Many of us live a sedentary lifestyle, with our daily life revolving only around work and home. This cycle of eat-sleep-work is draining, not just physically but also mentally. We lose our love for life when we’re constantly reminded of the stresses of work and do not have the chance to relax. The physical toll of sitting for more than eight hours and not having enough physical activity can also add to our stresses- your back begins to fail, your arms and shoulders always feel sore, and you lose your breath after a couple of steps up the stairs.
This is why living an active lifestyle is important. Using your body in relatively physical activities needed to stimulate your muscles, promote good cardiovascular health, and burn some calories. An active lifestyle isn’t just healthy, it’s also fun. It injects happiness into our lives by giving us something fulfilling or accomplishing to do. It means having something to look forward to after a long week a work, or after a particularly stressful workday.
But coming up with a fun and stimulating activity can be difficult, and that’s why we are here to help. Here are a few tips on what activities you should try to live an active lifestyle
1. Get into Bouldering
Bouldering is a hobby much similar to wall climbing. Both hobbies use the involving ascending to a high peak using our own abilities, both use a man-made wall with rocks and holes to help you climb. However, the difference lies in the fact that bouldering is almost a gear-free activity, and can be done both indoors at training facilities and outdoors with an actual rock formation. It’s an adrenaline-rushing activity that has you climb rocks vertically using nothing but your hands and feet (and maybe chalk to help with your grip). It’s a great exercise as it will definitely stimulate your muscle while also helping you focus at the moment.
2. Parkour!
You have probably seen parkour without even realizing what it was. If you have seen any action movie in the past ten years, it likely contained some form of parkour. It’s basically the art of movement- moving efficiently from one point to the other. This often involves running, jumping over gaps, and vaulting over obstacles. It’s a rather flashy sport but it’s deeply rooted in the belief in self-empowerment and efficiency. Parkour is a full-body workout, increasing both cardiovascular endurance and bone strength. You can also get a certain rush when doing parkour- making it something you can look forward to after a week of hard work.
3. Try Some Housework
Bored on a weekend? Why not try some housework! And yes doing housework does fall under ‘active living’ as it does involve you exerting physical effort to either clean, improve, or redesign your house. But why bother with housework, you may ask. Some people find their minds lifted from stress and anxiety after a good round of cleaning around the house, and it also has the benefit of actually doing something productive around the house. If you find your house clean enough, you can also try remodeling your bathroom, kitchen, or even living room! Making housework a part of your usual activities will not only help keep your house clean and beautiful, but it will also give you a good workout.
4. Travel by Bicycle
With gas and car prices at an all-time high, we see fewer people being to afford a car. This has led to an increase in the use of public transportation, but for those who don’t like buses or trains, there’s an alternative that has always been there: bicycles. It’s among the easiest and safest ways to start living a healthy and active lifestyle, and it has a myriad of benefits that come with it as well. Since you’re not using any non-renewable resources, it’s completely eco-friendly. You’ll be saving up money for gas and upkeep, and you’ll be saving time as well since you won’t be stuck in traffic. But perhaps the best benefit of traveling by bicycle is the ability to go wherever your feet take you- it’s fun, cheap, and fulfilling. Maybe dust off your bike and go for a ride this weekend.
5. Get into Gardening
Now that we’re on the topic of healthy and fun hobbies, there’s nothing better of a mixture than gardening. It’s a physically stimulating hobby that has you planting potentially nutritious fruits and vegetables for later consumption- all the while being fulfilling mentally. It’s a great activity to zone in and forget your worries, and you get the price of harvesting something after.
