Regular exercise is the key to good health. We have been told this ever since we were kids. However, not many of us are a big fan of working out daily. We often wonder how to start an exercise program and stick to it. You might have made several such attempts and failed at it simply because you hate exercising. The struggle is real, and it is hard to start working out for people who find it difficult to derive motivation for regular fitness routines.
Are you someone who hates exercises but needs to lose weight? Do you spend long hours sitting at your desk job and know your body needs some exercise to stay fit? Does the thought of running on a treadmill make you cringe? Well, you are not alone. There are plenty of people who are struggling to start working out despite knowing its many benefits. Don’t worry, we got you covered. This post will try to convince you why do we need to exercise. But if you are still not convinced, we have some great ideas for people who hate exercise.
Why do We Need to Exercise?
Let’s go back to the basics and recall why exercising is a must. Even if you have an active lifestyle, experts suggest starting an exercise program that is anything other than your daily activities. It is crucial for overall fitness and good health. Not only does exercising help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, but it is also extremely essential to maintain strong bones and joints. Working out can give you enhanced ability to perform regular functional movements better and lead a quality and healthy life. It improves strength and power in the body and leaves your body energized. Additionally, exercising is good for blood circulation, blood pressure levels, and the digestive and respiratory system.
Many studies show a link between lack of exercise and a higher risk of several medical conditions such has diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure, joint pains, cancer and more. Apart from this, exercising has a huge impact on our mental health. Experts suggest that it can make you a happier and more positive person. It improves mood, reduces the feelings of fatigue and exhaustion, and boosts self-confidence. It even impacts the self-esteem of the person in a positive manner. It improves brain’s ability to function, memorize, think, and makes it sharper. It can reduce anxiety, help you manage stress, and find peace within. Additionally, it creates or corrects hormonal balance within the body and improves overall wellbeing. It improves your sex life and sleep patterns. It can even be fun and provide an opportunity to socialize, make new friends in your fitness club. Some forms of exercise like yoga can even lead to spiritual awareness and growth.
Exercising regularly has amazing benefits. It can impact nearly all aspects of your health and wellbeing, including mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Eventually, it gives you a shapely body and glowing skin. Whether it’s hitting a gym, joining a yoga class or playing your favorite sport, exercises in any form can have an excellent positive effect on you, and there is no reason to neglect it. However, if you are still wondering how to start working out, we have some amazing exercise ideas for you.
- Walking: Yes, walking is a great way to exercise and stay fit. Long walks in nature can have a similar impact as working out or jogging in a gym. While sometimes it may seem like a dull activity, you can choose scenic paths, beautiful parks, beach side, country roads, or your favorite local park to take a walk. You can even pick your favorite music to listen to or walk your dog. It is the cheapest and best way to workout. It even allows you quiet time to contemplate and reflect on your life. For those who cannot find time to go for a walk, they can choose to walk back from their workplace. Experts say that about an hour of brisk walking can help you burn up to 400 calories. It is important to note that you must maintain a pace that gets your heart rate up.
- Swimming: If you know how to swim, there is no better way to do a full-body workout in a short period of time except swimming. And if you don’t know how to swim, it’s time to hit the pool and learn the art. Swimming is a great cardio and muscle strengthening workout. It is a perfect workout for anyone who hates exercise. Water has a therapeutic effect on our bodies. Hence, it is great for healing joint pains and tension in our muscles. Working out in the water puts zero strain on our joints. Therefore, it is great for anyone who has mobility issues, arthritis, or injuries. Simple movements in the water also count for an intense workout and help you burn a greater number of calories when compared to regular exercise. It improves cardiovascular health and bone density. It is a great way to start exercising. You can even opt for aquatic exercises, the rapidly rising trend.
- Hiking: Hiking can be a key part of a fitness routine. Yes, you heard it right! While we are aware of how relaxing and calming it can be, you may be surprised to know it is a great way of exercising. Amidst nature, tall trees, beautiful spring flowers, eager to find a gorgeous meadow, hiking on an unknown trail can prove to be a brilliant way of getting your muscles activated. Though a lot depends on the trail you choose to take, walking at a moderately high pace and climbing small hills can get your leg muscles to work. Studies have shown that outdoor exercises like hiking can benefit the mind and body in many ways. It can tone your lower body, shed extra pounds, and expose you to the all-important vitamin, vitamin D. It is a perfect way to start, if you are wondering how to enjoy working out. It is a great mind-body workout and the benefits are well beyond just calorie burn. Navigating through the uneven trail, will recruit different muscles and tone up the body. However, it is important to choose safe trails and wear proper gear when going hiking. You can choose a group of like-minded people and make it even more fun.
