We all know exercise is good for us, but being active doesn’t mean you need to take up sport or invest in an expensive gym membership. There are plenty of ways to get your body moving without it feeling like a chore, doing something you enjoy and blending it into your life. As part of our series on boosting wellbeing, here’s some inspo to make exercise more fun.
 
 

1.Get fit & do good at the same time

 
You might have heard of the inspiring fitness sensation known as the Good Gym, where groups of runners combine exercise with helping the community. Founder, Ivo Gormley, explains “Good Gym makes people feel good about who they are, it makes it easy to do good and helps older people who wouldn’t otherwise see anyone”. This caring group offers three different styles of running:

• completing mission runs by helping older people with one-off tasks
• coach runs which involve making social visits to isolated older people
• group runs to get involved in physical tasks for community organisations

It’s easy to get involved by simply signing up on their website and supporting someone who needs a hand.
 
 

2. Try to exercise first thing in the morning

 
A good morning routine will help cultivate consistency. Working out at other times of the day can of course be just as effective for your physical health, but it’s tempting to find excuses later on, such as feeling too tired after work or wanting to socialise instead. Working out first thing is a great way to get in some daily exercise, be productive and it can help you develop strong self-discipline. Research shows that waking up in the morning to exercise will in turn help you sleep better, as your body will enjoy a healthy sense of fatigue at the end of the day and will be ready to rest.

3. Get outside

 
Breathe fresh air and connect with nature! Both aspects have numerous health benefits.
 
It is well known that exposure to nature makes you feel better emotionally, helping you destress and lifting your mood. And studies show that nature also has a positive impact on physical wellbeing, lowering blood pressure, heart rate and the production of stress hormones, reducing the risk of many diseases.
 
Also, according to leading research, fresh air is good for your health as it helps you digest food more effectively, strengthens the immune system, and improves blood pressure and heart rate. We need oxygen pumping around our respiratory system to survive, and we are not designed to stay inside all day. It can be damaging to our health and happiness, which is why it’s important to try and get out for a while each day.
 
Here are a few ways to get some fresh air during busy schedules:

• Walk short distances instead of getting public transport
• Take an evening stroll at the end of the day
• Simply sit outside if you are pushed for time, which is great for lunch breaks, or WFH in a garden/terrace/park.

Photo by Юлія Вівчарик on Unsplash

4. Try Park Run

 
Park run is a weekly challenge to improve your fitness and get involved in the community. There are organised 5k runs dotted all around the country. Everyone is welcome, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or just spectate. Getting up for a 9am run on a Saturday morning might sound and feel awful at the time, but you will probably never regret going. Research shows that running in the morning may provide extra psychological and physiological benefits that help speed your progress. Also, it’s local, it’s free and it’s fun!
 
 

5. Boycott public transport & use those legs instead!

 
If you are looking to improve your fitness and overall health, as well as helping to protect the environment, then switch to walking for short journeys, or cycle to work/uni instead of driving or taking public transport. Walking can reduce the risk of many diseases and can also control blood pressure. Decreasing exposure to heavy traffic and long commutes can also reduce stress, which over time, decreases the risk of many adverse health conditions.
 
 

More on wellbeing:

How to Build Helpful Routine into your Life

More on exercise:

The Mental Health Benefits of High Concentration Sports
Find out how high concentration sports can help to promote & sustain overall physical & mental health. It may involve sustained concentration as in long distance running, short bursts needed in golf, or intense concentration used for archery, darts or sprinting. Don’t only consider the main sports when you’re looking for a new passion to help yourself live a better life.

Get up and GO… GO… GO!
8 tips to help you stick to exercise