Ways to Be Active Indoors & Outdoors This Summer
Who here is team “The Great Outdoors,” and who is team “The Great Indoors?”
I’m definitely the first team, but my hubby is hands down a big fan of indoor life.
I love how God gives us certain characteristics in friends when our family doesn’t share our same passions and interests. I’m so grateful for friends and family who adore being outside — rain or shine — and are up for walks and runs with me!
So, it’s okay my hubby is an indoors man! I’m sure he’d love a wife who likes hours of playing video games, but since I don’t, God gave him friends who do. Pray for specific traits in friendships, and God would love to lavish you with that fulfilled request.
Here are some tips for movin’ and groovin’ this summer, whether you are hanging outside with fellow nature junkies or spending time in the air conditioning with fair-weather lovers.
Ways to move outside:
Walk in the park or neighborhood! Yes, it still “counts” as exercise. And yes, 20 minutes is enough. 15 or 10 or five minutes of walking is still great, and your body will love it! Your workout doesn't have to be done all at once either. You can walk five minutes before work, five on your lunch break and five in the evening, if you want.
Run! Go solo and chat with Jesus as you run, or go on a running “coffee date” with others. Sometimes my sister and I go for a run together and leave at the same time. "Let's run for 30 minutes tonight," we decide. We then pick a start time and text each other before we leave and run around our own neighborhood or park. We call each other during our cool down walk/stretch. It’s a fun way to run together when you can’t be together in person.
Walk to your errands! Maybe don’t walk to your Costco trip, but it could definitely be good for some light groceries or to get the mail. It’s my favorite thing to do, and I have many stores 5-10 minutes away from me.
Take your workout video outside! Grab your laptop and do a workout video on the grass or deck. A change of scenery can add so much extra joy to your workout.
Trampoline! Spray parks/splash pads. Yard games, like Top Toss or Bocce Ball. Hopscotch. Chasing butterflies with kids. Running through a sprinkler. If you are moving even a little, it still counts! Reframe what you think a workout has to look like to "count.”
Swimming, biking, roller blading, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking ... so many ways to move when it's warm out! Take your pick and choose the joyful-to-you option!
Ways to move inside:
Play tug-of-war with your dog.
Play an active game like Twister. Who needs tree pose for balance when you can work on that during this old school game?!
Use a Wii or Kinect game system, and have a hoot with family as you exercise and get mega entertainment!
Check out YouTube for some great exercise videos! I love Denika’s channel, or PopSugar is also diet culture free in messaging.
Dance as supper cooks! Hello, family dance parties in the kitchen! It makes such fun memories, and gets your heart rate up. Again, moving still counts even if it’s short or low intensity. Doing some is always better than none!
For some ways to become an intuitive mover, check out my blog “Why I Moved In a Week” and others here. You can get an inside glimpse at why I pick what I do for workouts. I was injured with an ankle sprain for part of that series on my blog, so I also have some blog posts about modifying movement and learning to joyfully rest when your body requests it. Scroll down past the “Why I Ate in a Day” posts to find the intuitive-exercise-focused ones!
You can also check me out on Instagram @nutritionwithnyla where I share intuitive exercise from a Christian perspective!
Happy joyful moving this summer, friends!