There are many ways to lose weight. A balanced diet, supplements, surgery, exercise. However, many find exercise to either be boring or hard. Mentally, it can be hard to say, “I am going to go running, today” or “I am going to the gym, today.” However, these ten ways will get you exercising without the pressing thought of exercising. It’s easier to say “Today I’ll play a video game” than “Today, I’ll do sit-ups,” and it’s much easier to say “I’m going dancing tonight” than “I’m going to run on a treadmill.
1. Playing Sports: Of course I’m stating the obvious, but sports are always a good way to keep active and lose weight. While some may be more athletic than others (soccer compared to bowling, for instance), all involve burning calories and increasing muscles. Suggestions on sports to play for weight loss include soccer, basketball, football, and ultimate frisbee (yes, it is an active sport.)
2. Martial Arts: Martial Arts vary in style and calorie burning, but for a sweat filled workout while having fun, Martial Arts is my favorite choice. Training both the body and mind to be sharp means not only exercise, but also discipline to help with diets. While the cardiovascular training may vary from school to school and style to style, one thing is for certain, learning this craft satisfies not only any mental craving for knowledge, but also the physical craving for fitness.
3. Yardwork: Not many people actually enjoy doing yardwork. Raking, mowing the lawn, and even cutting down trees are chores that have to be done. If they have to be done, then why not make the most out of it? Even though you hate raking, after doing it you are probably sweating. Yardwork, even the mandatory aspect of it, is hard work, and thus, burns calories. For added workout, get a regular lawnmower. One that isn’t a vehicle, and doesn’t push for you. It may be a pain in the rear end, but you’ll notice your rear end will be getting smaller and smaller.
4. Working: Many people have jobs typing at a keyboard or sitting at a factory. While there is nothing wrong with working in these environments, chances are you aren’t losing any weight at them. In contrast, a construction worker or even a gardener is more likely to burn a few calories than an ad executive. So, if your income can take the hit (if you are at a high paying job), or you are lucky enough to have the financial freedom to not ahve to work at all, perhaps you should get a job where weight loss is more endearing than your paycheck.
5. Volunteering: Not all people have time to volunteer, and not all volunteering is going to shed the pounds off you, but certain volunteering jobs certainly do, and you can help out your community in the process. You can try being a Big Brother or Big Sister. If you become one, you’ll have lots of fun doing some of the other activities on this list (like playing sports). You could also choose to pick up trash. All that bending and carrying is certainly going to help you slim down. Volunteering always makes you feel good inside, why not make your outside look good, too?
6. Dancing: Here’s a fact: EVERYBODY likes dancing. They may not like dancing in front of people, or dancing with people, they might not even know they like dancing, but there’s just something about moving to the music that makes everyone feel better. There’s nothing better to get rid of shyness like dancing with a complete stranger at a class. Plus, you’ll steal the show at the next wedding with your moves. Grab a friend, or your partner and force him/her to go to a dancing class. Trust me, one class will get them hooked. Plus, when you are at the club, dancing goes a long way. If classes aren’t your thing, just dance in the comfort of your own room. Then, you get to choose the music, and the way you want to dance. Sure, it may be goofy, but then at least nobody will know.
7. Historical Reenactments: I guarantee there’s at least one going around in your neighborhood. Not many people know about it, but Historical reenactments have been a part of history since history began. In modern times, Historical reenactments are usually seen as guys getting drunk and running around with fake guns, but some are very historically accurate, and quite the workout. Also, some last for days. In a professional historical reenactment, there will be an incredible amount of sprinting, shouting, and shooting. Certainly it’s not something you can do everyday, but living one weekend every couple of months on nothing but hardtack and grit is an experience beyond some exercise.
8. Freerunning: I wouldn’t suggest just trying to freerun. In fact, I would suggest to never just try freerunning. For those of you who don’t know, freerunning (more often known as parkour) is, in most basic terms, aerial stunts that involve no sort of harness and can be pulled off on the fly (though they rarely are). For most people that experience freerunning, it becomes a part of their life. There are many institutions for parkour in major cities, and just watching it is an experience unrivaled. While it may not be the most accessible way to exercise without exercising, it is probably the most fun, and definitely the most exhilarating.
9. The Nintendo Wii: I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t feel the effects myself. The Wii can simulate a number of different activities without the stress of the real-life counterparts. The Wii, for those of you who haven’t experienced it, is a video game system that has two remotes that are motion sensored. Therefore, now instead of pressing A to throw a football, you act like the controller is the football, and you make the throwing motion. In boxing, you throw lefts and rights, and a character in the game throws lefts and rights. Now, you can, of course, only move the Wii remote a slight amount in some games, but really, that defeats the purpose. The Wii will get you in shape, and even comes with a bunch of games (called Wii sports) out of the box. These sports include Boxing, Tennis, and Baseball. I would say boxing gives the greatest workout, if you act like you’re really boxing. I suggest you do, as it’s more fun than the real thing without the risk of getting knocked out. If you’d like to combine dancing and videogames, Dance Dance Revolution is a game that has helped many teenagers get in shape, and now has home editions.
10. Sex: Some of you may find this obvious, but sex is a great way to work both muscles and lose weight. Plus, out of all choices of exercise, this is probably EVERYONE’s favorite. However, it must be said, as it is one of the best ways to lose weight. Have sex constantly. I know it may be hard to keep the passion, and the gusto, strong, but if you do, you’ll shed pounds like you’ve never seen. Bottom line: the more sex you have, the better you look, feel, and the better you will be at it. Thus, you’ll have longer, better sex, which will burn more calories and gain more muscles. This in turn will make you feel better, look better, and be better at it. An endless cycle. Just don’t get bored, and don’t ignore the other aspects of a relationship.
Whichever method you choose, even if it is conventional exercise, there are some things you should be cautious of. For one thing, excess can hurt your chances of losing weight due to overusing muscles. However, most of these suggestions can’t really be used in such excess. Also, make sure you always stretch before doing something of physical activity. It may not seem important to stretch before playing a video game, but when you get cramped up from all the moving you’ll be doing, you’ll wish you had. Finally, a balanced diet will always make things easier when it comes to losing weight. However you try, make sure you do it safe, and make sure you have fun at least once in a while.
