Getting Fit #7: Alternative Workouts

This is the seventh segment of my Getting Fit series. This series features my friend Crystal, a rockstar figure skater and fellow oatmeal lover. You can her blog, Confessions of Crystal, and check out her Instagram,@crystalchilcott.

TOA: Happy Saturday, everyone! I have spent all week moving into my beauuuutiful new apartment that I love so much. Considering all the hauling, pushing, pulling, packing, unpacking, and building IKEA furniture (ugh) I've been doing, I took a pass on running this week. I was sweating enough as it was!

I always enjoy when I accumulate exercise without having to "exercise." I think that's how it should be: our lives should be so naturally active that we don't have to do absurd things like run in place on a treadmill.

This week, I asked Crystal to share with us her favorite ways to stay fit without having to run or lift weights!

Crystal: I honestly hate running. I like what it does for my body and I like how I feel afterwards, but the actual act of running is so monotonous. Most of the time, I actually like going to the gym, but this too can get repetitive. Being an active, physically fit person doesn’t mean monotony! There are plenty of ways to work out without actually going to the gym to “work out” or run.

Top Ten Favorite Alternative Workouts

10) Zumba Anytime I’m feeling bored with my interval sprints, I change it up by taking a Zumba class. Dancing to Latin and salsa music reminds me of my trips to Spain, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. The class always goes by quickly and is so much fun that I forget it’s a workout!

9) Jumping on the Trampoline When my sister and I were little, we saved up our money to purchase a trampoline. I have fond childhood memories of jumping on the trampoline for entire afternoons. In Colorado Springs, there a place called Trampoline World where they offer open gyms to use the trampoline. It’s definitely a fun way to release my inner child while working out!

8) Horseback riding My sister is a competitive equestrian and has five horses. While riding is a strengthening workout in itself, when you add in hauling water and feed to the barn and mucking out stalls, horses create quite a work out!

7) Swimming When I go swimming, I usually just stand or bob about in the water. But if I’m in the mood for an actual workout, swimming provides great resistance-free cardio. It works every muscle group!

6) Biking I was very impressed when I visited Boulder and Fort Collins because everyone biked everywhere! Seriously, there were more bike stands than parking places! Someday I hope to live in a city like that where I can incorporate exercise into my daily commutes.

5) Hiking I am lucky to live in Colorado, where there is no shortage of hiking trails. Hiking requires less effort at once and is a more stable pace, so it is easy to relax and enjoy the hike and not actually feel like I’m working out.

4) Rock climbing I don’t have much upper body strength, so my arms are always shaking after just two trips up a rock wall! It doesn’t matter, I still love the challenge!

3) Yoga There are so many different forms of yoga, I really think there is one for everyone. If I feel like doing a really hard work out, I do hot power fusion or hot yoga. I think that is more of a work out than even running. Sometimes 108 degree heat is too much, so I opt for a slow flow yoga class, which is relaxing and helps stretch my body.

2) Skiing I absolutely love skiing, especially in Colorado! Vail, Breckenridge, and Keystone are among my favorite places to ski in the state. The views of the mountains are unrivaled and skiing down from 12,000 feet is exhilarating. I already miss skiing! Plus, carrying my poles and skis whilst wearing ski boots proves to be another added work out!

1) Figure Skating I bet everyone saw this one coming, but figure skating really is an all-body work out! It takes a lot of strength to launch myself into the air, rotate, and land on a quarter inch of steel! Plus, getting through a four minute program is no easy feat! I train at 6,000 feet above sea level, which makes it even harder. Next week, I’m competing at over 8,000 feet, which is slightly terrifying!

TOA: Comment below--what are your favorite ways to stay active?

**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account!  You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!