How to Make Fun and Fitness Go Together

If you lack the motivation to work out or engage in sports and fitness activities, lifting heavy weights like Ronnie Coleman or running miles like Mo Farah won’t come naturally to you. On a daily basis, many people struggle or find the motivation to exercise, and that's the reason why some go to the gym, and others give up.

If you too are ready to make your fitness goals feel more than a routine, below you’ll find fun and entertaining tips, which will get you closer to your fitness goals.

Have you ever thought what the reason behind unaccomplished fitness goals is? So what makes us set huge fitness goals, and ultimately fail to achieve them?

When it comes to exercising, repetitiveness is the number one factor that makes people stop in their tracks.

Be it doing the same things at the gym or jogging around the same streets or merely having the same playlist, they can turn into a total buzzkill for someone who tries their best to get in shape. When confronted with such situations, listening to your body and mind are crucial to making your fitness routines successful.

If you are interested in knowing more about how to make healthier choices for you and your loved ones, we have some really valuable suggestions for you!

Compete With Yourself

Competing with yourself is a great way to stay motivated, and tracking your progress at the gym and pushing yourself harder makes it more fun. Keep your goals small and realistic, and then start putting them off your list as you gradually do them.

[tweet_box float="right" width="50%" design="box_4"]Setting training goals is an excellent way to keep yourself motivated and connected with your workout routine.[/tweet_box]

One great way to track your progress is by getting a fitness tracker. Also, important benchmarks of your body stats like heart rate, calories, and burned fat can be written down, so you can, for instance, further set an average calorie burn count for a week and try to achieve it. If you succeed to reach your goals, you can push yourself a little harder and set a higher number for the second week.

Setting training goals is an excellent way to keep yourself motivated and connected with your workout routine. When you eventually see your performance can and will improve over time, this will further motivate you to exercise.

Have a Workout Partner

Having a workout partner adds fun, variety and some healthy competition to your workouts. Imagine the results, if you can hit the treadmill together and see who runs more. You could compete over a smoothie or a protein bar or any another prize of your choice.

Besides, your partner can also hold you accountable for those extra reps you never managed to do. Mixing it up with light exercises like passing the medicine ball to each other can keep the motivation and bring more fun to your shared workouts.

Try Changing the Music

Great music can really spice up any workout session. Music will make you feel motivated, and it will also add fun to your training. Studies have shown that your mind and body work better together when you listen to some good pumping music. Depending on the music you play, your body will follow the beats, and this will improve your overall performance. The only real trick is not to forget changing your playlist from time to time. If you don't, instead of getting motivated and excited, you'll only get bored and frustrated.

To add more fun to your workouts, you can create your own, unique playlists. There are many mobile Apps which offer excellent workout music. Be it instrumental music from Steve Jablonsky or Ivan Torrent or old-school hip-hop songs, the music you decide to play will make a difference.

Join Some Fitness Classes

Because working out with different people and doing a variety of exercises doesn't let you get bored, joining a fitness class or session will make your workouts more enjoying. You can join fitness classes like weightlifting, Zumba, aerobics, yoga, HIIT, cardio, and boxing where people workout in groups.

Although many people don't go to the gym because of their busy schedule, joining boutique fitness classes or a modern gym can prove the best decision for improving their physical condition. If you, for example, work late at night then you can join morning classes or afternoon classes. If you instead are a regular 9-5 person, then working out in the evening can be the best decision for you.

No matter the time you pick as the one that suits your schedule best, the most important thing is to stick to it in the long run.

Try New Things

Studies have shown that your body gets accustomed to any workout routine if you keep doing the same exercises. It is advised to keep changing your fitness routine. To combat this effect, it is advised to keep changing your fitness routine not only to be more effective but also to add more fun when achieving your fitness goals.

If you’re looking for an intense workout then boxing is a great option. Boxing is a great workout for your upper body, abs and calorie burning, with a 45-minutes light session burning up to 350 calories.

In addition to boxing, a quick splash in the pool can also get your body into great shape. During summer time, swimming is also one of the best cardio exercises one can do because it engages the core, shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings.

Yoga, another great total-body workout, is an excellent practice to relax your body and mind. In addition to being a workout for everyone, yoga not only increases strength, and flexibility, but it also helps a person take charge of his life and become healthier.

If you, by any chance, are addicted to adventure, then cross-country cycling, rock climbing, hitchhiking, and kayaking could be excellent choices for you! These activities improve your stamina, strength, and flexibility of muscles. If you don't have a partner, you can join a group of cyclists, climbers or hikers and on weekends, and participate in activities that interest you.

Play Some Games

Playing  games from your childhood is always more fun than working out in a gym. Playing games puts fun into your life. If you want to feel really excited when working out, many fitness classes offer activities like hula hooping, rope skipping, trampoline, aerobics, and dance workouts.

If any of these workouts are too intense for you, you can play softball with your kids or Frisbee with your dog. Another great workout at home, which can also relax you, is Badminton. Although this game is fun to play,  Badminton also helps you burn those excess calories and shed all that excess weight you carry around your waist.

Get Some New Gear

If you choose to wear new clothes when working out, this will spice up your fitness routine. Besides, buying some tech stuff to track your progress will boost your motivation. Any time you achieve small goals, treat yourself to some new stuff each time. Just get yourself new shoes, sweatshirt, some wristbands and see the difference.

Get Rid of Aches & Pains

If your body is already in pain, don't subject your body to unnecessary stress. Avoid getting into any form of physical activity if you suffer from knee pain, joint pain, or any other kind of pain. With the wrong type of workout, you may further aggravate your condition and lose your motivation to exercise.

To avoid this from happening, consult a doctor before taking up any fitness routine. Also, nurture your body with the best foods you can get, because without proper nutrition, you will get tired quickly.

A healthy diet will help you achieve a more slender figure, and it will also spare you from feeling those nasty stomach aches and muscles cramps which can appear during your workouts.

So if you’re really struggling with your fitness regime, then it ’s time to try something new. The key to success is to stay motivated and keep trying new things every now and then. If you don't commit to a dynamic routine, your results will be minimal, and your body won't change its shape very quickly.

Set small goals and track your progress, and most important, remember always to enjoy small achievements and reward yourself.

---

Author Bio:  Krutika Bhoot

Krutika likes to describe herself as an avid reader who loves to write on a range of topics such as healthcare, pharmaceutical, and fitness. She works as a research analyst at marketresearch.biz. If you want to know more about her work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.