Most of us want to be and stay in shape, but most of us also don’t want to put in the work. Let’s face it; we are all busy with work, family and our social lives to the point where it’s hard to find the time to go to the gym. And that doesn’t even include the cost of a gym membership.
Some people need to pay for a gym membership in order to hold themselves accountable. However, having a membership still doesn’t change the way some people live. If money isn’t an issue, then they are fine with not going to the gym and letting that money go to waste.
Whatever your excuse is for not going to the gym doesn’t really matter. There are plenty of other ways that you can stay in shape without stepping a foot in the gym. Most of these exercises will take some discipline, but can easily be done around any schedule once you have the proper mindset.
1. Walk the dog
This is one of the easiest ways to get exercise if you have a dog. Chances are, your dog will always want to go for a walk when you get home. This doesn’t have to be a long walk, and you’d be surprised at how quickly 30 minutes goes by. Throw in a little jogging occasionally, and both you and your dog will be feeling healthier!
2. Do yard work
Being in shape doesn’t mean that you have to run every day. Raking leaves, planting flowers, mowing grass, trimming trees and other activities are good for you. You may not necessarily breathe heavily when doing any of them, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t getting a workout. There is always something that can be done around your house for 30 minutes or so each day. Make a list of things you want to accomplish and start tackling them.
3. Buy a game system like the Nintendo Wii or the Xbox Kinect
There are a lot of DVDs and programs that you can watch on TV to help you get in shape. But if you’re like some people, you need some sort of competition or measuring stick to know how well you are doing. Playing games on the Wii or the Kinect can be a great way to stay active in the house. This is especially true during the winter months when it’s hard to do anything outdoors. Many games will allow you to set goals and set up a plan to help you achieve them. This can be a very effective way to stay healthy if you’re not an outdoor person.
4. Exercise during TV commercials
Instead of getting up to get a snack or look on Facebook during TV commercials, do some exercises instead! Commercials are only a couple minutes long, so challenge yourself to do some push-ups, sit-ups, running in place or lifting some light weights while you wait for your show to come back on. Exercising in two-minute increments will get your heart rate up and you’ll likely feel a lot better after your show is over. If you are watching an hour-long program, then you will have a built-in 20-minute or so workout with the commercials!
5. Join a recreational sports team
Playing sports is one of the best ways to stay in shape. Whether you want to play soccer, basketball, flag football, softball or any other sport, you will greatly benefit from playing. Plus, you can enhance the social aspect of your life while you’re at it! Being active in a recreational sport once or twice a week will make you feel better about yourself, and you may even want to work out more so you’re in better shape for the sport you’re playing.
No matter what you’re situation is; there is always time to exercise. Whether you have to get up 10 minutes earlier, stay up 10 minutes later or even workout during your lunch break, there are plenty of opportunities to stay in shape without having to go to the gym, and these are just a few of them!
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
