How to Find The Right Activity For You
Posted on 24 June 2010
Movement is key to health and vitality, we all need to move or at least do something active consistently throughout our lives. Sure the activities will change with time but it is important we find out what we love to do in terms of movement.
A workout can be anything you want it to be from cleaning up the garage and gardening to a good old run or weights session in the gym. They all vary in intensity and provide different health benefits, but most importantly we all have our preferences…..
Your idea of a fun workout or activity may be different to mine, For instance, I grew up playing a lot of sports - Soccer, Tennis, Cycling and was generally an active kid and loved to be outside playing. As I grew older my love for sports remained but I stopped playing them as often and started spending more time lifting weights at the gym, going for runs, and sprints plus more general fitness training. The important thing I realised was that at one point I stopped working out and being active because it was something I really enjoyed but rather as it made me feel good and it was something I felt had to be done. Big mistake…….
It was only recently that it hit home that exercise and workouts had become somewhat of a chore, I was in a routine and not doing things I loved to do to keep active. I think this happens to a lot of us as we grow older, the things we originally did to keep active go out of the window and we workout to keep fit by doing standard workouts……
1. Think of the Ideal Active Lifestyle
Take a moment to sit down and write out a week of your ideal activities if time was no option, for me this would be:
- 2 hour long tennis sessions a week
- 1-2 Weights Circiuts in the gym
- 1 Barefoot Run
- Some Light Stretching and Yoga
- Lots of Walks
Now compare your ideal week of activity to what you are doing presently, I bet it is pretty different….. It is not to say you should aim to emulate the exact ideal scenario but rather to be used as a tool to see what you would really like to be doing. This exercise will allow you to get in touch with what you really want to be doing….
2. Which Activities Do You Enjoy Best
Take a journey back in time and remember back to what you enjoyed doing as a child and even your teenage years, think of all the sports you did and which ones you liked the best. Things like:
- Running/Playing with freinds
- Skateboarding
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Sports (Tennis, Golf, Baseball, Basketball, Football etc)
- Surfing
Think back to more general activities you enjoyed before you started working out or stopped working out. This should give you a pretty good idea of what you would enjoy doing and can give a template for some activities you can pickup to re-discover your passion for something….
3. Stay Active For the Right Reasons
The healthiest people are active because they want to be and enjoy what they are doing, not because they strive to be fitter or have a leaner body. This is a very important lesson we can all learn from and once you start to re-discover your passion for activities long forgotten good things start to happen – You will use your free time doing things you want to do and you will really enjoy staying active plus you will probably find that the stuff you enjoy doing is out in the open and not in a stuffy gym…
The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they’ll ease
Your will they’ll mend
And charge you not a shilling. - Wayne Fields
The only way to stay active and healthy throughout our lives is to find a set of activities we really enjoy and practice them regularly, they need not be strenuous all the time and so long as they get us moving on a regular basis that is fine. You will probably find that happiness increases immensely once you re-disover the activities or sports you enjoy and start practicing them regularly.
What activities do you really enjoy?
This Post was written by Chris of Zen to Fitness. Please checkout my new e-book by clicking the image below:
16 comments so far
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Comment by Adam | SEE
24 June 2010
*I really have fun / enjoy studying Tae Kwon Do, but the one thing I miss and I am hoping to get back to is surfing.
*Beach, sun, swimming, paddling out, riding in, being with friends, drinking down some fresh coconut water. A bad day at the beach is better than a good day anywhere else.
*A Do Jang on the beach, with boards out front-that would be heaven. Thanks for letting me daydream…
@ Adam: Thanks for the comment, I love your line
Thanks fro chipping in, your activities sound awesome….
Comment by Robin
24 June 2010
Yes! I agree completely! We have trained ourselves to think that exercise is some horrible chore that must be done. No wonder too many people fall off the band wagon. I love the idea of keeping an active lifestyle, doing things that are fun!
Thanks for the post!
Comment by Omar
24 June 2010
Completely agree, I always used to joke that the best way to stay fit and healthy was to do it by accident. Which sort of mirrors your third point. Finding something you enjoy doing and just spend time enjoying it.
For me, it’s always been things that are more social activities. I take an outdoor exercise class (http://www.britmilfit.com/) that is a good workout but which is also a bit of a social ‘get together’; we spend a lot time laughing. Plus I like bouldering, as it a chance to get together with friends and do some climbing.
Comment by Deb
24 June 2010
I completely agree with this post. However, I worry about the children who are growing up today whose favorite activities are computer and video games. When they look back on their childhoods will they remember any physical activity at all?
@ Deb: That is a great point, lets hope somehow things change and the human bodies natural drive to move prevails…..
