by Nadia Murdock
With the weather now officially at warmer temps a lot of physical conditioning can be taken outdoors. However according to Psychcentral.com “Many women choose to exercise at night to minimize the chance of being seen, or they simply avoid outdoor exercise altogether.” This is most likely due to a lack of a positive self-image and unfortunately a good percentage of women are keeping their workout indoors. Below I have a listed a few examples that will get you headed in the right direction when you are ready to take your fitness regime outside.
Hiking: You can enjoy the outdoors; soak up some Vitamin D and get a great sweat all at the same time with an outdoor hike. Depending on your location there are several hiking trails that vary in difficulty. Choosing a trail with more inclines are will add intensity vs. more of a flatland course. Select wisely and switch up course selection from time to time to avoid boredom. Tip: Try adding a weighted vest or ankle weights for an extra challenge.
Aqua Workouts: When the sun is hot but you still need to squeeze in a workout, aqua fitness is another great option. Ranging from Zumba to Spin there are several workouts that are now done in the water. Some benefits include smaller risk of injury, non-competitive environment and providing a perfect alternative when cross-training. “Exercise, particularly aquatic varieties increase blood circulation, lower blood pressure, and ease joint pain. Perhaps most important, water aquatics helps lift spirits, and provides healthy social interaction in a group setting.” as stated by Livestrong.com.
If your local gym does not offer such classes you can always customize your own aqua workout with a few of these examples: http://waterwellnessworkouts.com/sample.asp
Outdoor Running Groups: If you are new to fitness this summer joining a running group is a great way to stay committed and meet new people! Most groups will place you with fellow runners that won’t out run you but motivate you. The best part about being apart of such groups is being able to connect with likeminded individuals that will be able to relate to the ups and downs of physical training. “A team atmosphere has been shown to push runners to a new level of performance “ according to Runners World.
Looking for a running group? Visit: http://running.meetup.com/
So why choose an outdoor workout this summer? For starters it can help reduce anxiety, depression and boost self-confidence. Hope to see you outside!
Nadia Murdock: Experiencing rapid weight gain in her freshman year of college she had to unlearn unhealthy habits that she adopted. Through this process she rediscovered her passion for being fit and health. Calling the tri-state area (NY/NJ/CT) home she has always been fascinated by the cutting edge fitness classes that can be found in the New York area. Never passing up a challenge she began taking every class imaginable and learning more about nutrition. With her newfound knowledge of fitness and health she decided to share it with others via her fitness column on Examiner.com entitled New York Fitness Examiner. She later founded NadiaMurdockFit.com and published her first eBook You Can Have It All:Fitness Edition. As a Fitness and Lifestyle Expert/Writer she tries to embody everything that goes into making one’s life a healthy one.