5 Ways to Work Out in Vancouver if you Hate Working Out

Image courtesy of Damon West | Inside Vancouver Flickr Pool

Now that we’re a few weeks past New Year’s it’s time to reflect on your resolutions. Still going strong? We’re you planning on setting up a new work out regimen that went really well the first week but has since fallen off the wayside?

Life is tough for those of us who want to work out, but really hate actually doing it. The crowds! The confusing equipment! The tight clothes! Ugh. Sitting and watching Netflix definitely sounds a bit more appealing.

But, if you want to actually stick to a resolution to stay in shape or get in shape, but you really don’t want to wait in line for the next treadmill at the gym, check out a few of the ideas below to trick you into having fun during a work out. Imagine that!

Snowshoe Grind Grouse Mountain Vancouver

Image courtesy of Grouse Mountain

Go Snowshoeing

Bending down to strap on a pair of snowshoes is almost enough exercise as it is, now add a nice little walk to that, and you’re golden! It’s easy to see why snowshoeing is fast becoming one of the most popular outdoor winter activities in Vancouver.

You can rent a pair of snowshoes on Grouse Mountain for $20 and take a stroll through the winter wonderland. If you want a really good workout, try the snowshoe grind. Otherwise, just meander around the trails until you get too tired. Bonus points if you don’t succumb to their delicious half pound of fries!

The scenery is so beautiful that you’ll have a hard time remembering that you’re actually getting a good workout in!

Image courtesy of Kenneth Lu | Flickr.com

Watch a really funny movie

Did you notice that after laughing really hard your abs start to hurt? There’s scientific meaning behind that! According to various sources, 15 minutes of laughter can burn around 10-40 calories. Laughing exercises the diaphragm while also contracting your abdominal muscles and even your shoulders. The result is not only a mini workout crunch (according to laughteryoga.com), but also a release of tension throughout the body to keep your muscles loose and limber for the long haul.

However, you’d have to laugh for 12 hours straight if you wanted to lose one pound of weight, so it’s a good idea to include eating healthier and maybe a nice walk around the block rather than just relying on laughter to get in shape.

Image courtesy of Robson Street | Facebook.com

Go Shopping on Robson Street

Shopping can be extremely tiring! Try and speed walk between stores around Granville Street, Pacific Centre, and Robson Street (the whole way to Denman!) to get a huge workout.

You can burn around 75 calories per hour while walking/shopping, so that gives you another good reason to extend your next shopping adventure. Trying on clothes every now and again is also a good way to burn more calories. As the old saying goes: if your wallet is lighter, you’ll also feel lighter! I may have made that up…

Stanley Park Seawall; Ted McGrath|Flickr

Walk or Bike around Stanley Park

Riding your bike never feels like a work out, but it actually is a great one! Getting out into nature is a much better experience than sitting on a stationary bike with electronic music blasting in your ear (in my humble opinion). So grab your bike (or borrow a friend’s/rent one) and take a turn around Stanley Park.

The path is nice and flat so you won’t get too sweaty with this work out, unless you want to. If you want to really push it, why not ride over the Lions Gate Bridge? It’s not as easy as you’d think!

Image courtesy of Extreme Air Park

Try a Unique, New Activity

There are plenty of other people out there who also hate working out. So, join your like-minded peers and check out some of the unique fitness activities in Vancouver.

Some ideas include: