Everyone wants a shortcut when it comes to health and fitness. Between work, kids, and everything else life throws at you, it can feel impossible to commit to something that takes months or years to see results. Most people know that eating well and exercising consistently is the best way to keep in shape, but the temptation of a quick fix is always there. Crash diets promise fast results, but the moment you fall back into old eating habits, the weight creeps back on. Exercise, on the other hand, has a bit more room for flexibility. Some sports can push your body hard enough to make a big difference in a short space of time, while still being fun enough that you forget you are even working out. Here are some of the best options to get fit quickly.
Everyone wants a shortcut when it comes to health and fitness. Between work, kids, and everything else life throws at you, it can feel impossible to commit to something that takes months or years to see results. Most people know that eating well and exercising consistently is the best way to keep in shape, but the temptation of a quick fix is always there. Baseball
Baseball is the kind of sport that sneaks up on you. You are so focused on hitting the ball, chasing it across the field, or sprinting to base that you hardly notice every muscle in your body is engaged. A typical game can burn around 500 calories, which is a serious payoff for a sport that feels more like play than punishment. Sign up for a local league or grab some friends and head to the park for a casual game. Either way, your fitness will thank you.
Skiing
It may look like sliding gracefully down a mountain, but skiing is one of the best full-body workouts you can get. Balancing, steering, and keeping yourself upright in the snow requires constant engagement of your legs, core, and arms. If you are planning a winter holiday to somewhere like Marriott’s Summit Watch, renting skis is the perfect way to turn a vacation into a workout session. You will probably feel it in your muscles the next day, but it is a rewarding kind of soreness.
Golf
Golf might not seem as intense as the other sports here, but it can give you a surprisingly solid workout, especially if you are walking the course instead of relying on a cart. Swinging engages your shoulders, back, and core, and when combined with hours of walking, it becomes a steady endurance session. Equipment can make a big difference, too, and investing in the right clubs and shafts can improve both performance and comfort. The woods you choose can help your game while keeping the physical side of it challenging enough to count as real exercise.
Tennis
Few sports test your speed and stamina like tennis. The constant running, sudden stops, and powerful swings mean you are burning calories without even thinking about it. One minute you are just trying to land the perfect shot, and the next you realise you have been moving nonstop for half an hour. Tennis is also highly social, so grab a partner, head to the nearest courts, and turn it into a fun way of staying fit.
Swimming
Finally, swimming is often called the perfect exercise, and for good reason. The water supports your body, so there is little strain on your joints, yet you are still working your muscles harder than you might realise. You can push yourself longer in the pool than on dry land, which makes it easy to build endurance and strength at the same time. The only catch is the delayed muscle ache that often shows up the next day, but it is worth it.
