We're mixing things up a bit this week, and instead of sharing one specific workout, we're exploring 5 different ways to help boost your metabolism and burn fat fast, while having fun at the same time!
If you don't really enjoy going to the gym, and you're not really into doing exercise videos at home either, these 5 fun ways to exercise are great ways to lose weight and stay healthy, all while having a great time! Some are social activities that you can do with friends, and others you can do on your own pretty much wherever you are.
(The girl in the video is a bit goofy, so bear with her for the first
minute or so - there really are some super fun ideas here for getting
some great exercise without going to a gym.)
Check these out, and incorporate one or two of them into your life this month to see great results without even having to work at it!
Showing posts with label fun exercise tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun exercise tips. Show all posts
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Video - Fun Family Exercise Idea with Toddlers
This week we don't have an actual workout for you, but this video was so cute I just had to share! Working out when you have your hands full with little kids isn't always easy, but if you just use your imagination and involve them in the activity as much as they would like to be, you'll find that not only are they having fun with exercise, but you're having more fun as well!
As you can see by the example in this video, exercise for kids isn't WORK - it's PLAY! They will jump right in and try to do whatever you do, and in doing so, they'll bring the fun and enjoyment back to your exercise routine as well. Don't worry about exactly what you're going to do - just get outside like this family did, and try a few fun moves, yoga poses, jumping jacks or jump rope, or just run around in circles together! Toddlers and kids under 5 will be completely happy just doing this for a little while, and you'll get a good workout in too, even though it might not be as structured as a regular gym routine.
Make your exercise into play, and it won't feel like so much of a "workout" anymore!
Fun Family Exercise Routines
http://www.yourkickinthepants.com Teaching my kids healthy living. Working out and having fun with the kids. Motivating moms and women to exercise and fitness.
As you can see by the example in this video, exercise for kids isn't WORK - it's PLAY! They will jump right in and try to do whatever you do, and in doing so, they'll bring the fun and enjoyment back to your exercise routine as well. Don't worry about exactly what you're going to do - just get outside like this family did, and try a few fun moves, yoga poses, jumping jacks or jump rope, or just run around in circles together! Toddlers and kids under 5 will be completely happy just doing this for a little while, and you'll get a good workout in too, even though it might not be as structured as a regular gym routine.
Make your exercise into play, and it won't feel like so much of a "workout" anymore!
Fun Family Exercise Routines
http://www.yourkickinthepants.com Teaching my kids healthy living. Working out and having fun with the kids. Motivating moms and women to exercise and fitness.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Tip # 3: Exercise With A Friend
This is especially important for us Midwesterners and residents of the Southern US, as studies have found that those who live in the Pacific states are most likely to exercise on an average day (20%). 18% of people in New England and the Mountain states exercise on an average day, followed by 16% of residents of the Mid-Atlantic and North Central states, 15% of those who live in the South Atlantic region and 13% of those who live in the South Central United States. http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2008/sports/data.htm
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Try These Fun Fitness Ideas
It is not vital to enroll at a local gym or build a home gym to improve your health and fitness. There are a lot of fun ways to get in a workout, that you may not have thought of, but which can help you build up cardiovascular conditioning as well as develop your muscular endurance and strength without paying expensive gym membership fees and purchasing loads of exercise equipment. Here are a few ideas to try.
1. Choose an aerobic exercise which you like and can be done outdoors like walking, hiking, running, soccer, tennis, or inline skating. These types of exercise work many different muscle groups in a natural way, and can improve cardiovascular capacity, strength, flexibility, and balance.
2. Either rent or purchase exercise videos. You can select from many various types of videos. For example, a kickboxing video, yoga workout, or step aerobics. This is less expensive compared to buying exercise machines and going to a gym. Many videos can be found for $10.00 or less, so you can test them out to find what you like without spending a bundle - and you can of course use them over and over. For best results, get a variety of different workouts and exercise types - this way you can avoid getting bored, work different muscle groups, and switch it up between different intensities and workout durations. I have some videos I like for cardio workouts when I really want to move, and others that are more mellow, such as Pilates and Yoga, as well as short and long workouts to choose from, so I can get a workout in in whatever time I have on a particular day. (Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for some of my favorites.)
