Exercising is one of the pillars for optimal health. In fact, experts recommend that one should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workout in a week. Some people love sweating it out at the gym, while others abhor it. Quite understandably, when you do an activity you enjoy, you tend to stick to it longer, and fitness is a lifelong journey. So, if you are looking for a fun way to lose weight, then this article is for you. But before we delve into those, let us look at why it is important to exercise.
Benefits Of Working Out
When you exercise regularly, here are the health benefits that you get:
- Lose/Manage Weight: Many people who exercise do it for the sole reason of either losing or managing weight. And sure, when you work out, you burn calories, which helps you shed those kilos.
- Improves Cardiovascular Health: Exercising regularly makes your heart strong. It improves blood circulation, and increases the oxygen level in your body. It protects you against serious conditions such as high cholesterol levels, heart attack, etc.
- Helps Manage Blood Sugar Level: Exercise helps lower blood sugar levels. This prevents you from type 2 diabetes. Even if you already suffer from this disease, exercising can help you manage it.
- Makes Your Bones & Muscles Strong: Kids and teens should be encouraged to indulge in some form of physical activity. This makes their bones and muscles strong. It also helps them later in life as it prevents loss of bone density as one ages. Doing muscle-strengthening exercises makes your muscles strong.
- Improves Mental Health & Mood: When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which uplift your mood and make you feel better. This can help you with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
- Reduces Risk Of Some Cancers: As per the US National Library of Medicine, working out can reduce your risk of some cancers such as that of breast, lung, colon, and uterine.
- Improves Sleep: Last but not the least, you must have noticed that when you exercise, you tend to sleep better.
Non-Workout Workout Options
Now that you know the benefits of exercising, but still do not wish to hit the gym, here are some non-workout workout options for you:
- Walking: This is probably the cheapest and most accessible workout you can easily slip into your daily routine. You can go for a walk with your friend, or stroll while talking on your phone, or walk your dog. Just find ways to slip this into your daily routine. While in office, many people experience that mid-noon slump. However, instead of gulping caffeine, just walk around a little to get energetic and get blood circulation running. This activity is extremely beneficial for your leg muscles, and cardiovascular health.
- Cycling: Just like walking, cycling is an aerobic exercise that strengthens your leg muscles and improves cardiovascular health. Instead of setting aside time for this activity, you can incorporate it into your daily routine, such as taking your bike to buy groceries from the market, or cycling to work, instead of taking your car.
- Stretching: Many people spend long hours sitting on their desks working. This puts strain on the neck, shoulders and back. If you are among those, you must consider stretching. It not only relieves that tightness as well as aches and pains, but it also improves blood circulation, and helps you burn some calories.
- Dancing: Age is just a number when it comes to dancing, as people across age groups can engage in this fun way to get fit. If you are a trained dancer, then that’s great, if not, it’s no problem either. You can easily learn it online, or join a dance class. Other than keeping you healthy, it will also give you an opportunity to meet new people and socialise, which is also crucial for good health.
- Sports: If there was a list of the most fun ways to stay healthy, sports might be among the contenders of the top sport. This is when you play, you end up getting a lot of physical activity without even realising. And you do not need to be a pro to begin with. Just choose a sport of your choice and hit the field. Sports are again aerobic in nature, which improves your heart health. They also help you develop your stamina, balance, coordination and reflex.
So, these are some non-workout workout options you can explore to stay healthy the fun way.
