8 ways to make your exercise fun and lose weight!

If you are bored with your exercise regime, you can try these exciting ways to exercise and lose weight at the same time.

Neha Malude | Updated: November 19, 2015 1:02 pm

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Adding variety to your exercise regime is vital to keep you happy and motivated. Same exercises, same music at the same time every day; exercising becomes an obligation that turns into a punishment. To spice up your exercise routine, you can try these new and exciting types of workouts. Calculate how much weight you can lose in a month here.

Exercise or play – what would you pick?

So you have two options – a 30-minute workout at the gym or a half an hour game of badminton – which one would you go for? Chances are, the game, even if you don’t know how to play badminton. Why? Because it’s fun. By play, we don’t mean a game of cards but something that involves a decent amount of physical exertion. So why is exercising so boring?

For starters, you are doing the same thing every day. You mostly do it alone and for long periods of time. Sure, you could remedy that by trying different exercises or getting an exercise buddy but maybe it’s time to experiment with some fun workout routines. Here are a few options to get you started:

Hula Hoops: Would you believe that hula hooping can burn up to 600 calories an hour? Having said that, it’s difficult hula hooping for an hour but you get the idea – it’s fun, physically intensive and you can do it in the privacy of your room. Yes, it also helps you lose weight. If you are beginner, try a weighted hoop because it’s easier to rotate but as you get better switch to a lighter hoop which requires more effort from you to rotate and hence, helps burn more calories. And the elderly can try them too. Just put on some music and you are good to go.

Skating: Something we’ve all tried and enjoyed despite falling flat on our backsides or tripping over a bump. But here’s something you didn’t know – it can help you shed calories too. In fact, if you are over 70 kilos, you can possibly burn more than 500 calories an hour! Not only does it help muscles become stronger, it’s good for your heart as well. It’s cost-effective and has less impact than running. All you need is a smooth surface and an open area. Surfest fitness is also a fun way to lose weight.

Frisbee: Got a dog and a park nearby? Buy yourself a Frisbee and get cracking. You can get some friends along on a weekend and have a game too. Either way, all the throwing, catching and running helps your body. In fact, a 30 minute game can burn nearly 100 calories assuming you are 60 kilos. And it needn’t be a Frisbee – you could give volleyball a shot as well.

Badminton: One of the few games that you can play anywhere. And it’s seriously addictive. Although you can explore other options like tennis, cricket and even basketball – most of these need more space, more people or expensive equipment. For badminton, you don’t even need a net! Lots of energy, competition and running around – all of that does a ton of good to your stamina. In a nutshell, any form of sport is great.

Dance: Possibly the most fun of all, dancing will not only help you stay fit, it’s also a great way of meeting new people. It gets you out of your shell too, to say nothing of adding a new skill. You could take up a Zumba class or salsa. Aerobics class is also a great way to exercise while having fun. Here are 8 best dance workouts to help you lose weight.

Kickboxing: Most health centres or gyms also offer courses like boxing and kickboxing – both are great ways to blow off some steam after a hard day and a fun sport. An added benefit is that they sharpen your self-defence skills.

Trekking: This might sound too much hard work to be fun but it isn’t. Make a group of friends and take off for the hills every weekend for a few hours. You can climb your way up and have a picnic and play a few games. It’s not only a chance to exercise but to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Nowadays, there are many adventure groups who organize bi-weekly camping or trekking trips. Before you know it, you’ll be addicted. You can also try these 6 fun and weird types of yoga.

Swimming: You’ve probably heard this before: swimming is one of the best cardiovascular exercises for you. And who doesn’t like to splash around in cold water? How can you make it even more fun? If you get bored, you can always play some water volleyball or a game of catch.

What if I can’t stick to it?

The reason routines get boring is because, well they are routines! The moment you start feeling an obligation to do something, you don’t want to do it anymore. So keep it short. For instance, if you are planning to enrol for a swim class make it a monthly membership and not quarterly. The same goes for a dance class. Rather than enrol directly, take a demo class and see if it’s something you would want to do for the next few months.

If you feel like you’ve had swimming, switch to something new, like horseback riding! If you keep changing your options, you’ll never fall in a rut.

Why fun exercising is better than just exercising

You get to start something new every time – one month it’s swimming, next month it could be a Zumba class – there’s no room for boredom.
Meeting new people – the more you get out and try new things the more social you’ll become.
Learning a new skill – If you are a working professional you’d know that in today’s world everybody looks for an all-rounder, someone who is not only good at work but also possesses other skills. You can also listen to rock songs to take your workout to the next level.
You can tag your friends along – If it’s something fun, chances are that your friends would love to join in or won’t mind joining you. And if you can get friends along, it’s bound to be fun!

We lead extremely passive lifestyles nowadays and it has taught us the importance of staying active physically and mentally. However, our idea of exercising still relates to something we have to do, whether we enjoy it or not? But it doesn’t have to be like that. The choices out there are endless; the question is – are you ready to take a leap?

Eating home cooked food to lose weight? Did you know even homemade food can cause food poisoning? Click here to find out how!

Image source: Getty Images

Published: March 10, 2015 3:21 pm | Updated:November 19, 2015 1:02 pm

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