You will find many fun activities to help you lose weight and gain energy. The key to sustained weight loss, in fact, is to have fun doing whatever form of exercise you like the best. Doing enjoyable activities can help you sustain weight loss because they are things you will be naturally motivated to do each day, which will help you lose weight, keep it off long-term and feel a burst of positive energy.
Yoga
Yoga exercises are specifically designed to help you gain energy and when accompanied by proper healthy eating habits, these exercises can help you lose a lot of weight as well. Examples of yoga exercises are headstand, shoulderstand, forward bends, twisting poses, lunges and stretches.
Pilates
Pilates exercises are similar to yoga exercises in that both of these types of activities coordinate your breathing with movement. This helps you to gain energy from the activities and assists with weight loss, strengthening and increasing the flexibility of your muscles.
Dance
Dancing, particularly for a sustained period of time (such as 30 minutes or more) can help you feel energized and lose weight (as long as you do not consume more calories than you burn). This is because dancing can be a form of cardiovascular exercise, which is the best kind of activity for weight loss and releasing the body's natural endorphins (a hormone that helps you feel energized).
Skating
Roller skating, ice skating and even skateboarding are enjoyable activities for some. Skating can also be a type of cardiovascular exercise and requires a great deal of concentration and physical coordination.
Hiking
Hiking quickly, particularly uphill, can also become a form of cardiovascular exercise. Hiking helps you gain energy and joy from the beauty of the nature you encounter. Hiking is also the type of activity that can easily be done with others, adding to the positive energy and enjoyment you experience from doing it.
Running
Running is a common activity for weight loss and helps release endorphins, as well. People often refer to the "runner's high" that occurs after sprinting especially fast. Running can also be done in beautiful natural settings, like beaches, which can add to your enjoyment of the activity.
Winter Activities
Sledding, snowboarding and skiing are enjoyable activities to help you lose weight and gain energy during the winter months when it may feel too cold to hike or run outside.
Team Sports
Team sports, like basketball, volleyball, soccer and football can be enjoyable activities to help you lose weight, gain energy and experience enjoyment through the team effort of playing with others.
References
- "Sivananda Yoga Teacher's Training Manual;" Swami Vishnu-Devananda; 2000
- "Pilates: Body in Motion;" Alycea Ungaro; 2002
Member Comments