“Nature can motivate: When you exercise outdoors, you tend to work harder and feel more powerful than when you work out inside, a study in Psychology of Sports and Exercise reports. Your Immunity gets a boost from outdoor activity too: Walking in wooded areas can even increase the function of cancer-fighting white blood cells, according to research from the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo.”
I (Litsa) love this encouragement from Shape’s winter issue. I’m a fan of exercising outdoors every opportunity that I get. Recently, I realized how much I not only love familiar walking/running paths but how revitalizing new areas are to me.
My daughter and I stopped at a rest area for a request to ‘use the bathroom’ but what she really wanted to do was RUN! “Mommy, you stand here and watch how fast I can run!” She ran sprints back and forth on the sidewalk until the highway beckoned us back on the road again. However, I made a mental note to schedule in mini miles of bathroom/snack breaks in with walking/running breaks on our future travels. Even when we’re out running errands and shopping on weekends, I’m taking advantage of fresh air breaks. Together we take in the fresh air, we exercise, and explore the joys of new surroundings. These simple pleasures really add value to our days together.
Nature is truly a breath of fresh air when shared with your child(ren)! “Mommy, I want to come walking with you!” New requests with each memory of the trails we explored last together…
Don’t forget the parks in surrounding towns may be the perfect fit too. Children can play safely while you walk a trail around the park (as long as you can see them/reach them from your path). Enlist friends for added enjoyment too.
Are you exercising outdoors this week?
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Great post! I remember the days when I could get my kids to go out and play or exercise with me. Nowadays they’ve got their eyes glued to their digital devices. I love exercising outside, definitely beats running on a treadmill, at least for me.
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