31 Ways to Get Moving in May

It’s May! We’re officially in the 5th month of 2013 and this is the time where people notoriously fall off the wagon. It’s usually not intentional, but by May, the excitement and freshness of the New Year seems to wane, being replaced with a “good enough” mentality that keeps you from meeting your goals. Until, that is, you wake up one summer morning and realize that it's beach season. Panic ensues and fitness finds its way back into your life. Unfortunately, the progress you made at the start of the year has been erased with just a couple of months of complacency, making it that much harder to get those goals back in gear.

Let’s look at some ways to set up a plan for the new month. Below you’ll find 31 different ways to get moving. Feel free to rearrange the order, repeat the exercises that interest you and remove the ones that don’t. Grab a calendar and enter a workout for each day. Do it right now. Paper calendar, iPhone calendar, notepad- anything will do. Have a plan ready to go so that there are no excuses!

1. Go for a walk. Download a walking app and do at least a mile or two. (Don’t have a smart phone? Get in your car and reset the speedometer! Map out your own mileage!)
2. Play a round of basketball. (Just shooting hoops with all that ball chasing will make you feel the burn!)
3. Dance. Throw on some tunes and get moving.
4. Play on a playground. Incorporate pushups, step-ups, sit-ups and more- all on the jungle gym!
5. Take a free class at a local gym. (Call and see what they offer)
6. Go for a hike. Find a local trail, grab some water and a snack and be one with nature. (Check out Geocaching.com while you’re at it!).
7. Get in an arm workout while watching TV. (No weights? Canned goods or water bottles will do!).
8. Clean up the yard. (Not always fun, but a great calorie burn!)
9. Plant a backyard garden. (Now that sounds like fun yard “work”).
10. Play catch or batting practice. (Henry and Ola park or American Legion fields are great places to start!)
    
11. Go bowling. (Not free, but most alleys offer weekend morning specials or Groupons).
12. Do yoga. Go online for free yoga videos or check out Yoga in the park in downtown Tampa!)
13. Toss a football with friends.
14. Fly a kite. (Run with it to pick up that wind!)
15. Go for a swim. (Most public pools are around $2-$5/day, or hit the beach!).
16. Hula Hoop. Hit the dollar store and grab one for a steal! Feel the twirl-burn.
17. Play tag or hide and go seek. (Yes, adults can still do this!).
18. Take your dog for a walk. (Cardio AND strength training if you have a big dog!)
19. Jump rope! While you’re at the dollar tree getting that hula hoop, pick up a jump rope!
20. Hit the stairs (or a step stool!) and get that heart rate going with some step workouts. (Check out buildings, parking garages or bleachers too!)
21. Do a workout video. Check out Youtube for free ones.
22. Teach yourself how to belly dance. (Again, Youtube!)
23. Have a bike? Go for a ride! No bike? Skates? Scooter? Skateboard? Rollerblades?
24. Take a free intro self-defense class.
25. Get speedy. Most high school tracks are open to the public. Get some friends together, a stop watch and do some drills! (It’ll take you back to 10^th grade P.E.!)
26. Play tennis. Grab some rackets and a friend and play a round!
27. Plan a scavenger hunt. Grab some friends and run around town finding clues!
28. Play a round of soccer. Kicking, running, chasing the ball- calorie burning heaven!
29. Build a sand castle. It’ll give your arms a great workout.
30. Shop and walk. Head to a farmer’s market, the mall, a swap meet or neighborhood yard sale. Throw your sneakers on and browse/window shop. (Make sure to park far away from the entrance!)
31. Bring on the games! (dust off that Twister!)

 Do you have any ideas on how to get moving this May? Do share!

Stephanie Garcia

www.orangespoken.com

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or fitness professional. I am simply sharing some ideas on what I think could be fun ways to get moving. Please consult your doctor before starting any fitness program to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise. All opinions are my own.