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Your day feels like it’s lasted a hundred years.
You’ve just gotten home from work.
The kids are screaming.
Your feet are aching.
The absolute last thing you want to do is exercise.
The guilt racks up… because it’s your health… and your health is important.
But you just can’t bring yourself to put on those running shoes.
“I’m such a lazy bum,” you think to yourself.
But what if there is a better way?
What if not all exercise has to be miserable?
What would you say if you could run and play and have fun like a kid again… and have that count as exercise?
Because you can.
How cool is that?!
Before we go into details, remember…
Always be safe! Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen (even ones that don’t feel like they should count as exercise!).
So now, here are 10 fun ideas to boost your fitness without feeling miserable:
What did you used to play on the playground?
Did you draw squares on the ground in chalk to do hopscotch?
And kickball and dodgeball? Somehow I was always the first one out.
Little did I know, but I was getting some great exercise (when I wasn’t getting knocked out of the game!).
Playground games such as these are full body “workouts.”
Health benefits, such as balance (you remember hopscotch is all about hopping on the squares, right?), flexibility, coordination & agility (how fast can you react to a ball being hurled at you, and get out of the way without tripping on your own two feet?).
You also improve concentration, and increase cardiovascular, lower body, core, bone, and muscle strength.
Adult leagues for games such as these do exist.
People say they play as an adult for “love of the game, childhood memories, and people.”
Did you know trampolining is an actual sport?
It is! In 2000, trampoline gymnastics made its debut as an Olympic sport.
Like playground games, trampolining also enhances balance, coordination, and agility.
Not to mention reducing stress, burning fat (rapidly), and building those muscles of yours… those core, back, leg, arm, and glute muscles.
Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that trampolining positively impacts bone health, specifically structure, size, and strength.
And you don’t have to spend a ton of time trampolining. In no more than 15-20 minutes, you can start reaping the health benefits.
Have you driven by lakes and seen those brave people standing up on paddleboards and in kayaks?
Have you ever thought, ‘why on earth would anyone ever want to do that?’
Turns out, it happens to be great physical activity.
These sports are total body workouts. That means all at one time! No spending extra time alternating between upper body and lower body, focusing on just one body group at a time.
Stand-up water sports are low impact, while also improving balance (duh!), upping cardiovascular health, and building core muscle strength and lean muscle tone.
Not to mention helping with weight loss, building stamina, and decreasing stress.
Besides the physical benefits, these paddleboarding and kayaking activities also have numerous other rewards.
Bond University in Australia published a study that found “after six weeks of regular stand-up paddleboarding, participants experienced a significant improvement in their body image, self-esteem, learning, memory, concentration, and positive feelings.”
Not bad, right?!
According to a poll conducted by National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 73% of adults participated in sports when they were young, but only 25% of adults currently play sports.
Of the adults who continue to take part in sports, the majority reported improved health as a result. Reduced stress, improved mental health, and improved physical health were cited, 58%, 54%, and 51%, respectively.
And, 50 different sports were reported, the most common being baseball and softball, football, soccer, and basketball.
Imagine the options, though! 50!
The American Heart Association reveals six benefits of horseback riding, on top of communing with a horse and with nature.
Horseback riding improves cardiovascular health, being categorized as moderate-intensity exercise.
It also improves core strength, helps control blood pressure, enhances decision-making abilities, and provides a source of relaxation.
Additionally, horseback riding can burn 200 calories in a 45-minute riding period, to upwards of 7 calories per minute during strenuous horse work.
When you think of archery, do you immediately picture upper body strength?
Well, yes, archery improves upper body strength, like toning those muscles.
But archery also burns calories (think about all that walking back and forth to pick up your arrows) and enhances hand-eye coordination.
Plus, mental benefits too. Archery balances the body and the mind, which has a calming effect.
According to Archery 360, “Doctors in France… prescribe archery to some patients. By practicing at least 30 minutes daily, archers can calm their mind and engage their body to boost their overall well-being.”
The Longview News Journal reports that a National Institute of Health study discovered “line dancing gets the heart rate up fast enough to count as regular exercise.”
And regular exercise boosts heart health, strengthens muscles, increases flexibility, and helps with blood pressure control.
Additionally, a study published in Osteoporosis International found that line dancing can decrease bone loss and improve muscle strength and balance.
Go kick up those heels!
Did you have, or attend, birthday parties at a roller rink when you were young?
You probably weren’t thinking of health benefits and burning calories at that young age.
But, according to an article published in Healthline, roller skating can be “an absolute calorie scorcher… comparable to group cycling or a moderate effort on the rowing machine.”
Not only that, but roller skating strengthens your lower body muscles, increases heart health, and improves your balance and core strength.
Did you know that more than 5 million people in the US and over 100 countries play paintball?
And that the 2022 revenue of the Laser Tag Arena in the US is close to $574 million?
Teens and adults alike love the action and the competition playing these two popular sports.
Not only that, but these sports provide a cardiovascular workout, improvement in balance, agility, and coordination, and stress relief.
Paintball Laser Tag is also an option, combining the thrill of paintball, without the pain or the mess.
Did you look forward to, or dread, Field Days in school?
Do you remember the relay games…
…sack races, water balloon relays, egg-and-spoon races, the three-legged race…?
So much fun to watch!
But participating is more beneficial to your health (imagine that).
Relay races are great for kids. These races encourage teamwork and cooperation, social skills, and balance and coordination.
And if they provide these benefits for kids, they will sure provide the same benefits for adults!
Just always remember to listen to your body and don’t overdo it.
So as you can see, there are many options to choose from.
Options that definitely qualify as exercise, but are fun enough that they don’t feel like it!
Choosing something you enjoy and have fun doing will help keep you going long term.
So, do any of those on this list call to you?
Is there something else that you didn’t think would count as exercise but now you see it sure can?
Take a step this week.
Pick ONE item on this list (or any other kid games that you would have fun doing).
Then commit to trying it out this week. Play with it! Give it a try.
Then comment on this post and let us know what you did.
If you have other ideas, too, please comment and let us know!
And have fun (not) exercising!