Good physical health is vital for everyone. But a lot of people don’t give enough attention to staying healthy. A lot might think that eating nutritious food is enough, but is that the case? Indeed, nutritious foods are essential to health, but so are physical activities.
If you are new to exercising and playing sports is not part of your life, you might find some physical activities pretty overwhelming. A few walks to the treadmill and one round to weight machines might even send you home and sit on your couch while eating chips.
Luckily, some physical activities do not require you to go to the gym, and some of these don’t need you to be incredibly fit and strong. Yet, these exercises are good for your health too. They will help you keep your weight under control, improve your power and balance, strengthen your bones and joints, prevent internal health problems, and many more.
This article will show you some activities that you will enjoy and help you stay fit and healthy.
Enjoyable Physical Activities
1. Swimming
Swimming is one of the best physical activities out there that improves your physical body and your health. It is even considered the best workout. The water has a buoyancy that supports your body. It also helps you move your joint fluidly by taking the strain off them.
Swimming is beneficial to people who have arthritis as it is less weight-bearing. Research has shown that swimming can also improve your mood and mental state. And you can do it with your friends and relatives for more fun. Have an outing with your friends to enjoy it a lot more.
2. Strength Training
Many people think that lifting weights and strength training will make you bulky with a lot of muscles. And it is an activity just for those who want to have big muscles. But it depends on your goal. The truth is lifting weights won’t instantly bulk your muscles. But it is vital to keep them strong.
Science says that muscles will lose their strength when you don’t use them. Muscles also help burn calories. More muscle means burning more calories. So, it will help you to control your weight. Strength training also helps in preserving your brain function years later.
If you want to start a weight training program:
- Learn about proper forms first.
- Start with lighter weight and practice your form.
- As weeks pass by, increase that based on your strength for progression.
If you think you can easily lift a certain weight with the correct form for more than 12 repetitions, then it’s time to increase the weight. So get your best gym shoes, exercise headbands, and workouts clothes and work on those muscles.
3. Tai chi
Tai chi is a Chinese martial art that combines relaxation and movement. It is for your mind and body. That’s why it is also called “Meditation in motion.” Tai chi consists of graceful movements, as one transitions smoothly to the next move.
Tai chi is easy to access and valuable to people no matter their age and fitness level because tai chi classes are offered at various levels. As we get older, we tend to lose our balance. That’s why this activity is suitable for older people as this activity improves our movement and balance.
4. Walking
Walking is a robust activity, although it looks so simple. Walking can help you stay trim, strengthen your bones, improve cholesterol levels, lift your mood, keep blood pressure in check, and lower your risks of many health problems and diseases such as heart diseases and diabetes.
Many research studies suggest that walking and other physical activities can also improve your memory and help resist age-related memory loss.
Wear a well-fitting pair of shoes to be comfortable while walking. You can start for 10 to 15 minutes of walking. And over time, you can begin to walk faster and farther. And then you can start walking for 30 to 60 minutes for days of the week.
5. Jogging
If you are bored of walking and it doesn’t challenge you anymore, you can improve it to jogging. Although jogging and walking work the same muscles, jogging burns more calories than walking with the same time interval.
It is also a good activity for people who wants to incorporate cardio into their regimen. Make sure to do it with care, or it will cause slight pain for your feet and knee joints. Do not attempt to jog with slippers. Wear a good pair of shoes. Do not forget to stretch before and after jogging.
You can ask your friend, partner, or relatives to join you jogging in the morning. It is a lot better to jog in a big group of people so that you can enjoy it more.
Invest time in incorporating these activities into your daily lives, and you will see a significant improvement not only to your physical appearance but also to your strength.
