Even when we know that we could stand to lose a few pounds, often we cannot bring ourselves to exercise. Why? Well because most exercise is boring. If you are anything like me then you will agree that pumping iron at the gym is no fun and running just seems pointless. It's not that I don't want to get fit and shed those excess pounds, its just that I am bored with most types of exercise. However, a few months ago all of that changed. What if I told you exercise can be fun?
Burning Calories By Getting Wet
I recently took up scuba diving and snorkeling and was amazed to find out that it is possible to burn of between 250 and 500 calories per hour depending on the type of dive and your level of experience. The best thing is you won't even realize you are exercising because you are having so much fun. Isn't it great when that happens? Not only will you burn calories, but you will also be naturally tightening and toning your body at the same time!
The Benefits Of Snorkeling & Scuba Diving
Both snorkeling and scuba diving come highly recommended for anyone suffering from stiff joints, limited mobility and obesity. This is because unlike other activities like jogging, they are very low impact and will not put any strain on the knees, legs or back. Even so, snorkeling can still offer a full body workout. This is because with every single movement your muscles are required to push against the natural resistance offered by the water. If you are wearing fins/flippers the workout for your legs is improved as the fins create more resistance so the harder you kick the better the workout. Scuba diving and snorkeling are also great for your heart and lungs. Your heart rate increases making it pump more blood while being forced to hold your breath underwater for periods of time build your lung capacity.
Its not just the body that can benefit from scuba diving and snorkeling, but your mind too! Any kind of exercise is a great booster for your mental health thanks to the endorphin release. These are often dubbed the 'feel good' hormones because they can lower stress and anxiety levels. Snorkeling not only releases these hormones, but also improves your mood by providing you with interesting sights courtesy of fish, coral and other sea dwelling creatures.
Thanks for reading! If you're looking to get into snorkeling and diving, you'll need some snorkel equipment! Check out this great selection of quality snorkel sets online.
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