We all know that exercise is good for us, but how often do you really look forward to exercising in the same way that you would, say, meeting up with a pal for a drink or going to the cinema? Is it really possible to make your workout become the highlight of your week? If you’re up to the challenge, we’ve got 5 ways you can make fitness more fun:
1. Get Strictly-fied
It’s no wonder that those celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing look so happy, fit and strong. Fast ballroom dancing like a quickstep can burn a whopping 600 calories an hour, much more than Zumba or aerobics. Even a sophisticated Viennese Waltz spins away 500 calories! Dancing works not only on your cardio fitness but your core strength and even your mental agility, so up the fun factor and swap your trainers for some dance shoes for a session of ballroom or Latin dancing.
2. Take up the fitness A-Z
Things are always more fun when you’ve got your mates around you. So get together a group of friends and pledge to do the fitness A-Z where you try out a different activity each week, making your way through the alphabet. So week one might be archery or aqua jogging, week two could be basketball or belly-dancing, and so on. Sure, some weeks might be more of a challenge (anyone think of one for X?) but the point is that you’re thinking up new ways to be active, and hopefully enjoying it too.
3. Hashtag #happy
Instagram is brilliant for getting inspired, so use it to your advantage by charting your own fitness journey. Post the different workouts you’re doing and your results, and this will encourage you to keep going and try out all those new and unusual classes. You can even get your friends involved as you challenge each other to come up with the best #instafitness post of the week!
4. Jump to it
Remember how much fun it used to be to bounce merrily away on the trampoline? Well if you try it again as an adult you will realise two things: 1, that it really is as fun as you remembered, and 2, that it’s really, really hard! With the profusion of trampolining parks that have sprung up around the country, you won’t be far away from one and many offer sessions that are geared to older teens and adults like GlowFit and Reboot.
5. The weekend-wander
When you’ve got a bit more time at the weekend, set yourself the challenge of climbing up the biggest mountain you can. Now this might not sound like fun, but getting out of the city and into the countryside could be one of the most enjoyable days you’ve had for a while. The Brecon Beacons National Park is around 2.5 hours out of London and has some stunning lakes, waterfalls and mountains. And the best bit is you’ll be toning your body and burning around 400 calories an hour without even realising it!
