Summer is just around the corner and it is getting warmer and warmer. That means here In Canada we can start exercising outside.
So here are my: Top 5 Benefits of Exercising Outdoors
Sorry gym rats but there are more benefits of exercising outdoors than indoors. Summer weather is upon us and there are so many activities you can now take outdoors. Running, swimming, park workouts, beach workouts and cycling are amongst the activities you can do outdoors when the weather cooperates. There are a vast number of benefits to taking the workout outside and here are our Top 5:
1. Sun exposure increases vitamin D levels in the body and helps optimize hormones.
2. Oxygen levels are higher in the fresh air outdoors than indoors.
3. Exercising outdoors has been proven to make you happier and lower rates of depression.
4. Outdoor greenery can raise serotonin levels.
5. There is more sensory stimulation with exercising outdoors than indoors.
VITAMIN D
According to the Vitamin D Council, the sun is a good source. Vitamin D is also especially important for good overall health and strong and healthy bones. I also helps fight infection by helping your in the muscles, heart, lungs and brain work optimally. According to the Vitamin D Council “a lack of vitamin D has also been linked to some other conditions such as cancer, asthma, type-II diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s and type-I diabetes.”
OXYGEN
Outdoors air has more oxygen than the air we breath indoors. Indoors the air can be destroyed by tobacco smoke, city smog fumes, re-circulating air in buildings, improper ventilation, exhaust, and other pollutants. Aqua 4 Balance states that ome of the bad side affects from a lack of fresh air are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain include, fatigue, drowsiness, dullness of mind and irritability.
DEPRESSION
Nature increases positive thoughts and feelings of happiness and well-being. Exercising outside has been shown to reduce depression or symptoms of depression. Research has shown that exercise is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression.A current study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, followed a similar method to one from 2008 that showed that a one-hour walk in a woodland park improved memory and attention. Web Md states that endorphins that are released during exercise trigger “a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as “euphoric.” That feeling, known as a “runner’s high,” can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.” Regular exercise has been proven in studies to reduce stress, ward off anxiety and feelings of depression, boost self-esteem and improve sleep.
SEROTONIN
Serotonin levels are increased when you exercise outdoors or in green spaces. What is serotonin you ask? According to Australian Lifestyle serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is important in appetite control, sleep and our general metabolism.
SENSORY STIMULATION
The outdoors is constantly changing. You see birds, as you walk terrain changes, people you walk by have different faces, there are sounds and smells. Exercise is beneficial for physical and mental health and sensory stimulation can improve the quality of life for the average person and especially people with mental dementia according to Alzhemers.Org.
We hope that these 5 benefits of exercising outdoors motivated you! Don’t you just want to grab a pair of runners and hit the park for a workout session. Get up, get outside and get active!
Armadillo LT Gaiter from Hillsound Equipment
The Hillsound Armadillo LT™ gaiter was created to meet the need for high-performance, affordable gaiters for outdoor enthusiasts. The Armadillo LT™ is comprised of a waterproof and breathable upper made of Flexia three-layer fabric that is contour fitting and lightweight. This stretch fabric ensures a snug fit that won`t pinch or fall down. The lower is a 1000 denier, high-density nylon, providing supreme protection from the elements. These gaiters will keep mud, trail debris and snow out of your socks and hiking boots. Like all Hillsound gaiters, the Armadillo LT™ features a YKK waterproof zipper to make it easy to get the gaiter on and off. The Armadillo LT™ is a solid choice for year-round hiking and snowshoeing.
Waterproof to 20,000mm.
Breathability rating: 6RET, 15.000 + g.
YKK zipper brings the gaiter close to the leg.
DWR coating will remain intact for up to 50 washes.
At the beginning of winter I was lucky enough to get sent a pair. At first I was a little skeptical. However, even though our winter was short these little guys came in handy. It was more of a slushy winter than a snowy one here in Toronto. So I was very grateful for the waterproof aspect of these gaiter's. I found them very easy to put on over my shoes and it was stretchy which gave it a really snug fit.
Im a size 9 and the medium fit me perfectly. The best thing about them is that I could use them with most of my shoes (and I have a lot). I like that they are black and went with my wardrobe as well. I always used them to walk my dog and my feet stayed dry and comfortable.
Overall I give the http://hillsound.com/hillsound-product/armadillo-lt-gaiter/ a 9/10. I wish that they were insulated. Non the less I would highly recommend these for anyone who is an outdoor enthusiast in cold weather climates and for people who hike.
Rather than travel long distances to a gym at ungodly hours, the 50-year-old bodybuilder works out right next to his "home" – on the streets of Paris.
