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How to Make Exercising More Fun

February 21, 2017 by

 

Exercise is good for our heart, muscles, and lungs, and helps us release stress and extra energy that builds up inside ourselves.

It’s something that, no matter how old or young we are, we all need to do in order to keep our bodies strong and stay healthy.

Unfortunately, many people avoid exercise because they feel incapable of it, or are intimidated by it. Part of the problem is that many people believe you need to spend hours at a gym lifting heavy weights or running miles on a treadmill to get a good workout.

This is simply not true.

Any time you are up and moving, you are getting exercise. That means you can turn daily activities into exercise and, most importantly, have fun while you’re doing it!

Keep reading to discover a few ways you can have fun while exercising—without the expensive gym membership or insane workout plans!

Dance

Dancing is a wonderful form of exercise, and it’s a total body workout.

When you dance, you get a solid cardio workout, strengthen your muscles, and improve your flexibility. The best part is that it only takes about a half hour of dancing to your favorite tunes to provide you with your daily dose of exercise.

If you want a more structured form of dance exercise, we recommend taking a class, like salsa dancing or Zumba. You can find these classes available at local community centers, dance studios, or gyms.

Play Outside with Your Kids

The next time your children, grandchildren, or nieces or nephews ask you to play outside, unleash your inner child and go for it!

Playing a game of tag, hopscotch, or jump rope is a fun way to get fresh air while moving your body. You’ll have so much fun, you’ll forget you’re even exercising.

It’s important for both kids and adults to get out and move, so try scheduling a half hour of outdoor play every day.

Join a Club Sport

If you love watching football, basketball, baseball, or any other sport on the big screen, we know you will enjoy getting off the couch and playing your favorite sport.

It doesn’t matter if you your were colleges all-star player, or if you have two left feet. Anyone can participate and have a good time when she participates in club sports.

Rally a bunch of your friends or family members together, join a team, and get a workout on the field together.

Take a Hike

If you dislike running on a treadmill, but want to improve your endurance, build strength, and get a good cardio work out ,take a hike!

When you hit the trails, you get the same amount of exercise as you would on a treadmill, but you get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and work out at a more comfortable pace. Most people get so wrapped up in the beauty of nature that they forget they are even working out!

Pick a cool day, invite a friend, be sure to bring plenty of water, and plan an exciting day on the trails.

What’s your favorite fun exercise routine? Share in the comments below!

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How to Get Your Metabolism Moving

January 21, 2013 by

Did you know that you’re burning calories as you read this post? In fact, your body burns calories even when you’re not moving a single muscle. Every single thing you do—from breathing to eating to sleeping—uses energy. The number of calories it would take just to lie in bed all day is called your resting metabolic rate, which is unique to every person.

Although you can’t exchange your genetics or turn back the clock, there’s still plenty you can do to be a fast calorie burner. All you need to do is remember these four metabolism truths:

1. Cardio charges your metabolism for hours afterward. A pound of muscle at rest does burn three times as many calories as a pound of fat, but that doesn’t mean you should only focus on weight training if you want to blast calories. Cardio is every bit as crucial for keeping your metabolism cranked up. Do just two to three vigorous bouts of exercise per week for 45 minutes, and you could lose a pound of fat every two weeks from the combination of calories expended during exercise plus what you burn afterward.

Pro-tip: Any sweat-inducing activity you can sustain for 45 minutes will do the trick.

2. Beauty rest is the new calorie-burning boost. Though contrary to expectations, more sleep makes for a quicker metabolism. In fact, a single sleepless night reduces your resting metabolic rate by about 5% several hours into the next day, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. So put away the laptop, and be sure you aim to give yourself nine hours of sleep  each night.

3. Age doesn’t mean you can’t have a healthy metabolism.Sure, it’s hardly a myth that women tend to gain weight after the age of 40. But according to a new study in Cell Metabolism, estrogen levels may be the cause. Less estrogen, it turns out, equals a sluggish metabolism—you burn 50 fewer calories a day. Compensate by hitting the weight room three times a week. In 12 weeks, you’ll add enough muscle  mass to burn an extra 45 calories per day.

4. Timing is everything when it comes to blasting calories. Drops in blood sugar can make your metabolism stall during the day. That’s because the primary food for your brain is blood sugar, and when you let it drop, your brain has to set up defenses to sustain its fuel. In other words, low blood sugar leaves you with less muscle, which makes your metabolism sluggish. To keep your blood-sugar levels even throughout the day, eat smaller meals with 100- to 200-calorie snacks in between.

What are some ways you keep your metabolism fired up? Share your tips in the comments section below!

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