As a professional Personal Trainer, a common question I get from clients who want to lose weight is, “I hate exercise, so what should I do?” Here are a few suggestions:
Exercise doesn’t have to take place in a gym. One idea is to become an “accidental” exerciser by just moving more in your environment: parking your car further away in the lot to force you to walk, or taking stairs instead of the elevator.
Get a pedometer and try to walk 10,000 steps per day. You don’t have to get it in all at once – but aim for 10,000 steps in a day. Many people are surprised to learn how sedentary they really are, so you may have to gradually build up to that amount. It’s very easy to track and simple to do, especially here in the Minneapolis area where there are LOTS of hiking and biking paths around the lakes and throughout town!
Enjoy an autumn hike in the woods!
Find an activity that you enjoy. It might be dancing with a partner, hiking in the woods, just getting outside and enjoying nature, skating on a frozen pond, gardening, or canoeing on a calm lake at sunset. It all counts.
Do a few simple body weight exercises during commercials when you’re watching television: squats, lunges, push-ups, crunches, etc.
Find a nearby state or local park that you’ve never visited before and go for a hike. Here in the Twin Cities, there are tons of options right in the metro area that many people don’t know about! The Three Rivers Parks are a nearby source for a variety of outdoor activities for all ages and abilities. Don’t forget to bring water and a healthy picnic lunch.
Physical activity is very important for health whether you want to lose weight or not! It strengthens your heart muscle, strengthens skeletal muscles, improves bone density, improves lung capacity, improves aerobic endurance, increases capillary density, burns calories, helps manage blood sugar, and improves mood, just to name a few of the many benefits. If you need help getting more exercise into your lifestyle, give me a call and we’ll get you started on a personalized program that works for you!
Time to go snowshoeing!