There is no denying that, for many a reason, the gym is not everyone's idea of a good time. Do you find yourself attributing your dwindling level of fitness to a passionate aversion to attending the gym? It's ok, a lot of us do, but the time to turf those excuses is now! Working out should not be seen as a chore and if whatever it is you are currently doing is not working for you, there is no time like the present for a change of routine.

Fitness is not a seasonable objective, it's not about achieving a 'bikini body' and it's not about being skinny. Fitness is something that should be part of your lifestyle in the same way a eating a balanced diet is. It's about achieving balance and ensuring you are treating your body with love and respect. It's not enough to simply eat well, drink loads of water & take your multi-vitamins - you need to look after yourself with both a healthy diet & regular exercise to ensure you are giving yourself the best chance at looking & feeling great.

Now is the time to stop using your aversion to gym work outs as the reason you're not keeping fit – working out at the gym is only one way to get fit...

Benefits of Regular Exercise
These are endless, there is really no downside to maintaining a regular work out routine, but here are just a few of the top reasons you should be making sure exercise is part of your balanced lifestyle:

1. It improved your mood & increases energy levels. Consequently anxiety & depression symptoms can be decreased or prevented entirely!
2. Regular exercise means that you will look & feel better which in turn will leave you with greater self-esteem & confidence.
3. Exercise promotes a better nights sleep, something we can all do with!
4. Exercise assists in protecting your body from osteoporosis, it keeps your blood sugar at a health level to prevent or lessen the risk of of diabetes, it can help maintain healthy blood pressure thus avoiding heart disease AND regular exercise will boost your immune system in general & protect your body from all sorts of other nasties!
5. Combined with a balanced & nutritious diet, it is the best way to achieve & maintain healthy body weight. Add resistance (weights) training to your regular cardio routine to improve upon muscle tone and definition.

Need A Hand Getting Back Into The Routine?

• Habits and routines are formed with repetition over time. The time it takes for a new activity to become routine will vary from person to person. Commit to three to four exercise sessions for at least 45 minutes each session (45 minutes is a good minimum session time as it allows your height rate to be elevated to a level that ensures your cardio work out is of decent benefit). Make sure you keep your fitness commitment to yourself, but be flexible and accept that you may not be able to exercise on the same days and at the same times each week. Work around you lifestyle but ensure you block out some space in your diary for your new work out regime. Stick it out for the first few weeks and before you know it, you'll won't give it a second thought, it will become just another part of your lifestyle, like brushing your teeth & cooking dinner.
  
  
• Stop fighting with yourself, cut the excuses out of your inner dialogue, keeping fit is something you are doing FOR YOU - don't be conflicted, don't think to much about it, just do it.
  
  
• If you are really pushing for motivation - sign up for a fitness boot camp to give yourself a kick start. It'll be hard out but you will get that push you're after. You'll be in a group environment so there is the additional benefit of not being able to give in without a bit of embarrassment (this is a benefit as it will ensure you work to your maximum potential without the slacking off you may be prone to do if working out on your own) and you'll really get a feel for how good a bit of exercise induced pain can feel... chances are you'll see & feel some pretty positive results & be keen for more.
  

So Without the Gym, What Else is There?
Incidental Exercise: this is great for those harbouring the "I don't have time" mentality. Chances are you commute each day, right? Get up half an hour earlier & walk for the first half hour of your journey. Get on your regular train / bus a few stops from where you usually would - feeling awake & full of energy & proud in the knowledge that you have started your day in a great way. Make sure you wear your joggers & a tshirt & power walk it - change into your work shoes & shirt when you reach the office. Better yet, why not cycle to work?

Make It Fun: Roller Skate (it's fantastic for toning your butt & thighs!), Hooping (work those abs!) or Skip Rope (work out to some of your favourite girly tunes & get that heart rate up). Exercise doesn't have to mean crunches & jogging, supplement your straight cardio work out with some fun stuff too. Try a proper pole dancing class to learn tricks that work your thighs, butt, abs & more. Find a playground & swing yourself across the monkey bars or work on some chin ups to improve on your upper arm strength.

Enlist a mate: We spend so much of our social time with mates drinking or eating, why not mix things up a little and enjoy a work out session together? You'll motivate & keep each other on target (and lay down the guilt trip if & when necessary!) and afterwards, why not reward yourselves afterwards with a fresh juice & gossip session?


Extra Inspiration


Yulia Pikhtina Hooping at La Clique.


How do you make fitness fun?