If you hate exercise, don’t feel guilty. When battling with extra pounds, you are more likely to avoid working out. Moving around can be difficult, and depending on the weight, quite challenging. Furthermore, some people are embarrassed to go to the gym because of their weight. Even the simplest thing, like walking on a treadmill might be extremely exhausting for some people.
It makes them feel like a hamster on a wheel. What’s the point of walking when you’re not going anywhere? Others just don’t like to work out, period. However, exercise plays an essential role in losing weight, and I don’t mean only because you burn more calories. On the contrary, what you eat is the most crucial factor in losing weight.
Moving your body can benefit you in many ways that play an essential role in your overall health. Working out can increase your metabolism and assist you in weight loss, but it can also make you feel good. Exercise can reduce stress, help you build stronger muscles, become more flexible, acquire higher amounts of energy, and the list goes on.
Still not convinced? If you don’t like to work out, you might not have found what suits you. There are many types of workouts: running, swimming, bicycling, climbing, and walking. Yes, walking is a form of exercise that can really make a difference in weight loss. Even if you cannot find a form of exercise that you like right now, don’t give up. Start with baby steps, just by walking.
Workout on the go
Every day you have to get to your office, right? You can easily park your car a few blocks further from the office and go on foot. If you use public transportation, then get off a stop before the one you usually do. Just adding extra steps in your daily routine can help you burn extra calories and build your muscles. Did just exercise get easier?
I’m sure you can quickly implement walking in your schedule. You don’t have to go a long way. Day by day you can add extra steps, and before you know it, you will make it a habit. This way, It is much easier to walk because you have the purpose of getting somewhere. You have no excuse, you have to keep moving.
Read more about The Secret To Losing Weight Is To Eat More
Walk your dog
Having a dog makes your life beautiful. However, your cute friend has some expectations from you. Dogs expect you to feed them and take them out for a walk at least two times a day, depending on the breed.
If you don’t have time in the morning to take them for a long walk, do it in the evening or whenever it fits your schedule. Go to the park, run, and play with them. It will be fun, and you’ll enjoy more time with your dog. It will benefit both of you.
Take your vitamin D
If you have a 9-to-5 office job, you will spend most of your day in front of your computer in a building. Do you think this is normal? We aren’t designed to hide behind 4 walls for so many hours. You should try to compensate for that by exposing yourself to the sun. Spending time in the sunlight is very important and has significant benefits on your health like a stronger immune system, better mood, and reduced stress levels. However, you shouldn’t expose yourself to the sun for too long without sunscreen, sun can be quite dangerous.
Spice up your weekends
What’s your weekend like? As kids, we used to play for hours and have fun. Now we work, work, work, and wait for the weekends to have some free time. Free time for what? Go to the movies, a bar, for dinner, and I hope you see the picture.
Move around in the city to find a place to sit down as we do on the weekdays. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to go out, but why don’t you try to combine moving and being with your friends? Go for a hike, take your bicycle, go to the park, or for a walk at the beach. Make your weekend a different experience from the weekdays.
Go shopping
Remember window shopping? Get up from your couch and skip online shopping. I know it’s easier to surf the web and find all the things you want. But can you try them on? Can you see them from up close? Can you smell perfume?
You don’t have to buy everything that you see, but you can get ideas about the new trends, find great deals, and get your workout done while having fun. Just don’t scroll on the shop window; you are on the street, not on your phone.
Take the stairs
Do you take the stairs only when the elevator is out of order? Change this habit and try to take the stairs whenever you can. Just make it a habit; whenever you enter a building, go straight to the stairs. It is another excellent way to work out during the day without thinking about it. This one goes for all of us whether we work out or not.
It is crucial to move during the day as much as we can. Hitting the gym for one hour and spending the rest of the day sitting won’t help you improve your health and your fitness levels.
Download a pedometer app
Counting your daily steps can be really motivating. You have no excuse; there are many great pedometer apps out there. Many are free both for Android and IOS. How great is this? You can track your steps without carrying an extra device, only your phone. Who could forget picking up their phone before leaving the house? It would be the end of the world…
A pedometer is a great way to track your progress and see how far you can go day by day. Create your own 30-day challenge and progressively try to keep your step count high as much as you can.
The recommended steps per day are 10.000. However, this doesn’t mean you have to reach this every single day or reach the number from day one. The point is to keep moving and achieve gradual improvement.
Read more about 7 Easy Weight Loss Tips To Keep Those Pounds Off Once And For All
Listen to music
I know that walking can be boring if you have a long way to go. Why don’t you make it fun? Pump up the volume and let’s hit the road. Make a playlist of your favorite songs on your phone and transform your walk into a party. Music can boost your mood and turn the whole process into a fun experience.
Final thoughts
We spend most of our time sitting on a chair, couch, etc. Sitting has become an epidemic; it is considered by some scientists as the “new smoking.”
Experts warn us about the health risks and advice those sitting at a desk to get up every 30 minutes and move. According to the World Health Organization globally, around 31% of adults aged 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 (men 28% and women 34%).
Moreover, approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. Even when you don’t feel like going out, or you stay in for the weekend, try to walk… even in your home.