Despite how busy many of us are these days, we still aren’t very active. Many of us spend hours a day, one after the other, sitting at a desk and looking at a screen. Then we use those same screens, or variations on a screen theme, to help us relax, to communicate with friends and loved ones, and even to buy essentials (and often non-essentials).
All of this means that getting outside and getting active can become less of a priority, and yet it is vital for good health, both mental and physical. Read on to find out exactly how getting more outdoor exercise and doing more outdoor activities can enrich your life in a variety of different ways; you might find that, once you know how it can help you, you’ll want to make a lot more time for it.
You’ll Be Fitter
Regular exercise is crucial for your overall health, and the more room you can make for it in your daily routine, the better your fitness levels will be. So, in very general terms, outdoor exercise is a great way to get fitter, and that’s a good thing.
But why use outdoor exercise like swimming, running, hiking, cycling, and so on over and above going to a gym or attending a class? Although both options are going to be useful, and exercise in any form is always good, when you exercise outdoors you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the fresh air as well, and this can help your fitness levels as well as the exercise you are getting. Breathing in fresh air will expand your lungs more, give you better oxygen saturation, and help you feel happy, too, particularly when the outside air contains nostalgic smells like fresh-cut grass or pine.
New Skills
Gyms are great, and the benefits that those who like to attend them are many, but not everyone enjoys exercising in this way, and in order to get your body fit and healthy, outside exercise can be an ideal alternative. This is especially true if you think about all the new skills you can learn.
Gym equipment will exercise you, but it won’t get your brain working, and it won’t teach you anything new. Getting out into nature in any way you can will teach you plenty of new skills, giving you not just the health and fitness you’re looking for, but also the potential to expand your brainpower. You might even become so good at whatever you’re doing you decide to change careers; if you’re great at skiing, you can look for a job in Aspen, or perhaps if you’re good at running, you can become a coach, and so on. These new skills can expand your career options and certainly enrich your life.
Extra Excitement
Exercising at home on a treadmill or using an exercise bike in a studio will help you when you do it regularly and combine your exercise with a good diet. We don’t want you to think otherwise. But when compared to getting out and running in new terrain or cycling along stunning roads, it’s definitely not quite the same.
There is an added layer of excitement that comes with being out in the real world and exercising in that way rather than the artificial atmosphere of the indoor exercise areas you can come across. This added layer of excitement can motivate you to exercise more often; it’s easy to get bored of looking at the same four walls but much easier to want to get your running shoes on when you can enjoy the outside world instead.
Less Expensive
Unfortunately, some sports and gym memberships can be costly, and if you don’t use them enough, you really won’t be getting good value for money. Some of these costs can even be entirely prohibitive.
Outside exercise can be entirely free if you want it to be. Running around your back yard or up and down your street doesn’t need to cost a cent, and yet you can benefit just as much as if you were attending an expensive gym or buying pricey equipment. This means that you will always be able to find an exercise that fits your budget, even if that budget is zero.
Conclusion
There are dozens of different sports and activities you can enjoy outside, each one unique in its own special way. This means that you should be able to find something you enjoy, no matter what your preference.
This is great since, just as there are many activities, there are many ways that being outside can enrich your life, and it’s great to be able to take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer.
Please note that some of the links above and below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.
