The BEST Place To Exercise

Daily Fitness

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The BEST Place To Exercise - March 28, 2021

We are all aware that exercise can provide many physical & mental health benefits, but what if I told you that a change in location could drastically boost those benefits? Turns out, it can!

'Green Exercise' or more commonly known as outdoor exercise, combines two health-enhancing activities: getting out in nature & moving your body.

According to research, the benefits are very clear. If you are looking for a way to boost your mood and save time & money with your fitness, then give green exercise a go!

Here are 5 proven benefits of exercising outdoors.

1) Enhance Your Mood & Reduce Depression

Green exercise provides extra benefits to your mental health beyond that of indoor gyms. Exercising outdoors has been proven in the literature to reduce feelings of depression & anger as well as improve mood. Exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D intake in the body, which has been shown to have a potent mood-improving effect. You don't even have to perform super strenuous exercises to see a benefit. Low-intensity activities, such as gardening or dynamic stretching can be just as effective. Follow along with the quick dynamic stretching routine at the end of this article and I guarantee that you will feel re-energized!

2) Cost Effective

People often say that one of the biggest reasons why they don't exercise is that gyms are too expensive. Your backyard or a local park provides a low-cost alternative for everyone. Green exercise removes one of the biggest barriers that prevents people from improving their fitness, so there really is no excuse not to get started!

3) Ease Of Access

Have you ever heard some say "I just don't have time to exercise"? Maybe you have even said this yourself at some point! Lack of time is another huge barrier that prevents people from exercising regularly. Traffic, parking and busy changerooms add an additional barrier to becoming more active. Try taking advantage of the outdoors as it can completely remove all of these time sinks. Neighborhood streets and nearby hills are great for walking or cycling, and parks offer a great spot for bodyweight training. Most parks have benches or trees which, if you are creative enough, can be used for a variety of resistance exercises.

4) Enhance Your Self-Esteem

Time and time again, exercise has been shown to improve your self-esteem, or in other words, how you feel about yourself.
Interestingly, studies show that as little as 5 minutes of green exercise each day can greatly improve this effect. Any outdoor location works, but being near water or greenery boosts this effect further. Once again, you don't need to perform high intensity exercise if you don't want to, as low or moderate intensity activity can still provide beneficial outcomes. A little dose of outdoor activity can go a long way in helping you feel more positive about yourself.

5) Connect With Nature

One of the least talked about benefits of outdoor exercise is its inherent opportunity to connect with nature and with your local community. Walk to a local coffee shop to grab a drink, say hello to your neighbors as you pass by, or meet with a friend or family member at a local park. Green exercise can provide mental refreshment, help you feel grounded and connected, and increase your appreciation for the environment you live in.

I truly hope this article inspires you to get out and do some green exercise! Perhaps consider going outside right now (weather permitting of course) and trying the 5-minute dynamic stretching routine below. I am confident that it will leave you feeling great!

Re-Energize With This Outdoor Dynamic Stretching Routine! (5 min)


Check out this research article for more information on green exercise:

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