Taking Advantage of the Outdoors

This upcoming 4th of July, declare your Independence from the gym! Start your July with a SPARK of motivation and get OUTSIDE! Studies show there are numerous benefits to exercising outside. Some examples are as follows:

• The best part of exercising outside is it’s free! There are no membership fees to explore what’s in your own backyard. You don't need any special equipment and no matter where you are, it is always available for you to take advantage of.


• The air is cleaner. You may be surprised to hear that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air is more than twice as polluted as outdoor air.


• A free daily dose of Vitamin D. Outdoor exercise is a great way to get your daily vitamin D. FYI: This is especially important if you are overweight — a recent study found that people who are overweight are almost twice as likely to be deficient in vitamin D.


• There’s more variety. It’s easy to get bored looking out the same window everyday as you run/walk on the same treadmill week after week. The outdoors gives you the flexibility to change things up. One day you could go on a nature trail, the next hike up a mountain, the next join some friends on a stroll around the neighborhood. The change in scenery keeps you from getting bored and makes working out feel less like a chore.


• There are fewer limitations. Have you ever gone to a gym only to find that the class you were hoping to attend is full or that all the machines are being used? Well, exercising outside eliminates all those limitations. You are also able to pick when you want to exercise based on your schedule, not the gym’s.

Thus, this 4th of July H3 current Guests and Staff, will be doing just that! We are participating in the annual “Firecracker 5K”, and we challenge you to do the same in your area. To find your local 5k this Independence Day, go to www.active.com and simply type in your zip code.