Every year, you promise yourself, “This is the year! I’m finally going to work out regularly and get my body back into shape!” You log onto Pinterest for some “fitspiration.” On Jan, 1, you enthusiastically hit the gym (for the first time since…basically forever). After running on the treadmill for about 45 minutes, you feel incredibly accomplished. You feel so accomplished that you feel the need to share your accomplishment with the rest of the world. You tell everybody on social media how you “just had a great workout,” and obviously upload a photo of yourself in your gym clothes to Instagram. #Fitness. #Motivated.
Jan. 2 comes. You feel less motivated to work out, but you still manage to hit the gym for a while. If you’re really motivated, you might even make it a week. Then it’s Jan. 7. You’ve had a long day of work and classes, and the thought of going to the gym honestly makes you want to die. You finally come to terms with what you’ve known all along.
You hate working out.
If you’re the type of person who stares at the clock the entire time you’re on the treadmill, or the type of person who just falls to the ground and refuses to get up when the workout instructor on your Pilates video says, “Now slowly lower yourself to the ground for a pushup,” then this article is for you.
Here are some creative workout tips for those of you who hate working out.
1. HIIT workouts (a.k.a. “never working out for more than 30 seconds”)
HIIT stands for “high intensity interval-training.” But we like to call it “never working out for more than 30 seconds and taking lots of breaks, while still burning a ton of calories.” HIIT workouts are especially good if you’re the type of person who starts a workout and then gives up about 10 minutes into it. Say you “give up” during your 30 seconds of planks and fall to the ground. With HIIT workouts, fifteen seconds later you still have another chance to redeem yourself with leg lifts. Check out this 30-day plan of HIIT workouts. Some exercises are as short as 10 seconds each! Even better news? Studies say that interval training is actually the best way to lose weight.
2. Zumba Videos on YouTube
Some colleges offer discounted Zumba classes for students. But let’s be honest, sometimes even walking across campus feels like a struggle. Zumba Youtube videos will be your new best friend and go-to workout. You can search for your favorite song on YouTube and then type “zumba”‘afterwards, and will be more than likely to find one, if not multiple, matches. The best part about using YouTube to search for dance videos is that you get to choose the songs you dance to.
Check out this Zumba routine for “All About That Bass,” and then search for your own favorite songs.
3. Introducing…. Blogilates
Sure, you’ve tried workout videos before. Maybe it was “Jillian Michaels Killer Abs,” or even “Insanity”. But be honest with us. Did you actually keep up with the workout, doing them regularly every day like you’re supposed to? Or did you do them for a few days, and then finally collapse on the ground while the trainer in the video screams “Feel the burn!”and then never opened up the video ever again?
Finally, there’s a fun workout series that you might even want to do. Blogilates combines “blogging” and “Pilates” (even though the channel offers all types of workouts, not just Pilates). It is a fitness channel that everybody needs to check out. Cassie is super positive and happy, and she talks to you the entire time you’re working out.
4. Workout WHILE your favorite TV show is on
Sometimes, running on the treadmill while listening to your iPod doesn’t cut it. Here’s an idea: If your gym has televisions attached to the machines, purposely plan your workout around your favorite television show air times.
5. Try yoga!
Yoga has some amazing health benefits. Yoga gives you energy, calms your mind and body, and improves your flexibility. Check out this article about the Instafamous “Yogi,” Rachel Brathen.
6. Go to the gym with friends (and talk while working out)
Need to catch up with a friend? Maybe your friend is dying to tell you about her terrible Tinder date. Instead of meeting up at Starbucks to chat, meet up on the treadmills or elliptical! You’ll become so invested in the conversation while working out, that you’ll look down at the clock and be shocked how quickly time passed.
7. Explore town on your bike
When the weather is nice, hit the outdoors and ride around the town or city on your bike. The best part about bike riding is that it doesn’t feel really strenuous (as long as there aren’t any huge hills), but can actually burn up to 450 calories an hour!
8. When in doubt, WALK it out.
Believe it or not, you can actually burn between 100-250 calories an hour just by walking. So, when it doubt, walk it out.
9. Try some fitness classes at your university
Traditional gym equipment can become very old very quickly. Most universities offer a wide selection of group fitness classes at a discount. Try out something unique, like Glow Cycle, Karate, or Bollywood Dance.
10. If all else fails…
You can always just choose to take the stairs instead of the escalator. Or elevator. Or if the escalator is the only option, at least walk up the escalator.
So even if you’re not one of those blessed types of people who actually enjoy or even love working out, hopefully these tips will make exercising a little less awful.