By: Marci Lall

You’ve been locked up in your nice cozy home sipping warm cocoa all winter long.  Your only exercise buddy…the treadmill, and just between you and me, we both know it’s not pleasant relationship at all.

Now that the summer weather is here you’ll be able to do a mixture of activities that will keep you active and healthy.  Best of all if you enjoy doing the activities, they won’t feel like exercise and you’ll be more motivated to do it again.

But what kinds of activities should you do if you want to lose weight and be fit?

I’ve got the answers for you right here…

Hiking

Hiking forces you to do a lot of up-and-down movement.  If you’re looking to shape your lower body this would be perfect because you’ll get a tremendous leg workout along with the added cardiovascular benefits as a bonus.

Also, hiking will provide you with a relaxing environment for a workout session that won’t seem like a workout at all.  Like c’mon, does listening to the birds, trickling water, and enjoying the cool summer breeze of the forest sound like a workout?

Sounds more like a vacation to me.

Another great advantage of going on hikes is that it will provide an amazing and rejuvenating break from all of your stresses, and if you’d prefer to do it with a friend you can have them tag along with you.

When you go on hikes just keep in mind that it does take some time to prepare.  If you’re new to hiking make sure you do a little research on the area you want to hike in.  For beginners try to find a route that’s short, gives you some nice scenery, and no extra equipment is needed.

Be sure to pack bug spray and dress in layers so you’ll be prepared for any change in weather.

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent way to cool off from the heat and increase your cardiovascular conditioning in the summer time.  This “Easy on the joints” form of exercise is great for toning your arms and legs.

This is actually a great activity to do as a family.  Believe it or not, jumping around in a pool or chasing after your children in the water can be a pretty intense workout.  The water acts as the resistance, which makes you put more effort in your movements.

A great tool to have while swimming would be goggles.  They will help keep your eyes from getting any irritation and allow you to enjoy your workout without any disruption.

Cycling

Alright, so all winter long you persevered through dozens of spin classes, now it’s time to put your body to the test…

By cycling outdoors.

Cycling provides you with some pretty sweet benefits such as, cardiovascular conditioning and developing the front of you upper thigh muscles (Quadricep) – which women wouldn’t love that?

Cycling can also open some new and exciting fitness doors for you.  You’ll be able to visit different neighborhoods and parks that you wouldn’t normally visit if you were walking.  You’ll also be introduced to numerous bike paths, and trails that you can explore and get to know.

Like spinning it’s important to know how to set the seat height, and handle bars for your comfort, so you don’t end up with a sore back and pain in your knees.

Any bike shop will be able to help you find a bike that will be a perfect fit for your body.

So this summer be bold and try something new.  There are many different sports and activities that you can try out, if one activity doesn’t “float your boat” then move on to the next one on your list until you’re positive you found the one(s) you like.