I know the weather isn’t exactly at it’s warmest currently here in the UK, so it can be tempting to stay cuddled up on the sofa watching box sets. Even if it’s just for a brief period of time , getting outside can be a really great way to refresh both your mind and also your workouts. A lot of us now have jobs which involve us spending long periods of time in an office, looking at a computer screen and generally leading quite a sedentary lifestyle. I usually try and go the the gym or some sort of class after work, as it’s roughly a five minute walk down the road and really helps to wake me up and leave me feeling more vibrant after a long day. However, I know sometimes this may feel like the last thing that you want to do and it’s so tempting just to go home, put your feet up and run a nice hot bath. While this is lovely and time for relaxation is extremely important, spending lots of time in doors leaves me feeling sluggish and actually more tired and lethargic.
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I decided, seeing as we’re coming into Spring, that I wanted to challenge myself to get outside more; whether that be running, HIIT sessions or simply walking into town during my lunch break. All of these small things can have an impact on your day and always leave me feeling so much more positive and refreshed. Whilst I love going to the gym and spend at least an hour there most days, it can be quite a stuffy environment and is not exactly a peaceful one either. Working out in your garden or in the park allows you to take in some lovely fresh air and soak up a little vitamin D whilst your at it too. There are loads of great workouts that can be done outside both with and without equipment and you can often use your surroundings to help you out too. Park benches are a great example for this, as there are so many exercises that you can do involving these. So, here are my top 5 tips for how you can fit a little more outdoors time into your day:
- Walk– whether this be to the shops, to the gym, to work.. try walking when you can instead of driving. If you have to commute by train or bus, maybe get off a stop earlier and walk the last part of the journey. Walking is a great way to get in some extra cardio and a nice breath of fresh air.
- HIIT- switch up your home or gym HIIT workouts and take them down to the park. You could even drag a couple of friends with you and maybe throw in a cheeky post-workout brunch too!
- Lunchin’– this one will mainly apply for the warmer months, but taking your lunch outside instead of sitting at your desk provides a nice change of scenery and always helps to wake me up and leave me feeling recharged and ready for the rest of the day.
- Run- I know running isn’t always for everyone, but I find where you run can have a huge impact on how enjoyable it is. Understandably, pacing on the treadmill can become slightly monotonous and I tend to find myself counting down the minutes on the clock. Whereas, when I run outside, I find the environment around me gives me something else to focus on and just makes the run a lot more interesting.
- Socialise- This is another one that mainly applies when the weathers a bit warmer, but spending time with friends and family is a great way to enjoy more outdoors time. You could take a walk, have a picnic, have a BBQ.. whatever you like to do. In my opinion, there are few better ways to enjoy the beautiful outdoors than with some wonderful people surrounding you.
This was a little bit of a different post, but I hope that you liked it and that it maybe inspired some of you to go and enjoy a great workout outside today! But if you are living in the UK, be sure to take a jumper!
