Tag: exercise ideas

The Benefits of Outdoor Exercise

You’re going to say “no way!”

Years ago I switched from being a “gym rat” to an outdoor exerciser. I remember it well.  I looked around at the flourescent lighting and the hamster wheels (“cardio” equipment) and said to myself “I’m done!”.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re a personal trainer. That’s not possible!

Please don’t get me wrong. Gyms are a great place to exercise and I am a huge fan of indoor cardio equipment — especially when it is raining! I just realized that I live in California. The weather is great most of the time. And, what the heck was I doing inside exercising?

My dogs led the way!

At the time, I had overworked and over-trained myself and was dealing with low energy as well as depression.  I wasn’t up for super intense workouts so I left the gym and started walking my dogs every night.

The transformation was amazing! I got my energy back — and my enthusiasm. I also realized that you do not have to beat your body to a pulp in a gym to be fit.

I realize that not everyone is where I was at. However, sooner or later everyone deals with stress in their life.

Research Confirms it!

A recent review of studies published in Environmental Science & Technology that focused on “outdoor exercise” discovered that physical activity in natural areas decreases the risk of mental illness and improves one’s sense of well-being.

Here’s what the researchers found:

  • Two out of three participants said they had improved self-esteem.
  • Two out of three people had improved mood.
  • Three out of four people felt less depressed, tense and angry.

It gets better! The study found that just five minutes a day does the trick!

Here’s what else they said:

Exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, as well as decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression.

Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.

This may explain why walking is still the number one exercise of choice for Americans. We like to be active and outdoors. Even more important, we tend to exercise more consistently when it is outdoors!

Here’s how to get started:

So what does this mean for you? If you already exercise outdoors, you are benefiting in multiple ways. If you are just getting started, start with five minutes of outdoor exercise to improve psychological well-being. Work up to twenty minutes and you have now started an exercise routine!

You will get more value from consistent shorter bouts than inconsistent hour-long workouts.

Here’s some ways to get started:

  • Walk at lunch
  • Walk after dinner
  • Play in the park
  • Take a hike
  • Walk on the beach
  • Try light jogging
  • Play a sport
  • Swim
  • Walk your dog

If you really like the gym, do not stop! Consider cross training with some outdoor activities. It doesn’t have to be formal exercise. Just being outdoors is what matters!

With summer here and so much positive research behind outdoor activity, I encourage you to get creative this summer. Try new activities. Visit new beaches and parks. Turn off the screens and get outside!

Let me know what you come up with. I love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer


 

 

Lose Weight Living Your Life!

Family Running on beach

Welcome to Part 2 Of No Time to Work Out!

Sneak in Exercise!

What did you think of the most recent article? I Agree You Have No Time to Work Out!  I offered some really valuable tips on how my clients are overcoming this obstacle! If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do! This week’s tips will nicely complement last article’s suggested strategies.

Today I show you ways to maximize every day activities you are already performing; and I show you how to use them toward your weight loss/management goals.

1)   You may be more active than you realize! List the physical lifestyle activities you are already doing. These are either recreational or task oriented. Examples of lifestyle activities are gardening, walking the kids to school, raking leaves, housecleaning, taking the stairs at work, etc.

  • To get a “real life” picture, keep a 1-2 week journal. How much time does each take? Be sure to include that for each entry.

2)   Give yourself a high five for what you are already doing!  Total up the number of minutes from your list.  The standard recommendation for improving fitness levels is 210 minutes per week.  However, depending on type of exercise and the individual, closer to 300 minutes may be needed for weight loss (per The Mayo Clinic). [minor edit only]

For example, if you are walking your kids to school for a total of twenty minutes daily (20 x 5 = 100), subtract 100 minutes from 210.  This leaves us with only 110 minutes of activity to fit in during the busy work week! Divide that by six days and you are looking at a goal of one 20 minute exercise session six days per week.  If 300 minutes is your goal then you are looking at 33 minutes per day.

What do you think? Doesn’t that sound do-able? Did your “overwhelm” just disappear? You can start small and build up. Start with two sessions per week and work your way up.  Even if you have to start with 10 minutes, you will be surprised at how quickly your momentum will build and how much better you will feel.

3)  Wow! An hour of grocery shopping burns 156 calories! Did you know that?  You may as well burn those calories while reaching for healthy foods. Choose items you can assemble quickly to avoid eating out on busy days. That way you’ll avoid the hidden calories in restaurant food. Try buying roasted chickens, pre-washed lettuce, pre-cooked rice and frozen organic vegetables. Not only will you be cutting calories, but you’ll also save tons of cooking or traveling time! (More time for exercise!)

4)  Track your progress and create a caloric deficit!  Wear a pedometer or calorie counter that tracks daily activity for feedback and encouragement.  You can also track calories consumed versus calories burned to see if you are creating a deficit.  Data is empowering!

This will help you determine how much additional activity and or minutes you will need to add to start losing weight and/or maintain your current weight.

One of my clients gave a pedometer to her sedentary mother.  Her mother was motivated by the goal of visiting her grandchildren. She determined the number of steps she wanted to take per day and lost 50 lbs!  It can be done!

I hope these creative ideas help you tie your “every day” lifestyle into your weight loss or weight management program. It takes time and effort when we are fitting a proper weight loss regimen into a busy schedule. That’s why I will not make irresponsible claims like so many fitness ads you see in the media. However, I will tell you that when you begin to apply these principles you can and you will lose weight.

I’d love to hear from you. Did your activity inventory surprise you? How many active minutes did you discover in your day? As always, please feel free to let me know if there is anything I can help you with.

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer

 

Does Rain Prevent Weight Loss?

Exercising in the RainSpring is coming! Here in Northern California we can experience those rainy days.

Whether you are an outdoor exerciser who has been rained out, or just simply cannot get to the gym on your scheduled day, here are some creative options to help you stay on track.

  1. Dust off that treadmill or exercise bike. Your first choice may be to exercise outdoors. Here in California and other parts of the country, many people prefer to exercise outdoors. When it gets a bit snarly outside, I recommend clients hop on their “rainy day” equipment and do a good old-fashioned machine workout. Try an interval workout to mix it up.
  2. Jiggle Away That Cellulite! Indoor Trampolines are a really great way to burn calories! You will feel like you are playing! This also works your core and leg muscles. Rumor has it that continual use of the trampoline can help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Experiment with five minutes of jumping, then alternate to five minutes of high knees rapid marching or stair stepping. Turn on your favorite tunes and do this three times for a total of 30 minutes.
  3. Turn on the TV. Why not dust off that home exercise video or an exergame (like Wii Fit); or turn on the cable network’s exercise channel!
  4. Use it as a stretch and active rest day. Have a tendency to put off the stretch or strength routine? A rainy day is a great time to put some good solid time into the strength and floor exercises.
  5. Why not just get wet? Last winter was especially long and rainy for us. We normally walk our dogs an hour a day. Since we have multiple dogs, walking is just as important for our sanity as it is for our waistlines. When we could no longer wait for it to stop raining, we decided to put on rain gear and go for it anyway! The dogs were definitely not interested in an exercise video! We managed to avoid torrential downpours, but we were pleased with what we accomplished during lighter spells.

If you decide to embrace the rain, be sure to pay attention to surfaces to avoid slipping and falling. Safety always comes first.

Not sure what in-home workout would work for you? Write me below and I will give you some ideas.

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer