Exercise environments do matter.
It’s during the start of a New Year that we often see more people exercising; but sadly some loose motivation while many continue with strong goals and high hopes in place!
I think we can all agree that exercise is essential to leading a healthy lifestyle and achieving our fitness goals. But when it comes to deciding which environment offers a better workout, there are decidedly a few perspectives. For some, the gym is the best place, while others can’t imagine exercising in the confines of a building. And lastly, the region in which one resides may also play a deciding factor in our exercise environment.
Our exercise environments offer very different psychological and physical benefits; if we exercise indoors vs. outdoors > alone vs. with others > in front of a mirror or not > and what our personal beliefs are in general about physical fitness and lifestyle.
There is no doubt that being inside will offer a very different experience from exercising outside. And the regulated environment of a gym removes certain variables that can have a direct impact on our performance, such as; volatile temperatures (hot or cold), humidity, and wind speed…etc. With those weather conditions no longer a factor; a gym environment remains relatively constant (as long as you have a routine and show up :)!
Some may also find the gym to be far more convenient since it provides so many types of workout options under one roof versus when exercising outside it can force us to find creative ways to mix things up.
My personal preference is exercising outside versus in the confines of a gym. I’m a warm weather, sun, water, beach kind of gal. My primary exercise vertical is running; so a long run on the sand and along waterline brings me both psychological and physical benefits! This is called a #bluemind. I am creative so mixing-up my workout routine with intervals of stairs and/or weight training provides me with a perfect balance! I spent far too many years living in the Midwest extremes of cold and snow, ie. gyms. So I was intentional to make a personal shift and move to Southern California to support my lifestyle preferences.
Now let’s touch on how exercising outdoors brings its own set of benefits! As an artist I see each experience as moving art. Every workout is a new painting; full of color, sights, smells, sounds, and allowing the rain to fall or the sun to kiss with its tender warmth. All encompassed to have a dramatic impact on our state of mind…leading to more feelings of happiness, reduced levels of stress, a higher production of vitamin D, and having more energy!
It’s also been said that more calories are burned outdoors as compared to doing the same exercise indoors. For example; this means that if you run five miles outside you’ll end up working harder than if you did that same distance on a treadmill. This COULD lead to trimming down and toning-up at a faster rate…
Finally, working out at the gym can become boring and mind-numbing which may ultimately lead to the downfall of just about any exercise program. But mixing-up our routines by heading outdoors and running or cycling new routes will add plenty of variety. This will not only help to keep things fresh, but it’s great for maintaining our motivation levels.
There are some good arguments in favor of both exercising in and outdoors. But remember the key to any successful plan is to stay in a disciplined and focused mindset; and that our fitness routines should be well-rounded and probably incorporate some of each environment.
Take this ‘life inventory’ with me today and let’s agree to be mindful of our exercise environments. And BE as intentional and creative as you like > committing to a routine that fits within your desired lifestyle!
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