I recently came across a great article in Men’s Fitness magazine. Yes. I said Men’s Fitness. Trust me, there are a number of men’s health and wellness magazines that are chock full of great information. Or at the very least, they spark an idea; giving you something to think about. That is exactly what “Adventures of Your Life, 2016” did for me when I read it.
The article talks about the how the winter blues often make us dream of getting back into the warmer months and back out into the great outdoors. It has beautiful pictures and descriptions of what they refer to as “outsized adventures” for biking, hiking, mountain climbing, paddling, and surfing. And with the winter blizzards this year, I know many of us are doing a lot of daydreaming. The thing is, while dreaming of such extreme adventures, it is highly unlikely that the majority of us will ever participate in them for various reasons such as cost or physical limitations.
DON’T BE DISCOURAGED!
We all have activities we enjoy doing but no matter how much we enjoy them, let’s face it, they can become monotonous. You may really love kayaking or canoeing but you can only get super excited about going down the same local river for so long. Biking is great exercise but how many times can you pedal around the neighborhood or your local park before it becomes less of a fun thing to do and more of a task?
One way to fend off that bored feeling is to set a much bigger goal. For example, if you are a jogger or just starting out, find a local 5k or 10k that will happen near your home in the next 6 months. Sign up for it and then switch your running focus to improving your time or devising a running strategy that works for you. It sure beats counting mail boxes or noting if the neighbors remembered to put their trash out this week.
Do you take an annual vacation? This year, do a bit more homework and pick a location that has activities you would love to participate in. Example: You have always wanted to snorkel in Aruba and you’ve decided that you’re going to do just that in 2016. Why not join the local YMCA and make swimming a big part of your exercise routine. Being a strong swimmer and having a long endurance in the water is sure to help you really enjoy your snorkeling adventures.
When booking a vacation, one of the things I always look for on the hotels website is local activities that I may want to check out. Well, my friends, you don’t have to travel to lands unknown. Pick a major hotel in your local area and check out their website. See what parks and recreational activities they are recommending for their guests. There may be something on the list you’ve never heard of even though it’s in your own backyard so to speak.
The moral of the story is that exercise does not have to ever be tedious or boring. Set goals. Think outside the box. And most of all…. HAVE FUN!