How to make exercise exciting
EVEN the most motivated people will tell you that going to the gym in winter is not the easiest thing to do.
On cold gloomy days the least you want to do is to leave work to exercise even though you know that your body won’t stop adding calories in winter.
Rudi Witkowsky, a fitness and health consultant says the longer you allow yourself not to exercise the more difficult it becomes to pick yourself up and start again. You become depressed after a long lay-off of exercise, as it takes you longer to see results or obtain the body you previously had.
“As a result you become demotivated and stop altogether, telling yourself you will start again tomorrow. In chasing your fitness goals and self achievement, you get healthier and fitter” says Witkowsky.
Rushda Moosajee, trainer and founder of women-only Rushtush Gym says exercise should be a lifestyle.
To help with staying committed, Moosajee said people could set up weekly training schedules and always track your aesthetic progress with visual media. She adds that setting little goals for the week; be prepared by setting out your training kit, pack your bag, and make sure it is with you in the car or at work. We all know that diet is an important part of your fitness journey: experts say there is no reason to eat salad only even on cold winter days, you can Indulge in healthy winter comfort foods such as soups, stews and curries made with little or no oil, keeping in mind the that portion size is everything. If you master the diet and consistency in exercise, you are definitely going to be summer ready. To add a little excitement to your gym routine you may want to change your normal routine and try other indoor exercises such as boxing, pilates, hot yoga or pole dancing.
Indoor Yoga
Yoga classes vary from hot yoga to power and relaxation yoga, depending on one’s fitness levels.
If you are interested in losing weight, then hot yoga is something you should consider. Pure Bikram Yoga says for good results regularly practice three times a week. For life-changing results, four or more times a week. In order to be effective yoga should be practiced on a regular basis with no long lapses of time between lessons.
Sandi Dekker from MyUTOPIA says, a yoga studio at the V&A Waterfront, practising yoga in a heated room increases your pulse rate and metabolism, allowing your blood vessels to become more flexible and making your body burn more calories. For the more advanced yogis, power yoga should do.
Dancing
If you want to keep fit and happy then dancing should be your thing this winter. Dancing is a whole-body workout that’s actually fun. It’s good for your heart, it makes you stronger, and it can help with balance and coordination.
Sifiso Kweyama is a professional dancer and dance teacher from Jazzart Dance Theatre. He says: “Dance targets all your muscles, every dance move done right can help reach your fitness goals without you feeling like you are putting too much effort as with the traditional gym.”
Kweyama says find a fun group or type of dance you like can help you stay active without falling of you fitness wagon.
Jump on it.
Unleash the kid in you and hop to the nearest trampoline. This bouncy childhood favorite is the latest fitness craze, and not just because it’s super fun. Just six minutes of cardio moves on a trampoline is the equivalent to running.
So instead of going to gym to exercise, go and find a trampoline and jump for a few minutes. A 2016 study, published in the International Journal of Sports Science, has concluded that rebounding exercise is twice as effective at improving aerobic fitness and 50% more efficient at burning fat than running. It also showed that exercising on a mini-trampoline increase vertical jumping ability.