With Spring Fever setting in, it is hard to imagine when it will be possible to exercise comfortably outdoors again. But hang in there, sunshine and warm temperatures are just around the corner. Now that there is new evidence of the mental benefits of exercising outdoors, there is even more of a reason to get outside and get fit when the weather gets nice.
A new study, published in Environmental Science and Technology, shows there are not only physical benefits of outdoor exercise, but also mental benefits. The researchers compared the effects of those who exercised in the natural environment to those who did their workout indoors. The people who exercised outdoors had greater feeling of revitalization, increased energy, and positive energy with a decrease in anger and depression. Better yet, those who did their workout outside said they were more likely to do the same exercise again the next day.
Working out in a gym can get very boring, even with the new Fitness Center we have at Hofstra. However, outdoor exercise can be different every day — it is as simple as choosing a different route for a jog, or a switching it up from interval training on an intramural field to kicking a soccer ball around with your friends. There are so many opportunities to exercise outdoors and reap the physical and mental benefits, you won’t even realize you are doing a workout! Who doesn’t enjoy a game of ultimate Frisbee, taking a up-tempo walk with your girlfriends or just clearing your head with a run?
Even if you don’t want to do all your workouts outdoors, at least try to mix it up on occasion. By no means does this mean working out in a gym is not worth it, because the physical benefits of working out will always be there as long as you’re putting in the effort. You just might enjoy it more when you’re outside in nature.
All of this is great news for people on campus with the winter blues — and let’s be honest, who isn’t feeling the depressing effects of this long winter? With the beginning of March coming up, the weather is bound to turn around soon. Once the temperature gets warm enough, and even if you still need to layer up a little, get outside to get fit and improve your mental well-being.
Here are some great ideas for taking your workout back to nature:
- Simply, take your run outside! Just doing this simple switch will up your calorie burn by 5 percent.
- Go for a walk on a trail. The closest park around Hofstra with mapped out trails is Bethpage State Park.
- Do your strength training at a park. Drive (or run!) to Eisenhower Park down the Hempstead Turnpike and do your push ups, squats, and sit ups in the grass.
- If you’re lucky enough to have a bike on campus, make the most of the great bike paths around Hofstra.
HU: Healthy University is a new series by HerCampus writer Meghan McCloskey, which centers around Hofstra fitness.