Every year, I spend my winter counting down until I can get outside for walks, hikes, bike rides. As soon as the weather breaks, I am happy to ditch the treadmill and get outside. It turns out I’m not alone in feeling this way.
Many studies have been done to evaluate the difference exercising outdoors makes in people’s activity levels. These studies have discovered a number of interesting things.
People who exercise outdoors:
- Are more likely to stick with an exercise program.
- Tend to workout harder than those doing the same activity indoors.
- Tend to workout longer than those indoors.
- Enjoy their exercise more than if indoors.
- Score higher on measures of vitality of self-esteem, and lower on measures of stress, depression and fatigue on psychological tests.
Take advantage of summer weather being here and get outside. By the end of the summer, you should see improvements in how you feel and look. Use those changes to keep you moving all winter!