Keeping in shape is very rewarding, boosting your mood, your self-confidence, and your general wellbeing. However, hitting the gym isn’t for everybody, and if you are someone who really doesn’t enjoy going, then forcing yourself to isn’t likely to lead to a lasting and satisfying fitness habit. Luckily, there are countless ways to get active and improve your fitness without going anywhere near a treadmill or a busy weight room.
Here we look at three ways you can get more activity into your healthy lifestyle without setting foot in a gym:
Run, Jog or Hike
Running, jogging or hiking are all ways you can get some excellent cardio and a full body workout outside, and once you have the right clothes and shoes, each workout is essentially free. Which you choose will depend on what you like and what your goals are. Hiking can be a good choice if you want something that can also serve as a day out at weekends, and which can give you a chance to enjoy nature as you walk. Jogging can be a good option if you want moderate cardio that you can do outdoors and make part of a daily, or almost daily routine. Running is more intense, and can be wonderful if you want a challenge, because you can work up to things like 5k, 10k, half-marathon and even marathon runs if you want to.
Do ensure that you have the right kind of shoes to support the type of walking or running you are doing, however. Normal gym shoes or fashion sneakers won’t give you the support you need, and there are different types of running shoe depending on things like the terrain you’ll be running on, and whether you’re going for distance or speed. If you’re a woman, you’ll also need a good sports bra designed for high impact activity if you want to run.
Join a Sports Team
Team sports can give you a chance to get social and make new friends as well as enjoying a fun competitive activity. Even if you haven’t played on a sports team since grade school, you can probably find teams at all different levels in your community for things like softball, football, soccer and basketball, and you may even find that your office has a team you could join. While training with your team is fun, you can use being in a team as a reason to get more activity on your own, too, for instance, by getting some equipment to help you practice at home. Check out things like these pitching machines – most are suitable for baseball and softball.
Try Some Outdoor Activities
If conventional sports don’t really appeal to you, then why not try something a bit more adventurous? Outdoor activities like climbing, water sports like surfing or kayaking, snow sports like skiing, or urban outdoor sports like skateboarding are all options that you may find you love. Depending on where you live and what is available, it can be fun to try out different things – even if you only do a particular activity a couple of times, it will still be an exciting experience, but it may also lead to an active hobby you can keep on working at. Think about the kind of environments you enjoy, whether it’s the beach, the forest, the mountains or the city streets, and how you can find activities that help you enjoy them even more.
These are just three of the ways you can add more fitness activities into your life without a gym membership.
