By Gretchen Powell

I am always the first to admit, as some of you may already know, that exercise is certainly not my favorite. I am not the kind of person who looks forward to my workout, who strives for that runner’s high or grooves off of the endorphin release that comes with a good sweat. Rather, I’m the one who dreads her time on the treadmill, is constantly making excuses, and complains frequently about having to work out in general.

So what is a girl who openly – and vocally – hates exercise to do? After all, as much as I might wish it were otherwise, there is no denying the fact that exercise and staying active is an absolutely necessary part of a fit life. Many say that it’s all about finding something you love to do – explore, sample, taste classes and activities and sports until you find something you actually enjoy. But what if you do that and still can’t land on anything you can envision continuing for more than a few classes? Well, I can’t say I have a definitive answer for you at this point, but what I can tell you is that right now my approach is simply to continue broadening my fitness horizons.

I recently had my first experience trying out aerial yoga. While it didn’t really end up being for me, it was still interesting, instructive, and hey – it kept me involved in a fitness activity for more than an hour! So this made me think: Perhaps I haven’t found “the one” when it comes to my active life yet, but that doesn’t mean I should stop having new experiences and giving different activities a try. I might never find that one magic activity that turns me into a true workout convert, but at least I can get some good workouts in while I’m searching.

Whether you’re interested in trying out aerial yoga (available at Spark Yoga in Arlington), barre classes (worth trying at places such as Biker Barre in Washington, D.C.), Kazaxe (a Latin dance-inspired workout craze happening in Springfield), or even just giving the class list from Vantage Fitness or 24 Hour Fitness down the street in Falls Church a perusal, there are tons of new and exciting fitness and workout activities popping up every day. Adventure awaits!

 Gretchen Powell is a fitness and healthy living blogger in Falls Church. She is not a registered dietitian, nutritionist, or medical doctor, and a medical professional should be consulted before undertaking dramatic diet changes. For more, visit honeyishrunkthegretchen.com.