3 Great Reasons to Take Your Workout Outdoors - 2nd Week
By Genevieve Cunningham
Working out is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re a hardcore gym rat or a once-a-week yoga class attendee, exercise is something that we just shouldn’t do without. It builds muscle, keeps us strong, and promotes overall better health. But, for some people, gym life is just … boring. It doesn’t have the appeal necessary to keep you coming back day in and day out. What do you do if you fall into this category? Give up completely or suffer through another mile on the treadmill? Luckily, you don’t have to do either. Instead, take your workout outside. Check out these great reasons to take your workout outdoors for a fresh start into the world of exercise.
That Sweet Fresh Air
You know the smell of a gym? It smells like air freshener, fresh sweat, metal weights, and disinfectant. It’s a strange combination. When you take your workout to the great outdoors, you get the much needed benefit of breathing in lungful after lungful of fresh air. Fresh air is not only good for the lungs, but it can also help calm and clear your mind. When you need a mental break, work out outside and breathe long and deep.
It’s Tougher
In the gym, many of the variables are taken out of the equation. The ground is always level; the temperature is always perfect; there’s even a television to fight boredom. When you go outside, these variables are thrown back into the mix and your routine becomes much more intense. You may have to go up and down hills, deal with rising temps, and you’ll have to focus harder to get the whole workout in. Want a challenge? Ditch the gym and hit the park.
You’ll Soak in Vitamin D
We need Vitamin D, and the best place to get it is through sunlight. There are very few foods which contain this vitamin naturally, so besides supplements, soaking in some rays is your best bet. A lack of Vitamin D can lead to aches in the bones, depression, insomnia, and a great deal of other unwanted side effects. So by getting some sun, you’ll be doing your body good in multiple ways.
Working out outside is a nice change of pace. It may be just what you need to get your exercise routine back on track and your motivation revved up again. You’ll also be gaining these three incredible benefits to your health and wellness. When you need a game-changer, ditch the gym and go outside.