Exercise is undeniably an integral part to a healthy lifestyle. It keeps your heart healthy, your metabolism in check, and even is linked to positive effects on memory and cognition! But I have always found the best part of exercise is the way it makes you feel! Endorphins are God’s gift to my mood. Whether you are having a great day, or the worst day in a while, exercise will inarguably make you feel better. No one has ever left a workout regretting it.
While the importance of working out is undeniable, it is extremely difficult to find the type of workout that works for you, and that you are excited about doing. While you may say, “I hate working out!!” I would argue that you just haven’t found what works best for you! There is something for everyone. I have explored countless types of workouts outside the standard treadmill and free weights at the gym, and cataloged my experiences below:
Crossfit:
Crossfit has by far been one of the best experiences with exercise that I have had. It is fun, upbeat, competitive, yet accepting. I have been in classes with people of all shapes and sizes, and of various degrees of athleticism. Although Crossfit gets a bad wrap for being a bunch of psychos lifting weights, its really a bunch of supportive psychos enjoying each others company and pushing one another to work hard. The workouts are tough mentally, as you are often doing as many rounds of a circuit as you can in a time frame. I have found myself doing some things I never thought I could, all because Crossfit pushed me to do so. (Who would have thought I could climb a rope!? Guess what!? I can and you can too). I have found that Crossfit can be most beneficial for people who are competitive, enjoy a class environment, and feeling like a badass.
Power Yoga:
There are many types of yoga, and I have found that the best workout is power vinyasa yoga. Yoga is about being in touch with your body and mind, while sweating out more water than I drank in the last year. You leave feeling like a new person. I am extremely competitive, but spending some time to really get in touch with myself while working out is great! There are some people in the room that look like a living pretzel, and I can barely touch my toes, but hey, Yoga can really be for everyone, but you have to be open to being mindful during your practice.
Spinning:
Spinning is a high intensity workout that pushes you to move your legs faster than they have ever moved before. You leave feeling like a human noodle-- but in a good way! The instructor is there to push you and motivate you not only through her words but by coordinating the music to the movement -- which can make spinning a great workout for anyone who loves to move to the music!
Outdoor Distance Running:
Running for a few miles at a time is attainable for everyone! While some people can go out one day and run 13 miles, for others, 2-3 miles is plenty. Running challenges you mentally, because there is no instructor there to push you to run farther and harder. You are also subject to changing weather, which can be difficult to push through. Building that mental toughness though can translate into toughness in your life! It can also be helpful to turn on some music, tune out the world, and enjoy some time running around. Running is also free, and you can do it at any time, so running is a great opportunity for people who like to exercise at any hour!
Swimming:
Swimming is just plain fun. Almost everyone loves jumping into a pool and cooling off, but what about doing some laps and sweating under water? Swimming can be repetitive, so I have found that breaking up laps by changing your stroke or using a kick board is helpful. Swimming with a friend and racing a bit is also a great way to keep in interesting. I have found that swimming is great for anyone who wants a low impact, full body workout with minimal distractions.
These are just a few of my favorite types of exercise, but there are countless other forms! You just have to get out there and try new things until you find what makes you excited to sweat! GO GET 'EM!
