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 Exercise doesn’t have to feel like a chore! Add something special into your fitness sessions with these 7 ways to make fitness fun. The more you enjoy being active the more likely you are to stick with it and realize the results you desire! As with anything, the more you like what you are doing the more motivated you are to spend time doing it. Add Some Variety Carrying out the same exercise sessions each time will very quickly get boring, and boredom doesn’t do much for your motivation. The answer is very obvious, try and mix it up by adding some variety. By this it doesn’t mean that you have to change activity completely, it could be that you replace a long run with an interval or fartlek sessions. That said, it might be that what you need is to really need is an entirely different activity, so why not swap a gym session for a salsa class or go for a swim instead of yet another run. Get Social One way of alleviating boredom is to exercise with a friend or a group. Try and take a friend with you on your next run, get them to join you at a fitness class, or just ask them to join you on a leisurely stroll. If you are lacking in the active friends department then joining a club is the best way to find some like-minded exercisers so you can give a boost to not only your fitness but also your social life. Change The Scene Exercise doesn’t have to involve endless hours indoors in the gym. Make use of different locations such as exercising outdoors when the weather is good (or bad if you are brave). Go for a run off-road, enjoy a good long hike or bike ride, exercise in your own back garden, or if you can’t pull yourself away from the TV you could even exercise while watching your favorite TV shows. A change of scene acts like a distraction so you won’t even notice how hard you are working. Exercise According To Your Likes Exercise can be a grind, especially when you are doing something that you really really don’t like. If going to the gym and knocking out rep after rep is just not working for you then why not find an exercise method that really appeals to you. Exercise doesn’t have to be based around gym workout activities, so why look for alternatives such as a fitness class or even join a team to play a specific sport. Consider what your goals are — whether it is improve fitness, to compete, gain competence in a pursuit, or just for fun. Try as many different ways of exercising as possible so that you find one that you are actually look forward to doing. Get Some New Gear Working out in the same old gear isn’t going to do much for your motivation, so why not treat yourself to some new gear. A new training top, some new trainers, a nice piece of tech so you can monitor your progress, can all add up to extra motivation as you’ll be keen to try out your new gear. You could also work on a reward basis so that you give yourself a treat in the form of some new kit whenever you achieve something Bring Back Fun From Childhood Putting an element of fun into exercise is vital to keep your interest, and there’s nothing like reliving some of the games of your childhood to put a fun element into things. A number of gyms and fitness centers have introduced classes such as hula hooping, cheerobics (cheerleading combined with aerobics) and dance-inspired workouts in order to take advantage of the demand for fun workouts. If the idea of getting back to your childhood days in public is a little too much for you, you could always get yourself a hoola hoop, jump rope or even a trampoline in order to have a playful and enjoyable workout. Put Together Your Playlists Put together a playlist of your top tunes in order to give you the boost you need during a workout. Listening to music while you exercise is a great distraction and makes you less aware of the exertion you are under while exercising. A study from Brunel University identified that listening to music can boost exercise endurance as well as perceived enjoyment of it. In addition, music during a workout can reduce the perception of of how hard you are working for moderate exercisers.
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