That’s a phrase that most people won’t admit to unless they have a gun pointed at their heads, but the statement is true for me.
I get excited when it’s time to load a few plates on a barbell and test my strength against gravity.
There’s something very simple and rewarding about it all and how it slowly shapes and molds my body over time.
But I know that these opinions aren’t true for everyone.
In fact, you might be having a hard time wrapping your head around the idea of even getting started to exercise because in your mind… “it sucks”.
Well, here are 3 forms of exercise that you can do that really don’t even feel like exercise.
1. Walk Everywhere
If you go to school on a large campus, a super easy way to burn calories without disrupting your day is to just walk everywhere.
When I first started school, I commuted to campus, but when I parked in the deck, I walked everywhere.
And in the first semester… I had plenty of places to go.
I was hiking a couple blocks to the math building. Then I was jogging over to the main hall for lunch.
I’d go across campus to meet up with my study group and then I’d go another 5-10 minutes to the library to get some quiet time to do my homework.
At the end of the day, I was way on the other side of campus and I had a long trek just to get back to my car.
I know for a fact that a big portion of my fat loss came from just walking around campus and it can be the same for you too.
Here’s some other points to make your campus walks even more effective:
- Park far away from your classes – Obviously you want to get there on time, but parking a little farther makes the walk worth the effort.
- Take the stairs as often as possible – Leave the elevator for those with a hangover.
- Don’t take the same route every time – Mix it up and try to come up with new walking routes to your locations. You’ll burn more calories and you’ll probably discover some new things about your campus that you hadn’t seen before.
The last thing I’ll say about walking is this…
I wish I was still in school when Pokemon Go took over.
I probably would have spent a few extra hours at school just to so I could get that damn Blastoise (my favorite).
Now, if you don’t like walking here’s another way to get in your exercise that’s actually fun…
2. Join an Intramural Sport
If you’re problem is you just don’t enjoy most kinds of exercise, why not turn exercise into a game instead?
Most colleges offer a number of awesome physical sports or games through independent clubs.
Here are a few awesome ones just to get you thinking:
- Nerf Gun Wars
- Laser Tag Teams
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Frolf (Frisbee Golf)
- Basketball
- Indoor Soccer
I mean the Nerf guns and laser tag alone should get you all hot and bothered.
(Don’t mean to brag, but I do own my own complete laser tag set for about 15 people just in case anyone wants to throw down at a moment)
And finally, here’s something that most people may not have even thought of as “exercise”…
3. Go to Heavy Rock Concerts
When I think back on some of the times when I was completely sweaty and out of breath (and I wasn’t in the gym)…
..I was up in the front at some intense concert screaming my guts out at the guys up on stage.
When you get thrown into a crowd of a few hundred (or even thousand people) and get up near the front action… you bet your ass you’re going to burn a few calories.
Hell, I know I’ve gone to some popular music festivals like Warped Tour and Vex Fest and left completely drenched in sweat.
I can remember coming home the day after going to those concerts, stepping on the scale, and noticing that I lost a few pounds.
Yea, some of it was probably water weight, but it still counts.
Of course, this tip does nothing for you if you sit down and watch like someone’s dad chaperoning a pool party.
If you want it to count, put on a pair of gym shorts and a light-breathing shirt, and make it your goal to get as close to the action as possible.
Tell Me How You Get Exercise Without Thinking About It
Granted, I absolutely love lifting weights and dieting and really can’t imagine my life without it.
But even for me, there are days when having a pick-up game of laser tag sounds like way more fun than trying to deadlift in my basement.
Leave a comment below and tell me some unexpected ways you’ve gotten exercise without even thinking about it.
I’d love to hear it!