"I don't want to live in a small apartment," he says in the video above, which has gone viral since it was uploaded to YouTube last week. "People do not understand why I sleep on the floor, but I never feel cold."
The short film, made by director Julien Goudichaud, documents Sayagh's daily workout routine. He does push-ups on the pavement, pull-ups using belts suspended from lampposts, and bicep curls using bungee ropes attached to railings.
Shots of his stretch of street show that he lives with his dog, various bits of workout apparatus, and tubs of creatine powder.
"Bodybuilders are futurists, they dare everything," explains Sayagh, who competes in bodybuilding contests despite a diseased liver from his days of alcohol abuse. "It's a world that I like."
Sayagh says that a simple motivation propels him to work out, even when Paris's streets are at their very coldest. "I have grandchildren. I don't want them to think that their grandfather is an asshole. I want them to be proud of me, that's all I want."
1. Sun exposure increases vitamin D levels in the body and helps optimize hormones.
2. Fresh air has more oxygen in it then inside.
3. Exercising outdoors feelings of well-being and lowers depression.
4. Outdoor greenery raises serotonin levels.
5. In nature you get more sensory stimulation than indoors.
VITAMIN D
According to the Vitamin D Council, the sun is a good source. Vitamin D is also especially important for good overall health and strong and healthy bones. I also helps fight infection by helping your in the muscles, heart, lungs and brain work optimally. According to the Vitamin D Council "a lack of vitamin D has also been linked to some other conditions such as cancer, asthma, type-II diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s and type-I diabetes."
OXYGEN
Outdoors air has more oxygen than the air we breath indoors. Indoors the air can be destroyed by tobacco smoke, city smog fumes, re-circulating air in buildings, improper ventilation, exhaust, and other pollutants. Aqua 4 Balance states that ome of the bad side affects from a lack of fresh air are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain include, fatigue, drowsiness, dullness of mind and irritability.
DEPRESSION
Nature increases positive thoughts and feelings of well-being and has been shown to reduce depression. Research has shown that exercise is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression.A current study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, followed a similar method to one from 2008 that showed that a one-hour walk in a woodland park improved memory and attention. Web Md states that endorphins that are released during exercise trigger "a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life." Regular exercise has been proven in studies to reduce stress, ward off anxiety and feelings of depression, boost self-esteem and improve sleep.
SEROTONIN
Serotonin levels are increased when you exercise outdoors or in green spaces. What is serotonin you ask? According to Australian Lifestyle seratonin is a neurotransmitter that is important in appetite control, sleep and our general metabolism.
SENSORY STIMULATION
The outdoors is constantly changing. You see birds, as you walk terrain changes, people you walk by have different faces, there are sounds and smells. Exercise is beneficial for physical and mental health and sensory stimulation can improve the quality of life for the average person and especially people with mental dementia according to Alzhemers.Org.
This post is sponsored by Fitfluential LLC on behalf of the North Face Endurance Challenge.
Guys I am so excited to share with you that I have decided to train and compete in The North Face Endurance Challenge. I am strength training and doing longer endurance runs to get ready for the 10km race. The challenge that I will be running at is located in Ontario Canada on July 12-13th 2014. I am very excited to train and participate in the event.
The North Face Endurance Challenge Series introduces a first-time international expansion within North America, offering an event in Ontario, Canada at Blue Mountain Resort, located 90 miles outside of Toronto. Featuring the most pronounced elevation gain trail race in all of Ontario, The North Face Endurance Challenge cruises along the Niagara Escarpment on the western shores of the Georgian Bay and navigates through the ski trails of the Blue Mountains.
But guess what?!?!?!
The North Face Endurance Challenge is the premiere trail race series. There is a distance for every single skill level.
Distances offered include
5k
10k
Half Marathon
Marathon relay
Marathon
50km
50 Mile
Kids Race
Use my promo code D30ABON and get 10% OFF!
You don't have to be in Ontario, Canada to join me and you can run in your own state
Check out Chad (Ochocinco) doing some body weighted pull ups! He's def training it right because with the legs straight these are hard!
Check out the Reebok ATV shoe. What do you think? Will you be running in these?
They are even endorsed by UFC legend Rampage Jackson.
Check out the New Balance Winter 110 runner!
What makes them special is their combination of low weight and rock protection, but what makes them popular is their fit. They're a bit like the race/comps of trail running: they fit universally snug but not tight enough to make your toenails black. An extra-grippy sole doesn't hurt either. They have a zipup "outer sock" is water resistant, keeping the water out of the inner laceup shoe, and keeping you running through our miserable Canadian winters.
