4 Feel-Good Exercises That’ll Leave You Feeling Fierce
It took us a long (long, oh-so-long) time to figure out that exercise was more for our mental health than anything else.
Confidence comes from being happy, and exercise can play a huge role in that. Another thing we learned is you have to like exercise to make it a part of your regular routine. Who wants to force themselves to do something that makes them feel terrible? We don't!
We're no athletes either, so it took us a while to figure out what worked for us. You definitely won't catch us jogging through a park at 6 a.m. in a Lululemon set with a perfectly tousled ponytail like the lead in a rom-com. If that sounds like you, here are a few ideas for feel-good exercises that'll make you feel fierce.
1. Walking
Our favorite exercises are the ones that don't make you sweat. We prefer ones that make you glisten. Case in point: walking. Put on your favorite good vibes playlist or podcast and walk it out. For a more Pavlovian approach (who doesn't love a reward?), walk to your favorite coffee shop and treat yourself to a cold brew. We try to do 10,000 steps at least three days a week, and walking has started to feel like more of an active meditation than a workout. We get some of our best ideas zoning out while we strut our stuff.
2. Pilates with a Pal
If there's one thing sure to get us to do something, it's the promise of quality time with a friend. What better excuse to work out than to giggle through pilates with a buddy? You can keep an eye on each other's form, laugh through mess-ups and keep the mood light and fun rather than intense and competitive. P.S.—for all your babes on a budget, there are tons of awesome pilates workouts available on YouTube.
(via Shutterstock)
3. Learn Your Favorite Pop Star's Choreography
As huge Lady Gaga fans, we've searched YouTube many times, discovered generous souls who have the talent and the time to film choreography tutorials, and learned them. Did we look as cool as Mother Monster herself performing "Stupid Love" after practicing for hours on end? No. But we got our heart rates up, got out of our heads and into our bodies and had a blast.
4. Do Bodyweight Exercises to Your Favorite Show
According to Mayo Clinic, bodyweight exercises can be just as effective as free weights or machines, which is all the more reason to put on your favorite show, move that coffee table aside and go for it. Going to the gym can be boring, but bingeing old episodes of Real Housewives or The Office is certainly not. We love to pick a show that makes us feel good, outline which bodyweight exercises we'd like to do, create a circuit, and do it for the duration of 30 minutes or so. The best part? Once you're done, you can flop right onto the couch and relax.
(via Shutterstock)
Looking for cute activewear for your workouts? Check out THIS article all about the female-founded activewear brand, Onzie.