Cardiovascular exercise might be good for your heart and lungs and a great way to stay fit, but not everybody will enjoy running on the treadmill for long periods of time. Thankfully, there are plenty of fun and interesting exercises that will get your heart rate raised and help you stay in shape even if you hate the typical cardio exercises in the gym. If you don’t like running or jogging, the good news is that there are several things that you can do to get all the benefits without having to spend your time forcing yourself to exercise in a way you hate.
Play Sports
Playing sports can be an ideal way to spend your spare time and is definitely usually more interesting than jogging on a treadmill in the same place. You can play team sports locally with various options to choose from including baseball and basketball teams that are great for getting you moving and can even help you make friends at the same time. If you don’t have time to join a local team or get outside to play sports, you can even use baseball pitching machines and sports simulators at home that are great for getting your heart rate up.
Lift Weights
Weight lifting isn’t just good for building your muscle and strength, but it can also have several further benefits for your body including better heart and lung health, improved mental health, and weight loss. If you don’t like running or many other forms of cardio exercises, lifting weights can be an ideal alternative for staying in shape as you probably won’t get quite as breathless but will still see a difference in your figure after some time of consistent working out.
Swimming
While it is technically cardiovascular exercise, swimming is often more enjoyable compared to running since you’re in the water, which can be quite a pleasant experience. In addition, the buoyancy of the water means that you are less likely to experience aches and pains when working out, which can make swimming quite a relaxing alternative to other popular forms of cardio.
Walking
Walking is a great choice of exercise to trick your body into moving more without feeling like you’re doing heavy cardio. While walking will get your heart rate up and has tons of different benefits for your physical and mental health, it’s less intense compared to jogging or running and gives you a chance to get outside more and explore your local area more or travel to different places to explore on foot.
Eat Well
Of course, no matter how much exercise you do or how many times a week you do a workout that you enjoy, the results are going to be heavily affected by the food that you are putting into your body. In fact, what you eat is even more important for staying in shape compared to your exercise