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The weather has been beautiful the past few weeks and it’s just inviting you to get outside and have some fun in the sun! I know I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the weather—I just came back from surfing this morning! Last weekend Lonnie (my husband) and I went mountain biking up near Cuyamaca Lake and I plan to also hike Cowles Mountain some time during the week. If some of you find it difficult to get motivated to workout, maybe you need to try a different approach. Rather than spend these nice days in a gym, try mixing it up by getting out in the fresh air. I think you’ll find it pretty difficult not to feel rejuvenated after getting some exercise outdoors on a beautiful day. Did you know that it’s physically impossible to feel depressed while exercising? That’s due to the endorphins that are released during exercise that are responsible for making us feel so good. That may be just what you need to brush away any blues you may be feeling.
If money is what’s holding you back from getting in shape and feeling great about yourself, then that’s all the more reason to look into exercising outdoors. There’s so many activities to choose from that are absolutely free or call for only a minimum initial investment. Take hiking for an example—you need a good pair of hiking boots, but other than that, it’s free! If you visit your local bookstore you can find some great books on local hiking trails that will give you an idea of what to expect. Like the distance of the hike, the elevation change, difficulty level and even terrain. As a matter of fact, the bookstore is also a great place to pick up a book on local mountain biking trails. While mountain biking my take a little more of an initial investment, I think you’ll find it’s well worth it, especially if you enjoy hiking. I always say it’s like hiking on wheels and you get to cover more ground. You can get a nice bike complete with front shock absorbers (I highly recommend them) for somewhere in the $300 range, brand new. Or you can check your local paper for a used one at an even better price. I friend of mine picked up a very high-end mountain bike at a pawnshop that was just like new for less than half of what it would have cost him to buy it off the rack. So look around before you buy. In-line skating is also a great way to get some exercise outdoors. You can pick up some nice skates for fairly inexpensively, or if you’re not sure you can do it of if you’ll even like it, try renting them down at the beach and blading along the board walk for starters. It’s very inspiring just to be around other people that are enjoying themselves and taking in some exercise at the same time! You rarely ever encounter an inline skater with road rage like you might a driver on the freeway. That’s because the skater is too happy just having a good time! And finally, don’t underestimate your potential for surfing if you haven’t tried it. I began surfing about a year ago and can see why it is so addicting. It just makes you feel great being in the water. As I said, I went this morning with some friends and was fortunate enough to see dolphins playing in the waves right along side of us! Now that’s awesome! What got me into surfing was taking a group lesson at Surf Diva surf school. They were great and got me off to a good start by showing me the basics. I stood up my first time out and experienced the rush that got me hooked! You can take a lesson and rent a board and wetsuit to see if you like it, and once you buy your own, there’s no additional cost. Clairemont Surf Shop is a small family-owned business that has great deals on boards. Paddling over big waves to get to the outside is pretty good exercise. These are just a few really fun ideas for exercise that I think you would enjoy as well as find extremely rewarding. Just remember to be safe, seek some instruction if you need it, bring plenty of water to stay hydrated, and wear your sun block for protection. If you have friends that are already doing one of these particular sports, ask them to show you the ropes. There are also a lot of sport groups out there to help get you started and then keep you going with members just like yourself. Ask around at your local bike, skate, hiking or surf shop for club info. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start enjoying yourself!
©Melissa Allen is a certified personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training and kickboxing instruction. She is a self-syndicated columnist and a member of the San Diego Press Club and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She welcomes input from her readers, so please contact her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling (619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her website at www.optimumcondition.com.
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