Last Updated on January 7, 2025 by Michael Brockbank
One of the best ways to keep yourself on track for getting healthy and losing weight is to gamify fitness. In fact, gamification is such an effective aspect that many are using it for just about everything, nowadays.
That’s because it’s effective at engaging the “players.” This is why so many things have an entertaining twist to them today.
It keeps people coming back for more.
What Does “Gamify Fitness” Mean?
Gamifying is when you take a normally mundane chore and turn it into something fun. The more fun someone believes a task to be, the more likely he or she will continue to “play.”
Many businesses put gamification into practice while seeing positive results in productivity and overall employee mindset.
Gamifying fitness is where you’ll make exercise routines and workouts more enjoyable in the same manner. For instance, some people will gamify a run by imagining they are being chased by a horde of zombies.
It’s all about what you can do to make the process fun so that you’ll continue to focus on fitness for the long-term.
How Do You Gamify Fitness?
In reality, everyone is different. What I find fun, you might find boring. To properly gamify your fitness routine, you need to find something that you deem as enjoyable.
It might take a bit of trial and error to find something you like. But, there are many ways you can add that aspect into your daily routines.
Make it an Enjoyable Game
As I said, it’s all about making the workout as entertaining as possible. So, how do you do that? Well, it depends greatly on the individual.
Personally, I enjoy running case studies and collecting data about each of my workouts. It shows me where I am now, helps me set goals for the future, and gives me something to work towards.
However, you might not find data all that fun. I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to numbers.
So, you need to find a way to make the process enjoyable for you.
Keep Personal High Scores
Another aspect I enjoy is breaking my own personal bests. In a sense, these can be viewed as “high scores.” For example, I’m working towards breaking my record for the most push-ups in a single setting.
There are a massive number of ways you can do this. Personally, I use Exercise.com to keep track of my records. But, you can use something as simple as a spreadsheet.
The point is to set personal goals and beat your own high scores.
Add Some Competition
Competition is the lifeblood of many games. And there is nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition when you gamify fitness.
For example, I often join competitions in Fitbit for steps throughout the week. And starting next year, my sons and I are competing for weight loss goals.
A good friend of mine is using DietBet to compete for cash prizes.
That’s one of the reasons why I keep track of my personal records so closely, actually. I view it as being in competition with myself. It’s all about who am I today versus who I was last year.
Set Up Realistic Rewards for Goals
One of the hardest things for me is setting up personal rewards for meeting goals. Like, if I say I can have a huge slice of chocolate cake once I lose 20 pounds, what’s to stop me from buying that cake right now?
It all comes down to willpower and telling yourself, “no.” Which, I have a major problem doing most of the time.
However, one of the realistic rewards we’re setting up for the competition next month is putting in $5 each. Whoever loses the most gets a gift card with the winnings, probably to Dutch Bros coffee.
Or, I think it’s something like that, anyway.
Still, be realistic with the rewards you plan on giving yourself when gamifying fitness.
What About Gaming Consoles?
Now, we’re talkin’.
I’m a huge supporter of using game consoles as pieces of exercise equipment. In fact, I’ve lost a lot of weight simply playing games on the Xbox Kinect.
Part of this is because of how hard I play while in front of the television.
Even when playing the Wii, which is easy to cheat when it comes to exercise, I’ll stand and get as much into the game as I can.
I’m curious to try VR fitness devices. But given how hard I play, I’m worried I’ll make the equipment soggy and gross with the amount of sweat I’ll produce.
At any rate, finding the best game for any console can easily help you gamify fitness…if you love video games.
Try Out a Few Mobile Apps
When it comes to health and fitness, the Internet is not short on apps. The hardest part is finding ones that are fun from your perspective.
For instance, Pokemon Go can help you easily get some steps in the day. But, not everyone wants to play Pokemon.
You can literally spend hours browsing through the different fitness apps for both Android and iOS. And I’m sure there is probably at least one that will fit your needs.
Just make sure you find it fun and engaging. Otherwise, it’s just another wasted app on your phone.
I’m still trying to find something that has a social and competitive edge to fitness.
Do You Need Expensive Equipment to Gamify Fitness?
I periodically check the news to see what company is coming out with fun fitness gaming gear. And although I’ve come across a few that have great potential, most are incredibly expensive.
Not everyone has $2,000 to drop on a stationary bike.
The reality of gamifying fitness in general is that it doesn’t have to cost you a single dime. It all comes down to how you can make something like a plank or a push-up more fun.
Sometimes, I’ll turn on the soundtrack to Rocky and pretend I am training for a big boxing match during the montage.
There’s really no right or wrong answer, here. It all comes down to how you can take a mundane task and make it enjoyable. If you have fun doing it, no one can say you’re doing it wrong.
Sure, something like a Peloton is engaging and may offer inspiration to ride. But with a $1,895 price tag and 6 to 10-week delivery time, I’d rather build a VR gaming PC for fitness that I can use today.
All you need is a bit of imagination and a way to inspire yourself to continue exercising for longer than the first week or two.
Gamify Your Fitness Routines to Make Them Fun
Gamification can come in many forms. Whether you’re playing in front of an Xbox Kinect, using an app to run from zombies, or keeping track of personal records, it’s all about what you find enjoyable.
Because the more fun you view any task, the more likely you’ll keep doing it.
Find ways to engage your mind during a workout routine. The results will be worth the effort.
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