It’s Spring – yippee! The sun is shining and skin is showing, so take your workout OUTSIDE. A recent study showed that exercising outdoors improves “mental well-being: compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.” Source: Outdoor Fit
Above: Me teaching PiYo on the Wet Deck at the W Dallas Hotel last Saturday
Not only are outdoor workouts fun, they also provide lots of extra health benefits. Here are my top 3 reason you should take your sweat session out doors this Spring:
- Burn More Calories – Running and cycling outside takes more energy due to overcoming wind resistance and balancing on uneven terrains. Also, people are naturally more enthusiastic when they workout outdoors and put more energy into their works resulting in higher calorie burn 🙂
- Get some Vitamin D – UV rays from sun exposure give our bodies lots of Vitamin D which increases energy and vitality. Soak up those rays but don’t forget your sunscreen!
- It’s FREE – Unlike working out in gyms or fitness studios, most outdoor workouts are absolutely free! Like my Pilates/Yoga class that I teach every Saturday morning at the W Dallas Victory hotel. Several yoga studios and boot camps offer free outdoor workouts in the Spring and Summer so keep you eyes peeled for special events. Better yet, try a track workout! And when in doubt, nothing beats a good old-fashioned run in the park with a jammin’ playlist 🙂
Enjoy the outdoors! xoxo, Brit
