Exercising Outdoors Provides Unique Benefits for a Healthy Lifestyle
It is not a mystery that exercising, in general, is one of the better things a person can do for their body. Exercising is a key component to a healthy lifestyle and has a plethora of benefits it can add to its resume. There are many ways and places a person can exercise, whether it’s a gym or a park nearby. Essentially, multiple factors determine whether a person chooses to exercise indoors or outdoors. Such factors include, weather conditions, personal preference, type of work out, etc. Both are respectable options, but, exercising outdoors presents specific benefits that differ from exercising indoors.
A More Difficult Workout
Exercising outdoors provides obstacles that cannot be re-created on a machine. Wind patterns fluctuate, weather can quickly go from comfortable to dreary, and the terrain is ever changing. Each of these circumstances entices a person to either move faster or push themselves harder. When an individual experiences a situation where they need to push their way through it, such as wind resistance, that often burns more calories than running at a consistent pace with minimal interference. The harder a person works, the more calories they burn, the more calories they burn, the more effective the workout was.
A Joyful Experience
Exercising outdoors has been said to increases a person’s enthusiasm and energy levels. If a person is more enthusiastic about their workout, then they are more likely to exercise for an increased amount of time. Exercising releases endorphins that, essentially, make a person feel happy. The longer a person works out, the more of those endorphins will be released. When it comes to happy hormones, the more the merrier! The quality and length of a workout can change when exercising outdoors, and both of those factor into a healthier lifestyle.
No Membership Fees
Mother nature is available to all, and there isn’t a membership fee to enjoy what she has to offer. Most gyms require a membership fee that contributes to facility and machine maintenance as well as employee wages. There aren’t any employees to pay or machines to take care of outdoors. It’s doesn’t cost any money to run around a neighborhood or do pull-ups on a playground. Exercising outdoors is cost effective and the rate stays the same, $0 a month!
Exercising in Cleaner Air
Typically, air pollution is seen as black smoke from a semi-truck or thick haze over a city. In reality, the air outdoors is better for a person than the air indoors is. Indoor air is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Dust, dander, and chemicals from cleaning supplies are the main contributors to indoor air pollution. That being said, the air a person breaths outdoors is, most likely, healthier than the air indoors.
Increase in Vitamin D
Every time a ray of sun touches a person, their body reacts by increasing the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D is a key nutrient that helps strengthen bones and is essential for a healthy diet and lifestyle. Sure, there are vitamin D supplements, but why take those when a natural producer of the nutrient is right outside?
A Mental Exercise
The mind, like the body, needs to be exercised in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The outdoors is an inconsistent place, which helps to stimulate brain function and forces a person to pay close attention to their surroundings. The constant need to adapt to the terrain while exercising outdoors keeps the mind alert, as well. It also keeps the individual safe from oncoming traffic or other unanticipated obstacles, such as, animals, bikes, or road construction.
Easier Access When Exercising Outdoors
Some gyms are anywhere from 20-30 minutes from a person’s work or home. The outside world, on the other hand, is only ever a few steps away. Exercising outdoors is convenient and doesn’t require much travel. The excuse many people use when explaining the reason they don't work out is how far away their gym is. If a person’s “gym” is the outdoors, then that eliminates travel as a hindrance.
Conclusion
Some locations don’t allow for year-round outdoor exercise. Winters can be cruel and constant rainfall is easily avoided by staying inside. When possible, exercising outdoors can provide a person with immense health benefits. From a more efficient workout to being cost effective and convenient, exercising outdoors is a good option. Most people should consider the outdoors as an alternative to the gym because anything gyms can do, Mother Nature can do better.
