With a new year comes new fitness goals! And trust me, 2014 is the year to make it happen. But with broad goals on health and fitness it can be hard to make a first step towards that beach-ready body, especially if the Plex is less like a second home and more like an alien planet. If you haven’t spent much time at the gym, then the best way to get active is to do exercises that are more fun and less fear-inducing. Try these activities that burn calories without making you dread working out!
Dancing –Try Zumba at the Plex, dance classes at studios close by, check out the Salsa classes being offered by BC Rec, or go out dancing on the weekend without drinking. Do you know how many calories you could burn during your typical Friday night if only it wasn’t countered by alcohol?
Ice Skating—My absolute favorite winter activity is ice-skating. It’s fun, social, and get’s you moving! There is nothing more quintessentially a Boston winter activity than skating at Frog Pond, but if you don’t want to make the trek into the city, look no further than Conte where you can skate for free! Check the BC Rec website for open skate times and keep an eye out for emails.
Hiking – If you or a friend has a car, there are a ton of places to explore around the Boston area! Check out Blue Hills in Milton, MA or look at websites like this EveryTrail for local hikes. No car? No problem! Check out Outdoor Adventures through the BC Rec website. When you go hiking with friends you’ll be having so much fun that you’ll forget that you’re exercising at all!
Playing in the Snow –When it snows like there’s no tomorrow it can be so tempting to stay inside, watch movies, and eat the day away. But rather than sit glued to Netflix, you can keep your fitness resolutions and enjoy it by grabbing your friends and getting outside instead! Whether you’re having a snowball fight, sledding, or playing football in the snow, you’re getting your heart rate up and having fun!
Winter is in full swing and that greatly decreases our motivation to get our butts to the Plex, but with these fun activities it seems like less of a chore and more of a fun thing to do with friends! So enjoy yourself and stay active in 2014!
Photo Sources:
http://columbialion.com/static/media/uploads/snowball-fight.jpg
http://www.bu.edu/today/files/2011/12/h_FrogPond_SmartDestinations_3790108024_64cfda8cf1_z.jpg
http://cdn.funcheap.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/zumba-class-2.jpg