There’s a reason why the term “fitness freaks” exists; some people just love exercise, and that’s weird. Most of us would rather scrub the toilet than go for a run or lift weights, but the problem is that exercise is vital to your wellbeing. Therefore, fitness trainers and wellness experts face a predicament; how do you get exercise-haters like us to break a sweat? According to Emily McCavanagh, AFAA, owner of Fitness Inspired Training in Boston, it comes down to a simple mind trick: ‘Put aside the concept of exercise as a deliberate, regimented activity that takes place in a gym and requires special clothes and focus on moving more in ways that are either fun or almost effortless.’ So that’s the theory, but how do you put it into practise?
1. Get dressed for the occasion (without realising): If you don’t have to suit up and go into the office today, get dressed in trainers and jogging bottoms first thing – and don’t forget the sports bra. This is a simple step, but it can have a huge impact on how often you get moving. You’re more likely to stretch, bend or jump when the opportunity arises if you’re dressed and ready for it, rather than excusing yourself because your skinny jeans won’t allow for too much movement.
2. Be a big kid: Let’s be honest, we’ve all eyed-up our kids’ trampoline, scooters or slide and thought about giving it a go. Who cares if society dictates you’re too old to play in the park or the back garden and enjoy it? Follow through on the urge to play when it hits you! Having your kids with you can be a great excuse to run around and have fun, but if they’re not there you can still have a cheeky bit of playtime in the garden. Grabbing a skipping rope and jumping for 10 minutes – not necessarily in a row – can help you burn as if you ran three miles. More importantly, it’s more fun!
3. Park as soon as possible: You may spend ages driving round car parks trying to get the space that’s closest to the supermarket, but why waste all that time and effort? Instead, park as soon as you see a space on the edge of the car park, and take a longer walk to the shop. You’ll do your body a world of good, and actually end up saving time that you would have spent hunting around for a prime parking place.
4. Try your hand at stand up: You get up from a chair more times in a day than you can actually count, which makes this a prime opportunity for starting a healthy exercise habit. Every time you get up from now on, don’t use your hands but, instead, stick your arms out straight in front of you at shoulder height. This forces your abs and glutes to engage as you rise from sitting to standing, but not to such an extent that it feels like hard work. This means you’re giving problem tummy and bottom areas a little workout 20 times a day without even noticing.
5. Get that music blasting: You know that feeling when you’re at a wedding with no intention of moving away from the bar, but then your favourite song comes on and suddenly you’re dancing the night way? Get a little of that wedding-reception wisdom into your daily life by blasting a playlist of the songs you love whenever you can. The odds are that you’ll be tapping, twisting and bopping in no time, which will help to raise your heart rate and burn calories. Do it in the car – you’d be amazed how much exercise you can do when sitting in traffic.
