Believe it or not, but according to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, less than a shocking five percent of adults actually participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Every new year, people start with positive fitness goals which they eagerly follow up on by heading to the gym and nibbling away on carrot sticks. However, these goals often unravel just after a few weeks. The problem for many is that exercise can be extremely boring and repetitive – but it doesn’t have to be!
There are a ton of ways to make exercise more enjoyable, whether you have five minutes or an hour to spare. To help, here are some of our favorite suggestions to put the fun back into your workout routine:
Exercise with a friend
What better way to engage in extraneous exercise than bringing a friend along to experience it with you! If you struggle to get out of bed in the morning to knock out a pre-work gym session or if you find yourself coming up with every possible excuse in the book to avoid exercising after work – get yourself a gym buddy. A study conducted by the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University found that couples – or friends – who exercise separately, had a 43% dropout rate, while those who exercised together only had a 6.3% dropout rate. To make working out more enjoyable, keep yourself accountable and bring a friend along.
Join a Class
When many people think about working out, they immediately envision beefed-up meat heads sweating on every single piece of equipment in the gym which can make the experience a little less enjoyable. Breakaway from the traditional gym and try something new – join a class! Whether it is yoga, Pilates, dancing spinning, Zumba or an exceptional boxing gym in Cottonwood Utah, changing up your routine is new and exciting.
Shop till You Drop
You probably didn’t expect to see this suggestion on here but believe it or not – one hour of shopping can help you to burn 175 calories. However, if you are not much of a shopper then pick up the broom and a cleaning rag because you can burn up to 191 calories from an hour of housework! Okay, for the record and to be crystal clear, we are not suggesting to skip your workout and head to the mall, but there are a ton of activities like gardening that you can do that won’t necessarily feel like exercise.
Treat Yourself
An excellent way to keep your workouts enjoyable is by simply giving yourself a reward in return for the time spent pounding the pavements or lifting weights. Try putting a dollar in a jar for every workout you do, and every month use this money to treat yourself. Whether it is a cheat meal or a new pair of shoes, your hard work should be rewarded to keep you motivated on your fitness journey.
Pump up the Volume
Don’t work out in silence – that can be very boring for many. To make exercise more enjoyable, load your music player with upbeat and energetic songs that would make it difficult for anyone not to get up and move. Everybody has a different taste. Find what music works for you, put on your headphones, and get to work!
Exercise does not have to be boring. In fact, once you find what works best for you, it can be extremely enjoyable. If you have been feeling a little unmotivated, give one of our suggestions a try to get your blood flowing and heart pumping!
