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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters avoid the treadmill for 15 hours each month, in a year we'll save enough energy to power a post-workout whirlpool tub for almost 29 years.
COCKTAIL FACT
Hong Kong's California Fitness Center is the first (indoor) gym with exercise bikes that power its lighting.
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home › tip library › Working Out
Wanna fight off waste and weight gain at the same time?
The Bite
There's a better solution than kicking the treadmill every day. Hang up your gym membership and try getting your exercise outside to give energy and cash waste a what-for, and tackle calories at the same time.The Benefits
- Beating power waste into submission. Gyms across the country overload on A/C, and - newsflash - most training machines use electricity too.
- Less of a thrashing for your wallet. The average gym membership costs $55 per month, while some people even manage to get paid for walking the streets. Ahem.
- Scoping your territory. Parks and trails offer better scenery than the weight room. There's a reason why nobody ever talks about the Great Indoors.
Personally Speaking
Toshio joined his roommate for a park-based boot camp on "legs" day - and for the next week walked around like the oldest man alive.Wanna Try?
- Trails.com - find a hiking trail near you; an annual membership to this website is still cheaper than the gym (14-day free trial, then $50/year).
- Fitness Magazine - instructions for nine simple exercises you can take outside.
- Yoga Journal Pose Finder - you can do these yoga poses at home, in the yard, or at the park.
- Volunteer Match - outdoor volunteering ops, such as removing invasive species from parks or clearing trails, that get you working.
May 12,2008
Sponsor
All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
A Breath of Fresh Air
I used to treadmill a few times a week in a corporate gym with no windows-the only way I could bear the tediousness of it was by watching episodes of Sex and the City on the gym TV. Add up that electricity bill.
Now I walk to and from work, which adds up to an hour of regular outdoor exercise daily. Along the way, I see the city (though usually sex-free), and it always surprises me how many people are out and about, exercising. Bikes on Market Street, tai chi and dancing lessons in the park, joggers everywhere. All of these people are joining the public health club, contributing to a feeling of community and vitality just by doing what they do outside.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to crash a dance lesson...
Biter Comments...
Don't forget to stuff a bag in your back pocket and use it to collect trash while you walk! You'll be enjoying the fresh air, working your body, AND cleaning up the environment, all at the same time!
I have belonged to a gym and my first choice of fitness is swimming. Then I realized I didn't like the idea of chlorine in my system all the time. That sent me walking on a treadmill. Boring....I committed to walking outside but again got sidetracked. (so easy to do) So, because I'm a lifestyle leadership coach, I decided to put my money where my mouth is....Between the spring equinox and the fall equinox I committed to walking 1000km and then attached a charity to it so it becomes a win/win/win. I average 7km per day, sometimes more and sometimes much less. I'm currently at 345 km. My husband and I downsized our home two years ago and moved to an area close to his work so that he can walk whenver he wants to. I work from home most of the time so my commute is also an eco friendly one. I get to meet lots of people, I stop at a special spot I've found by the water and work on my writings, I have lost 15 pounds so far and I feel better mentally. Have feet will travel! Thanks for the story, living la vida fearless, Jan
www.tobeyourbest.net
Walking and running outdoors is far better than doing it indoors any time of the year as far as I am concerned. As long as you have the right clothing, you can exercise outdoors in the winter no problem.
Just be smart about where you do it. Let someone know your schedule, where you go and it is always best to go with someone. Better for motivation too.
As far as I'm concerned, the ONLY good thing about living in a city is that you can walk to just about anywhere you need to go. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, "burning rubber." :-) There are some good ideas in this tip, with the exception of that $50 Trails.com site. Why pay $50 to join a website when you can go to your state's environmental protection department's FREE website and no doubt find info there on biking/hiking/walking trails in your state. I'm sure there are trails in any state park, but if you live in a city, all ya gotta do is walk around town. (You 'Frisco folks must get quite a workout with all those hills. It's very hilly here in New England, too.) I've always heard that swimming is the BEST of the aerobic exercises, but not everyone has access to a pool, and, not everyone knows how to swim. However, walking is one form of exercise that's available to just about anyone, so if walking is your exercise of choice, make a point of investing in a good-quality pedometer, and if possible, make it a pedometer that will work when carried in your pocket instead of having to be clipped to your belt or waistband. It's lawn-mowing season again, so that's a good way for me to work activity into my life. (My tractor's on the fritz so I have no other choice but to get out there and use my walk-behind mower and I have a fairly large lawn.) It makes exercise less of a chore when I can get some instant gratification, like a nicely-manicured lawn, out of the deal. :-)
I enjoy walking and jogging outdoors. But in the summertime, outdoor exercise can be brutal. I have a regimen of going to the gym 3 or 4 days a week. I try to get a walk on the beach in at least 1x per week. Preferably at sunrise.
I love Ideal Bite, but I consider this a sort of "holier than thou" post. Being able to get all of my exercise outdoors is unrealistic as I think it is for the majority of adults who work full time to support themselves and a family. I work 40-60 hours per week and live in Oakland, CA. During the fall and winter, it's dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I get home. The last thing I'm going to go is go home and take a walk around my neighborhood in the dark-- it's just not that safe here. Also, I play soccer. No amount of walking, hiking or running is going to give me the range and combination of cardio and weight training I need to stay in shape and I don't have the space in my apartment for the weights and machines that I have access to at my gym. Plus, I get bored quickly with exercise and I need to shake things up every few weeks. Having the flexibility to hop on a different machine every few weeks makes exercise bearable for me and keeps me active. Don't get me wrong, I would much rather exercise outside, and I do so as much as possible, but having access to the gym is a huge part of my routine as well.
I've recently left the corporate world and started my own business as a virtual assistant. I work from home and have found that I don't get the exercise anymore that I used to! Not only have I gained a *few* pounds (EGAD!.. ok, only 4, but STILL!), but I find myself rather lethargic in the evenings becuase I've been working for 12 hours and haven't even gotten outside! This post served as a great reminder to get outdoors, even for 30 or 40 mintues a day and do something. I may even discover new neighbours and new coffeeshops in my community. And shave off the 4 pounds!
TO:KAREN SKVAREK
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU PLS REPLY BACK MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS AGALANGE@YAHOO.COM THANKS
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Karen Skvarek | May 12, 2008 at 05:50 AM