Don’t Want to Exercise? 14 Ways to Move More

Does the thought of getting on the treadmill make you groan and moan?

If you’re like me and hate the thought of sweating or attempting “official” exercise, here are my favorite ways to get some extra movement into your day without it feeling like “exercise”.

Play with your (or Someone Else’s) Pet

Lots of dogs love to play ball. If you have a dog who likes to play, go out in the yard or go to the park and run and play with him or her. If you don’t have a pet, volunteer at an animal shelter and make a homeless dog’s day. Run, play fetch, or just take him/her on a leisurely walk.

Dance to YouTube Videos

Find your favorite music on YouTube, crank up the volume, and dance around the house.  You don’t have to know how to dance. Just move to the music and make it up as you go along.

Play SpikeBall

If you can get 3 family members or friends together, spike ball is a great way to get some exercise without it feeling like exercise. You can buy a spikeball set for around $50 on Amazon, and it only takes 5-10 minutes to learn the rules of the game.

 Badminton

Maybe you haven’t played badminton since you were a kid, but it’s a great way to move around and have fun. Instead of the 4 people required for spike ball, you only need to find one friend or family member.  You can just recruit a kid from your neighborhood. If you really can’t find someone, single badminton sets are also for sale. You can even play badminton inside if the weather’s bad – assuming you have enough space (See here.)

Cleaning

Some people don’t mind cleaning while others HATE it. But one thing about cleaning is that it can give you a whole-body workout without it feeling like exercise. And, whether you like it or not, I’m sure there’s probably something in your house or garage that needs it (or is that just me?). To make it more fun, crank some tunes or set mini-goals for yourself. For example, “Let’s see if I can get this cabinet done in under 15 minutes”. Better yet, enlist a friend or family member and do little races with each other.

Gardening

Gardening can be a fun way to get exercise, as it entails lots of stooping, standing, pulling, and moving. You don’t even need a big yard since there are so many types of gardens. You can do indoor gardening in pots or with a fancy hydroponic setup, outdoor container gardening, as well as your typical backyard garden. The bonus is you get healthy food!

Volunteering

There are so many ways to volunteer and give back to your community while getting in some extra body movement (ahem…exercise). I already mentioned volunteering to walk dogs at the local dog shelter. You could go ask an elderly person in your neighborhood what they need done- then do it for them. Food pantries need boxes moved and packed. Clothing centers need physical work. Habitat for Humanity teaches you new skills while you build someone a new house. The possibilities are limitless, and you can meet new friends and do good at the same time.

Biking

When you were a kid, weren’t you crazy about riding your bike? If you haven’t ridden since you were a kid, give it a try because it’s still fun! You can go as slow or as fast as you’d like. You get to see beautiful scenery along the way. Cities everywhere are putting up new bike trails. There are even plans to build a bike trail to go across America from Washington DC to the Pacific Ocean (Read more about it). Invest in safety, though. Wear a helmet and invest in safety lights.

Hiking & Shinrin-Yoku

Hiking is another exercise that is just fun, especially when you can get someone to go with you. Just walking through the woods has been scientifically shown to boost your immune system (Watch this video by Dr. Greger). The Japanese have a name for that – shinrin-yoku, and it’s been prescribed for health reasons by doctors. See https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19568835/

Swimming

Swimming is fun and healthy, and it’s especially good for those with joint problems. Not everyone has access to a pool, but if you can find one nearby that isn’t too expensive, go! If you’re able to buy one and put up in your yard to use everyday when the weather’s fine, better yet. Lakes, ponds, and oceans also provide plenty of healthy fun.

Build Something

I included this in here because building something new from nothing is fun!  You don’t have to be skilled, either. There are plenty of how-to articles and YouTube videos that’ll let you build anything you can imagine. Building things is usually a lot of exercise.  You can build an outdoor house for feral cats, you can build interesting dog houses and sell them. You can build yourself an Adirondack chair. You don’t have to use wood, either. Try making your own Japanese lantern out of hypertufa or check out one of the thousands of ideas at the Facebook group HomeTalk.

Pick Something You Can’t Do and Work Toward That

One of the ways to exercise without it feeling like exercise is to pick a physical goal and work on it until you get it. For example, if you can’t do a pushup or a pull-up, but think it would be awesome if you could do 20 (and show off to your friends), make a plan and work on it every day. On YouTube, Hybrid Calisthenics has some great videos that work you up to being able to do these kinds of things, like the one for “How to Do a Pushup”.

But if you’re already superb on these kinds of things, pick something that you can’t currently do but would like to be able to do. Make a plan on how you’ll get from where you are now to there, then spend 10 min a day getting there. Working on a specific goal is more fun than just telling yourself “Man, I should do some cardio today”.

Weightlifting

Sometimes people hate exercise because they hate CARDIO – the sweating, the breathing hard, the exertion, the feeling-like-you’re-gonna-die. Many people find strength training enjoyable, though, even though they hate cardio. Start small. A great beginning resource is Mike Mathew’s Thinner, Leaner, Stronger. Do it 3 days a week for a month and see if it’s something you can come to like. Feeling stronger is a great feeling, and you don’t have to go all out and totally wear yourself out.

Nintendo Wii U or VR Games

Many people find Wii games fun. The latest VR fitness games can be a blast, too. The Wii U is a lot more affordable than an Oculus Rift, but VR games like Beat Saber can really give you a workout without it feeling like a workout at all.  The Wii U has titles like Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and Just Dance. These are another great way to sneak exercise in that doesn’t feel like exercise.

 

Just because you hate exercise doesn’t mean there isn’t SOMETHING you can find that isn’t dreadful! Try different activities and KEEP trying until you find one you like.