Fun Ways to Keep Up Your January Fitness Goals
It’s the start of a new year, and we are all trying to make it a good one, and for a lot of us that involves trying to put a stop to bad habits and pick up something new! The first couple weeks of January can be exciting as we test out a new diet, practice a new hobby, or get into a new routine. However, once the novelty has worn off it can get harder and harder to keep up your desired lifestyle and you can find yourself falling back into your old ways. Studies show that on average it takes 66 days to form a new habit, unfortunately many people give-up way before this point. When it comes to exercise it is easy to see why this happens, with the fast-paced nature of modern life, it can be extremely difficult for us to find the time to work out consistently, and when we do have the time, a packed and noisy gym isn’t always the most exciting place to spend your precious free time.
So what needs to change? The best way to motivate yourself to do something frequently is by finding a way of doing that you actually truly enjoy. There is no use forcing yourself to do something you hate, especially when there are so many fun alternatives.
Here is our list of workouts that don’t feel at all like exercise!
Cycling
Not only is cycling a great hobby, but as a mode of transport it is also so easy to fit cycling into your existing schedule. Leave your car at home, cycle to work, school or while running errands. Riding a bike is not only healthier but also cheaper and more ecofriendly than driving!
Swimming
Wild swimming (swimming outdoors in a lake or the sea) has been growing in popularity over the past few years. There are many benefits to swimming outdoors such as managing anxiety, stress and depression, increase alertness, clarity and energy levels, boost your immune system, improve circulation and reduce muscle pain, among many other benefits!
If wild swimming sounds a bit intimidating though, there is absolutely nothing wrong with patronising your local public pool, swimming laps or even just splashing around in the shallow end is a great way to have some fun and get your body moving.
Hiking
There is nothing more rewarding than a beautiful view at the end of a long hike. No matter where you are in the world there will always be able to find a good spot to go for a nice long walk nearby.
Of course, you need to have a good pair of socks to keep your feet warm and dry in your hiking boots. Peper Harow Boot Socks are ideal for keeping comfortable while walking in any conditions.
Walking
If you don’t think you’re ready for a hike yet, just taking a casual walk is a great alternative. Like cycling, walking can be worked into your day-to-day life as a cheap, eco friendly and healthy way of getting about!
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Dancing
It’s not at all the first thing you think of when you think exercise, but you can actually burn 300-600 calories in just an hour of dancing. No matter if you are taking a class from a professional or turning up the music and jamming out in your living room, as long as your body is moving, your heartbeat is up, and you are working up a sweat, that’s exercise!
Trampolining
Just like dancing, this is a full body workout that feels a lot more like having fun that it does a chore. Yes, you can take classes at a gymnastics centre, or you can just sneak into the back garden after your children are asleep and see if you can remember how to do a backflip. As long as you are staying safe and having fun, trampolining is a perfect fun workout.
Skiing
If you are lucky enough to live near a beautiful snow-covered mountain then you absolutely should be making the most of it! If not, see if you can find an indoor ski-centre near you, they are a great place to practice the sport so that you can wow your friends on your next skiing holiday.
And if you are looking for something to protect yourself from getting the dreaded ski-boot-blisters Peper Harow Ski Socks are the perfect comfy, warm and stylish sock for all winter sports.
Yoga
Although Yoga might feel too relaxing to actually be a physical workout, frequent yoga practice actually helps improve your core strength, relives back pain, eases arthritis symptoms, boosts heart health, and helps you sleep better. Yoga is one of those activities that is perfect for any level of skill, plus it is becoming more and more accessible as there are loads of free apps and YouTube videos that will teach you everything from the basics to the extreme stuff!
Martial Arts
Yes this is another one that’s slightly out-there, but it is always satisfying and rewarding to build up a new skill, especially one as handy as self-defence. And with everything from Kickboxing to Kung Fu, you are bound to try some kind of martial arts that you find enjoyable!
Cricket
Cricket and to be honest, any other relaxed team sport is a great way to both exercise and socialise. Joining a team that practises every week or so can not only improve your physical health but also your teamwork skills, concentration, hand-eye coordination, and mental health.
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Tennis
Like cricket, tennis is a great activity to do with friends or a partner. You don’t have to be a professional either, you can pick up a ball and a couple of rackets for a very affordable price and go and practice in your garden or local park. To be honest, the worse you are at tennis the more exercise you get, as you can burn a lot of calories chasing an over-shot ball across a field.
