Exercise Tips for "I Hate to Exercise" People, Including Photography and Geocaching

We all seem to have all the time in the world for things we enjoy doing. But for those of us who "hate to exercise," it doesn't take much to convince ourselves that we just don't have the time for exercise. But we all know … deep down inside … that we NEED to exercise!!

Here's an idea that might help some of you find that missing motivation necessary to convince yourself to participate in regular exercise. Have you ever considered combining your hobby with your exercise regimen? Not all hobbies, of course, will lend themselves to this idea, but if you are creative, or maybe open to the idea of trying a NEW hobby … you may also find yourself on the road to better health through exercise.

What about some of these ideas?

Photography. Scout out some great parks, nature preserves, open spaces, etc. in your community. If you are into photographing children or animals, then look into walks around the zoo or nearest duck pond. Or, if you are into a more urban type of photography, maybe map out a walking route around the downtown or historic areas of your city. You can get some great ideas for taking photos in the city by reading Rachel Pickett's article, Tips for Taking Better Street Photographs. Take the digital camera along as you run, jog, bicycle or walk through these areas. Once you are home again, take the time to review and edit, and maybe select a few really good shots that came out of each day's work. Before you know it, you will have developed a great portfolio, as well as a new habit of exercising! If you are new to photography, check out Greg McComish's article, Beginner's Photography Tips.

Graphic Arts. Whether you draw or paint or sculpt, design furniture or jewelry, arrange flowers or decorate cakes, you can find some fantastic new ideas for your designs from nature and architecture. Take a sketch pad or a camera along - then follow through and integrate one of your newly found designs into your hobby of choice.

Reading. Now maybe you don't want to try to read a book while you run or bicycle, but you can listen to books on tape (ok, I'm showing my age - most of us probably listen to books on DISC these days!) Buy a good non-skip CD player, rent a "page-turner" from the library or your nearest audio book store, and take off!! Even circling an indoor track or walking on a treadmill becomes less of a drag when you're listening to an exciting story.

Geocaching. My newest and my favorite hobby, and the one I'm now using to get my exercise. You can learn the basics about this "worldwide scavenger hunt" by reading the Mike Spitalieri article Geocaching - Adventurer's Guide to GPS Navigation. Get your GPS unit, join one of the online geocaching sites, and you can easily map out a series of "finds" that will allow you to get in as little or as much exercise as you desire while traveling from cache to cache. And, on the off-chance that you discover that your area does not contain a lot of caches, well then, it's up to you to make up some caches to hide, and that, too, will give you lots of opportunities for exercise!

It just takes a little thought and ingenuity to discover what combination of hobby and exercise might be just the one to set you on the path to better health. Get going - today!!