Increase Your Fun Quotient
It is vitally important for your well-being to follow a healthy lifestyle.
But we seem to have a mindset that what is good for us, and healthy for us, is not fun! We need to get rid of this mindset, and approach "healthy" and "good" from a different perspective.
Start by making a list of activities that you consider "fun" - don't think about exercise, or health, or fitness.
Just think about fun.
And don't just look at activities in the now - look back at your life and remember what was fun; what you enjoyed doing as a child; what gave you a really good belly laugh.
Here are some from my childhood: hula hooping (or trying to), throwing a ball for my dog and playing soccer in the park with friends.
Yours might include: ballet, swimming (either serious laps, or just splashing around with friends), riding your bicycle, playing on the slide in the park.
Now: there is absolutely no reason why you couldn't still do these things.
• If hula hooping was your thing, then head off to Crazy Clarks and get yourself one and give it a whorl - it may take some serious practice, but if you have a good go (say 10 minutes every morning), you'll start to see progress, and lose a few centimeters off that waist line.
• If you were a pink tutu clad ballerina in your day, head off to your local dance studio: most now have ballet classes for adults just wanting to keep in shape and have fun.
• If swimming is it for you: then grab your bathers and a cap and find a pool in your area, and have some fun.
You'll probably be able to find a few heated options too, for those chilly winter days.
Most pools have squad training sessions for adults - other people just like you! • If throwing a ball in the park was fun, take your dog (or your neighbours pooch) down to the park.
If you're stuck for a hound, offer your services as a dog walker - you might even make some money while having fun! • If playing soccer or touch was your thing: there are many groups of people, big and small, out doing exactly that.
Head to your local oval early in the morning, or after work, and you are bound to find a group to join.
If there is no-one around to be found, then gather some like-minded friends and start a new trend.
• If riding your bike was fun, then give it a try again.
You don't have to become a serious cyclist all clad in your Lycra and wrap around shades.
Why not give mountain biking a go.
There are biking coaches all over Brisbane ready to re-train you to ride your bike on any of the biking trails.
And once you've got your balance back, join a cycling group - most good cycle shops will know of a group in your area.
And why not give mountain bike orienteering a try? You can find them on the internet.
• If you enjoyed the slide and other play equipment in the park, then head on down.
Not only has the equipment changed drastically since you were a kid, but you can use it in so many new ways.
Find a park with few or no kids, and try doing step ups onto the bottom platform of the climbing frame.
You can do tricep dips off this too.
Try some pull ups on the monkey bars, and push ups of the lovely soft and bouncy surface.
There is absolutely no reason why being healthy has to be boring.
Think of how you ran around, with limitless energy, as a kid.
Be a big kid now, and have some fun!
But we seem to have a mindset that what is good for us, and healthy for us, is not fun! We need to get rid of this mindset, and approach "healthy" and "good" from a different perspective.
Start by making a list of activities that you consider "fun" - don't think about exercise, or health, or fitness.
Just think about fun.
And don't just look at activities in the now - look back at your life and remember what was fun; what you enjoyed doing as a child; what gave you a really good belly laugh.
Here are some from my childhood: hula hooping (or trying to), throwing a ball for my dog and playing soccer in the park with friends.
Yours might include: ballet, swimming (either serious laps, or just splashing around with friends), riding your bicycle, playing on the slide in the park.
Now: there is absolutely no reason why you couldn't still do these things.
• If hula hooping was your thing, then head off to Crazy Clarks and get yourself one and give it a whorl - it may take some serious practice, but if you have a good go (say 10 minutes every morning), you'll start to see progress, and lose a few centimeters off that waist line.
• If you were a pink tutu clad ballerina in your day, head off to your local dance studio: most now have ballet classes for adults just wanting to keep in shape and have fun.
• If swimming is it for you: then grab your bathers and a cap and find a pool in your area, and have some fun.
You'll probably be able to find a few heated options too, for those chilly winter days.
Most pools have squad training sessions for adults - other people just like you! • If throwing a ball in the park was fun, take your dog (or your neighbours pooch) down to the park.
If you're stuck for a hound, offer your services as a dog walker - you might even make some money while having fun! • If playing soccer or touch was your thing: there are many groups of people, big and small, out doing exactly that.
Head to your local oval early in the morning, or after work, and you are bound to find a group to join.
If there is no-one around to be found, then gather some like-minded friends and start a new trend.
• If riding your bike was fun, then give it a try again.
You don't have to become a serious cyclist all clad in your Lycra and wrap around shades.
Why not give mountain biking a go.
There are biking coaches all over Brisbane ready to re-train you to ride your bike on any of the biking trails.
And once you've got your balance back, join a cycling group - most good cycle shops will know of a group in your area.
And why not give mountain bike orienteering a try? You can find them on the internet.
• If you enjoyed the slide and other play equipment in the park, then head on down.
Not only has the equipment changed drastically since you were a kid, but you can use it in so many new ways.
Find a park with few or no kids, and try doing step ups onto the bottom platform of the climbing frame.
You can do tricep dips off this too.
Try some pull ups on the monkey bars, and push ups of the lovely soft and bouncy surface.
There is absolutely no reason why being healthy has to be boring.
Think of how you ran around, with limitless energy, as a kid.
Be a big kid now, and have some fun!
