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Fun Ways to Be More Active if You Hate the Gym

Living an active lifestyle is easily one of the healthiest decisions you can make in life. It benefits both your mental and physical well-being and can help you to live a long and healthy life. However, just because you’re aware of the benefits and importance of working out, doesn’t mean you’re ready to embrace the gym. For many people, the thought of hitting up the gym daily is about the least appealing thing out there. The good news is that the gym isn’t the only way you can stay active. Here’s a look at these fun ways you can be more active without ever having to hit the gym.

Sign Up for Dance Classes

Dancing is an excellent way to relax, let loose and give your brain that mental break it deserves. When you’re dancing, you’re not thinking about anything else and music can be quite soothing to the soul. But have you ever noticed how fit professional dancers are? That’s right, dancing can be quite the workout, helping you to burn calories, improve your cardio, tone your body and even build your muscles and core. Dancing can work out your entire body and yet you’d never think of it as a traditional workout.

If you want to pursue dancing as a way to keep fit, try signing up for a class. This will ensure you’re pushing your limits, elevating your heart rate, and making the most of the activity. You’ll also learn some pretty cool dances while you’re at it.

Take Up Hiking

Another activity that can act as an excellent workout is hiking. You’ll be so busy enjoying the natural beauty and scenery that you won’t even think of it as exercise. Did you know that hiking is also a great way to burn calories? A typical hike can burn between 300-600 calories per hour depending on the terrain, your speed, your weight, and even your backpack. In other words, it’s a pretty impressive workout.

Those looking to start hiking will need to be sure they purchase hiking shoes that feature a good grip with excellent support and comfort. You will also need a backpack meant for active hikers since these are durable and meant to last. You may even want a walking/trekking pole to help give you balance.

Hiking can be done as a solo activity or with friends/family. You can set a goal to discover new hiking trails each week, which helps to keep it interesting and exciting.

Play Video Games That Require You to Get Up and Move

When you think about video gaming, it’s normal to picture someone sitting on the couch, not moving, and certainly not being active. Thanks to today’s technology, this is no longer the case. You can find plenty of games that require you to stand up, get moving and work out as part of the game. You can build up a pretty good sweat depending on the game you’re playing and how seriously you take it. This style of game is also fun to play with friends or the kids, which then encourages them to be active as well.

Some of the most popular active or fitness video games on the market right now include:

You may end up liking this style of game so much that you want to pick them all up. Just be sure you give yourself plenty of room to move about when playing these games.

Adopt or Buy a Dog

Adopting or buying a dog is a huge decision, but if your lifestyle can accommodate a four-legged furry friend, it’s a great incentive to be more active. Even small breeds of dogs need exercise and they are usually quick to remind you when they want to go for a walk. Once you introduce a dog into your life, you will find being more active comes as part of the deal. Three walks a day is an easy way to hit your 10,000 daily steps target. Plus, dogs enjoy walks whatever the weather, so even if you feel like hitting the snooze button, Hector the Labrador will happily jump on the bed to remind you it’s time for his early morning constitutional.

Sign Up for a Charity Sports Event

Raising money for a cause that’s close to your heart is a great incentive to get fit. An Ironman might be a step too far if all you’ve done lately is walk to the local store, but a 5K run is attainable even for couch potatoes. Once you sign up and tell your friends and family, you won’t be able to back out, so start training!

Each of the above will allow you to fit in a workout without it feeling that way. You’ll be burning calories, building your strength and stamina, and doing your mind and body a world of good.

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