Playing games is fun. Many people enjoy video games, board games, and sports. Competition can be fun for many, but for some, it can sap the fun out of it. So, what if you could enjoy games without competing against other people? You can do so by gamifying your fitness, making it a personal challenge. It’s a great way to enjoy exercising without worrying about how you compare to others.
Key Takeaways
- Fitness doesn’t have to be boring or competitive. You can turn exercise into a personal game that keeps you motivated.
- There are multiple creative ways to make working out feel like play, not punishment.
- Consistency and enjoyment matter more than perfection, especially when starting your fitness journey.
Let’s compare your fitness journey to a role-playing game. You are the main character, slowly leveling up and unlocking new skills and abilities. Without competing against anyone else, you become a stronger, healthier version of yourself by just keeping at it.
Gamifying your fitness can help shift your perception of exercise and workouts, moving beyond the thinking of grueling gym sessions, intimidating equipment, and constantly pushing your limits. What if it could be as fun as playing your favorite board or video game? It can be when you gamify your fitness.
Gamifying Fitness: Making It Fun
Gamification isn’t just a fitness hack. It’s tapping into your psychology. When you make something feel like a game, your brain releases dopamine, which keeps you motivated, engaged, and excited. By transforming exercise from a chore into a challenge, you turn it into something you’re looking forward to. So, what are some games that you can play to gamify your fitness? Let’s explore!
Leveling Up
Like many games, you level up by earning experience points (XP). You can adopt a similar system to gamify your fitness. For example, you could award yourself experience points for different activities, such as 10 XP for walking, 20 XP for strength training, or 5 XP for warm-ups and cool-downs. If you want to treat activities equally, you could award 1 XP for every minute you’re active.
You can also set amounts of XP to level up. For example, 100 XP for level 2, 250 XP for level 3, 500 XP for level 4, and so on. Additionally, you could set rewards for reaching a new level, such as new gear for level 5, or a new fitness tracker for level 10. It’s up to you!
The Streak Challenge
Think of this like building a winning streak in a video game. This game is simple. All you have to do is keep the streak going. However, it’s a great way to help build consistency. Some apps let you track consecutive workout days, earning points and badges for showing up. The game is simple: How long can you keep a streak going?
So, what counts toward your streak? That’s up to you. Maintaining your streak doesn’t mean you have to do the same workout each time. In fact, a 5-minute walk can count toward your streak. It doesn’t matter how long or hard you exercise. The goal is to build a sustainable habit. All you have to do is show up and participate in an activity to maintain your streak.
The Scavenger Hunt
If keeping points and leveling up isn’t your thing, consider gamifying your fitness with an adventure. Turn your outdoor activities into a quest by making it a scavenger hunt. For example, set a goal to find something along your route, such as 10 red cars, a person walking a dog, or crossing five crosswalks. Alternatively, make it an adventure like power-walking to and exploring a new store in town. It’s all up to you.
Gamifying your fitness with this approach transforms exercise from the same-old-routine into a quest of exploration. As a result, your brain stays curious and engaged.
A Game Of Chance
What if you gamify your fitness by leaving it up to chance? You could use a dice roll or coin flip to determine what workout you’ll do today. All you have to do is create a list of activities you enjoy and then embrace randomness. For example, here is how you could use a six-sided die to determine your next workout.
| Roll | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 Push-ups |
| 2 | Go for a walk |
| 3 | Go for a run |
| 4 | Strength Training |
| 5 | Go for a ride |
| 6 | Yoga |
Do you have more than six activities you enjoy? No problem. Use different types of dice or more than one. By leaving it to chance, it feels more like a game that can help break up boredom with your workouts.
Story-Driven Movement
Do you love streaming movies or listening to podcasts and audiobooks? How about saving them for your workouts? By saving them for exercise time, you can look forward to those treadmill or outdoor walks, runs, or gym sessions.
You’re not just working out. You’re advancing a story, keeping you coming back for more to see what happens next. A typical episode is about 45 minutes, which is perfect for a workout. In comparison, movies will typically span two to three workouts. Try to stop right before or in the middle of an exciting scene, or use it as motivation to keep going if you’re up for it. If you do have to stop, that will leave you eager to come back for more and keep the momentum going.
The Reward System
Most people like receiving a reward for something they have accomplished. You could structure your success and celebrate consistency by showing up most days of the week. While this is similar to leveling up, the difference is just counting the number of workouts you finish. Once you reach a milestone, you can treat yourself to a reward of your choice.
However, food and treats aren’t the best rewards, especially if you’re also trying to lose weight. Instead, consider taking a day trip, buying a new outfit or gadget, or treating yourself to some quality me time engaging in your hobbies.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Sometimes, you’re just not into your workout. You warm up and start, only to push through to get it done. Instead of suffering through it, why not let your energy and mood guide your workouts?
If you’re feeling stressed, consider workouts like yoga, Tai Chi, swimming, cycling, or a brisk walk, which can help when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your day. If you’re feeling down, sluggish, or unmotivated, consider doing something that boosts your mood and elevates your heart rate, such as HIIT, running, or a brisk walk.
Gamifying your fitness by staying flexible and engaging in activities based on how you feel can keep you engaged, motivated, and help you make progress on your health and fitness.
Practical Tips For Gamifying Your Fitness
It’s important to avoid broad and drastic changes. Instead, the focus should be on fun and consistency, two critical components of any successful fitness routine. Gamifying your fitness doesn’t have to be complicated. Remember, exercise is supposed to be easy and fun.
Additionally, tracking your progress can keep you motivated and having fun while you’re racking up your streak or points. You can use an app, notebook, or spreadsheet to track yourself.
However, you should always listen to your body and take a break if you need it. No streak or game is worth an injury or turning fun into a chore. So, don’t be afraid to take a day or two off to recover, or substitute with light activity. Don’t worry, a couple of days is too short to erase all your hard work.
So, start small, be consistent, focus on fun, and celebrate every victory, XP earned, and workouts completed, no matter how small. Most of all, have fun!
Conclusion
Fitness isn’t about being the strongest or the fastest person you know. It’s about consistently showing up for yourself, making exercise enjoyable, and gradually becoming a healthier version of yourself. Gamification makes this journey feel less like a chore and more like an exciting personal quest.
Remember, there’s no perfect or one way to get fit. The best workout is the one you’ll actually do and enjoy. By gamifying your fitness, you remove the pressure and add curiosity, fun, and excitement about your fitness and personal growth.
FitTrend’s mission is to help you along your self-improvement journey, promote an active lifestyle, and help you achieve your goals. Our journal can help you track your activities and workouts. Also, FitTrend allows you to connect certain smartwatches and trackers to your account to make it easier for you to update your journal automatically. Create your account today and start using FitTrend for free!
Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
