5 Ways to Exercise Outside Smarter…Not Harder
If you are anything like me, the warmer weather has you wanting to get outside! Why not get the best of both worlds, soak up some vitamin D while getting in your daily workout? Long walks on a Sunday afternoon are amazing, but thinking creatively and implementing these tactics can upgrade your fitness routine.
These are my go-to tips for success:
- Find a partner: Spouse, friend, child, and dog – all make awesome workout partners. They will keep you going.
- Vary your location: Add diversity to your trek by utilizing parks, lakes, and trails to add diversity to your trek.
- Try new tools: Bands, dumbbells and TRX trainers are all portable forms of equipment to take along with you.
- Be creative: No equipment, no problems. Park benches, playgrounds and tracks offer endless possibilities.
- Use park benches to exercise: Squats, step-ups, push-ups, planks
- Turn the playground into your gym: Pull-ups, lunges, stairs/climbing
- Go to the track: Circuits, stairs, interval training
- Log your efforts: Find encouragement in tracking your progress. Many activity trackers or apps calculate steps, miles, active minutes and more
Get outside for a great place for exercise! In fact, a Scottish Health Survey found that outdoor exercise was associated with decreased tension, confusion, anger and depression. Think beyond your normal exercise routine and let the great outdoors be your guide!
Ellen Thomsen, MS, RD, LMNT, CDE is a clinical dietitian at CHI Health, working in Oncology and Functional nutrition. Ellen helps patients improve nutrition habits during cancer treatment and beyond. She is a group fitness instructor at the CHI Health Lakeside Wellness Center and enjoys helping people of all fitness abilities be active. Ellen is passionate about helping patients improve their lives through nutrition, activity and stress management.
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