3. What about housework? Okay, maybe that's not so "fun," but it's definitely functional - get fit and get the house clean at the same time! Try mowing the lawn using a non electric push mower for a great full-body workout. You can also vacuum your carpets. If there is a snow in your pathways, then shovel it. Carrying things for household chores - e.g. your laundry basket filled with dirty clothes or handbags of groceries is also good. Even these simple household chores can give you some amount of exercise.
4. Turn on your radio, listen to your favorite dance music (ballroom, hip hop, and more) and get your groove on. This is one of the best ways of working out your body and relieving your stress - and it's tons of fun!
5. Organize fun outside games with your friends. These can include kickball, football, basketball, soccer, and more. You'll get a great workout without even noticing! Swimming is also a great summer activity that provides a full body workout and is a lot of fun to do with friends and family.
6. Skipping rope is a very inexpensive way to get in some great cardiovascular activity.
7. Visit local parks. Sometimes you can find fitness trails which include exercise stations. Often, exercise instructions are provided. Not only will you relieve stress and get in a good workout, but you'll get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors at the same time.
Before you start any type of workout, be sure to keep a few things in mind.
1. Any activity must be started in gradual manner. This is important for warming up your body to adapt to the movements. It is not a one-day task to get a healthy and fit body. Be patient with your fitness regimen.
2. If possible, perform physical activity for about thirty minutes each day every week.
3. Select the right equipment and clothes for your exercise. You should also consider weather conditions. Make sure that you have a backup plan in place in case the weather doesn't cooperate, and you have to move your daily exercise indoors.
4. Encourage a friend to exercise with you. Not only will this make your routine more enjoyable, but also you will be more likely to stick to your program.
5. Try cross training. You can alter the length and the type of your exercises to prevent boredom and injuries.
6. Consult your doctor or health care provider before starting any form of new exercise program - especially if you're out of shape or recovering from an injury.
Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for more fun ways to exercise!
 |
| Rollerblading (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
2. Either rent or purchase exercise videos. You can select from many various types of videos. For example, a kickboxing video, yoga workout, or step aerobics. This is less expensive compared to buying exercise machines and going to a gym. Many videos can be found for $10.00 or less, so you can test them out to find what you like without spending a bundle - and you can of course use them over and over. For best results, get a variety of different workouts and exercise types - this way you can avoid getting bored, work different muscle groups, and switch it up between different intensities and workout durations. I have some videos I like for cardio workouts when I really want to move, and others that are more mellow, such as Pilates and Yoga, as well as short and long workouts to choose from, so I can get a workout in in whatever time I have on a particular day. (Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for some of my favorites.)
3. What about housework? Okay, maybe that's not so "fun," but it's definitely functional - get fit and get the house clean at the same time! Try mowing the lawn using a non electric push mower for a great full-body workout. You can also vacuum your carpets. If there is a snow in your pathways, then shovel it. Carrying things for household chores - e.g. your laundry basket filled with dirty clothes or handbags of groceries is also good. Even these simple household chores can give you some amount of exercise.
4. Turn on your radio, listen to your favorite dance music (ballroom, hip hop, and more) and get your groove on. This is one of the best ways of working out your body and relieving your stress - and it's tons of fun!
5. Organize fun outside games with your friends. These can include kickball, football, basketball, soccer, and more. You'll get a great workout without even noticing! Swimming is also a great summer activity that provides a full body workout and is a lot of fun to do with friends and family.
 |
| SpeedRope (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
7. Visit local parks. Sometimes you can find fitness trails which include exercise stations. Often, exercise instructions are provided. Not only will you relieve stress and get in a good workout, but you'll get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors at the same time.
Before you start any type of workout, be sure to keep a few things in mind.
1. Any activity must be started in gradual manner. This is important for warming up your body to adapt to the movements. It is not a one-day task to get a healthy and fit body. Be patient with your fitness regimen.
2. If possible, perform physical activity for about thirty minutes each day every week.
3. Select the right equipment and clothes for your exercise. You should also consider weather conditions. Make sure that you have a backup plan in place in case the weather doesn't cooperate, and you have to move your daily exercise indoors.
4. Encourage a friend to exercise with you. Not only will this make your routine more enjoyable, but also you will be more likely to stick to your program.
5. Try cross training. You can alter the length and the type of your exercises to prevent boredom and injuries.
6. Consult your doctor or health care provider before starting any form of new exercise program - especially if you're out of shape or recovering from an injury.
Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for more fun ways to exercise!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Summer Fun - Games with the Kids
Well, the kids are out of school, and looking for fun things to do. Rather than trying to think of ways to send them off somewhere to keep busy, why not embrace their energy as an opportunity to get more exercise, yourself? A great example of a fun type of exercise you can enjoy with your children is running games - these often have the simplest of rules (like tag) that require nothing more than space, imagination, and energy. These games don’t need any preparation and can be played almost anywhere.
Image by tyfn via FlickrHere are a couple of ideas for the little kids:
Red light, green light is a game where one person is “it” and the rest of the children have to try and sneak up on them. The child that is “it” stands at least 20 feet away from the other children. When they are ready to start they turn their back towards the kids and yell green light. All the kids run towards “it” until he or she turns around and says red light. Everyone must freeze, if anyone moves they have to go back to the beginning. The purpose is to reach the person who is it while they have their back turned during green light. Whoever reaches “it” first gets to play the traffic light in the next round.
Mr. Wolf is a game that is set-up similar to Red light, green light. The child who is “it” is Mr. Wolf. The rest of the children ask, “What time is it Mr. Wolf?” and then take the appropriate number of steps depending on what time it is. For instance if Mr. Wolf said it was three o’clock than all the children would take three steps towards him. This continues until Mr. Wolf decides that it is lunch time. When the children ask what time it is and Mr. Wolf replies, “It’s lunch time!” Everyone runs away, and the person Mr. Wolf catches is the new Mr. Wolf.
For older kids, you can also form teams and have fun at a local park where there may be more space than in your backyard.
Image via WikipediaSoccer is always popular and everyone knows the basic rules. If there are no nets, make some with either rocks, natural posts such as trees or use outdoor toys. The same idea can apply to football, don’t worry if you don’t have the right kind of ball anyone will do – kids have great imaginations.
Or run just for the sake of running by having a relay race. You can use sticks as the batons or get more creative. Have the kids say silly word or a joke as the pass-off instead of physically passing something back and forth. Or it can be a getting to know you came, each kid has to tell their partner something about themselves for the pass-off.
Remember that while these are kids games, there's no rule that you can't play too! They are GREAT exercise, and also give you an excuse to spend more time outside with your kids this summer - just call it working out - for fun!
Image by tyfn via FlickrHere are a couple of ideas for the little kids:Red light, green light is a game where one person is “it” and the rest of the children have to try and sneak up on them. The child that is “it” stands at least 20 feet away from the other children. When they are ready to start they turn their back towards the kids and yell green light. All the kids run towards “it” until he or she turns around and says red light. Everyone must freeze, if anyone moves they have to go back to the beginning. The purpose is to reach the person who is it while they have their back turned during green light. Whoever reaches “it” first gets to play the traffic light in the next round.
Mr. Wolf is a game that is set-up similar to Red light, green light. The child who is “it” is Mr. Wolf. The rest of the children ask, “What time is it Mr. Wolf?” and then take the appropriate number of steps depending on what time it is. For instance if Mr. Wolf said it was three o’clock than all the children would take three steps towards him. This continues until Mr. Wolf decides that it is lunch time. When the children ask what time it is and Mr. Wolf replies, “It’s lunch time!” Everyone runs away, and the person Mr. Wolf catches is the new Mr. Wolf.
For older kids, you can also form teams and have fun at a local park where there may be more space than in your backyard.
Image via WikipediaSoccer is always popular and everyone knows the basic rules. If there are no nets, make some with either rocks, natural posts such as trees or use outdoor toys. The same idea can apply to football, don’t worry if you don’t have the right kind of ball anyone will do – kids have great imaginations.Or run just for the sake of running by having a relay race. You can use sticks as the batons or get more creative. Have the kids say silly word or a joke as the pass-off instead of physically passing something back and forth. Or it can be a getting to know you came, each kid has to tell their partner something about themselves for the pass-off.
Remember that while these are kids games, there's no rule that you can't play too! They are GREAT exercise, and also give you an excuse to spend more time outside with your kids this summer - just call it working out - for fun!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tips for Making Exercise More Fun
For most people, nothing gets you going like waking up in the morning with the thought of going to the gym to lift weights or jog on the treadmill. (That was a joke.)
After a hard days work, the gym is often one place you don't even want to think about. Sometimes, even the thought of exercising at home with your own equipment can be less than desirable.
Sometimes, just trying to get and stay motivated to exercise on a regular basis can be a challenge. No matter how you look at it, exercise can be downright boring and even tedious at times.
So, you may be wondering just how you can get the motivation you need to exercise on a regular basis, especially during the winter months, when there may be fewer fun outdoors activities you can participate in. If you've been wondering what you can do to make exercise more fun, you'll find some ideas below that just may help to make exercise more fun and a little bit easier.
First things first, you should exercise with a friend. You can challenge each other, help each other out, keep each other motivated and on track, make each other laugh or just make a game out of your exercise
programs.
You can also try something different. If you go to the gym each and every day and use the same piece of equipment or use the same piece of equipment at home, you should try mixing things up. Reverse your routine or just change the order of your exercises. (This is also good for your body as well.)
Image via WikipediaGo to a city park that has playground equipment and use the slide, climb on the monkey bars, do pull-ups, hang from your knees, just let your imagination guide you. You don't always need to follow a strict routine, just get out there and have fun working your muscles.
An outdoor circuit in the park is also something you can try. There are some parks that have circuit courses set up with a planned course where all you have to do is walk or jog to each station and then follow the instructions. If there isn't a planned course, then you should do a combination of jogging and walking, picking a distance of a couple hundred feet. Jog 100 feet then drop and do a couple of pushups, walk the next 100 feet and then drop to do sit ups.
You can also ride a bike around your neighborhood or hike on a hiking trail. A walk in the park or around your neighborhood is also a great way to get some exercise. Doing yoga in the park or on a beach (if you have the opportunity and the weather is warm enough) is also a nice and relaxing way to exercise both your body and your mind.
Playing a competitive sport is also something you can try. A lot of cities have team activities such as softball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, and so on. These types of activities will not only provide you with good exercise but they will also help you to meet new people as well.
Image via WikipediaWhen you exercise, try to picture your muscles getting bigger. It may sound a little weird, but research has shown that if you focus all of your thoughts on the muscles that you are working, they will respond better. Try to watch them work with each repetition as your muscles contract and relax. (Many professional athletes use this technique while training.)
As you can tell, there are plenty of ways you can make exercise more fun and interesting. You don't need to follow the same routine day after day, as you can do many other things to get in some regular exercise.
The important thing is that you should always try to incorporate exercise in any various form into your everyday life and make these habits the kind of habits that will last a lifetime.
After a hard days work, the gym is often one place you don't even want to think about. Sometimes, even the thought of exercising at home with your own equipment can be less than desirable.
Sometimes, just trying to get and stay motivated to exercise on a regular basis can be a challenge. No matter how you look at it, exercise can be downright boring and even tedious at times.
So, you may be wondering just how you can get the motivation you need to exercise on a regular basis, especially during the winter months, when there may be fewer fun outdoors activities you can participate in. If you've been wondering what you can do to make exercise more fun, you'll find some ideas below that just may help to make exercise more fun and a little bit easier.
First things first, you should exercise with a friend. You can challenge each other, help each other out, keep each other motivated and on track, make each other laugh or just make a game out of your exercise
programs.
You can also try something different. If you go to the gym each and every day and use the same piece of equipment or use the same piece of equipment at home, you should try mixing things up. Reverse your routine or just change the order of your exercises. (This is also good for your body as well.)
Image via WikipediaGo to a city park that has playground equipment and use the slide, climb on the monkey bars, do pull-ups, hang from your knees, just let your imagination guide you. You don't always need to follow a strict routine, just get out there and have fun working your muscles.An outdoor circuit in the park is also something you can try. There are some parks that have circuit courses set up with a planned course where all you have to do is walk or jog to each station and then follow the instructions. If there isn't a planned course, then you should do a combination of jogging and walking, picking a distance of a couple hundred feet. Jog 100 feet then drop and do a couple of pushups, walk the next 100 feet and then drop to do sit ups.
You can also ride a bike around your neighborhood or hike on a hiking trail. A walk in the park or around your neighborhood is also a great way to get some exercise. Doing yoga in the park or on a beach (if you have the opportunity and the weather is warm enough) is also a nice and relaxing way to exercise both your body and your mind.
Playing a competitive sport is also something you can try. A lot of cities have team activities such as softball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, and so on. These types of activities will not only provide you with good exercise but they will also help you to meet new people as well.
Image via WikipediaWhen you exercise, try to picture your muscles getting bigger. It may sound a little weird, but research has shown that if you focus all of your thoughts on the muscles that you are working, they will respond better. Try to watch them work with each repetition as your muscles contract and relax. (Many professional athletes use this technique while training.)As you can tell, there are plenty of ways you can make exercise more fun and interesting. You don't need to follow the same routine day after day, as you can do many other things to get in some regular exercise.
The important thing is that you should always try to incorporate exercise in any various form into your everyday life and make these habits the kind of habits that will last a lifetime.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
New Fun Ways to Exercise
It can be hard to stay motivated with your exercise program during the holidays, especially when you live in a cold climate, where outdoor activities are hard to find for several months. We are determined to do our part to keep you going through the winter season, with new, fun, and easy exercise tips and ideas!
Here are a few good recent ones which should give you some great ideas that you can try at any time of year, including right now! Why wait for the new year? Make a resolution to keep your fitness goals going, even over the holidays, and check back here often for more fun exercise ideas.
(We love all the videos mentioned in the second article, and you can find all of them in one place right here: Fun Exercise Videos.)
Fun Ways to Lose Weight and Exercise in 2011 – No Gym Required
Discover energizing fun ways to exercise and lose weight for 2011. Try Zumba® dancing, pogo jogging or home exercise to music to lose belly fat fast.
Publish Date: 11/26/2010 8:58
http://www.suite101.com/content/fun-ways-to-lose-weight-and-exercise-in-2011--no-gym-required-a313485
50Plus : Health : Fun ways to exercise at home
Fun ways to exercise at home. Article By: Katherine Griggs. Print; Share. Share|. /thumbs/?width=250&img=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. These workout videos make exercise fun -- in the privacy and comfort of your own home. ...
Publish Date: 01/31/2008 3:00
http://www.50plus.com/health/fun-ways-to-exercise-at-home/1356/
Fun ways to burn calories and lose weight | Fun exercise to lose ...
No one ever said that weight loss programs fun, but there are many possibilities, fun to lose weight and burn calories. If you are involved in activities you en.
Publish Date: 12/02/2010 7:03
http://ezloseweightfast.com/fun-ways-to-burn-calories-and-lose-weight-fun-exercise-to-lose-weight/
Here are a few fun ones as well that you may want to try:
Here are a few good recent ones which should give you some great ideas that you can try at any time of year, including right now! Why wait for the new year? Make a resolution to keep your fitness goals going, even over the holidays, and check back here often for more fun exercise ideas.
(We love all the videos mentioned in the second article, and you can find all of them in one place right here: Fun Exercise Videos.)
Fun Ways to Lose Weight and Exercise in 2011 – No Gym Required
Discover energizing fun ways to exercise and lose weight for 2011. Try Zumba® dancing, pogo jogging or home exercise to music to lose belly fat fast.
Publish Date: 11/26/2010 8:58
http://www.suite101.com/content/fun-ways-to-lose-weight-and-exercise-in-2011--no-gym-required-a313485
50Plus : Health : Fun ways to exercise at home
Fun ways to exercise at home. Article By: Katherine Griggs. Print; Share. Share|. /thumbs/?width=250&img=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. These workout videos make exercise fun -- in the privacy and comfort of your own home. ...
Publish Date: 01/31/2008 3:00
http://www.50plus.com/health/fun-ways-to-exercise-at-home/1356/
Fun ways to burn calories and lose weight | Fun exercise to lose ...
No one ever said that weight loss programs fun, but there are many possibilities, fun to lose weight and burn calories. If you are involved in activities you en.
Publish Date: 12/02/2010 7:03
http://ezloseweightfast.com/fun-ways-to-burn-calories-and-lose-weight-fun-exercise-to-lose-weight/
Here are a few fun ones as well that you may want to try:
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Welcome to Our New Blog on Fun Ways to Exercise!
Image via WikipediaThis blog on fun ways to exercise is part of our Holistic Living blog network. Here you will find interesting articles, tips, and resources on making sure you get enough physical activity every day to stay healthy at any age — and most importantly, keeping it fun, so that you will enjoy yourself while getting and staying fit!Topics of interest we will cover include fun options for indoor exercise such as Yoga, Pilates, and dance, ways to enjoy more exercise outdoors, fast and fun workouts for those pressed for time, and related news on new methods of exercise and fitness.
And you can always find other resources on our main website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.
Related articles on Fun Ways to Exercise:
- 10 Ways to Make Fitness Fun! (lifescript.com)
- 7 Family Exercise Activities (lifescript.com)
- How to Get Fit When You’re a Couch Potato (dumblittleman.com)
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