Top 3 Ways To Make Fitness Fun

Are you having fun during your workouts?

If you answered “no” then you should stop your regular routine and explore some of the highly effective and enjoyable workout concepts below.

I recently interviewed trainer and emotional breakthrough expert, Steph Hendel, to learn some secrets on how she teaches people to make their workouts fun while achieving maximum results.

“The number one way to burn yourself out on a fitness routine is to make it feel like a chore,” Hendel said. “Sure consistency is a key component to success in most areas of life, but consistency doesn’t have to equal boredom. Fitness is supposed to be fun!”

MIND OVER MATTER

A recent Harvard Study showed that the perceived value our minds place on our fitness routines can dictate the success we achieve from a fitness routine. The study involved two different groups of women who were employed as maids in a hotel. The control group was told that they should work out after their job ended each day. The other group was told that their daily duties were enough daily movement to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and that they did not need to develop a fitness routine outside of their duties as a maid.

The group who worked out after work did not achieve any better levels of health than the group who believed their daily work routines were enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This shows it’s not necessarily how much you work out, but how much you are moving everyday and that you perceive this movement to benefit your body.

“Many of us are conditioned to believe that we need to do way more, or push through a monotonous fitness routine to achieve the fitness goals we desire. When the truth is we simply need to reduce our sedentary lifestyles and value the movement we’re doing,” Hendel said.

The study also showed that people who felt trapped in a routine began to lessen their positive associations with maintaining their fitness goals.

“It’s important that workouts are stimulating and engaging in the way of creativity so people are more likely to feel positive and maintain a sustainable fitness lifestyle,” Hendel said.

Sustainability is an area most people do not focus on when committing to a new healthy lifestyle “Even the best fitness routines in the world can bring minimal results if they are boring or not giving us a sense of freedom and fun,” Hendel said.

Hendel’s teachings have taught thousands of women around the globe how to love their bodies for everything they are and focus on fun and simple workouts. Hendel contributes her client’s success to “focusing on fun, engaging workouts that involve nature and playing like kids.”

Check out these three ideas Hendel gave to spice up your fitness routines and create sustainable results with or without a gym.

Light as a feather, Stiff as a board

Hendel’s top suggestion is to paddle board. This activity allows you to connect with nature in a way most people never have before, while you get a full core and posterior chain workout; arguably the best areas you could develop in your body. Paddle boarding also challenges your balance and nervous system to develop stability on top of the board.

Most people associate paddle boarding with ocean sports, however, paddle boarding can be done on any body of water. Being on the water, whether a lake or ocean, is a very meditative experience and allows your mind the freedom to fully experience the workout.

Hendel explained modern advancements in paddle boarding technology has created the opportunity for people to purchase inflatable paddle boards at a great price. Many of her clients hike with inflatable boards to lakes or ponds and paddle around for 30 - 60 minutes.

Tell Your Gym Routine To Take A Hike

Taking long hikes in nature is are a great way to increase metabolism for several days after your workout and are also great ways to increase your stamina. One of the best low-impact calorie burning exercises is walking. When you combine walking with a long hike through the woods or a mountainside, you get even more bang for your buck. It’s important to find terrain that slightly challenges you with light hills and subtle inclines. The change in terrain allows for your body to adapt to different levels of intensity, providing a fun cardio effect.

The added benefit of hiking in nature is the air quality you receive from walking around trees, plants and open skies. You take in more oxygen when you’re active, so why not make it the cleanest, purest and most healing oxygen you can get by being in nature.

If you do not live in a location where nature is in abundance, then simply shift your paradigm to letting your city or neighborhood be your hiking terrain. Try walking to the local grocery store instead of driving. Carrying the bags home will be a workout in itself.

Play Like A Kid

This idea may be my personal favorite. Utilize your neighborhood playground for your workouts. Why let the kids have all the fun on the monkey bars? When you visit a park, the children will be playing until they are exhausted from swinging from monkey bars, climbing rope bridges, and jumping from platform to platform; all the while their parents just sit and watch.

Climbing on monkey bars and testing your balance on the swinging bridge may feel goofy in the beginning, but the freedom you receive from playing outside will certainly keep you in a place of health and happiness.

Even throwing in some sets of step ups or incline pushups against a park bench will add a great dynamic to your play time! There are countless opportunities on even the simplest of playgrounds to achieve a fun and engaging workout.

Always remember to have fun, think positive and play like a kid, and all your fitness endeavors will greatly benefit you mind, body and spirit.

For more information on Hendel, check out her website, Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube channel.

Josh was born and raised in Lexington, KY. He played collegiate soccer at Transylvania University where he also studied business and psychology. Upon graduating college in 2002 he chose to begin a professional career as a restaurateur. Josh watched his business grow exponentially over the course of a decade, while he watched his health steadily declined. In 2011 Josh developed a mysterious disease, that modern medicine could not explain. He decided to embark on an optimal health journey to discover a cure. His journey lead him to receive his certifications as a personal trainer, RKC Kettlebell instructor and Yoga Alliance instructor. Josh’s unique combination of business, personal training and ayurvedic nutrition experience organically spawned a system that is guaranteed to upgrade the life of everyone from office executive to professional athlete. Josh now pursues his passion in teaching others to find their perfect work, life balance.

Main Photo Credit: Jacob Lund/shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: Gabi Moisa/shutterstock.com; Third Photo Credit: EpicStockMedia/shutterstock.com; Fourth Photo Credit: Galyna Andrushko/shutterstock.com; Fifth Photo Credit: antoniodiaz/shutterstock.com