Five Ways to Make Fitness Fun

Pop quiz: If you hate something, what are the chances that you’ll stick with it consistently in the long term?

OK, so that wasn’t a very challenging quiz. We all know that we won’t do things that we dread for too long before we give up. Giving up on fitness isn’t really an option though, is it? We all want to live long, healthy, happy lives, full of energy and vitality. If you hate traditional exercise, then I challenge you to think outside the box. How could you make it more fun?

Here are some suggestions:

1. Go to Circus School! Harbourfront Centre has a summer class called “Circus for Adults.” It runs on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30. For more info, go to www.harbourfrontcentre.com and look under “Summer Courses.”
2. Try a dance class. These days, you can try just about any style of dance in a group format. Consider ballet, tap, burlesque or even pole dancing. It can be really invigorating to step outside your comfort zone!
3. Buy a “Passport to Prana.” Curious about yoga, but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg trying to find a class you like? Passport to Prana is a program that grants you access to one class at each of 70 studios in the city for $30. Talk about value! Go towww.passporttoprana.com. Some studios have pilates too, so you can try it out as well.
4. Make an excursion of it. I have truly fond childhood memories of cycling with my family. Every Sunday, we would hop on our bikes and ride along the Martin Goodman trail on Toronto’s waterfront. We lived in South Etobicoke, and we would ride all the way to the Beaches and back. There are a host of other trails you might explore in the city too. If biking’s not your thing, try hiking. You can have a gander at the city’s trails here:http://www.toronto.ca/torontomaps/parkstrails.htm
5. Rent a canoe or kayak and explore the waterways. I actually just found this class called “Kayakercise” at Queens Quay and Rees  – seriously! Check it out here:http://www.paddletoronto.com/Kayaking_Exercise.aspx

Remember that harassing your friends into coming with you always makes for a fun time. The more the merrier!

How will you spice up your fitness life?