Putting the fun in fitness

 As we all know, if we find something interesting, enjoyable or fun, we generally perform better and are naturally motivated to work hard. The injection of fun into your overall fitness and wellbeing programmes or goals is therefore a great addition to the mix. Conversely, if something is overly repetitive, and has no fun or excitement, the whole thing becomes a chore and the likelihood of achieving the best results is greatly reduced.

So how can we make something which appears difficult such as weight loss or gaining muscle less daunting? The importance of motivation and the benefits of having a mentor or personal trainer have been discussed in my previous blogs, but if fun and enjoyment can also be combined, you are onto a winner. The inclusion of an active pastime, team or individual sport or simply being out and about, are all ways of making your programme more enjoyable and therefore more likely to be continued to fruition. 

Everyone is different. Team sports offer several benefits. For example: camaraderie, competitiveness, and mutual support – all great motivators in themselves - but also with encouraging knock-on positive boosts to your personal training.  Individual sport can also develop competitiveness, concentration, and determination – all attributes which will assist you when working on the more challenging aspects of your individual training. Of course, for many some light hillwalking or taking the dog out may be all that is required to give that lighter, less intense but beneficial ingredient to your overall fitness and health programme. It is often the case that when involved in an enjoyable sport or pastime, the aerobic exercise and effort involved are barely noticed. To my mind, this phenomenon is there to be taken advantage of.

Lastly, having a like-minded training partner is a great bonus to anyone undertaking a committed programme of self-improvement. Mutual support and encouragement will lead to an increase in morale and help you on your journey. You never know – you might even have a laugh!