Ways to Make Exercise a Fun Part of Our Everyday Life

Let Us Know the Great Benefits of Doing Exercise Regularly and Explore the Ways to Make Exercise a Fun Part of Our Everyday Life

I wish to start my morning walk again(!).

How many times have I started my walking and yoga practice, but somehow due to some reason or the other, I am not able to continue my exercise routine without a break!

When I wrote the blog ‘Ageing gracefully – Children holding our hands to we holding their hands, is this ageing? Trying to find ways to make the process of ageing enjoyable!’ (https://pavaiarun.blogspot.com/2024/07/ageing-gracefully-children-holding-our.html) it dawned on me that I needed to take care of my health. So, I was exploring some of the possible ways for that: correcting my food habits, going for a morning walk, and doing some yoga stretches or exercises. Actually, very sincerely I was going for my morning walk and doing the yoga practices daily till last month. 

I understand that exercise is one of the easiest and most effective ways of improving both our physical and mental health. It reduces the possibility of serious health problems. If we do a little regular exercise that will ease depression and anxiety, boost energy and mood, and relieve stress.

Further, exercise is not just to reduce weight or to improve our physical fitness or health.  Doing exercise regularly gives us an enormous sense of well–being. We feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about ourselves and our lives. Have you noticed this?

Despite all the above said life-changing benefits, many of us still think of exercise as a chore, something that we don’t have time for! There are a few obstacles to exercise that are holding us back, like

“I don’t have enough time to exercise”, “Exercise is too difficult and painful”, “I’m too tired to exercise” or “Exercise is boring.” 

Recently, I read an article on making exercise fun, “No matter what our age or fitness level is, there are lots of enjoyable ways to use physical activity to help us feel better, look better, and enjoy life more. By focusing on activities you enjoy and tailoring a regular mild to moderate exercise routine to your needs, you can experience the health benefits of exercise and improve your own life by: Easing stress and anxiety, Lifting your mood, Sharpening brain power, Improving self-esteem, and Boosting energy.” 

In the above, ‘lots of enjoyable ways to use physical activity… & tailoring a regular exercise routine…’ suddenly made me recall what Niranjana had written in her instagram page Mudhraii: “Ready to get fit and find your zen? Groove with Bharatanatyam. Why Bharatanatyam if you are looking to level up your fitness? Because, it’s not just dance, it’s a holistic workout for your body, mind and soul. Let’s prioritize our physical, mental, and emotional health together..”

Yes, exercise may be boring, pounding on a treadmill for an hour may not be everyone’s good time.

But not all exercise has to be boring, everyone can find a physical activity they enjoy, like playing shuttle, tennis, or basketball (if court is available), and dancing.

Even short low-impact intervals of exercise can help you to supercharge your health. If you have time for a 15-minute walk, your body will thank you in many ways. Walking can also be made enjoyable and you can make multiple benefits out of walking, like reducing hip fat, get the benefit of holding mudra, and even mindful meditation. (Ref: https://pavaiarun.blogspot.com/2024/03/three-in-one-walking-if-you-are-mindful.html) 

I discussed this with Mr. Raghuram, an expert working as a consultant for physical fitness in a reputed organization. When I said I did not have time for doing yoga/exercise as I had to leave for work at 07.00 in the morning, he laughed and said, reaping the benefits of exercise is not as difficult as we think. In his own words “To reap the benefits of exercise, you don’t need to devote hours out of your busy day, train at the gym, sweat buckets, or run mile after a mile. You can reap all the physical and mental health benefits of exercise with 30-minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. Two 15-minute exercise sessions can also work just as well.

If that is also not possible for you, don’t worry. Even just a few minutes of physical activity are better than none at all. If you don’t have time for 15 or 30 minutes of exercise, or if your body tells you to take a break after 5 or 10 minutes, for example, that’s okay, too. Start with 5- or 10-minute sessions and slowly increase your time. The more you exercise, the more energy you’ll have, so eventually you’ll feel ready for a little more. The key is to commit to do some moderate physical activity—however little—on most days. As exercising becomes a habit, you can slowly add extra minutes or try different types of activities. If you keep at it, the benefits of exercise will begin to pay off.”

He was very true, right?

So, I am starting my morning walk and yoga stretches from today👍🏻

What about you, getting ready to start your morning/evening walk? Explore yourself and discover what your interest is  and tailor-make your physical activity according to that. But, something or the other physical activity is essential for keeping yourself healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally! What do you say?