It’s no secret that exercise is an important part of life, especially for adults who often sit behind a desk all day. The average American adult employed full time works 47 hours per week, according to a Gallup poll, and four in 10 workers put in over 50 hours each week. So, it is often difficult for adults to reach the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, according to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Many are left to cram as much physical activity as they can into tight windows – often times the weekend.“If you can’t make time to exercise during the week, you can get at least some of the benefits by being a weekend warrior,” says Brian Parr, associate professor of exercise and sports science at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. “Any amount of activity is better than none.
For starters, outdoor exercise gets you out of the gym, which is a benefit for many who find gyms to be intimidating.“Despite the fitness industry boom, we are not seeing changes in national physical activity levels, so gyms are not the answer,” says Jacqueline Kerr, a professor at the University of California, San Diego. Sports such as hiking, canoeing, swimming, biking, and numerous other outdoor activities give you more choices for enjoyable exercise, which is likely to keep you motivated.“If outdoor activity encourages more activity, then it is a good thing,” says Kerr.Secondly, just being outdoors in the fresh air brings along with it many additional benefits, as well. These include:Fresh air is good for your health. Fresh air has been shown to help digest food more effectively, improve blood pressure and heart rate, and strengthen the immune system, leading to a healthier you. “Time spent in outdoor recreation leads to a range of benefits, from reduced obesity rates to strengthened family ties,” according to Robert Manning, professor of recreation management at the University of Vermont. And, quite frankly, it’s more enjoyable.It makes you happier. “We found that positive emotions are associated with a range of long-term health habits,” writes researcher Nancy L Sin, “which are important for reducing the risk of future heart problems and death. Higher levels of positive emotions were associated with less smoking, greater physical activity, better sleep quality and more adherence to medications at baseline.”Fresh air cleans your lungs. “Fresh air helps the airways of your lungs to dilate more fully and improves the cleansing action of your lungs,”