Comment by Hans Hageman
24 June 2010
Good observations and advice! An interesting school of thought says that our genetic makeup is expressed through our bodies. That means that we further our gene expression and body type by engaging in specific sports.
I think that personality type often determines our level and kind of activity. Awareness makes the difference!
@ Hans: Thanks for the comment, I would be interested to see the info from that “school of thought” personality definitely determines activity preference though….
Comment by suhail
25 June 2010
well i am a web developer, programming websites, and now just sitting on that office chair for 14-15 hours of the day, i have become fat and lazy for physical activities, but i really like dancing, dancing as in popping, i watch a lot of popping and juste debout videos, but again i don’t practice any dance, i just sit and watch. your article is great, i did feel a little sparked up that i should be doing some activity, rather than sitting at one place for 14-15 hours, but then again, there are office responsibilities, you can’t ignore them.
Comment by Hugh
25 June 2010
I agree with this post completely. I’ve always been a big believer in the fact that the best exercise for you is the one you’ll do. Consistently.
I’m a triathlete so I enjoy training for the swim, bike, and run. I love mixing it up and I love the fact that I can do all 3 of them solo or with a group, whatever my preference. And I do mix it up – sometimes with my tri group or running club and sometimes alone.
Exercise doesn’t always have to be competitive, but signing up for a race or event is an excellent way to light that fire within and give yourself some motivation when it may be lacking.
@ Hugh: Quite an athlete I see…. It is great that you love so many athletic endeavours, a triathlon is something that always intrigued me and one day I plan to do one….
I was reminded of the joys of doing activities that one enjoys yesterday when playing tennis, 1hour went by in no time and I had a great workout, much better than I could have had in a gym. Best of all it was fun and not a chore, thats the way things should be when it comes to exercise….
Comment by Srinivas Rao
27 June 2010
Chris,
AS you read in the post I submitted to you, I’ve never been very athletic in my life until this last year. I truly hate going to the gym. But once I found a love for surfing, everything changed. I don’t even view it as exercise as much as I view it as a form of entertainment. It’s kind of awesome to have something that gives me so many physical benefits, but is truly just about my love for the ocean. I think once you find an activity that gets you jazzed, then it becomes much easier to exercise on a consistent basis.
Comment by dennis
27 June 2010
Hello;
I wanted to commit on eating healthy, and living healthy. As I have been over weight all my life, and have gained and lost hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
It was not until I learned about why I ate; what I ate. I was in pain within me, lost in life. I fed my emotions, and fears.
My emotions where because; I never felt good enough, and my fears where that I would never be good enough. I don’t mean for the world, I mean for me.I lacked respect for my life, and my body. I lost weight because, I was forever on some silly diet by my parents.
In the end,I never learned to respect my life, or my body. Let’s face it eating, and taking care of yourself is just one way we all show respect for our bodies. Not letting troubles, or personal pain define who we are is tough thing to learn; but very important to do. Respect not just for yourself, but for every living thing including yourself is how to get the weight off, and keep it off. Give yourself space in life, do things with passion, and live with great purpose in all that we do. Be the master of you.
Comment by Camille
27 June 2010
Chris,
you wrote:
Though I was an “athletophobe” in my middle school and high school years, I grew to love the idea of being active, at first because I wanted to be more physically fit, and as I grew older, to ward off age-related conditions that run in my family. Though I do enjoy being fit at my age (53) I am active also because it makes me feel stronger, helps me focus and feel “empowered.” I’m always preaching to my friends that being healthy is not a diet for 10-week kind of thing then go back to your old ways. Being fit and healthy is a lifelong commitment.
Just discovered your blog, Chris, and I like what I see!
Thanks
Comment by Rae
28 June 2010
I jog and walk and do yoga, but I was desperate to find something to get my upper body more active (I tend to avoid the “power yoga” that has more upper body strength training). I tried weight-lifting but I couldn’t stick with it because it was too boring! Then I got inspired by a fire dancer I saw at a club and started spinning poi. It’s a lot of fun, and I have the incentive of one day being able to light them on fire! Doing what you love makes all the difference in staying active.
Comment by Cailen
29 June 2010
Movement is definitely the key to health. For so long, I perceived exercise as arduous and boring. This mental perception led me to dislike and eventually fall away from all the previous exercise routines I created for myself. Now, after years of working to achieve health and personal well-being, I’ve found that I LOVE to move my body. I feel alive, invigorated and completely healthy when I work out! I’m so happy I allowed myself to open my eyes to what movement can do for the body and how good it can make you feel! I now enjoy yoga, dancing, walking, body weight exercises and have even completed the P90X program.
Comment by William Sloane
29 June 2010
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I’ve already read several
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