SHAPING UP: The benefits of exercising outdoors

The news has highlighted that those who are fitter are much less likely to suffer severe symptoms and the main advice is to reduce stress, eat healthily and exercise regularly.

So, it’s good news that gyms and fitness centres have been given the green light to re-open.

Following government advice, gyms have introduced stricter hygiene procedures and most are running at reduced capacity and limiting the amount of time members can spend inside to maintain a safe environment.

However, there are still many people who feel apprehensive about returning to their usual indoor gyms and are embracing the outdoors instead.

And with good reason too, because outdoor exercise offers lots of health benefits, including:

1 REDUCES STRESSBeing physically active outdoors has been shown to reduce anger and depression and improve mood – more than exercising indoors. Not only do you get endorphins from moving your body, you also get exposure to vitamin D from being out in the sun, which is important for mood regulation.

2 IMPROVES SELF-ESTEEMAs little as five minutes of outdoor exercise can improve your self-esteem – which is really important given that almost 40% of women are put off from exercising because of confidence issues and a fear of judgement. Anywhere outside will have this positive impact, but interestingly, being near greenery or water enhances this effect.

3 IMPROVES YOUR SLEEP

Exercising helps you to get a better night’s sleep, but exercising outdoors can boost that effect because fresh air can help to improve the quality of your sleep.

4 FREE DOSE OF VITAMIN D

When training outdoors, you can also enjoy the benefits of sunshine. Vitamin D that you get from the sun is especially important if you are overweight, as research suggests that people who are overweight are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D.

Fresh outdoor air and natural light also invigorates and provides more energy for the mind and body.

5 PUSH YOURSELF MORE

Studies have shown that physical activity outdoors lowers a person's blood pressure and heart rate. As a result, exercise outdoors feels less strenuous than similar exercise indoors, which, in turn, pushes you closer to your maximum performance.

VARIATION

Performing your usual workout outdoors can challenge your body in new ways. Including movements such as bodyweight exercises will enhance your coordination, balance and mobility. Most bodyweight exercises are multi-joint movements and therefore really effective for weight loss and improving strength!

Exercising outdoors doesn’t mean you have to do it alone, there’s plenty of groups out there to join. In fact, it can be great for your mental health because you’ll benefit from the social aspect too.

At East Coast Fitness, we offer a 7-Day Trial for £10. So, if you’d like to try outdoor exercise in a group this is a great way to start. We are located at Seaham Marina, where we have a fantastic fitness venue with beautiful views of our coastline and plenty of outdoor space.

If you’d like to come along for a 7 Day Trial go to www.eastcoast-fitness.com/trial