Guest Blog by Stéphanie Dritschler
I was away for work, staying at a hotel, and I decided to go out for a quick run before starting my day of meetings. As I was waiting for the elevator, a well dressed man looked at me and said:
“Looks chilly out there this morning !”
Great 🙄 I thought. For a second it occurred to me to just go to the gym instead and skip this cold and wet morning run, my motivation quickly dwindling down to zero.
I don't know about you, but when fall arrives, my level of motivation to go outside decreases (November is the worst!). Days are shorter, temperatures are cooler, you go to work, it’s dark outside, you come back from work, and it's dark again. I just feel like soaking in my bathtub or crawling under my duvet.
You’ve been there too right?
So the question is, why is exercising outdoors so important, and how do we integrate it into our routine so that it becomes easier to do, especially during the Fall?
Benefits of exercising outside
We all know that moving is good for us. Regular exercise is linked to lower risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease, it can boost immune function, improve insulin sensitivity, etc... In general, the more you move, the longer you live. But why does outdoor exercise seem to be better than indoor exercise?
Afterall, moving is moving, isn't it?
There is an abundance of research that demonstrates the importance of “green exercise" (meaning outdoor), for physical health obviously, but also for mental health. Even just exercising outside a few minutes can have an impact on your mental state. Other research has also shown that enjoying natural settings like a lake, a park or even just a wetland can reduce your stress level, lower your blood pressure and anxiety. On a more scientific aspect, your endocrine markers: adrenaline, noradrenalin (help to produce adrenaline), and the well known stress hormone “cortisol” all plummet after being outside and exposed to nature, so exposure to nature affects not only physical health but especially mental health.
In Japan, they even have a name for it: “shinrin-yoku”, meaning forest bathing. There is plenty of research in support, demonstrating the positive impact that it has on your general health. One of those studies was done with a group of females and another one with a group of men, and for both groups, after a two days in the forest, it shows an increase in the number of natural cell killers. Yes, those in charge of killing the infected and diseased cells in our body.
Isn’t it amazing?
The positive impact of just being outside is so important that in British Columbia, and also other provinces, doctors and health practitioners can prescribe a free pass to Canadian parks as part of your treatment. According to the B.C. Parks foundation website, scientific research demonstrates that "time in nature can boost immune function and life expectancy and lowers the risk of developing a host of conditions from heart disease to diabetes, obesity, depression and anxiety."
So yes, going outside is important for your wellbeing!
That being said, it's all fine when the sun is shining and the birds are singing, but quite a different story on a cold, wet and windy or snowy day. Here are a few tips to help you to get motivated and go outside.
Getting Outside
It’s all about planning
One thing is for sure, if you say you will decide in the morning whether to go for a walk or not, it’s probably not going to happen. The best thing to do is to plan it. Use your agenda, your notebook, anything that will help you get organized with your week. Plan when and what you will do. It’s also a mental game. If you go to bed knowing that the next morning you will go for a walk, you have way more chances for success.
For my part, I really enjoy doing my exercise first thing in the morning. It helps me get a good start of my day but it doesn't mean it has to be in the morning. If you are struggling between your life as a parent where every minute counts, then what about walking your kids to school? You are working in an office, lunch time could be a great time to go for a run or a walk. You may even have some colleagues joining you.
Find something you love doing
It will be much easier if you chose something you love doing, not a surprise for anyone right? I love running in the morning, so it’s easy for me. For you, it may be something different. A simple walk in the early hours of the day will make you feel good. It doesn’t matter what you do, just go outside and do it.
Be prepared to face the elements
If you want to enjoy your time outside, be ready for it no matter what temperature it is. Just make sure that whatever activity you are doing, you have the right equipment. It is one thing to run in the rain with a good waterproof jacket and pants, and quite another experience to have gear that doesn’t protect you from the elements. If your thing is walking, the same idea applies, get good sneakers and don’t forget, layers are your best friends.
Involve a friend
We all know that when we commit to doing something with a friend, there is a big chance that you will do it. Even on a rainy day, when you wouldn’t otherwise get out in the pouring rain, the idea of letting your friend down might be enough to get you out of bed. Of course, that also means, picking the right friend for the mission. I am so grateful for my friends that agree to run with me on sunny days, but mostly on those cold and wet days.
Challenge yourself
Because sometimes we need a little push, there are different challenges to choose from that can help you commit to exercising outside. First, there are many online challenges that you can join. The Capra challenge will get you out 30 minutes a day for a month: Capra november challenge
The famous David Suzuki also proposes his own challenge that you can start whenever you want: One Nature Challenge - David Suzuki Foundation
Also, I see a lot of people using a tracker, like a Fitbit that will calculate the amount of steps you do in a day. Why not?
So now that you have the scientific literature that demonstrates the beneficial effects of being outside and the strategies to do it, the question that remains is;
What are you waiting for?
Set a goal that you are capable of achieving, like a 10 minute walk everyday for a week, and notice how you feel afterwards. I can guarantee you that once you feel the benefits, it will be easier to keep doing it.
Hope you enjoy your time outside!
Blog Written by Stéphanie Dritschler, my current Practicum student 😊
Looking for more motivation? Join our Food & Body Transformation Program on offer for the FULL MONTH OF NOVEMBER! The time to Register is Right Now!
Hope to see you there!
References:
https://bcparksfoundation.ca/projects/healthy-by-nature/
//www.forbes.com/health/fitness/easy-ways-to-exercise-outside/
http://neuromotrix.com/les-bienfaits-de-la-pratique-dactivite-physique-en-plein-air/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20487629/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3710158/
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es903183r
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-parks-canada-prescription-1.6344141