7 free activities to put on your spring and summer fitness must-do list

by Brittany Anas · April 5, 2013

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.