9 Fun and Creative Ways to Lose Weight
Make your weight loss plans sustainable by having fun while losing those extra pounds
Weight loss is one of the most common personal goals for people worldwide and yet most weight loss plans don’t come to fruition.
The reason is simple: people can’t follow through on the strict and boring schedules they make for meeting their unrealistic weight loss goals.
So, what’s the solution?
Setting realistic goals and finding fun ways to lose weight should help you stay fit and lose some extra pounds, without making it a herculean task. The best part is that if you’re having fun while losing weight, you’re more likely to be consistent and continue your regimen.
That’s why I have curated this list of fun activities that help you stay fit, lose weight, and have fun, all at the same time. So, check these out and choose the ones that you like the most.
1. Create a Daily Dancing Habit
Dancing, in my opinion, is the most fun form of exercise. It lifts your mood, gets you physically active, and helps you organically lose weight.
People on a strict diet may faint sometimes or the ones who do excessive workouts might face some health problems. But have you ever heard of anyone who got sick because they danced too much? No, right?
The reason is simple — dancing is beneficial both for the body and the mind. It’s not just exercise, it’s a feel-good activity.
Of course, anything in excess is bad, so limit your dance routine to one hour (max) a day. If you want to build a steady routine, I recommend stacking this habit with an existing one and designating a specific time and place for this.
For example, let’s say you finish your work at 5 PM (on most days) and like to come home, take a shower, and unwind. You can book half an hour before your shower for dancing.
Or if you prefer to do it in the morning, you can do the same thing, just sandwich this habit between two existing daily habits.
2. Learn Hoola Hooping
Hoola Hooping might not seem like the most physically intensive activity, but trust me it is. Some people claim that you can burn as much as 600 calories per hour with it.
Of course, it won’t last an hour, but even if you do it 15 minutes a day, it’s a great way to lose weight and meet your goals. And it’s loads of fun!
To start with, you can join an online course offered by a good trainer and take daily sessions to develop your skill. And yes, it requires skill and hard work but is not boring by any definition.
3. Plan Treks with Your Friends
Want to lose weight in a fun and exciting way?
Plan monthly trekking expeditions with friends or with a group of like-minded people using a travel agency. Go for treks in the mountains, where you’ll enjoy the scenic beauty so much that you’ll push yourself beyond your current limits.
Start with short treks that you can complete in half an hour. And if you can’t complete it on your first attempt, it’s ok. Come back again and go a little further each time.
The key is to not give up and also pick places that are scenic and make you feel good. It should feel like traveling and not exercising.
If you have a good trail in your region, go for a long hike or a spirit quest like Reese Witherspoon in Wild. You never know, you may end up having the epiphany of your life.
4. Play Fitness-Focused Games
Of all the fun weight loss activities on this list, this one’s my absolute favorite. I love playing mobile games and some of them (read Pokemon Go) encourage me to go out and explore.
No, this is not a promotion of Pokemon Go or any other game, just a fun suggestion that works for me and would work for you as well.
Find a game that requires you to walk or do any sort of physical activity. Games are addictive and when you do physical exercise while playing a game, you’ll barely notice it.
You don’t need an advanced video game setup that uses sensors to detect movements. You don’t even need a video game console altogether.
Here’s a quick list of games that can help you get fit while having fun:
Go ahead and have childlike fun, while losing weight and staying fit. Please note that these games are good for meeting your daily 10,000 steps or other fitness goals, but not for major weight loss.
5. Go Swimming a Few Times a Week
Swimming is by far, one of the best ways to lose weight. You may have heard of the term “swimmer’s body”. It points to the fact that people who swim regularly tend to be in great shape.
So, start swimming lessons, if you don’t know how to swim. And if you do, just take a membership at your nearest pool and go as often as you can.
The only downside?
You will get tanned. So, if you care about that, protect yourself with high-SPF sunscreen and you’re good to go. Have fun swimming your way to weight loss.
6. Learn Martial Arts
This is one of those fun ways of losing weight that have double the benefits. You get some physical exercise and you learn self-defense.
I think everyone should know some form of self-defense. It’s not just for women, but everyone.
You can choose the form of martial arts that you find interesting and for which you can find classes online or offline. Enroll in a paid course as that would ensure that you attend the sessions and do it regularly.
And, if you go for offline classes, you’ll meet people, make friends, and feel a sense of community, which many people miss in COVID times.
7. Start Cycling or Skating
Cycling and skating are two fun activities that are physically intensive and are great for losing weight.
If you’re thinking you’re too old to take up these activities, think again.
It’s fun to learn something new and as you get better at it, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and get motivated to continue.
If you do something just to lose weight, you’ll lose motivation sooner or later. But if you do something to gain a new skill and have fun, then you’ll be more motivated to keep doing it. Weight loss will just be an added benefit, not the sole purpose.
This stands true for almost all the activities on this list that require certain skills that can be developed over time.
8. Start Playing a Sport of Your Choice
Sports are great for staying physically fit and are fun group activities that also provide you quality time with family or friends. Pick a sport that you like to play and can easily be played in your vicinity like badminton or basketball.
Don’t start the process by thinking about what sport you like most, but start with listing options that are easily doable every single day.
Maybe your neighborhood has a basketball court where you can go and play daily or you have a squash court in your building. Whatever sports are easily accessible, pick those to form your daily playing habit. If not daily, try to do it a few times a week.
You can ask your friends or family members to join you or go out and play with other people and make some new friends. There’s no downside to this.
9. Go for a Morning Walk Daily
This is more like a daily habit than a weight loss activity, but it does help you stay fit. The best part is that it does a lot more.
Going for a morning walk helps improve your mood and activates your brain to be more productive throughout the day.
It makes you more energetic and productive, which means you can do all the other activities with more zest and get more done in a day.
Ready to Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Go ahead and try these fun weight loss activities that will help you lose those extra pounds while also uplifting your mood. It’s a win-win.
Do not try to take everything on at once, but pick 2–3 of these activities that you find interesting.
Which of these are you going to try first? Comment below.
Also, check out the articles from these Medium writers I admire — Lipika Sahu, Annie Hickox, and Nicole Dake.
