Creative Ways to Pass the Time While Exercising
By now, most of us understand the importance of daily movement through exercise. Many health organizations agree that adults should partake in about 5 to 10 hours of moderately-intense activity every week for general good health. From improved cardiovascular health or better mood and sleep, there are endless reasons why it’s important to get moving.
Despite this, many adults find it difficult to get excited about exercising. Activities such as walking or running can be boring without proper entertainment. Finding creative ways to pass the time while exercising can help motivate you to exercise regularly. If you are struggling to feel encouraged to work out, consider these activities to do to pass the time during your daily workout.
Use Your Phone on the Stationary Bike
If you’re a member of a local gym or fitness center, chances are you have access to a stationary exercise bike. This type of exercise equipment requires work from your lower body, making it easy to burn calories while also toning your glutes and legs. An average adult will burn nearly 300 calories when biking at a moderate pace for about 30 minutes.
Given the hands-free nature of this exercise, you’ll easily be able to use your smartphone while biking. Consider watching a mini-series on Netflix or Hulu or even playing Ignition video poker to easily pass the time. It’s easy to get engrossed in these fun activities on your phone, making time fly by as you get a great workout in.
Listen to a Podcast while Running
Running is one of the best forms of daily movement to incorporate into your routine. Without the need for any equipment, even new exercisers can begin a weekly running or jogging routine. An average-sized adult burns about 100 calories per mile they run, making running an effective way to maintain a healthy body. Some people find that running outside provides a more stimulating environment, as opposed to running indoors on the treadmill.
Although running is efficient at burning calories, many critics note that they find running extremely boring. One way to make time fly by as you run is by listening to a podcast on a topic that interests you. Whether it’s a crime story podcast or updates on the local news, your mind will focus on what you’re listening to and distract you from the time it takes to run.
Walking with a Buddy
Exercise is always more motivating when you have a buddy! If you find it tedious to go on long walks by yourself, consider inviting a friend to talk to. As you find yourself engrossed in a conversation, time will fly easily during your walk. If a friend is not available to walk with you, you can also call a buddy to have a phone conversation as you walk.
On average, a 150-lb person can burn about 100 to 200 calories per 30 minutes of a brisk walk. Not only is walking a great way to burn calories, but it’s also a great way to de-stress after a long day while also socializing with friends or family. Plus, you’ll also take advantage of the many mental health benefits of walking, such as lowering Cortisol levels in the body.
As your body gets used to walking regularly, there are many ways to make this exercise more difficult. Explore your local parks and trail systems to find more strenuous walking paths with increased elevations. Walking uphill burns even more calories per hour than walking on a flat surface, allowing you to challenge yourself even more.
Swimming with Waterproof Headphones
Swimming is another great form of exercise to help you reach your weekly movement goals. On average, an adult can burn anywhere from 300 to 600 calories per hour of lap swimming. However, many people find swimming independently to be boring without some entertainment. In addition to being an effective way to burn calories, swimming for exercise also helps improve balance and posture and can help you to maintain good bone health as you age.
Luckily, waterproof headphones are the newest technology that makes it easy to pass the time while exercising. Grab yourself a pair of waterproof headphones, which allow you to wirelessly listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks as you swim. Just like listening to a podcast while running, swimming with waterproof headphones helps distract you from the time by directing your thoughts to what you’re listening to.
Make Exercising Fun by Passing the Time
With these creative suggestions, reaching your weekly exercise goals doesn’t need to be difficult. If you’ve struggled to stay motivated to work out, consider trying these tips to pass the time while exercising. After you find an activity, you love that passes the time, workouts will no longer be a hassle.
