We all know the standard advice for improving our health: drive less, walk more, eat more fruit and veg. But fitting these guidelines into our lifestyles isn’t always possible. Leaving the car at home and walking more is only good advice for some people, and if the walk to work involves walking through a dangerous area or through miles of country roads then it just isn’t a realistic solution. When you have a car the temptation to drive everywhere is strong as it makes your life easier and saves time. This naturally means more time spent sedentary, impacting our health and even leading to weight gain. So what is the solution? How can you use your car to get fit?

Wear a pedometer or fitness tracker

You would be surprised by the number of steps you take and how often you move throughout the day. Investing in a fitness tracker is a good way to keep an eye on your activity level and make small adjustments to increase this over time. It is not simply a matter of doing a workout after work – people benefit from being more active throughout the day. If you work at a desk you will know how easy it is to sit for over an hour without moving much. This is bad for our physical and mental health and often results in overeating. Some fitness trackers will give you gentle reminders each hour to move, whether that means going to get a glass of water or leaving the office for a walk, any movement is helpful. By adding a few extra steps in each hour it is much easier to reach the recommended 10,000 steps by the end of the day. You can look into a website similar to Mobile Mob or others to find new fitness tracker models as well as different accessories for your tech.

Park far away

This is advice we often hear, but it is surprisingly effective as just a few steps throughout the day quickly add up. Whether it is parking on the far side of the supermarket car park, or on the outside of town so you have to walk in, making your life just a little more difficult will significantly help your fitness. Walking as briskly as you can to increase your heart rate will save time and make these mini workouts more beneficial.

Drive to the gym or swimming pool

It can feel a little lazy to drive to the gym, but if the weather is bad, or the walk to the gym is unfeasible then driving is the only solution and if it means you can go regularly then it is no bad thing. For those who are limited to low impact exercise, swimming is one of the best options and finding the time to walk to the pool, swim and shower off the chlorine smell can be too time-consuming to do regularly. Being able to drive to the pool or gym can be a necessity, so don’t feel ashamed if this is the only way you can make it a regular habit. 

Go on adventures

Make the most of having a car by driving to beautiful locations that are perfect for walking, such as National Trust properties. Some of the most beautiful places in the UK are only accessible by car, but once you are there you can park the car, unpack the picnic and go exploring. Whether you go on your own or involve the whole family, visiting new places and exploring your local area is a great way to sneak extra steps into your week without it feeling like a workout. Going to the gym several times a week and doing the same workout each time can get very repetitive and dull, whereas exploring the natural beauty where you live is a source of endless inspiration.

Find a new hobby

Taking up a hobby that requires a car is a good way to make use of your vehicle while still getting some exercise. Kayaking, for example, is a great way to combine a workout and exploring the countryside and if you have a car to transport your kayak it makes life a great deal easier and will save you money and time on rentals. Cycling is another alternative and being able to drive out to suitable locations will help you to avoid cycling in busy and dangerous areas that don’t have cycle paths. If you join a group for your chosen activity you can help drive other people out to events, saving money by splitting the cost of fuel.

Use the value of your car to fund your workout

If you want to join the gym or start dance classes or join the rowing club, for example, it might simply be a question of raising funds to pay for it. Taking out a logbook loan secured against the value of your car is one way to find the money, and depending on the loan companies you can do so without affecting your credit rating. Cash converter loans can be the ideal solution to bad credit ratings if you are sure you can pay the loan back. A logbook loan can be an easy and quick way to get the money you need for your fitness goals, whether that be investing in a cross trainer or signing up to a local gym.

If you think a logbook loan might be right for you, contact one of our Car Cash Point experts to discuss your specific requirements and apply, on 0333 220 4419.