The Great Outdoors: 5 Reasons to take your workout outside

With the extreme heat in Singapore, many people prefer to take their workout indoors, in the comfort of an air conditioned gym. But they’re missing out on a ton of health benefits that come with the territory of walking in the sunshine.

Running, hiking, cycling, swimming and much more are just some of the activities you can do outside. Now, you don’t have to give up your gym membership just yet, but alternating your workouts between indoors and outdoors would be a great way to kickstart a healthier life.

Below are just some of the perks of exercising outdoors that no amount of miles on the treadmill can give you.

It makes you happier

It goes without saying that exercise of any kind tends to make you happier as it increases dopamine and endorphin levels, the hormones responsible for our bubbly moods, but exercising in a green environment increases the effect tenfold. You don’t have to spend hours running through parks to reap the benefits, as just five minutes of exercise in a green space is enough to reap the associated psychological benefits. Now you know why people in movies need to ‘take a walk’ when they want to clear their heads!

You get your daily dose of Vitamin D

Most people in Singapore will take any measure to avoid the sun, and while overexposure to the ultraviolet rays can be harmful, we shouldn’t forget the many benefits of sunlight, the main one being Vitamin D. Lack of it can lead to osteoporosis, a weak immune system and low metabolic levels which can lead to obesity. Besides that, sunlight exposure helps you sleep better at night and increases endorphins – those feel-good hormones we can’t get enough of.

You’ll last longer

Ever sat in your cubicle for too long and felt the urge to go outside for a change of scene? Humans by nature need constant stimulation or they begin to tire of what they’re doing. The same principle applies when it comes to exercising. After 30 minutes of pounding the treadmill facing a wall, you’re going to feel like you’ve been going at it for too long. However, it’s difficult to just go through the motions of exercising when you’re outdoors. The constant change of scenery will make your workout less grueling and more pleasurable. Being distracted by the environment makes you less aware of your workout efforts, which means you can jog a few miles and not even feel it!

You’ll burn more calories

Is the gym really challenging your fitness levels when you know what to expect on the treadmill or the stationary bike? Gym equipment might be all hi-tech and fancy but it lacks the varied terrain of the outdoors which is just what your body would need to challenge itself. Plus, the hot weather outside means your body will be working harder to cool down, which means you’ll be sweating and inevitably be burning more calories this way.

You’ll save money

This one’s pretty obvious. Our ancestors lived to a 120 without stepping foot in a gym, so why do we splurge so much on gym membership fees in the name of health? With outdoor exercise, you only need to invest in a good pair of trainers and the world is your exercising park. None of that fancy gym equipment when you can walk, hike, cycle and swim in nature, free of charge!

Karen George