What is the best exercise to do? That's easy! Do what you love.
If you are into music, choose a form of exercise that incorporates music. These days you can find dance fitness classes that run the gamut from Zumba (mostly pop and Latin music and dance moves) to country line dancing (to country music--duh!) to Bollywood (incorporating Bhangra music and dance moves from India) to group ballroom classes. There is truly something for almost everyone! You can also walk, run, jog, rollerblade, or ride a bike with your I-Pod supplying the tunes. Music is so portable now that even your fitness attire comes with specialized pockets and holes for your gear.
If challenge and competition gets you fired up, look into joining a team. At our local rec center, even seniors are signing up to play basketball in the gym. It is never too late! My 82 year old mother plays tennis in a league now, still taking weekly lessons from a coach and attempting to improve all the aspects of her game. She may not run as fast as she used to, but she can still swing that racket and hit the crap out of a tennis ball!
Training for a race or some sort of competition is a great motivator for some people. You can start with something totally doable, like a 5K, and work your way up to longer races, or more varied challenges like triathlons. Perhaps scaling some special mountain is right up your alley? Or swimming the English Channel? I like to do races that benefit a particular charity that I care about. This is a nice way to kill at least 2 birds with 1 stone: give $$ to a great cause, get fit, and maybe even get a cool T-shirt while you're at it!
If you are looking for support and encouragement, you might want to give bootcamp classes a try. Instructors vary greatly, but if you find the right match for your personality, you will get the coaching and support you need to accomplish your goals in a group setting. Some gyms also offer small group personal training classes. This could be a nice compromise between getting some personal attention but not paying the full one-on-one fees. Bootcamps should incorporate every type of fitness challenge, from balance and agility to speed and strength.
The bottom line is that you should look forward to your exercise. If you dread going to the gym and will do anything to put it off or avoid it, then you have made the wrong choice. Keep looking and trying classes and options until you find the thing that really clicks with you. It could be an instructor that inspires you to work hard and do your best. It could be a particular park or hike that you can enjoy in all the changing seasons of the year. It could be a good friend that really needs a buddy to keep them motivated. It could be a new puppy that needs an hour long walk twice per day!
When you find the thing you love, exercise will no longer feel like a drag. I can tell you from personal experience, when you find your passion, it is quite the opposite. The exercise will GIVE you energy, instead of draining your energy. At the end of a class or session, you will feel fantastic! Maybe a little hot and sweaty, but also joyful and psyched for the next time. Let me know how your search progresses!
If you are into music, choose a form of exercise that incorporates music. These days you can find dance fitness classes that run the gamut from Zumba (mostly pop and Latin music and dance moves) to country line dancing (to country music--duh!) to Bollywood (incorporating Bhangra music and dance moves from India) to group ballroom classes. There is truly something for almost everyone! You can also walk, run, jog, rollerblade, or ride a bike with your I-Pod supplying the tunes. Music is so portable now that even your fitness attire comes with specialized pockets and holes for your gear.
If challenge and competition gets you fired up, look into joining a team. At our local rec center, even seniors are signing up to play basketball in the gym. It is never too late! My 82 year old mother plays tennis in a league now, still taking weekly lessons from a coach and attempting to improve all the aspects of her game. She may not run as fast as she used to, but she can still swing that racket and hit the crap out of a tennis ball!
Training for a race or some sort of competition is a great motivator for some people. You can start with something totally doable, like a 5K, and work your way up to longer races, or more varied challenges like triathlons. Perhaps scaling some special mountain is right up your alley? Or swimming the English Channel? I like to do races that benefit a particular charity that I care about. This is a nice way to kill at least 2 birds with 1 stone: give $$ to a great cause, get fit, and maybe even get a cool T-shirt while you're at it!
If you are looking for support and encouragement, you might want to give bootcamp classes a try. Instructors vary greatly, but if you find the right match for your personality, you will get the coaching and support you need to accomplish your goals in a group setting. Some gyms also offer small group personal training classes. This could be a nice compromise between getting some personal attention but not paying the full one-on-one fees. Bootcamps should incorporate every type of fitness challenge, from balance and agility to speed and strength.
The bottom line is that you should look forward to your exercise. If you dread going to the gym and will do anything to put it off or avoid it, then you have made the wrong choice. Keep looking and trying classes and options until you find the thing that really clicks with you. It could be an instructor that inspires you to work hard and do your best. It could be a particular park or hike that you can enjoy in all the changing seasons of the year. It could be a good friend that really needs a buddy to keep them motivated. It could be a new puppy that needs an hour long walk twice per day!
When you find the thing you love, exercise will no longer feel like a drag. I can tell you from personal experience, when you find your passion, it is quite the opposite. The exercise will GIVE you energy, instead of draining your energy. At the end of a class or session, you will feel fantastic! Maybe a little hot and sweaty, but also joyful and psyched for the next time. Let me know how your search progresses!
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