend, colleague or spouse. Having someone else around during a workout, run or exercise class can help to hold you responsible, pushing you through the workout. It’s also helpful because you feel as though another person is sharing in the experience with you, making you feel close and enjoying the activity more than if you were alone.
Read While On The Treadmill Or Stationary Bike
If you regularly run on the treadmill or ride the stationary bike, you may find that it’s difficult to focus fully on the activity at hand, instead thinking too much about your breathing or checking the dashboard to see how much longer you have to go. Multitasking while exercising can reduce these feelings by focusing your attention elsewhere. Many people opt to read a book or newspaper during these stationary activities to make them more enjoyable.
Join A Sports League Or Create Your Own Team
Finding a sport that you enjoy participating in is one of the best ways to make your workout time fun. Recreational leagues exist for nearly every type of active sport like basketball, baseball and beach volleyball, but if you can’t find a league for the activity of your choice, round up a group of friends and start your own. Some people are stuck in the mentality that in order to get the most out of their fitness routine, they must stick to strict weight lifting or training workouts in the gym, but good physical fitness comes in many forms.
The more you’re enjoying the physical activity, the better the results. If you’re dreading exercise and only trying to do the bare minimum, you’re not going to benefit as much as you will from an activity that you want to continue doing.
Exercise Earlier In The Day
Though convincing yourself to exercise in the morning may be tougher than after work, most people have a greater sense of reward when they exercise earlier in the day. Research shows that working out in the morning can kickstart your metabolism and leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the day. When you feel more accomplished following a workout, you are more likely to enjoy the sensation of exercising and look forward to it in the future.
Put Fun Back Into Frugal Fitness
Working out shouldn't be a bore or a chore, especially when it's Frugal Fitness. Keep these 7 exercise tips in mind to make sure your workouts are fun and fresh while remaining frugally fit.
