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Fun Fat-Burning Activities That Don’t Feel Like Exercise!
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We all know that getting regular exercise is important for keeping our weight in check, burning fat and reaping numerous health benefits. Everyone knows that they should try to get some exercise most days, but knowing you should do it and actually doing it … that’s something else.
Are you bored doing the same old exercise routine at the same old gym day after day? Do you dread seeing the same sweaty guys, the same gum-popping girls — the same thing day after day?
Time to shake things up! What better time to get moving outside than the good old summertime?! We have 12 fantastic ways to burn fat and calories and get your heart rate going. And you won’t even feel like you’re exercising!
Keep reading: One of these fun-filled activities is sure to appeal to you! Try one or try all of them for a super fat burning summer filled with fun for you and your entire family.
1. Hiking
This activity combines both cardio and strength-training in one fun exercise. Hiking burns almost as many calories as jogging, but it is certainly much more fun! With the right circumstances, hiking can be very challenging, and you can really work up a good sweat. Hiking in the mountains can also offer tremendous stress relief as the sights and sounds of nature provide a break for the mind. Hiking works the legs, abs and butt muscles as well improves cardiovascular endurance. You can find a book or website that shows all the local hiking sites in your area along with their level of difficulty. Hiking can burn about 225 calories an hour, so what’s stopping you?
2. Bike Riding
Remember how much you loved riding your bike when you were a kid? Bike riding hasn’t changed! It is still fun and exciting. Cycling helps get rid of belly fat and tones all the muscles in the lower half of your body. It is also a terrific cardiovascular workout and raises your metabolism. The great thing about bike riding is that you can do it almost anywhere! You can ride through the city, ride through parks, mountain biking or even ride on bike paths right in front of the ocean.
3. Kayaking
Move your workout routine to the water. Kayaking makes for a beautiful but challenging cardiovascular workout. If you have ever used the rowing machine at your local gym, then you know what a real workout rowing can be! Kayaking works the arms, back, shoulders and core muscles. Kayaking on a lake, river or ocean bay can make for a beautiful outing — not to mention, you can burn more than 250 calories an hour!
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4. Walking
If you love to sight see, then walking might be for you. Walking at a moderate pace for 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week, can improve your metabolism and burn stored fat. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking can burn 150 calories, depending on your level of physical activity.
Regular walking (or even jogging, if that’s more you speed) reduces your risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease, breast cancer and colon cancer. It has also been shown to have a positive impact on your emotional and mental health. Try walking in new neighborhoods, in beautiful parks or anyplace that inspires you and makes you want to walk just a little more.
5. Tennis
Tennis used to be the sport of kings. Whether you have never played or if you are an old hand, tennis is not only fun but it is also one super calorie burner. Tennis calls for repeated bouts of high-intensity activity, the best way to burn fat.. Tennis can burn almost 300 calories in a 30 minute game, and it improves balance, co-ordination and speed. It tones your shoulders, back and arms, and it is fun for just about everyone of all ages.
6. Gardening
If you love your garden, then it can really help you burn calories. Depending on your activities, such as lifting, digging, weeding, squatting and carrying bags of mulch or fertilizer, you can burn as many as 300 calories in just 30 minutes!
Try spending at least an entire afternoon once or twice a week making your garden more beautiful and more productive. Studies have shown that regular gardening lowers blood pressure, prevents diabetes and heart disease, as well as eases the symptoms of depression. Read more how gardening helps cancer treatment.
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7. Stand-Up Paddle Boarding or Surfing
Surfing might not be the biggest calorie burner, but it must be one of the coolest forms of exercise! Surfing is a great full body workout that involves the arms, legs and core muscles. It takes time to learn, but it can become quite addictive once you master it.
If you don’t quite have the nerve to go surfing, try stand-up paddle boarding. It still has the cool factor, but it is much easier to learn and you don’t have to have nerves of steel! Unlike surfing, you can paddle board on lakes, and you can even learn in a swimming pool! Paddle boarding is a difficult workout that works the upper body and core muscles. It can burn about 250 calories in 30 minutes; surfing, however, only comes in at about 100 calories.
8. Swimming
Right up there with surfing, swimming will keep you cool and comfortable while you burn fat and calories. The number of calories you can burn will depend on the length and intensity of your workout and your weight. However, for many people, swimming freestyle, for example, can burn 100 calories every 10 minutes.
Swimming can reduce stress, build endurance and work every muscle in the body. Try to swim for at least 30 minutes five days a week for the best results. Don’t have a pool? Join a swim club, the YMCA, YWCA or visit a local lake. Of course, you can always make friends with your neighbor who does have a pool.
9. Jumping Rope
This is a fun activity most of us did as kids This exercise burns fat throughout the body and can burn as much as 11 calories every minute! Just jumping rope for five or 10 minutes a day can really help burn tons of fat. When skipping rope, jump with both feet and keep your back and knees straight. If it feels a bit strange after not doing it for many, many years, try jumping rope for just one minute at a time and keep the intensity low. Add one minute every time you exercise until you can jump for 10 to 20 minutes.
Jumping rope can be done almost anywhere, and your kids will certainly want to join you!
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10. Volleyball
Volleyball, especially beach volleyball, makes for the most awesome full body workout that targets the shoulders, abs, legs and arms. You are constantly moving, squatting, jumping and diving. When you play this game in the sand, it works the legs even more and you burn many more calories. Even on a regular turf, volleyball is still wonderful exercise. Beach volleyball burns almost 300 calories in 30 minutes, which is equal to about running a 12-minute mile!
11. Snorkeling or Scuba Diving
If you are lucky enough to live near the beach, then scuba diving or snorkeling can be one of the most fun workouts. Both of these activities combine strength training and cardio, toning the entire body and burning tons of calories. Snorkeling can burn about 170 calories every 30 minutes and scuba diving, an almost unbelievable 400 calories in half an hour.
Both scuba diving and snorkeling have cardiovascular benefits without the strain, stress or sweat of typical exercise routines. Because you must work hard to push against the resistance of water just to move, these activates really work the abs, back, thighs and butt muscles. Snorkeling and scuba diving also let you to enter an entirely different world that can offer a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of modern day life.
SEE ALSO: Pre-Workout Meal Planning – Improve Your Fat Burning Potential!
12. Play with the Dog
If you have a dog (or two) you both stay in shape by walking and playing together. Try taking your dog for long walks both in the morning and at night. On weekends, or weeknights if you can, walk your dog to the local park and play fetch, wrestle or play Frisbee with your favorite furry friend. Be sure that you chase that ball as well so you don’t let Fido get all the exercise. Playing with your dog has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve your mood.
Mixing up your routine makes life fun and exciting, and burns fat and tones muscles all in the name of fun and games. Isn’t life great? What are you waiting for? Go for it!
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