Working out. Some love it, some hate it, but everyone needs it. The key to fitting a work out into your daily routine is scheduling. Write it into your planner as if it’s an assignment, put a reminder in your phone, or put it on your Google calendar. If you keep at it, working out will soon become a habit.
Not everyone loves going to the gym to do the elliptical or lift weights. It is important to have fun while exercising, so here are a few ways to add enjoyment to your workouts outside of the gym.
Youtube Gurus
If you’re pressed for time but want to feel like you fit a full workout in, a lot of YouTube fitness gurus have videos that last less than ten minutes. These videos give you the ability to mix up your workouts instead of just running on the boring old treadmill for a half hour. A lot of gurus focus on certain forms of exercise; for example Amanda Russell does a lot of high intensity cardio routines, Blogilates creates routines dominated by pilates moves, and Yoga With Adriene is like an at-home yoga class. If you don’t have a favorite style of exercising, experiment with YouTube.
Workout Challenge Calendars
Workout challenge calendars are a super easy and quick way to workout (a lot of challenges take less than five minutes to complete). You can find squat challenges, ab challenges, thigh challenges, and a ton of others just by scrolling through your favorite social media website! Pro tip: starting a challenge group on Facebook is an easy way to hold yourself accountable and to get your friends involved.
Television/Movie Workout Games
This method mixes work with play! Just turn on a movie or show and make a list of moves to do when something reoccurring happens. For example, while watching Mean Girls, do twenty crunches every time someone says Cady’s name wrong or do ten push-ups every time someone mentions the plastics.
One-Song Workouts
Similar to movie workouts, pick a song and create a set of moves to do throughout the three-four minutes. You can either choose to do one move for a full verse, or mix it up by doing twenty reps of a bunch of different moves. Try to pick a fast paced song to keep you motivated.
Remember to stay hydrated and to know your limits while exercising.