Elsie UdohWant to get fit? It’s pretty easy to say yes, but when it comes to doing the actual work, many of us run from it.
But what if we told you that you do not have to hit the gym nor experience the throbbing body aches that come with it and still get fit? In fact, you can sit at home living your life the best way you know how to without having to bother about what you eat and be as fit as a ‘gymer’.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThis is possible even while doing all the things you love—from TikTok dance challenges to playing games—when it comes to fitness, it’s all around you if you know where to look.
Stay with us to the end of this post to see 30 fun ways that you can get fit even without realising it and not having to break a gym sweat.
Dance Like Nobody’s Watching
Whether you’re doing chores or just home alone and bored, play your favourite tunes on Spotify and have a solo dance-off anywhere in your house.
This is an effective way to burn calories without feeling like you’re working out.
Try Gardening
Whether or not you have an idea of growing a crop, you can get involved in gardening by watching YouTube videos to help you get started growing your first crop in your home.
Gardening is surprisingly an intense activity for your muscles and helps with mental relaxation, which is essential to achieving fitness. Plus, you get to grow your own food. That’s a win-win if you ask us.
Play Board Games
Playing board games is a great hobby. Before you wonder how, think about this: What is the most essential thing to having a fit body? A healthy mind, of course, and playing board games gives you just that.
Playing board games is a great way to give your brain a ‘workout’ that will help ease your mind and allow it to be receptive to your hidden fitness routine.
Learn New Dance Moves
You can create a TikTok account or browse YouTube for the latest dance challenges and try to learn them and upload them on your social media page.
This way you’re growing your social media page, having fun, and staying fit.
Engage in Social Activities
Social activities are also excellent fun ways to get fit without realising it. If you’re struggling to think of any, here are some recommendations:
- Have a picnic with friends in the park. Now, we are very particular about the location because it is very important to have enough space for physical activities. See some outdoor game ideas that you could try out here that are great for fitness.
- Organise a Karaoke dance-off with friends and family.
Play With Your Pets
Playing fetch or even chasing your dog around the house is not only fun but is also a great way to workout. So set aside time for your playtime with your pet each week and be creative while at it.
Here is another suggestion to do with your pet:
- Make it a habit to take it out for an evening stroll or an early morning walk, depending on your schedule. Alternatively, you can take it, or any other pet you have, for regular visits to the vet. If the clinic is nearby, then you can consider taking a walk to the location.
Turn the Stairs Everywhere
If you’re out and in a building with elevators, try to bypass them completely and take the stairs instead.
This is a great fitness workout for your calves, glutes, and cardio.
Turn Daily Errands into Mini Workouts
There’s always one form of errand or the other to do every day, and these could also be great fitness exercises. You can also be more intentional in carrying out errands now so that they actually serve the purpose you want them to. Here’s how you can do that:
- If you have to shop for groceries and would usually drive, take a cab, or use an escalator at the mall, then some changes need to be made. Try walking to the grocery store instead (if you can) and using the stairs.
- While at the grocery store, if you’d be buying only a few items, then consider carrying them without a trolley. This will help you build strength and balance without engaging in physical exercise.
Make Travelling Active
Essentially, the goal of this article is to help you see how you can convert every one of your daily activities into fitness routines, and this includes travelling as well.
Travelling will usually involve sitting for long hours, which can be exhausting and definitely not much of a fitness activity, but here’s how you can convert it to one:
- If you’re travelling in a private ride, then take a few stops to sightsee and stretch your legs a little. Take short walks to see the environment. Remember to not go too far to avoid getting lost while on your fitness journey.
- When you get to your destination, resist the urge to stay in all day. Have a good rest on your first night, as fatigue is an enemy to your fitness journey. When you’re well rested, go out on tours, visit recreational centres around the area, and engage in fun physical activities.
Do Playful Exercises at Home
We know that we said that you would be getting fit without realising it and exercising is definitely an activity to engage in consciously, but then notice that we are all about ‘playful exercises.’ Here are some examples of what we have in mind:
- Skip at your leisure. You can have friends come around and do skipping challenges while listening to lively music. Skipping is a great way to work on your arms, legs and even your core.
- Set timers and speed-clean while moving to the beat of your favourite playlist. This helps you get your chores done on time and also keeps you fit.
Engage In Group Events that Involve Movement
A typical way to do this is by volunteering for community charities or engaging in events like the ‘Lagos City Marathon.’
Play Active Video Games
Make it a date to visit the mall every weekend and play video games such as virtual reality (VR).
Select games like swordfights or any other game that makes you move. This turns your outing into a workout session for that period.
Cook and Clean
If you love to cook, then this should be easy. Cooking is a great low-impact exercise that is highly effective.
To get more exercise into your cooking routine, chop vegetables yourself rather than getting them done at the market, and after cooking, thoroughly clean the kitchen.
