Effortless exercise

You may be thinking this title is something of a misnomer; that there’s no such thing as effortless exercise and that electrical toning machines etc., don’t work. And you’d be exactly right.

BUT… it is possible to get fit and enjoy all the health and beauty benefits it brings in a way that is much more about pleasure than hard work.

Most people make a fundamental mistake in planning an exercise regimen. That’s because they approach it as a “task”. Just the very word “exercise” intimates work; something you have to try to do. This is a mistake. Deciding that from this day forth, “thou shalt exercise” in whatever you think will have the biggest body-changing effect is a guaranteed route to failure.

exercise

By far the better way to go about things is to decide what physical activity you really love doing and to pursue that as a hobby. If you’re the type of woman to whom exercise is something of anathema, then you may have to try out lots of different sports and pastimes first.

In my own case, I love hill-walking and climbing. This is what I do every spare minute and the health and body-shaping benefits have been enormous. I don’t have to think to myself, “I must go walking”. Instead, it feels like an indulgence; it’s something I can’t wait to do.

I even love the whole kit and caboodle that goes with it; my cool Scarpa boots for walking, my climbing shoes, crampons, base-layers, chalk bags, helmet – the whole works.

But this is what I love. What you love may be something entirely different; cycling, swimming, running, aerobics, tennis, squash, badminton or whatever else; just try and find something you would rather do than not do if you had a completely free day – and you’ve found the key to saying fit as long as your body is able to. Happy hunting.