For many people the thought of hopping out of bed to run five miles outside may seem like the worst idea ever. During colder months you may want to remain hibernating underneath your warm comforter. Perhaps thinking about entering a gym with all the different and strange looking equipment seems daunting. There are many ways to get a good workout without struggling to curl a twenty pound dumbell. You may rather geek out by binge watching Game of Thrones for days at a time. But at some point you need to get up and move around! Getting your heart rate up and creating some glistening beads of sweat are all you need to start down a path to good health. Here are some fun ways you may not have thought about to stay fit.

Dancing

Watching celebrities on television who never tangoed a day in their life gives one hope if you see them bring home a trophy. Dancing is a fun way to keep up with a good workout routine which you can do alone or with a friend. You can look for dance lessons that specialize in a certain style such as swing, ballroom, ballet, and tap. Physically the benefits are toning and trimming down, strengthening your heart, and better mobility. Dancing and music can also help your coordination and rhythm. Science shows that the music from dancing stimulates part of the brain that receives pleasure and even if we are not dancing ourselves, watching someone else can stimulate it too. You don’t have to be young to enjoy the benefits of dancing. Elderly men and women who engaged in dancing saw improvement in foot stiffness, positive effects in dementia and Parkinson’s symptoms, and cardiovascular health. Some people even chose dancing over pain medication to alleviate discomfort.

Sneaking it In

You are probably living a busy life filled with family, work, friends, and responsibilities. One popular excuse people say they aren’t fit is that they don’t have time to workout. There are step counting devices you can purchase to help you obtain a goal of 10,000 steps or five miles. Doctors recommend you go further than that with extra workouts. For those who work in an office you can map out longer ways to go to the copier, the bathroom, or your bosses office. These add on extra steps to your daily count. Taking the stairs is an alternative to the elevator. You may want to park your car further away and see if there are any place to walk at lunch time. If you are lucky to have a private office or place to go you can easy squeeze in a few squats, leg lifts, and job for one minute in place. Waiting for your fax or copies to finish are a good time to do leg lifts or wall push up. 

Martial Arts

Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Muay Thai boxing are all types of martial arts or self defense fighting techniques. This discipline all give you the benefits such as better posture, reflexes, cognitive awareness, agility, and core strength. A two hundred pound person can burn a lot of calories in a thirty minute session which can be over 600 calories. It helps adults and children learn stillness and how to focus. Martial Arts can be done alone or the whole family can join to create a  healthy environment for the kids. Teaching your children confidence and respect is good for mental health too. Like yoga, breathing techniques are important to help you focus, or your Chi. This is vital when bracing for a hit as well. Martial Arts can teach you how to focus your breath in a particular way to absorb a punch or kick.