So, you're looking to get more active?
You should do what I do, which is to work out every single day for at least 10 minutes... no days off. That's what I've been doing for 882 consecutive days (started back in October 2011 to see if I could go for one year without getting injured, and I just never stopped).
It's a great first step because you cultivate the habit of making time to be active. People have all sorts of reasons for training, whether it's to run faster, lose weight, build muscle, run a race, etc. The vast majority of the time, though, these reasons come and go. I really believe that exercise should be as much of a person's day as taking a shower or brushing your teeth; so, rather than base my exercise on one thing or another, I've trained myself to exercise simply because I should. That has been the biggest benefit of my everyday goal, and honestly, I'm still kind of shocked that the experience has been so transformative. Keep in mind, I've never lacked motivation... but now, I just view exercise differently. I have no doubt that I'll be active each day.
I chose 10 mins/day as my minimum standard because that basically allows me to have easy, restful days so I don't overtrain. Most days, I work out for 25 mins to an hour. I weight train one day, do MMA-style cross training one day, run a few days and then have a few easy days. I have a Wii U, and the fitness game I have is great for easy days or even moderate cardio days (if I really get into it). Some days, I also mix in some basketball. No matter what, though, I always log at least 10 mins... even on my easy/rest days, that's just enough time to work up a light sweat, but not enough time to strain myself by any means.
Now, the other reason why I suggest you do something similar to this is that you can start getting active while thinking about what you REALLY want to do. You said you don't like tracks or treadmills, but are you opposed to trail running (I avoid running on streets like the plague)? Are you good at any sports with rec leagues in your area? Do you have money to spend on a personal trainer? Is there a gym near you with any interesting fitness classes?
Personally, I've found a lot of enjoyment doing cross training at my local MMA gym... kind of boot camp style workouts. I never actually do any fighting or sparring (I'm totally not built to be a fighter, lol), but the cardio and strength training from that kind of workout is like nothing else I've ever done. We do running, jumping, pullups, pushups, kettlebells, punching bag stuff, yoga ball workouts, all kinds of things to push ourselves. The thing I like most about the MMA-style boot camp workouts is that I've learned a lot about how to exercise differently and more effectively.
If you signed up for a gym tomorrow and you'd never been before, you'd probably face a high risk of losing interest. You'd be able to figure out the machines, and maybe you'd find a spotter for some free weights, but you wouldn't have the benefit of knowing -why- you should be doing certain exercises. The more you expose yourself to new types of exercise, the more you'll start seeing the gym as a really cool tool, and not just a place where you go to push weights around. Once you start to see the gym as a valuable tool, THAT's when I think the risk of losing interest drops significantly (because, at that point, you're going for the right reasons).
Anyway, if you're serious about wanting to get active, start working out NOW for a minimum of 10 mins/day. Start getting yourself in the habit. You can run in place, do jumping jacks, do pushups, wall sits, etc. You can go onto YouTube and search for short workouts you can do in your living room. You can go run around the block a few times... whatever it is you want to do, just do it for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, you can go to sites like LivingSocial.com and look for deals on gyms and fitness centers in your area... you can often find really cheap deals through those sites, often accompanied by personal training appointments. Just don't let yourself get roped in to sign something that you're not ready to sign. You can also check with your local community college for active courses, if you're looking for a group setting. One of my friends recently took a fencing class at the local community college; he also got into rock climbing at a local climbing gym.
If you start cultivating the habit now, then I guarantee, you WILL soon realize what it is you really want to be doing. The most important thing though is just start exercising and don't look back.
Edited, Mar 4th 2014 10:52pm by Thayos
Edited, Mar 4th 2014 10:55pm by Thayos
Edited, Mar 4th 2014 10:56pm by Thayos
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Thayos Redblade
Jormungandr
Hyperion