We often talk about un-processed vs. processed foods.
But what about un-processed vs. processed fitness?
When it comes to exercise, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there.
Most of it focuses on the minute nitty-gritty details that are so far from the source of fitness and wellbeing: Basic everyday movement.
The details ARE important… But NOT more than simply being active in some way every single day.
People have gotten into incredible shape with a variety of different methods.
Weightlifting… Running… CrossFit… Martial Arts… Soccer… Swimming… Surfing… Dancing… Yoga…
What they have in common is that they are active frequently and consistently.
If you were to watch some of the most active and fit people in the world you would see that what they do for exercise often changes based on what they like or don’t like, what’s popular and trendy, the season and weather, and whatever fits in with their lifestyle and goals.
The things that stay the same however is that they are always active in some way and it’s part of their daily life.
8 Tips to help you un-process your fitness:
1) Start as soon as possible.
Do what you can with what you have. Just get moving, as often as you can, in any way you can.
- Ask yourself: What can I do right now with what I have? (Your body, your furniture, the outdoors, etc)
2) Move as often.
Look for “Opportunities For Movement” (OFM) in everyday life such as taking the stairs, parking further from the shops, putting in some extra energy into the housework, or busting out a quick dance when no one is watching.
- Ask yourself: How can I move more often throughout the day? (Regular breaks, schedule it into your diary, park far away and walk, take the stairs, walking meetings or dates, etc)
3) Something is always better than nothing.
Focus more on an “always something” approach rather than an “all or nothing” approach. Even 10 minutes of pushups and squats or a brisk walk is better than skipping your workout entirely because you don’t have a full 60 minutes or the energy to go through a whole workout.
- Ask yourself: What can I do today that is at least SOMETHING?
4) Focus on moving well.
Learn about how to exercise properly. If you want to make exercise a life-long habit then you need to master good technique before you make things harder and get injured. Get help from a trainer and/or read up on what you’re doing.
- Ask yourself: How can I learn better technique? (Youtube, friends, personal trainers, ask in Sleekgeek, etc)
5) Use the equipment you have available to you.
Just like how you don’t need a Ferrari to get around town, you don’t need the perfect gym setup or equipment to get a good workout in. Improvise. If you have two working legs and some ground, you can walk. If you have a heavy thing, you have a weight you can lift (even just your body counts).
- Ask yourself: How can I get creative with what’s around me? (Tables, chairs, buckets of water, bags of sand, bags of books, a small adjustable dumbbell, etc)
6) Make your exercise fit YOU.
Do activities that you enjoy. Choose a form of exercise that you will do often and regularly, something that you will look forward to and is right for your level of fitness. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing or what magazines tell you is trendy. In fact, some of the best bodies around belong to guys who “play” and/or do manual labour for a living — the term “farm boy strong” exists for a reason.
- Ask yourself: What do I enjoy, or what could I see myself eventually enjoying? (Gym, outdoors, walking, running, martial arts, sports, dancing, swimming, etc)
7) Keep it fun.
Whether you love bowling, ballroom dancing, dodgeball, or competitive cup stacking… just get moving. This is your time to do something good for your body.
- Ask yourself: How can I keep it fun? (Try new things, get friends or family involved, etc)
8) Mix it up.
Exercise doesn’t need to be limited to only running, or only weight lifting, or only hiking. I personally weight lift 4 times a week with regular hikes, runs, and games of squash in between.
- Ask yourself: How can I mix it up? (Stuff you enjoy with stuff you maybe don’t enjoy quite so much or aren’t good at yet, try with new things, change with the seasons, etc).
Anything else?
If you have any other tips that you’ve found to work well for you, I’d love to hear them!