You might wind up exhausted after this, so ensure to get a proper rest afterwards; it’s an integral part of being fit.
Go for a Walk and Call a Friend
This is very much a fitness routine as much as it is therapeutic.
If there’s a family member or friend whom you haven’t heard from for a while, then place a call through and catch up with them.
Step out of the house and take a walk until the call ends or until you get tired, if it’s a really long walk. Taking a walk while chatting will help to get your heart pumping and work out your legs.
Go For a Swim
If you love swimming, then take some time off to visit the nearest pool or beach for a swim either alone or with loved ones. Swimming builds muscle and endurance while being easy on the joints.
And if you can’t swim, you could also opt to enrol for a swimming class if it’s something that you are interested in.
Take the Long Route
If you’re out on a stroll or errands, then ditch shortcuts and take the long route.
If you had to make a vehicle trip along the line, you could consider stopping halfway and then continuing the rest of the journey home on foot.
Every long walk and extra step that you take will add up to helping you achieve your fitness goal.
Ride Your Bike
Cycling is a great cardio workout that doesn’t feel like exercise. Plus, it’s also a cost-effective way to get by in the tight economy.
You can take short rides around your area or even consider riding to work.
Stretch During TV Shows
Movie time, especially with loved ones, is a fun time, but then the activity has you sitting for long hours without doing any movements.
So during your favourite show, get up at intervals to have a full-body stretch to loosen up your muscles and feel more active.
Active Chores
If you usually used to ditch chores, then you need to start falling in love with them to stay fit.
Here are examples of some chores that help to walk your arms, back, and legs:
- Washing windows
- Sweeping the house
- Taking out the trash
Make it a habit to do housework a little more energetically for a great full-body workout.
Play Football on Weekends
Set aside time every weekend to play football with friends or with others in your neighbourhood.
You do not even need to get to know them personally, and that’s one of the great things about football—it binds people.
So simply indicate your interest and join in the match.
Do Chair Workouts at Your Desk
If you spend long hours working either at home or in an office, then you might miss out on engaging in physical exercises since you’ll be stuck to a chair for the most part of the day.
However, all hope is not lost. You can still take stretches while at your desk or raising your legs. Every small move you make throughout the day will add up to help you get fit without realising it.
Take Family Trips on Foot
Well, maybe not a trip per se, but then have short walks with your family at intervals.
These walks are a great time to bond, catch up from a stressful week, and, of course, stay fit by burning some calories.
Join a Group Fitness Class
This doesn’t have to be a gym; you can try yoga as a substitute. Plus, you do not necessarily need to join a physical class.
You can look up some yoga routines to do from the comfort of your home and spend 15-30 minutes doing them.
Yoga is a great way to relax your mind and helps you to stay fit as well.
Play Hide and Seek With Kids
The activities during the week sometimes can make it difficult to have enough time to spend with the kids.
So over the weekend, you can play games such as hide and seek with them to enjoy your moment together.
Whether you are the hider or the seeker, hide and seek is a great cardio workout, as the running around gets your heart rate up without you even realising it.
Hula Hoop
Hula hooping is a great workout for your abs, hips, and legs. Plus, it’s super fun and reminds you of childhood.
Play a Musical Instrument
This is another great way to help you burn some calories, whether you’re playing the violin or drums.
You can enrol in a physical school or online to learn how to play musical instruments, and if you get good enough, then you could even make some cool cash off it.
Have an Impromptu Picnic
This involves sitting alone at home or having some friends over to eat together but on the floor.
You can do this in your living room or outside the house. Simply grab some blankets and enjoy your picnic.
Adjust your posture and sitting style frequently to ensure regular movements.
Fidget More
If you’ve been trying to break free from fidgeting, then this is your cue not to instead fidget more.
All of the movements you make when you tap your toes, move your legs, or stand up and sit down back are essential for your body’s fitness.
Sit in a Squat
Sometimes just get off the chair and sit in a squat on the floor.
You can do this when reading a book, journaling or working from home
Park Far From the Entrance
If you visit the mall or any place where you drove, park somewhere that is far from the entrance and walk the rest of the way. Every one of these steps counts in helping you burn more calories than you consume every day.
Key Takeaways on Fun Ways to Get Fit Without Realising It
Fitness is not only achieved in the gym but even from the comfort of your home, at the office or mall. You can take small steps to becoming fit even without realising it.
However keep in mind that the results from getting fit this way will take a little longer than they would have if you enrolled in a gym, so you will need to be patient and intentional about taking long walks when you can, stretching when you’ve been in a spot for a while, and playing games that keep both your mind and body healthy.
Regardless, the ultimate result is that you will end up fit, so pick an activity, make it fun, and watch your fitness improve without you even noticing!
Elsie Udoh is an SEO content writer who specialises in writing engaging stories that resonates with diverse audiences. She studied mass communication at the Lagos State University.
