If you are a regular reader of this sub, it's probably been implanted in your brain that you need to lift. That is good advice. Lifting is one of the best things you can do for your health and quality of life. But it can be quite daunting to read "just lift bro" when you are overweight, underweight, out of shape, injured, or just plain uninterested in lifting. I'm hear to tell you that fitness does not have to be a chore, and that it is a lot less difficult than it seems. There are a lot of people out there who do not like lifting. And that's understandable. The great thing is that lifting is not a requirement, contrary to what many here might believe. It's a great thing, certainly. But if you're not enjoying your fitness routine, you won't continue it, and you will just be adding stress to your life and making things harder for yourself.

The first part of getting fit is starting small. You have to make this a lifestyle, and to do that, you can't overwhelm yourself. The most important part of getting in shape is consistency. 7 small workouts a week will give you much better results than 3 large workouts a week. This has been proven in multiple studies. Try doing a couple push ups every day, a couple sit ups, etc. Do them while you watch TV. Even that small amount of daily work can have a noticeable affect, and it will build momentum and habit. Watch some of the 100 pushups or 100 pull ups a day for a month challenges on YouTube. You can see that their results are actually pretty darn good. I got a pull up bar, and I would recommend everyone gets one. Every day I do at least a couple pull ups and chin ups. I've become stronger and bigger just from that alone.

Walking is the most basic form of exercise known to man. Everyone walks, but in our modern lifestyle few of us walk enough. Walking, although extremely easy, is excellent exercise which also stimulates the mind. Many geniuses have reported clearer thoughts and inspiration while walking. The great Nikola Tesla said that his exercise routine was to walk several miles everyday. The man was able to live independently in his 70s and 80s until his death. Walk everyday and you will be able to walk away from the nursing home. I'm fortunate enough to live in an area with lots of nature and a nature center, so I walk around the trails every single day and it is a physical, mental, and spiritual exercise for me. Being in nature and smelling the fresh air restores my spirits, and clears my mind. It's meditation and exercise wrapped into a very enjoyable and relaxing activity.

Running takes this a step further. A lot of people hate running, and I used to be one of them. Running even for a few meters was painful, awkward, and stiff. I hated it and was awful at it. Then one day, I read the book "Born to Run". It was a very interesting story and I was compelled to try out barefoot running myself. I started slowly, simply walking very carefully in my bare feet for a little while every day. Gradually I built up my duration and speed. Eventually I started doing a little bit of running. It was a whole new experience for me. Once I had mastered the correct natural running form, running became nearly effortless. Running at a moderate pace was like floating. I felt like I was dancing on a cloud. Sprinting at full speed is like an orgasm. Your mind slows down, you enter much more into the body, feeling your legs and arms pumping at high speed. It's one of the greatest feelings in the world, to me at least. It's the closest thing to flying that a human being can do. It feels as if you are about to take off into flight, or like a gazelle or horse galloping at break neck speed. It's a very primal experience, and you feel connected to your ancient ancestors who themselves would run without shoes in the past. However, you must take it slow and listen to your body. I've found that whenever I have felt stiffness, tenseness, or awkwardness while running that I will invariably end up having pain for a while after. Proper running feels natural, almost effortless, like I said before. (Of course, your breathing will be difficult and muscles do get tired and sore - it's the joints, tendons, and bones that are the giveaways for potential danger) If I notice even the slightest tension or awkwardness while running I stop and simply walk. There is no benefit in pushing it and getting injured. It takes a while to get down proper running form and build up the appropriate muscles. All in all, I recommend everyone give barefoot running a try. I've come to enjoy running much more, built more muscles in my feet and calves, strengthened the skin on my feet, and developed a bit more of an IDGAF attitude from dealing with people's comments and stares when I go out barefoot.

Biking is the squat of cardio. It is second to none in terms of building quad muscles, and is very easy on the knees. My father, who screwed up his knees as a runner, bikes to work every day, and as a result has thickly muscled legs. He does not do any weight training either. Biking is a great mode of transportation, and a great leg workout, especially for those with injuries.

Swimming is another great exercise for those with injuries. There's a reason all of the old people congregate at the pool. Swimming works almost the entire body, and is also a form of stretching. In fact, children who swim regularly end up growing taller than they would without swimming by a significant amount. If you have children, have them swim regularly so that they can grow as tall as possible, as well as broaden their shoulders. It worked for me. We all know that height is a huge advantage in life. But, be careful. Most people are oblivious to the detrimental health effects of chlorine. A quick google search will tell you everything you need to know. Besides these effects, it is also awful for the skin and hair. Indoor and hotel pools are the worst for chlorine. You should do your best to never under any circumstances swim in these pools. Outdoor pools are okay, but certainly not ideal. Some pools are treated with UV light, which is much healthier. If you're going to get a pool get a UV light pool. The best thing for swimming is open water though. In most cases, even during the summer, it is swimming and a cold shower combined. If you are daring enough, you can try doing polar plunges.

Do fitness activities you like, and constantly try new ones. Play your favorite sport regularly. For me that is tennis - I have a ton of fun and get decent exercise - it's a win/win. There are many extremely fun things that are also great work outs. Rock Climbing is a good one. Kayaking/canoeing/rowing is another great one - a trip down a river kayaking for me is an arm workout, a swim, and a cold shower wrapped up into one - great use of time.

In conclusion, fitness doesn't have to be a struggle. If you really don't want to lift or go to the gym, just do some exercises at home, and do fun sports/activities that you enjoy. Oftentimes if you live a life full of physical activity you enjoy you just end up enjoying lifting as well. Again though, you don't have to do any major scheduling, planning, and grinding if you don't want to. As long as you are doing exercise every day, you'll be fine. Being fit and active is way more fun anyway.