I am ALL about promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. After all, it is sort of my “job” now (even though I still pinch myself daily because I can’t believe I get to do *this* for a living!) I have a little bit of beef (mmm…beef) with this “push yourself harder, run yourself into the ground, you must do X number of minutes of cardio every day to be healthy” mentality.
You know what? It’s outdated.
I truly believe the poor health of our country is a result of people being fed poor nutritional “advice” and being too OVERWHELMED with life to start an “exercise routine.” You know what? Last time I checked…this was supposed to be FUN. Really? Working out? Fun? YES- F-U-N-FUN-enjoyment or playfulness.
Here are my top 8 ways to get active by having FUN:
1. Get comfortable being uncomfortable
If you are currently “working out” on a regular basis, you’ll want to start some sort of routine. Starting something new is rarely a comfortable experience. However, it can REALLY pay off in all aspects of life. SO…get comfortable with change. It happens, it NEEDS to happen, why not just embrace it?
2. Set a goal that interests you
Maybe being able to lift a barbell with your body weight on it is a goal you’d like to achieve. Maybe a handstand would be cool? Maybe you want to run an entire 5k, 10k, half marathon, etc. Awesome! Love it! Set a goal and then start moving! There is nothing like a new, fresh goal to get you motivated!
3. Be open minded
Maybe you don’t have a goal or aren’t sure of what you want to do. THAT’S OK. Sometimes things happen out of order. If you don’t have a goal (or even if you do) be OPEN to trying different things. There are MANY ways to get fit, there are many ways to train for a race, there are MANY ways to get to where you want to be. BE OPEN to those different activities and those different methods- you never know-you might actually learn something and ENJOY it.
4. Try something new
This goes along with #3 quite nicely. If you haven’t previously enjoyed “working out” or if you are bored with your current routine, why not change it up? Try something you have never done before and see if you like it! What’s the worst that could happen?
5. Don’t be afraid to QUIT
Yup. You read that right. Sometimes it’s OK to QUIT-STOP-GIVE UP! Ask yourself if you are having fun and if it is benefitting your well-being? If not-stop. Why keep going if you aren’t happy? Ain’t no shame peeps. Now, I’m not saying you should quit being active and instead take up the sport of Ben and Jerry’s competitive eating while on the couch watching the latest episodes of The Bachelor or the basketball tournament. You should do SOMETHING, but if one thing isn’t fun then find something else!
6. Just keep going
“Okay, this girl is CRAZY. She just told me to quit, now she’s saying keep going.” Yeah…I feel ya. Hear me out though…
I want you to keep going doing SOMETHING. We’ve all heard it before…Life is a journey. This is a marathon, not a sprint. It might take you 1 day to find something you have FUN doing or it might take you 1 year. Who cares? Enjoy the journey…just keep going…one foot in front of the other to find what is fun!
7. Be UNtraditional
“Working out” doesn’t have to be in a gym. Have you ever watched kids play outside? They climb trees, play tag, and jump around not because it’s exercise but because it’s FUN! Stop “working out” because it’s a chore and do it because you enjoy it. Get OUT of the 4 walls of the gym and do something different. Don’t count reps, time, or speed. Move for the sake of being free and for enjoyment and the rest will take care of itself!
8. Recruit Friends
This one if my fav. Having other people to support, encourage, play, and bond with really helps the whole enjoyment factor. Don’t get me wrong, doing things in solitude (if that is your thing) can be extremely beneficial as well. BUT, if you are starting something new or trying to get active, recruiting other people can be awesome for your mental health as well as your physical health. You can help to motivate others and they can help you are well. It’s camaraderie at it’s finest, and it helps to make things FUN.
I challenge you! Try something new or find something FUN that you enjoy doing that helps you stay active. What is your favorite thing to do? I’d love to hear from you…leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to respond!
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