Getting the year off to a fit and healthy start isn’t a new idea, but here at Soreen we thought we’d think a little wider by telling you about some fun, inexpensive items and gadgets that will certainly get you moving, but without depending on traditional exercise.
So instead of joining a gym or heading out for an early morning run, try kick-starting your year with a few of these suggestions –
Hooray for the Hula Hoop
Treat yourself to a Hoola-Hoop and get in the swing with this simple but effective way to slim down and blast that belly flat. And if you enjoy twirling yourself fitter, pick up some smaller hoops for the kids and get them to join you, or go for a weighted hoop which can help you burn even more calories.
Spring into action
You can pick up a mini trampoline for less than £30 and bounce yourself fitter with a daily session in the garage, garden, or even the lounge. Alternatively look for trampoline classes in the local paper. It’s good for your balance, ideal for your leg muscles and just a great little way of getting your body moving.
Alarm clocks that do more than wake you
Instead of an ordinary alarm that lets you hit the snooze button, try switching to one of these – The Wake Up & Work Out (or WIN one here), a dumbbell shaped alarm clock that makes you do 30 lifts before you can turn it off OR The Tocky Runaway Alarm Clock that jumps off your bedside table and rolls around your bedroom floor OR The Flying Alarm Clock that shoots up into the air so you have to leap up out of bed to catch it. All guaranteed to start your day with a bit of early bird effort.
Walk this way
Take a big step towards a more active you by buying a pedometer to count the number of daily paces you take, whether it’s up and down the stairs or on the way to the shops. Then set yourself a challenge to increase your personal best by walking more and more steps every day. You can get child-themed pedometers too, so the kids can join in the fun.
Jump for Joy
Like the Hula Hoop, investing in a simple skipping rope is a great piece of solo exercise equipment that can get all parts of your body moving. Just clear a space in the home or garden and give yourself some musical accompaniment via the radio or ipod earphones, then go for it!!
Other ways to get active – by yourself or as a family – include Frisbee tossing, boomerang throwing, a garden swingball, or kite flying. All relatively inexpensive stuff that will provide hours of energy-expending fun. To be honest, it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something that gets you moving and feeling loads better for it.
