9 Fun Activities That Also Happen To Be Exercise

Looking for fun exercise ideas? The best exercise tip out there is "do something you actually enjoy.' Click through for 9 fun exercise suggestions! #exercise #movement #bodypositivity #haes
Confession: I don’t particularly enjoy trundling along on the stair climber at the Y or grunting my way through lunges while avoiding eye contact with frat boys.
However. I also don’t particularly enjoy grunting my way through zipping up my pants. You don’t either? Weird! Now that it’s summer I enjoy a good frolic much more than an aerobics class. There are heaps of things to do that are fun and – what luck! – a good work out.

Tree climbing

How long has it been since you’ve done this? Too long, I reckon. It’s a great upper body workout, oddly calming and fun and you can drop pine cones at passers-by-if you’re a jerk like me.

Dancing

Of course. Of course! Current (terrible, embarrassing, irresistible) dance favorites of mine include: Break Your Heart, Your Love is My Drug, Sexy Chick. It’s so, so easy to create a playlist and engage in a one-person dance party for twenty minutes.
Bonus points if you try to incorporate The Roger Rabbit, The Cabbage Patch or, um, marching.If you’re feeling reeeeaaally kicky, why not try to learn the Thriller dance?

Hula Hooping

This probably falls under the heading of ‘old news,’ but hula hooping is great for your abs and butt and, I suspect, it generally makes you a sexier person. See? It’s cheap to get started and you can do it in your living room. Much to the amusement of your cat.

Rollerskating

No, not roller blading, roller skating. I find old-fashioned, slightly clunky roller skates so undeniably cute I want to smother every skater I see in hugs. Roller skating is fun, easy and a great work out for your legs and butt. And again? Oddly sexy.

Playing Tag

No props required, no complicated rules, lots of great cardio. Yes!

Doin’ it

Apparently you can burn about 150 calories from a 30 minute roll in the hay. Significantly more fun that half on hour on the elliptical next to that sweaty guy who always sings along with his Ipod, eh?

Playing with kiddos

Picking them up, swinging them around, wrestling them into their jeans? All of that activity adds up. I also imagine that hunting for special blankies, wiping snotty noses and breaking up hair-pulling-matches burns a lot of calories, too.

Sledding

I envy those of you in the southern hemisphere who can still find a hill to slide down. The sliding part isn’t much exercise, but trundling back up in all your boots and gear certainly is, isn’t it? Also? Yelling your head off as you careen down the hill probably burns calories, too.

Picking fruit

Climbing ladders, yoinking apples off branches, bending over in strawberry bushes – all a good work out. And isn’t it lovely to get outside, meet new people, and say hello to your food before you eat it?

What are you doing to stay active this summer? What are your favorite fun workouts?
photo by Leo Rivas-Micoud // cc

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21 Comments

  1. Chrissy

    omg, i burned out on the stairmaster ages ago… got to a certain level and then just pooped out.. now i am hooked on the ellipticals… everything seems toned and firm.. i love hiking too…

  2. Vanessa

    I don't usually mind the gym that much once I get into the routine of going (that's the hard part) but I always loved working out at home. Dancing is great. I wait until no one's around and let loose!

  3. Leia

    I love this list! Thanks for all the suggestions! 🙂

  4. Sarah

    Hula hoops give a crazy work out!!! Remember the skip it? That's a good one too!

  5. Allison

    I'm a (hula) hoopdance teacher :] & it has altered my life in a brilliant way. Definitely a lot of how I'll be spending my summer, twirling in the sun…

  6. Christine Claire Reed

    At the age of 40, last summer, I returned to dance. In 9 months, I dropped about 3 or 4 sizes!

    And I believe with all my heart that it wasn't totally the exercise of dancing that did it but the JOY.

    I think our bodies respond mostly to JOY.

    The Body says, "OH! She's having FUN! Let's get in shape so she can have more FUN!"

    Thus the crap-osity of things like gyms and stairmasters and why people have to work SO HARD to get in shape in such environments. 🙂

  7. kathrynoh

    I love walking, saves money and gets me exercise plus it's good for the brain too.

    I used to go to go-go dancing classes which were awesome but finding it hard to fit in my schedule now. I also love boxing 🙂

    Oh and going to the park and kicking around the (Aussie Rules) footy.

    It's amazing how those things you took for granted as a kid burn up the calories!

  8. Elle Sees

    Your site always leaves me with a smile on my face! I HATE working out, so it's nice to be reminded of alternatives.

  9. Helen

    Definitely digging my skates out now.I wish I could hula hoop, sadly it's not one of my talents 🙁

  10. Jennifer

    Your blog always makes me smile. 😀
    I gotta' get out and do things, too, this summer. Since I've been in school, I've actually lost weight (not having a car means you have to do a lot of walking) and I'm hoping I can keep the weight off and lost some more while I'm home for almost three months.

  11. Sam

    taking care of kiddos definitely is a fat burner. in fact, my twins can be so super insane that i took up long distance running just to escape the mayhem that is accompanied by motherhood. A 15 mile date with pavement may seem excruciating to most, but spend a day with my boys, and that 15 miles looks like a vacation. fo reals yo.

    roller skating. now we're talking. skate party for my next bday. Yes please.

    love your blogs girl and i can't say it enough

    Sam I Am…Sometimes
    AKA Steph Kanaski Van Sloten

  12. screwdestiny

    You totally have my three favorite fun exercises on there! Hooping, sex, and dancing are all ridiculously fun.

  13. Kate @ Tres Lola

    Can I just throw in a hellllll yeah to roller-skating. Derby style. <3

  14. Anonymous

    all excellent ideas! thanks! and i think i just burned off a few calories laughing at that Cabbage Patch dance video! OMG!

  15. Elaine

    I was recently explaining to a friend how my life is a one-person (and occasionally imaginary)dance party, and couldn't agree more! Daily dance-parties in your bedroom to truly terrible pop music is one of the greatest joys in life!

  16. Alexandra Franzen

    I went rock climbing today (first time!) with two experienced climbers and it ROCKED THE VOTE!!! My biceps are sore as all get out, but man — what a thrill. It's like being a character in a video game.

  17. Madison

    Hooping is one of my favorite ways to exercise. Especially with Beyonce blasting in the background, it makes me feel so sexy! Riding my bike is also fun. I pride myself on the ability to ride all the way UP the hill to school without complaining out load…much to the amusement of my boyfriend.

    Thanks for the comment on my quote post, it was much appreciated :] I'm actually really happy that Charade featured your Karma cards, because I started reading your blog months ago, but I forgot to bookmark the URL, and then I got a new computer…so long story short I'm quite pleased I can come back to reading your travel posts. They make me so excited to turn 18 and be legally allowed to travel the world solo!

    The hint about the Karma cards was duly noted, and the shameless self promotion made me smile. Thanks again :]

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