5 ways to put the fun into fitness

 For a lot of us, the word exercise isn’t one that fills us with joy.

In our modern western society, we’re taught to see exercise as something we’re obliged to do. The price we have to pay in order to have a body that meets the impossible standards that we’re all apparently supposed to be striving for.

A lot of us view exercise as the necessary payoff for eating ‘bad’ foods and having ‘cheat’ days.

But we’re looking at it all wrong. Exercise should never be a punishment or a payback.

It shouldn’t be a chore. It shouldn’t be something we feel like we have to do.

And it definitely shouldn’t be an attempt to make up for an unhealthy diet.

It should, on the other hand, be something we genuinely want to do. That we’re raring to get out and do. That we can’t feel relaxed until we’ve done.

It should be a celebration of our bodies and everything they’re capable of.  It should be an expression of the pure joy of movement, and just how lucky we are.

It should be a way for us to strengthen relationships and build new ones.

And, it should put a smile on our faces. If exercising doesn’t make you happy, then you’re not doing it right.

So, if you find that you’re taking exercise far too seriously, considering it to be just one more stress in your life and forgetting to enjoy it, or are losing your motivation, this post is designed to help you change all that.

Read on for ways to put the fun into, or back into, fitness.

1. Go to group classes

You might already be a keen participant in group classes. But you might have given one a go and felt like they’re not for you, or maybe even been too shy to ever make it to one. And I get it, these things can seem a bit intimidating from the outside.

But if you’re one of the reluctant ones, then it’s time to give group classes a chance. Not all group classes are made equal, and it’s a matter of finding a class and trainer that you love, and a group of people you feel comfortable with. A group of people just like you, facing the same struggles and challenges, and sharing your goals.

Taking friends along with you is always a fantastic idea, but you’re bound to make new friends if you go along alone. As far as I’m concerned, it’s more fun exercising as a group because you’re all in the same boat, all finding similar things tough, and having a giggle whilst you’re at it.

2. Find an exercise buddy

You might have noticed by now that I’m a fan of exercising in company. Some people do find they do better on their own, and exercising by yourself occasionally is great. I find especially that exercising on my own with no music is the best kind of meditation, and important when I’m trying to figure out the solution to a problem.

But, even if you actually exercise by yourself most of the time, having an exercise buddy can make things a lot more fun, and can make you much more committed to your exercise regime.

It gives you someone to check in with an answer to, meaning you can’t just chicken out of an exercise session if you’re feeling lazy. You actually need a reason that your buddy will accept, and you’ll feel guilty about letting them down if you just couldn’t drag yourself out of bed.

3. Track your progress

There are all kinds of ways that you can keep track of your progress, so that you know exactly where you are with your fitness journey, and can set yourself new challenges to keep things interesting.

Use a classic diary to note down all the exercise sessions you do, and focus on anything new you notice about your body, like being able to stick at a certain exercise for a few more seconds. Or, pin a calendar up on the wall, and put a sticker or a gold star on it to mark every workout.

Or, download one of the many apps out there that are designed to help you track your exercise.

Get creative with it, and make it as visual as you need it to be to keep you motivated and enthusiastic.

If you’re interested in the idea of a fitness tracker, then a lot of the watches on the market these days are really good value for money, and are fantastic ways of motivating you to squeeze in a few more steps every day, or get your heart rate up.

The only person you should be competing with is yourself, and tracking your fitness in any way means you can get some healthy competition going with past you, smashing your total step count or amount of time spent exercising.

4. Use healthy rewards

We humans are pretty simple creatures in a lot of ways. We’re not really that interested in doing anything if we can’t see how we might get something shiny out of it. Whilst a stick can also be helpful, it’s carrots that really get us moving.

So, set yourself targets, and when you reach them, treat yourself. The targets might be to do with weight loss, if that’s your goal, but they might be about what your body is capable of, or how determined you’ve been.

You might reward yourself for exercising five times a week for a whole month, for being able to run 5km, lift a certain weight… The list goes on, and your goals will be very personal to you.

My favourite kinds of rewards are new trainers, massages , active days out with family or friends and healthy feasts, but you’re bound to have some ideas of your own for things that you’d absolutely love to treat yourself to, but haven’t found an excuse to yet.

5. Try something new

One of the main reasons that people tend to complain that exercise is boring or tough is that they’re under the impression it can only be done in the gym, or in sports clothes. The truth is, there are a million and one different ways of exercising. Exercise is just moving your body in ways you usually wouldn’t, and getting your heart rate up.

So, if your exercise regime is boring you to tears, then it’s time to shake things up. Try something new. Try something that makes you nervous. Leave your comfort zone firmly behind.

Sign up to a dance class taster and force yourself to go along, however shy you are. Go horse riding. Give surfing a go on your next holiday. Or paragliding.

I’m not asking you to throw yourself out of a plane (although if you’re up for it, go for it), but to open up your minds to new possibilities of all the ways you could embrace your body, and embrace life whilst you’re at it.

Do you enjoy the exercise you do? How do you inject fun into your healthy lifestyle? I’d love to hear some of your tips, over on our FACEBOOK PAGE

Sean