Adding Fun to Fitness
Remember the joys of recess in elementary school, when you’d escape the confines of the classroom for the delights of jumping rope or playing dodgeball? You didn’t think of those physical activities as exercise, you thought of them as fun.
Then adulthood arrived and, for many of us, staying active became another job we had to accomplish. We logged miles around tracks, on sidewalks, or in the gym. Much of the time, we exercised because we knew we had to in order to stay healthy, not because it was fun. That’s why people listen to music or watch TV while working out—it helps the often oh-so-dull time pass more quickly.
Shaking things up
While traditional activities such as walking or running might be your most practical choice for sustaining the activity level you need regularly, there are loads of alternative fitness choices that can give you the same physical benefits with an added shot of fun. Think jitterbugging or judo instead of jogging.
Switching some of your regular exercise time over to such alternatives (or using them to finally get started on an activity plan) can keep your interest up and your body moving. “I think some folks see those fun activities often as a gateway to becoming more physically active, helping people find things they enjoy,” says Kathleen Y. Wolin, ScD, a researcher on physical activity and obesity and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery and Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
Wolin believes that alternative sports or fitness endeavors “help people realize that physical activity can be fun and not just another task on your list of things to do.”
She points out that she knows many experts in the field of exercise research—”people who are meeting the recommendations (for physical activity) day in and day out, week after week, year after year”—who include fun activities in their regimens regularly. “For me, it’s playing tennis one day a week,” Wolin says. “I have a really good time doing it, so that’s my fun thing. I can’t play tennis every day because it takes too much time, but I love that I can fit it in once a week.”
So, get out there and try something fun!
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Kids today don’t exercise as much as we did as children. I remember riding my bike nearly every day in the summer time. My brothers would organize baseball games at the park and we always enjoyed swimming. But that was before video games, internet and 100 channels on your television.
I also agree that even as an adult it is hard to find time to get out and have fun while exercising. Thank you for sharing these wonderful tips! Have a great weekend.
That’s why I’m glad for the new trend in video games, where you can get active with your kids indoors. I think that it’s super important to get outside and get active with your kids but on those rainy days, you can make sure your kids are off the couch playing games inside!
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