As we have seen recently, the rise of Pokémon GO has become a phenomenon that is getting many people out of their homes, moving outside, and trying to “Catch ‘Em All.” Pokémon has been popular since the mid to late 90’s, meaning that common fans range from young kids all the way up to people in their mid-twenties like myself. While Pokémon has had a slew of games over the past 20+ years, Pokémon GO is very unique in the way you play it. No controller, joystick, or remote is needed because moving in the game is moving in real life. People are getting out and getting more active, which is great, but there are other lessons that can be learned from the rise of Pokémon GO.

Unsurprisingly, many of my friends have taken a liking to this game. One of my closest friends even told me he went out on a bike ride looking for Pokémon around his neighborhood. This was somewhat of a shock to me since I have been trying to get this friend to exercise with me for years, to no avail. Now, all of a sudden he is out zipping around town collecting Pokémon along the way. It can be a social activity, as I have seen many people walking in packs with their phones, greeting others, and asking if they had found any interesting Pokémon.

This trend is remarkable but is also a sign of something simpler that can apply to everyone’s exercise routine. Why are we seeing people that might not normally exercise walking and biking outside while playing this game? That’s easy to answer—because they enjoy it! Exercise, even in its more moderate forms, is tiring and takes up time. Finding activities that you like to do is one of the most important foundations of a healthy and consistent exercise routine. For me, certain martial arts have been a great joy in my life that also provide a lot of physical activity. For you, it may be jogging, biking, swimming, taking your dog for a walk, a particular sport… or possibly walking with your friends while looking for cute monsters on your phone. It honestly depends on what YOU enjoy because whatever activity it is, when you enjoy doing it, the chances of sticking with that routine greatly increase long term. Now, what if you do not know of an activity that you enjoy? That is the time to start trying new things! If you’re interested in yoga but have never tried it, inquire about a local class for a session or two. If you end up liking it, that is fantastic! If not, just move on to the next idea until you find something you do enjoy. If you’re really stuck and out of ideas or direction, I might know a health coach that can help 😉

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant