The holidays are coming to an end and now's the time that feels appropriate to give a good amount of effort into moving a little more after a week or so of inactivity. The 'go-to' for most people with these goals is to sign up to your local gym and start there, which is a great place to start but often interest curtails relatively quickly.
'Being active' doesn't just mean going to the gym which, being a gym owner, isn't my finest sales pitch but it's the truth. There's plenty of people out there who are healthy, active and in great shape without ever stepping into a gym.
Here are 5 ways to stay active in 2022 without signing up to your local gym:
1) Walking
Without a doubt one of the most underrated ways of staying active and, if you've follow me for a while, is something I harp on about very frequently. Get yourself a step tracker (they can be sourced fairly cheaply these days), set yourself a step goal and your workout for the day is hitting that number.
It's simple, effective and allows you to take advantage of the benefits of the great outdoors.
2) Start a Sport
Want to exercise without it feeling like you're exercising? Then this is probably the best option for you. They say sport is the meditation of the western world because you become so present and focused on the task at hand, so much so that you probably won't even consider it as 'exercise'.
I started a beginners tennis course last year and hadn't even considered the health benefits until I realised I was becoming fitter week by week. It was also a great opportunity to meet new people and develop a new hobby.
3) Home Workouts
YouTube is a fantastic resource for tonnes of free home workouts. For the most part, all you need is 20-60 minutes and a 2m x 2m space and you're good to go. If you're feeling a little more adventurous then investing in a small amount of equipment (a pair of dumbbells, kettlebell etc.) will help open up your options and add a little more variety to your routine.
4) Group Training
Although it will most likely take place in a gym, group training sessions are not like your usual leisure centre workouts. You get the benefits of having a watchful eye looking over you as well as the motivation from other members and sense of community that group training provides.
Top tip: Try to attend a regular class with a friend to help keep you accountable.
5) Learn a Skill
We mentioned sport before but I wanted to make a separate category for more 'skill based' activities that you may not have considered when you heard the word 'sport'. This would include activities such as: bouldering, boxing, jiu jitsu etc. They're just more examples of exercising without thinking about exercising and having more performance based goals vs. just focusing on burning calories.
As we move into 2022 let's focus on 'being active' through a different lens. It's not exclusively sets and reps and time on the treadmill, it's more globally: time spent moving, energy expended and heart rate elevated by whichever means preferred.
And if that doesn't work, you know where to find me for personal training.
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