Play More to Lose More

The weather has been gorgeous lately in Cleveland, so I have been taking every opportunity to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. This means walks with friends after work around the neighborhood, long runs before making dinner, hitting the Cleveland Metroparks on the weekends, and taking my charges outside for walks to the park when I babysit.

Time outside also means I can get some extra vitamin D – skin can make this “sunshine vitamin” from sunlight. Since it is very difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone, sun exposure helps your body get the nutrition it needs to stay healthy.

When the weather is less than ideal, however, there are still plenty of ways to stay active. Many people have a gym membership to turn to when the weather turns sour, or keep fitness equipment or workout videos in their homes to help keep them active, regardless of weather.

However, in recent years, technology has opened up even more options to help us exercise comfortably year-round. For example, an old college friend came into town to visit last weekend, and brought along his XBOX 360 Kinect as well as a few games for us to try out. I was really impressed with the system. After sweating for a few hours playing Kinect Adventures and Just Dance 3 with friends, I definitely give these video games my seal of approval as a great way to stay active and have fun.

If you’re interested in trying out a motion video game, you have a lot of options that will get your heart rate up and keep you moving. And they aren’t just for kids! There are games for all interests, from Wii Fit and Wii Sports for the Nintendo Wii, Zumba Fitness and Kinect Sports for XBOX 360 Kinect, and Dance Dance Revolution for Playstation, XBOX, Nintendo Wii, and PC. Movement-based video games can be enjoyed alone, with a friend, or even with family – many are kid-friendly.

Times have definitely changed over the past several decades. Our day-to-day lifestyles are less active than ever, and our schedules so packed it can be difficult to fit in regular exercise without dipping into our leisure time. One of the best ways to navigate this challenge is to make exercising something we enjoy – sort of like wellness multi-tasking. By incorporating fun ways to stay active into our days, our leisure time isn’t cut short, but instead becomes an integral part of our healthful lifestyles. Motion-control video games can be a great option for people seeking to mix work and play in their homes.

Keeping physical activity enjoyable increases the likelihood of sticking with an active lifestyle, so make it work for you! Think about what you like - outdoor or indoor, with friends or by yourself, competitive or recreational? Personalize your exercise habits to suit your individual tastes; what works for one person may not be effective for another!

What video games or other indoor activities keep you moving and sweating? What about outdoor activities you have recently picked up again as it as winter winds down and spring begins? Please share in the comments section below!

Thanks for reading!

Anna