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7 Reasons to Exercise Outside Rather than Inside

May 6, 2013 in Calories, Intervals and Circuit Training, Running, Weight, workout in heat, workouts with 0 Comments

forest trail

 

As spring is filling the air and the weather is absolutely fantastic, I am exercising outside as much as possible. Exercising outside not only feels wonderful this time of year, but it has some wonderful health benefits that exercising indoors cannot always fulfill.

Women’s Health Magazine can take credit for these great tips. You can find the link to the article HERE and a link to their full website in my recommend websites on my blog.

 

outside exercise

7 REASONS TO EXERCISE OUTSIDE

1. You’ll go for longer.

When you change up the scenery, you usually spend more time exercising. Run a new route, find a great hiking park that requires you to hike a few miles in and then a few miles back out. Try something new so you end up exercising longer.

2. You blast more calories.

Changing up your routine outdoors helps you blast calories because you surprises your muscles by doing new exercises. Plus exercising outside usually means a varied terrain, so you’re climbing hills rather than running flat on a treadmill.

3. You’ll save money.

Gyms are expensive. I do not own a gym membership and still find plenty of ways to get in the exercise I need through outdoor running and circuit training. Exercising outside is free! Who doesn’t love free?

4. You will feel happier.

Studies show that people who spend time outside more often tend to have a happier demeanor. The fresh air coupled with doing something good for your body can’t help but make you feel great! Exercising gives you energy and helps clear your head, which causes a more positive outlook.

5. You will fight germs.

Know why people get sick more in the winter? It’s because the germs get cooped up in the locked buildings with the windows shut. Being outside gives you fresh air! Gyms also contain germs, bacteria, and according to Women’s Health, MRSA (a strand of staph). If exercising at the gym, always use gym manners and disinfect your machines.

6. You will think clearly.

Pick your favorite playlist, audio book, or sermon. (I love to catch up sermons on my runs because it’s easy to pay attention.) Exercising outside in any capacity can help you clear your head and lessen stress.

7. You will workout whenever you want.

I love this reason because as Women’s Health puts it, “The outdoors is always ready to go. No class schedules, no waiting in line for machines. You can fit fitness in whenever you have a chance.”
Exercising outdoors leaves little room for excuses- it’s always right there!

I encourage you- get outside and exercise!

Activities:
Ride bikes
Job a new route
Walk a new neighborhood
Play sports with your kids or a group of friends
Hike a nature park near your home
Do yoga on the porch

What are your favorite outdoor activities?
How will you get active this spring and summer?

Why Quitting a Workout Doesn’t Always Make You Lazy

January 14, 2013 in Running, workout in heat, workout in the winter, workouts with 0 Comments

tired-p90x

Yes you heard me. Quitting a workout does not always mean you are phoning it in.

Someone asked me recently, “Wait, what? I thought I was supposed to feel the pain and push through!”
While my response is YES it is also NO. Let me elaborate.

How do you decide if you should quit during a workout?

1. What type of pain do you feel?
This weekend I was supposed to run 9 miles in my half-marathon training. I woke up feeling good, and I knew I had eaten enough carbs the day before. About 6.5 miles into my run, I felt miserable. And not the “I don’t want to keep going because this is hard work” feeling. I felt unhealthily weak. My heart rate was extremely high and not coming down as I slowed my running pace, and my stomach was extremely upset. So what did I do? STOPPED. And any time I tried to start jogging lightly, it came back. So I stopped for good.

2. Do you feel dizzy, nauseous, or over heated?
Heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke are no joke. Even the most seasoned athletes are still at risk for overdoing it during a workout. I heard an extremely sad story recently about man who was running a half- marathon. He finished the race on an 80 degree, high humidity day, and had to go to the hospital at the end of the race. The man did not live through the day because he had overheated during the run. This is a sobering reminder of the importance of listening to your body when you are exercising.

3. How often do you stop during a workout?
I hardly ever do less during a workout than I set out to do. I push through the pain and sweat because I know the reward is worth it. All this to say, I am not one to quit a workout so quitting this past weekend was a big deal for me, but it needed to happen because I knew the way I felt was not a type of pain that should be pushed through.
However, if you usually quit during workouts, you probably just need to suck it up.

Maybe this confuses you. I am not saying don’t work your butt off every time you hit the gym. Work yourself so hard your muscles hurt. Sweat so hard your clothes are soaked. But always, always listen to your body. It does not take long for overheating to turn dangerous or a muscle injury to set you back several months.

You are not a hero for pushing through a workout that ends at the doctor, physical therapist, or worse, the emergency room.

One Time You Are in Danger No Matter How Fit You Are

June 28, 2012 in Info, Running, Tools, Weight, workout in heat, workouts with 5 Comments

What season just began? That’s right, summer.
And summer means swimming pools, barbecues, friends, and extreme heat.

No matter how fit you are, the heat of the summer can be extremely dangerous.

Last summer the news reported that the group of people in the Hospital ER most frequently were very in shape people who had pushed too hard in the summer heat. Being in shape does not mean you are exempt from the extreme temperatures during the summer seasons.

While you can exercise outside during the summer, please be aware of a few things:

1. Your exercise regimen will likely be cut in half because you are physically incapable of performing at the same intensity as when the temperature is lower. Don’t feel bad if you can only run 2 miles instead of 4. It’s NORMAL.

2. The heat will tell you when you should be done. Do not ignore your body when you decide to exercise in the summer heat. If you feel nauseous or light headed, STOP.

3. Once the outside temperature is higher than  your internal temperature (98.6 degrees), your body has no point of reference to begin cooling down while you exercise. You only get hotter when the temperature is above 98 degrees.

4. HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! Don’t you dare go exert energy in the heat before you down at least 16 oz of water. Drink water and then drink some more.

 

Recap:
Use wisdom, slow down, stay cool, and drink water.
It’s not cool to get heat exhaustion or heat stroke.