We all know how important exercise is for our health and fitness, and how important it is in order for us to feel comfortable in our own skins. But some people, me included, just really don’t like exercise. If like me, PE class was your least favourite part of the week, you avoid the gym like the plague, and you can’t see why on earth people enjoy torturing themselves by running for miles and miles with no destination, but you still care about your health and want to take good care of your body, I’ve got some tips for you that might help.
How About A Game Or Art?
Many people upon hearing the word exercise think about running or going to the gym; but there’s so much more you can do. Think back to your childhood, many people played a sport when they were young and if you did as well, you probably enjoyed it. Is there any way you could still find it fun to do? Many clubs have an adult team or group that you could check out and see if it’s something you’d like to join. Try thinking outside of the hard-core exercising and looking for a sport that’s more of a game; like soccer, hockey, tennis… Or maybe you’d like to try something gentler and give dancing a go? I’ve been dancing myself for well over 15 years and I love dancing, even though I really dislike exercise. It’s a way to express myself, I feel like it’s elegant and beautiful, and the way dancing makes me feel is completely different from the way I feel after a run.
Game sports or dancing are things that have a big social aspect; if you do them for fun and to see your regular group of people in this setting, you go in with a completely different mindset and you might find yourself enjoying it along the way.
Transportation
So let’s say there is absolutely no type of sport or exercise that you enjoy. One thing that’s certain is that at some point, you will have to go somewhere. Very likely you’ll need to go somewhere nearly every day. Make use of this to get a little exercise in! Instead of going by car or public transport, walk or ride a bike. My personal guidelines for this are: if the place I need to go is less than 15 minutes by foot, I will walk. If it’s less than 30 minutes by bike, I will cycle. This way you aren’t losing much time, but those 15 or 30 minutes there and back definitely make a difference, if you normally don’t do anything at all.
Walks!
You definitely don’t need to be going somewhere to enjoy a walk, though. I love going out at the end of my work day to breathe some fresh air, clear my head, and get some sunshine on my face. It’s my moment of relaxation in the day and something I look forward to. I definitely don’t regard this as exercise, but when you think about it, my round in the local park usually takes me around 30 minutes of brisk walking to complete, which translates to 30 minutes of exercise that I’d otherwise spend sitting down. Remember that anything you do, even if it’s just a short, relaxed walk, is better than remaining seated and doing nothing.
Sneak It In
Walking or cycling to your destination is one way of sneaking exercise into your daily routine, but another one is taking the stairs. Taking the stairs is actually quite intense, and it’s something you can so easily incorporate into your day! If you work on the first or second floor or a building, make it a habit to take the stairs. When you’re at the mall or a train station for example, take the stairs instead of the escalator. This is such a little change that takes next to no extra time, but makes a big difference indeed.
Compensate
Ok, so you can’t really compensate for a lack of exercise, but you can avoid making things worse by maintaining a healthy and balanced diet fit for your lifestyle. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit, and try to lessen the amount of fat and sugar you consume. When you don’t lead an active lifestyle, your body doesn’t need a lot of fat and sugar to keep going, and any excess will be stored. Adapt your food pattern to your body’s needs in your situation! It’s extra important to pay attention to what you eat when you don’t really get enough exercise.
Lay Off The Bad Stuff
By this I mean things that we know are really bad for our bodies, like smoking and excessive drinking. Again, not smoking and drinking won’t exactly compensate for a lack of exercise, but at least you’re not making your body less healthy in this way.
Lastly, I’d like to mention one more time how important it is to try and keep moving. Don’t give up on the search for a sport or exercise you enjoy; keep looking and keep trying new things. Maybe some day you’ll find something you truly love doing! And if you just really hate any type of exercise or can’t find the time, be sure to sneak some movement into your daily routine.
Walking my dog is a great way to exercise.
I’m one of those people that hates going to the gym as well, but I used to go to dance class and it was far more enjoyable. I also try to walk as often as I can and if the weather is fine (i.e. not raining heavily or if it’s not below 0 degrees Celsius), I get off the subway a stop early and walk the remaining distance when I’m coming home from work.
Recently I bought a rope that I bring with me in my backpack. So when I’m sitting with my friends at a park, for example, I jump a bit while listening to them talk.
My plan is to jump more frequently, like everyday after I get home, but I decided to start slowly since I don’t exercise since high school and I feel a bit silly doing it alone.