This is nothing new if you want to lose some weight you need to burn more calories than you consume. Bottom line, that’s it, it is not magic. The good news is you can pick how to burn those calories.
It seems like most exercise / work out books are written for people who enjoy joining a gym and think a fun time is getting all sweaty and pushing their body to the limit. There is a certain percentage of the population that loves improving their health this way. It can be downright discouraging to look at these complicated programs for those of us who are not motivated that way.
Do not be discouraged if jogging daily or working out in a gym is not for you!
There are ways to get healthy and lose excess weight through exercise and activity that aren’t for the gym rat.
All you need to do is up your activity level to burn calories. That is right just getting moving. There is a sport or physical activity for everybody.
1st – You need to check with your doctor to make sure that you have no pre-existing health condition that you should be aware of or that you need to work around.
Do you have any physical limitations that will limit the activities you can do?
Can your joints handle high impact sports?
2nd – Make a list of the kinds of activities you like to do.
From this list see if there are any physically active hobbies that you enjoy. For instance, if you love gardening increase the size of your garden this year. Yes, gardening is a form of activity and yes it does burn calories. If you love golf, increase the amount of time you are going to get out and play this year.
3rd – Do you thrive on competition?
If you answered yes, then you need to get into a competitive sport to keep you moving and motivated. That can be bowling, golf, or running marathons. Or consider a team sport, such as softball, basketball, or soccer. Most community centers, YMCA”s, or even churches have sports leagues for adults. Check out the local web sites in your area.
Team sports have the advantage of keeping us motivated because we don”t want to let our team members down. Being part of a team often motivates us to show up and increases the amount of time we practice to improve. Teams also provide a social support group. Belonging to a group reduces your chances for depression thereby improving your overall health.
4th – Do you like indoor activities or outdoor activities?
This can depend on where you live. I live in a climate that has distinct seasons, so if I want to get active outside my choices are going to be very different in summer and winter
Do you have any outdoor allergies that affect your ability to be outside? If you suffer from debilitating allergies you may want to choose an indoor activity. That could include volleyball, dodge ball, or joining a gym. Some rec centers now offer indoor soccer.
Do you not mind sweating in the summer heat? Does the winter cold not bother you at all?
5th – Consider your schedule.
How much time do you have to devote to an increased or new activity? Does this time need to be scheduled or flexible?
Anything you do is going to impact your schedule and the amount of time you have. If you only have 15 minutes a day that will dictate the activity you choose. For example, you can”t golf in 15 minutes. But you could work in your garden an extra 15 minutes or play basketball on your driveway 15 minutes.
If your schedule is fluid some days you have lots of extra time and some days you have no time at all you might consider golf. Even though golf can take several hours you can decide when to play. If you have a pool in your backyard swimming some extra laps can fit into your schedule whenever it is convenient. If you are the type of person who won”t get anything accomplished if it is not on the calendar then you need to schedule activities in advance.
6th – Get started.
Now that you have worked your way through all the steps you need to examine your list, pick some activities and get started. There is no way to burn more calories just looking at a piece of paper you”ve got to get moving.
If you want go to calories burned calculator and see how many calories you can burn doing a variety of activities.
https://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc
Do you need some suggestions?
*Dog walking (borrow a dog if you have to) or just go for a walk yourself
*Bike riding
*Swimming
*Cleaning (That is right, fire your housekeeper and clean yourself)
*Backpacking, Hiking (Put the baby in the stroller and go to the mall if the weather is bad, make some laps check out the store windows. This is an activity any shopper could love.)
*Clean your gutters, Paint your house, Trim your trees, Rake your leaves
*Take a dance class or put on some music and dance around your house.
You are starting to get the idea increased activity can be anything.
I am not much into exercise or sports but there are some physical activities I love. I love badminton. In the summer we set the net up and leave it up. Anytime I can drag someone into the back yard everything is ready to go. In the winter I enjoy playing WII tennis; this can be a great workout if you get competitive. Remember I am not fond of sweating or gyms but I do know the importance of staying active.
Increased activity doing something you enjoy and burning calories – healthy doesn’t get any better than that.
