Exercising in Nature: Fitness as Part of Your Lifestyle — Wellness Designers + Gym Consultants

Why do we think that incorporating nature in your fitness routine is important? Well, for a number of reasons. Read on to find out more.

Working out, or rather moving regularly in general is important - you work your heart and lungs, and increase blood flow while also working your muscles. When the activity happens in nature though, there are a range of other additional benefits waiting for you…

You’ve probably noticed how pictures of nature can promote a sense of calm in us, even lowering your blood pressure, stress and mental fatigue.

Have you ever felt more energized and alive, with just one big inhale of fresh air while taking in the greenery of a park or forest setting for example?

This is known as ‘green exercise,’ and it not only provides the physiological advantages typical of physical activity but also superior psychological outcomes. Research shows that green exercise can enhance self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve overall mood. Access to quality green space is crucial for promoting health and well-being, as the availability of quality green space influences opportunities for outdoor exercise and leads to better health outcomes. Well, this is how you could feel everyday if you start incorporating outdoor workouts in nature into your fitness routine.

Green exercise - A WHOLE WORLD OF health benefits

Plenty of research has been conducted on the differences between indoor exercise versus outdoor exercise, highlighting that the benefits of working out in nature go well beyond those we obtain indoors.

Exercising outdoors is of particular benefit to your mental health, enhancing feelings of vitality and purpose, for example. Exposure to natural and urban environments tends to provide greater psychological and cognitive benefits, emphasizing the restorative effects of nature on attention and mood.

Working out in natural environments can be especially beneficial for children at a young age, moody teenagers perhaps (!) but also the elderly who instinctively respond positively to being outdoors.

A trail run can help you de-stress after a hard week at work far better than simply running on a treadmill in a gym or even in a dense urban environment near your office.

Plant, tree and forest exposure can decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as your resting heart rate and blood pressure.

Fitness in nature improves motivation and mental wellbeing

Anyone has at one time or another felt a lack of willpower to hit the gym or put on their trainers for a run. It’s a challenge most people face at some point whether they are just starting out or regular gym-goers.

Those who have a habit to workout outside though are likely to be more consistent in sticking to their regime mainly because the mental benefits they experience through contact with Vitamin Nature give them an added reason to turn up again for another ‘dose’. The positive effects on physical and mental wellbeing from outdoor physical activities and green exercise can significantly improve motivation, making it easier to maintain a regular fitness routine.

Exposure to plants in natural environments improves your immune system

Scientists have shown that plant exposure can contribute and strengthen the immune system. Scientific research supports the benefits of plant exposure on the immune system. How?

Well, certain chemicals that plants emit to protect themselves from insects, fungi and bacteria, are thought to be beneficial to humans too. Trials have shown that people who have completed a 2hr walk in the woods display an increase of their killer-cells.

Killer cells are our natural shield against various external threats such as viruses and bacteria that can provoke disease.

Light activity in nature improves measures of revitalization

If you happen to prefer lighter forms of activity instead of stamina or strength workouts let’s say, it appears the benefits of Vitamin Nature are still available to you, no matter how low intensity the training is.

For example, a light walk in nature can improve measures of vitality and energy levels, as well as decrease frustration, anxiety, tension, and fatigue more so than the same activity indoors. These activities can lead to improved physical health outcomes, highlighting the comprehensive benefits of light activity in natural settings.

How to incorporate nature in your exercise routine?

Working out in nature can mean any number of activities effectively, just pick the one you enjoy most and can practice regularly from home or the office! Natural movement, which aligns with our evolutionary design, promotes balance, posture, and injury prevention by allowing the body to move in ways that reflect our historical adaptability to natural environments. It is all about developing good habits after all.

Bike rides in the fresh air

If walks through the nearby park or trails are too slow for you, you can always pick up a bike and hit the trails on two wheels. The availability and quality of green space are crucial for promoting physical activity, making bike rides an excellent way to engage with nature and improve overall health.

Amp up your physical challenges

Aside from having trails for running or hiking, many parks now incorporate dedicated outdoor fitness trails for basic bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, lunges and abdominal work. You can always carry a sandbag or resistance band with you or put on a weight vest - the options for outdoor gym equipment are extensive once you start planning ahead properly.

Adventure parks can be a great alternative too, if you like to engage in activities such as rock climbing, ziplines, tree climbing and so on. These challenging outdoor activities not only enhance physical fitness but also contribute positively to physical and mental health by alleviating stress and offering a joyful experience.

yoga in the outdoors

If you like yoga or similar mind-body exercises, you should also consider doing them in nature. Instead of a mat, you’ll have grass or sand beneath you - not such a problem once you get over the current obsession with using a mat all the time. The best time to work out yoga in nature is arguably early morning or around sunset in the evening but any time is good if it feels right to you.

What’s great about doing yoga in nature is the many creative fusions now on offer such as SUP or paddleboard yoga. Engaging in outdoor yoga not only improves your mood but also significantly boosts your self-esteem, which is linked to reduced anxiety and mental fatigue.

make Fitness in nature your new fitness regimen

Why should working out in nature truly become part of your lifestyle?

Aside from having no additional cost and, depending on your location, possible access to free Vitamin D as well, there is a lot to be said for the added sensation of training on uneven, wabi-sabi or imperfect surfaces - ultimately this works more muscles and ensures you are prepared for the real world not just the somewhat sterile perfection of an indoor fitness facility. Additionally, improving mental health through 'green exercise' in natural environments like woods or parks has been shown to boost self-esteem, enhance mood, and reduce anxiety disorders and depression.

Whether it is ditches or inclines, logs in the path or a sudden flash of rain - your mind and body are constantly having to adapt to the environment around them. A treadmill simply can’t get anywhere near that experience, no matter what video you may be watching on the screen in front of you!

Biofit’s Natural Fitness method is based on being able to workout anytime and anywhere, either indoors or out, with or without additional equipment.