If you want to get lean to wow the masses this summer then here are a few ways to shed the pounds and get fit for our favourite price: absolutely nothing at all.
Jogging
OK, so it might sound like the worst thing in the world, but if you absolutely had to jog, then wouldn’t you almost enjoy doing it on a nice day in a pretty location with your headphones in, knowing you’ll be off to a BBQ or night on the town that evening? That doesn’t sound too bad at all now, does it? And with new phone apps like ‘Couch25k’ or my personal favourite ‘Learn to Run’, you’re learning to run a long distance in easy manageable steps; and believe it or not, jogging actually becomes quite addictive! Reward yourself with a night out after a little jog in the morning, and try and beat your personal score. If you’re a good runner there is a cool app called ‘Zombies, Run!’ which simulates that you’re running away from zombies and gaining points as you jog. So as well as being one of the best means of shedding weight, jogging can actually be fun… why not give it a go?
Walking
Another one you may laugh at, but if you start walking everywhere you’ll see a remarkable difference. Gather all your mates and walk somewhere, have lunch and a chill out and then walk back home. If you’re walking on your own, pick up the pace and time yourself. Gradually try and improve your time. If the weather’s nice, pop your headphones in and have a long, slow walk by yourself and you’ll be amazed at how much you enjoy it and, miraculously how far you can walk!
Football
Primarily one for the lads, but ladies you’ll be surprised how much fun you can have too. Grab a football, head down to your local park and just have a kick about. No pressure, it’s quite fun and it’ll remind you of your school days! Take some fruity ciders down and make a full day of it! You’ll be amazed at what a good time you can have and just think of all those calories burnt (although you’ll probably put it all back on again with the cider!).
Cycling
In the same category as walking and jogging, cycling is deemed pretty uncool. However, it is actually one of the best means of exercise and it gets your whole body going. Besides, you can always get a really cute bike with a basket on and look super cool! Ditch the bus or the train, hop on a bike and cycle there. Headphones in, again, and you might even enjoy yourself. It’s also a great activity to do with your friends! Remember: no pain no gain.
Water Fights
This is the fun part. Organise a huge water fight with all your friends. Water pistols, water bombs and buckets…wear your comfy clothes, pop down to a big field or park and just have fun. People may think this is childish, and it probably is, but I can absolutely guarantee you’ll have the best day and you’ll be majorly out of breath which means your body is working! Take a picnic and a few cheeky boozy drinks and make a real day of it! Make a Facebook event and watch all the people click attend – you’ll soon realise this is a damn good idea!
So get out and get active people! Small steps make a big difference.