The Best Ways to Stay in Shape in New York City while You’re Also Putting Your English Skills to Use March 13, 2019

Living in New York City means you have access to some of the best food in the world – from global bites at your fingertips to late night guilt-trips to the food trucks, it’s pretty difficult to find food that doesn’t satisfy your tastes. With all these delightful cuisines everywhere you turn, you might be surprised at quickly your body responds to all these new foods. I know when I first got to the Big Apple, I was eating out all the time, desperate to try as many restaurants and cuisines as possible. Not only did this hurt my wallet, but I found that my body wasn’t used to all these different ingredients. Additionally, even though I was walking everywhere and climbing many flights of stairs per day, I also started to notice a change in my body shape (and not for the better).

If you’re practicing your English in New York City right now and you’re experiencing similar circumstances, I’ve come up with a few ways that you can stay in shape even while you’re still testing out all the great food this amazing city has to offer. It’s easier than you think, and all of these options are easy on your wallet. You don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars on a gym membership – all of these strategies will get you moving with little cost. So pull out your sneakers, because if you’re ready to ditch those extra cuisine pounds, you’ll be putting them to good use.

1. Sign up for a local race

One of the benefits of living in this great city is that are always tons of races to participate in. If you’re a runner (or even if you’re not), this is a great opportunity to get a few miles under your belt. I always find that when I’m running a 5k, it never really feels like 3.2 miles because I’m running alongside so many other people and taking in all the sights around me. Most of these are reasonably priced (depending on how big it is or if you choose to donate to a fund), so do some research, grab some friends, and get some fresh air. Plus, so many of these races are socially-backed, so you’re bound to meet tons of new people and practice your English social skills.

2. Rethink your commute

Believe me, I know I’ve checked out every possible route for walking the least for my daily commute, especially when the weather is unbearable, like the deep cold or the extreme heat. On those days, I want to spend as much time in the heat or AC as possible. But if you’re looking for some free (and frankly, SUPER easy) exercise to burn off those street tacos that are too hard to resist, I highly recommend walking a few extra blocks to take a different subway line to get those extra steps in. Another easy trick I do on a daily basis is skip the escalator coming in and out of my subway stop. Instead, I’ll climb the stairs myself. While this may not make a huge difference overall, I know I’m making a better long-term choice for myself. Plus, if you devote to taking a different route, you might come across new shops or find your favorite new health store – this is a great way to keep your English reading and comprehensive skills intact.

3. Your apartment = your new gym

You might notice that these days, technology has made life way easier in many aspects. For me, I’ve learned that if you do some research on health and wellness apps, you can find your new favorite exercise regimen. If your living space has the room, set up a nice workout spot so you can start with the basics, like practicing your plank or learning some new yoga moves. For me, this was a great way to build my motivation and confidence before I worked my way up to a gym membership. Once I felt more comfortable in my healthy body, I was able to step into the gym and use their professional machines. If you’re dedicated towards your English learning, many of these apps are instructed, so this is a great way to improve your English language listening and comprehension.

Of course, I love living in this great city and trying out all the amazing foods, but I also quickly learned the effect that this lifestyle had on my body. So be sure to try these great tactics out so you can still indulge and feel healthy – all while practicing your En