- Household Chores: Well, most of us don’t like to do regular, boring household chores. But we have got to do it, and there is no escape. So why not turn your daily chores into exercise and make it more productive? Many regular household chores can prove to be an incredible workout and great exercise for beginners. Cleaning the house, doing the laundry, carrying grocery bags up and down the stairs, vacuuming, dusting, making beds, cleaning windows, scrubbing the floor, gardening, mowing, mopping and sweeping are some of the chores that put major muscle groups to work and can burn a great number of calories. This kind of workout may not seem too motivating, but it is better than spending long hours on the couch. These household chores can get your fitness levels up and make you more active.
- Dance it out: Most of us like dancing and it is exactly how you can start working out. Dancing is not only fun, but also a really good exercise for people who hate exercising. It is a whole-body workout that uses most of the muscles in the body during various movements. It is a great way to get your heart racing. Also, it helps in improving balance and coordination. It is said that a 30-minute dancing session can burn up to 150-200 calories. This number is almost the same as jogging. There are many ways you can use dancing as your fitness routine. Zumba is a raging fitness trend. It is a modern style of working out and there are a large number of Zumba clubs in the country. Members come together to workout in a group-class setting where they learn and perform moves that are inspired by popular dance styles on popular music. However, if you are not the type to join a group or a club, then there are multiple YouTube channels and DVDs available to practice it in your comfort zone.
- Yoga: For anyone who is looking for a low-impact and slow-paced gentle way of working out, Yoga is the best therapy for you. This ancient art form has humongous global appeal and is one of the most popular fitness trends across the globe. Various yoga asanas and poses are a great way to fire up your muscles. Yoga has a calming effect on the mind and body. Various stretches relieve stress and tension and help in building and strengthening the muscles. Some of the styles of yoga are physically demanding. Therefore, it can help you burn calories. Yoga is said to be the number one way to enhance flexibility, agility, and stability in the body. There are several forms of yoga to choose from such as Hatha yoga, Vinyasa yoga, power yoga, bikram yoga and more. Yoga is a gentle way of nurturing your mind and body.
- Playing a Sport: Well, this is a no-brainer. We all have one favorite sport and making it into an exciting fitness routine is a definite way of staying fit. Whether it’s tennis, basketball, football, or badminton, playing it regularly will benefit you in many ways and improve your health by leaps and bounds. Apart from this, it can even help you unwind after a long day at work. It is a great way to break the monotony of routine life. Create or join a group that enjoys the sport of your choice and find yourself an exhilarating way to workout.
- Martial Arts: In recent years, martial arts have surged in popularity and people are opting for self-defense classes over regular fitness clubs and gym membership. It is an innovative way to stay fit, increases muscular strength and enhances endurance. There is a diverse range of martial arts to choose from. Through various martial artforms you not only get into action mode but also feel the power and learn the skill of controlled movements. You can explore various options such as Tai Chi, Muay Thai (Thai Boxing), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and kickboxing. It’s a great way to develop the mind and body connection. It even allows you to socialize with new people.
- Boating: Recreational activities such as boating, canoeing and kayaking are high-impact exercises. Outdoor fitness routines with scenic views are the best way to work out. These activities can help you burn calories, strengthen the core and upper body and even improve heart and lung health. These activities require vigorous upper body movements that put arm, back, chest and shoulder muscles at work. It even promotes mental wellness, improves concentration, and lowers stress levels.
- Bring out the kid in you: Kids love playing. Why not include yourself in their playtime? Take them out and teach them a new game. Run around with them or play catch with them. This will definitely help you move your muscles a bit. Playing with children burn significantly more calories than any other slow-paced household chore. This is a great way to stay fit, spend some time with your loved ones, and de-stress.
A fitness routine does not necessarily have to be intense. It can be anything that gets your mind and body active and helps you loosen up a little. You may not be training your muscles, but it is important to put your muscles to work every now and then. So even if you hate exercising, be kind to yourself and start exercising to stay healthy and fit.