If anyone knows me they’ll know I HATE exercising. I’m so unfit and I even find it hard to complete a simple HIIT workout on YouTube. However, I’ve set myself a challenge to start exercising regularly, as with online learning I’ve found I’m not moving very much at all! Exercising regularly is so important to your physical and mental well-being so it’s something we should all be trying to do. So, if you’re in the same position as me and want to start moving more but have no idea where to start, here’s some easy ways to start exercising regularly:
1. Step Workouts
Step Workouts are something I discovered recently which have really helped me to improve my step count and to get me moving. These are walking workouts, often low impact and low intensity, which help you to get to your daily step goal. These workouts are great for the days when the weather isn’t great or you don’t want to go outside. My favourite of these workouts are by Rick Bhullar on YouTube, his workouts are manageable, the music is great and his personality makes it so enjoyable. He has videos for a range of step counts from 1,800 all the way up to 10,000!
2.Dance Workouts
I’ve found that another great way to keep fit are dance workouts. I love dancing and find that I’m not thinking that I’m exercising whilst doing them. I enjoy singing along to the music and the repetition of steps to match the song helps me to easily follow along. There’s such a wide range of great dance workouts on YouTube which range from pop hits, Disney, musicals, Abba and K-pop so there’s definitely something for everyone! Some channels I’d recommend for dance workouts are MadFit, Teagan Dixon and Kyra Pro.
3. Going for a Walk
Walking is my favourite way to exercise, especially outdoors. I find that a good walk helps to clear your mind and make you feel better. So, if you’re looking to start exercising, why not start by getting out and exploring your local area. It can do your mental health the world of good. After all, it’s one of the few things we’re actually allowed to do at the moment!
4. Couch to 5K
Couch to 5K is an app which helps you to build up your stamina to run 5km. This programme runs over a period of 6 weeks with 3 runs a week. The programme is based around interval training to build up your stamina by alternating between walking and jogging for short periods. The app is also accompanied by celebrity coaches who help to keep you motivated. If running is something you’re aiming to start doing, then couch to 5K is the best place to start!
I hope that this post has inspired you to get exercising! It can feel very daunting to start exercising regularly when you’ve never really done it before, and not being able to complete workouts can make you feel so unfit and unmotivated. I know exactly how that feels! Just remember to start with small goals and build it up from there. Why not start by aiming for 5,000 steps every day and then incorporate other workouts alongside that, eventually building up to more steps and workouts.