From Treadmills to Tradition: How I Made Fitness Fun and Sustainable

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Transforming Exercise into Joy: A Journey of Movement, Strength, and Fun

I recently came across an article from Harvard Medical School that explained the four essential types of exercise: aerobic exercise, strength training, balance exercises, and stretching. It made me realize how important it is to include all these in our daily routines. Here’s what I discovered about each one and how I’ve been working to make them part of my life.

1. Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise speeds up our heart rate and breathing, which is essential for many body functions. It gives our hearts and lungs a solid workout and boosts endurance.

If climbing a flight of stairs leaves us out of breath simply because we’re deconditioned, it’s a sign we need more aerobic activity. It helps strengthen the heart and lungs so they can deliver enough blood and oxygen to our muscles for them to work efficiently.

Aerobic exercise also does so much more—it helps relax blood vessel walls, lowers blood pressure, burns body fat, keeps blood sugar in check, reduces inflammation, and even boosts our mood.

2. Strength Training

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass. Strength training helps us build it back, making us feel stronger, more confident, and better equipped for daily tasks. Strengthening our muscles also stimulates bone growth, balances blood sugar, aids in weight control, improves balance and posture, and reduces stress and pain in the lower back and joints.

To train effectively, it’s important to feel some muscle fatigue at the end of each exercise. That tells us we’re truly working and challenging the muscle group.

3. Stretching

Building strength and aerobic fitness is important, but flexibility matters too. Stretching routinely makes our muscles longer and more pliable, increasing our range of motion and reducing the risk of pain and injury.

Stretching also provides stress relief. It gives us a moment of calm and mindfulness while helping our muscles function better. Over time, this contributes to better coordination and balance in our daily activities.

4. Balance Exercises

Balance exercises make us feel steadier on our feet and help prevent falls. They’re especially important for keeping the systems that support balance—our vision, inner ear, leg muscles, and joints—in excellent condition.

By focusing on functional core strength, enhancing joint mobility, and improving overall balance, these exercises create a sense of well-being and calm.

Making It Fun and Sustainable

Determined to fit all four types of exercise into my routine three or four times a week, I signed up for a gym. But I quickly realized how boring it felt to spend 17 minutes on the treadmill or lift weights mechanically on machines. I needed something more engaging, something that felt natural and exciting.

That’s when I remembered a super-fun choreography I created years ago—a high-energy, uplifting dance inspired by North-African and Egyptian Fellah folklore, as well as the women in my own village in Spain. The upbeat music made me want to move, filling me with vitality and joy. It is so much more fun than the gym!

So, I developed a class packed with creative drills inspired by this choreography. I start with a warm-up using stretches I created inspired by the sacred geometry of ancient Mediterranean cultures. It feels both invigorating and grounding.

It makes perfect sense to me that lifting a jug, as people in traditional cultures have done for centuries, feels more natural to our bodies than lifting weights mechanically. This connection to movement feels organic, joyful, and purposeful.

Join Me in Rediscovering the Joy of Movement

I’m having so much fun bringing these drills to life through my Cántaro ( jug or water pitcher in Spanish) choreography. It’s a beautiful blend of tradition, fitness, and creativity that transforms exercise into something truly enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a way to make working out fun and meaningful, I invite you to join me in my Dance Enrichment & Wellness Program. Together, let’s move, stretch, and strengthen in a way that fills us with vitality and joy. Let’s make exercise something we look forward to!

Un abrazo,
Puela 💕