It’s no secret the world dislikes cardio.
It’s pretty incredible how effectively we can procrastinate when we know we should be running on a treadmill; no room is left un-cleaned and no show is left un-watched. But staying healthy shouldn’t be this painful. There has to be a better way to get our heart rates up without having to sink into that “let’s-just-get-this-over-with” exercise mindset.
So here are a few ways we can all trick ourselves into working out without really realizing it.
- Hiking: Many people don’t realize just how many great hiking spots there are around them. Even in the most crowded cities, a good hike is only a 30 minute drive away. Take a few minutes to search your area on the internet, and the pictures that pop up depicting your local forests will give you motivation enough!
- Babysitting: Now we’re not talking about the babysitting that involves a pre-made dinner sandwiched between two movies on the couch. We’re talking about real, playful, tag-playing, chalk-drawing, sweaty babysitting, the kind of babysitting that leaves the kids shouting your name the next time they see you. You would be surprised how many calories you can burn from chasing a six year old around a yard for an hour or playing “airplane” with three toddlers continuously getting back in line to wait their turn to be picked up and “flown” onto the couch. It’s a win-win: the kids can’t wait until the next time they get to see you, and you’re getting paid for a good workout! If you’re doing it right, you’ll get more than your daily dose of exercise.
- Kickboxing: Okay so if you’re kickboxing, you will definitely realize you’re working out. But you won’t despise it the way you usually do. You won’t be watching the timer on your treadmill yearning for the seconds to tick by just a little bit faster so you can check off your daily three miles. Instead, you will barely notice an hour go by and you will leave class feeling like you could throw down with Muhammed Ali. The best part – in one 60-minute class you can burn up to 1,200 calories. A few sore knuckles are a small price to pay for a full body workout and noticeably more toned shoulders.
- Walking Your Dog: Whether it’s your dog, your cat, your ferret, or your favorite stuffed animal, nobody can complain about spending quality time with your best furry friend. After being cooped up in a building all day, you could both use some fresh air and a good leg stretch. Wait until the evening brings cooler temperatures, grab a leash, and set off for a walk. Walking with even the most well-behaved dog burns around 200 calories per hour, not to mention the extra exercise added from dogs that drag you all over the neighborhood like ours! And, at the end of the day, we can all agree there is nothing better than the excitement in your dogs’ eyes when they hear even the first letter of the word “walk.”
- Joining a Rec Sand Volleyball Team: To join a recreational volleyball team, you don’t have to be good at volleyball. You don’t even have to be good at any sport. Rec teams are made for the enjoyment of players with similar skill levels, no matter what that level may be. Joining one of these teams will get you a great workout, whether that be running across the court for the ball, or laughing so hard at your friend (who just whiffed and fell) that your abs magically appear the next morning. Besides, what other sport incorporates a cold beer into every time-out.
- Canoeing: If you are lucky enough to have a river run through your town, as many of us are, there is a 99% chance your town has a canoe rental shop. Pick a beautiful afternoon, grab a few friends, pack a cooler, and rent a couple canoes. The work put out by your abs and arms is incredible, all the while you are relaxing with friends floating down a river. Some rivers will even have stops along the way with rope swings hung by past canoers.
- Going to a Bar: Yes, going to a bar. The important part in turning your night out into a work out is choosing a bar with a dance floor. Going to a bar complete with a barstool every two feet is not conducive to exercise much less any movement at all. However, if you decide to go out with friends and you missed your workout that morning, suggest a bar that is known for good music and a dance floor. Almost all of us can remember a time when we walked out of a school dance with sweat dripping from the hair on the back of our necks (and forget about the makeup we had on two hours ago). So channel your inner teenager from your high school dance and dance the night away. Maybe you’ll even burn more calories than you take in!
Now that we’re armed with some not-so-tedious ways to burn off that entire sleeve of Oreo’s we ate last night, we just need the energy to get up and actually do it. We all know that’s really the hardest part.
That’s where pureLYFT comes in. pureLYFT’s all-natural caffeine will give you the boost to push through your newly-found fun workout without the calories to counteract it. It won’t upset your stomach like coffee, and it won’t render your workout pointless with sugars and syrups.
Simply stir it into your favorite pre-workout drink, enjoy that drink’s unchanged taste, and stay hydrated and energetic at the same time. Happy exercising!
If you are interested in trying pureLYFT for your next workout, try a pureLYFT 6-pack or 24-pack today!