I have a LOVELY guest post for you today from Heather Smith!
5 Things You Can Learn About Exercise from Little Kids
It may seem counter-productive, turning to little kids for exercise guidance, but in reality we can learn quite a bit from them. As adults we spend so much time researching new exercise regimes, following different diet plans, and logging diligent hours at the gym, that we often forget that there is a lot of joy that can be gained from working out, and not all of it comes from lifting weights and plugging away on elliptical. For instance, little kids can teach us that…
1. You can go much longer than you think you can
Little kids can run around all day long without a second thought, taking shorts breaks when they need to and then bouncing back up and going at it all over again. As adults we are bombarded with negative thoughts telling us we can’t go any harder or any longer, andit’s usually these thoughts, not our actual physical limitations, which make us stop a work out.
2. If it’s not fun find something that is
How many times have you endured doing a work out because you feel like you have to, even though you’ve hated every minute of it? Kids, on the other hand, don’t put up with doing activities they don’t like. Instead they move on until they find something they do think is enjoyable – which is something we could all learn from. Working out should be something you look forward to, and if the routine you’re doing now isn’t fun there’s probably a workout out there that is. You just have to keep trying new things until you find it!
3. You don’t need a gym for a good workout session
Whether it’s climbing trees, running around outside, or roller-blading around the neighborhood kids are constantly breaking a sweat and working their muscles. Ditch the indoor weights and cardio machines for a day and get back to the basics outside. Go for a run, take a bike ride, or hike through nature trails. A lot of exercise friendly trails will have spots you can stop along the way to get in push-ups, pull-ups, and other bodyweight-focused strength exercises. Getting out in actual sunlight will beat fluorescent gym lights any day.
4. Quit when you’re tired
When little kids are done, they’re done. There’s no questioning it, no trying to push past the point of exhaustion, they just stop and call it a day. Just like how often we sell ourselves short of what we’re capable of, as adults we also tend to run ourselves ragged at times with an “all or nothing” attitude. Doing this will only result in injury and burn out, so stop when you’re tired and just pick it up again the next day.
5. Change things up constantly
Every day brings a new adventure for kids, and it should for us too. They are always trying new sports or inventing new games, and that’s something that we can learn from. We should always be striving to try new things and reach new goals. There’s nothing we can’t accomplish if only we try. The great thing about working out is there are endless ways to break a sweat; you just have to keep experimenting until you find what works for you.
As much as we may educate ourselves on the latest fitness trends to try and exercise moves to do, sometimes we need to get back to the basics. Be a little kid for a day and make working out something that’s fun again, it’ll make all the difference.
Author Bio
Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to nanny service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.
