What does fitness mean? The Oxford dictionary says fitness is ‘the condition of being physically fit and healthy’. Interestingly, I have a different approach to the word. Fitness to me is about being better than I was in the past. We all wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and admire ourselves. We then decide that now is the right time to hit a gym or maybe start running but end up doing nothing.

Ever since I finished college things have been different. Being a journalist, it is a hectic and stressful life. It is hard to find the motivation to hit a gym or go for a run every morning. But then on my 23rd birthday this year, I made a resolution to start having a more active life and find fun ways to stay active. The fact that the thought of exercising exists in my conscious was the first step to my goal of getting fit. I changed my routine and tried to incorporate the change and fun to help me stay fit. Here are my top 3 fun ways to stay fit.

Zumba:

I loved watching ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and envied their stamina and fitness level. But then I gave it a go, and it turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would. I was then introduced to Zumba, the most fun exercise of the present day. Aerobics + Dance, what can be better? Even people with two left feet like mine can achieve a lot of fitness goals and all you have to do is move to the beat!

Why Zumba?

Zumba is a great way to burn calories. An hour of this can burn as much as 600-1000 kcal. It is more than what we normally burn in a gym or an hour of running or light swimming. The movements and steps are aimed at toning the entire body and it also helps in battling stress. You are more likely to stick with something you enjoy, and Zumba is something you just cannot hate. Also, you learn a little bit of dancing which doubles the benefits of Zumba.

How to start Zumba?

There are many ways to begin Zumba training. Since I was a little shy as I had no idea about dancing, I started Zumba by watching videos on Youtube. Once I started moving around comfortably is when I decided to look around for Zumba classes on social media. Another way to look around for groups is through a word of mouth and advertisements. However, as for many of my friends, they met every day at an open space and did Zumba on their own.

Trail Running:

Trail running is one of the most fun ways to stay fit, especially if you enjoy exploring places and can spend hours surrounded by nature. The change of scenery after probably every kilometre gives me that adrenaline rush and pushes me to go that extra mile only to see what comes next. I have been following this for about a year now and the feeling of discovering some new path, lane or route can never get old. Trail running never gets boring. With running comes a lot of freedom. One sees the world rushing back as we used to as children while travelling in a car. I always imagine leaving my problems behind, literally, while train running. Moreover, I let my imagination go wild while running on the trail. We can have our own playlist and chose our own running track without at will. It is a great cardio exercise and a way to feed that traveller inside you.

Why trail running?

This form of exercise is not like normal running. The entire course consists of running through rough tracks, jumping over puddles, and going past trees in the middle of nature. All of this keeps challenging different muscles groups. It trains the legs, abdomen, arms and neck among others. With so much going inside the body, it also boosts the endurance. Moreover, the community of trail runners is vast and popular and will make you feel included.

How to start trail running?

Trail running is all about the right types of equipment. Unlike other sports, the trails which are chosen for running are uneven which increases the chances of injuries. So it is very important to wear the right kind of shoes. Since I was a sportsperson and have been participating in long runs I knew the right kind of shoes for the trail runs. However, for beginners, they need to look out for broad and thick-soled shoes. It absorbs the shocks while running on uneven pitches and lessen injuries. Also, inexperienced people should start trail runs from easy paths and eventually move on to more challenging ones.

How to find a partner or group for trail running?

One of the easiest ways to find a community is through social media. However, since I am a little archaic in my approach, I prefer going out on the run and meet people on the way and eventually have a group of my own.

Football:

No fights over batting or chaos or equipment, all football needs is one ball and voila! I have been a football player for the most part of my life and the sport has helped me become what I am today. Fast footwork, quick thinking, teamwork, and the list long goes on.

Why football?

The sport is a mixture of running, jumping and endurance. It lowers body fat and helps in toning muscles. Burst running for the game builds stamina and endurance. Moreover, football can play a huge role in mental fitness too. Apart from all the physical fitness it built my morale and helped in terms of mental fitness as well.

How to start football?

This is probably the easiest question to answer. Since football is the simplest sports of all, just grab a ball and start kicking it around. When I was young, I use to go out to the playground and ask people if I can join them to play football. The trick still works today as well. Just go out and find a group you want to be a part of and ask them if you can join them.