7 free activities to put on your spring and summer fitness must-do list
By Brittany Anas
Warmer temperatures on the horizon mean you can take a break from indoor gyms and play outside.
Exercising outdoors has plenty of perks. For one, you don’t have to pay Mother Nature a membership fee. Plus, research shows exercising outside can actually be better for you.
A study last year found adults who exercised outdoors did so more frequently and for a longer duration than those who exercised indoors. In a separate study from 2011, volunteers who walked outside rated their enthusiasm and self-esteem higher than those who did so on an indoor track or treadmill.
Consider putting a summer “freeze” on your gym membership and head outside to exercise.
Here are sevn outdoor activities to put on your spring and summer bucket list:
- Take a hike! Find a trail near your home at Trails.com. Depending on the incline and your pace, you can burn in the neighborhood of 500 calories per hour — and get a great view of the outdoors while doing so. (Need a pair of hiking boots? Check out DSW for some great deals.)
- Go for a bike ride. Take a stroll around your neighborhood, go mountain biking or strap a basket on your bike and run your errands. How darling is this ruby red cruiser bike from Target?
- Gone fishin’ Just in time for trout season, Forbes magazine lists the Top 10 states for fly fishing. Did your state make the cut?
- Run (or walk) a 5K. Check out our list of the Top 3 fun runs for beginners.
- Play with your kids outside. Teach them how to play kick the can. Play tag. Play hide-and-seek. Go rollerblading with them or jump on the trampoline. You’ll have so much fun you’ll forget you’re “working out.”
- Have a “triathlon day.” In the cool of the morning go for a jog. In the heat of the afternoon, go to the pool, lake or reservoir and get some laps in. Then, in the evening, take a family bike ride.
- Try a water adventure sport. If you live by the beach, take surf lessons. Locked by land in the mid-west? Try out water skiing. If you’re in the Rocky Mountains, give white water rafting a go.
Need new athletic shoes for the spring? Check out our coupons and cash-back offers at DSW.
Other articles you might also like:
• From veggie hot dogs to sushi: How to eat healthy at the ballpark
• 10 tips to tame your spring allergies
• Gear your dog needs when exercising with you
• Amid ‘soda ban’ news, expert tells us why we should swear off pop
• From back yard to kitchen table, gardening has health benefits
• 10 easy ways to trick yourself into eating better, losing weight
