“Sweet summertime”
Hello, summer! Weekends at the lake. More daylight. Going outside without a coat. Even though winter is my favorite season, there’s a lot I enjoy about the summer.
One of the downsides of summer, besides uncomfortable heat and bugs, is it’s really easy to slack off on workouts. Between vacations, R&R, and the opportunity to be outside, it’s a little tougher to spend time in the gym. But there are great ways to be outside and get your fitness on.
It gets hot but it’s great to run outside
Here are my four favorite ways to take your workout outside.
1. Running
Okay, obviously this was going to be on the list. Sure, sometimes it’s uncomfortably hot and, yes, I will be the first one to bitch about how hot it is (but I never complain about how cold it is so that makes it okay ha ha) – but there’s really no better way to enjoy a nice day than going for a run outside.
2. Walking
You don’t have to be a runner to reap the rewards of outdoor exercise. Walking is a great way to get your heart pumping, burn some calories, and soak in some Vitamin D. Bonus, it’s a much more social workout than running so get a crew and make a date of it.
3. Yoga
Within the past couple of years, Fargo has really gotten onboard with outdoor yoga. Nearly every week in the summer, there’s yoga in the park, rooftop yoga downtown, or other outdoor stretch-fests. If your city doesn’t offer group classes, go ahead on your own. Especially after a run, I love doing my stretches outside.
Yoga and paddleboarding – two of my summer faves
4. Paddleboarding
I’m lucky to have more than one family lake home within an hour of the city. My favorite water activity is paddleboarding. After a hot run, I’ll jump right in the lake, cool off, and keep the burn going on the paddleboard. Other mornings, I’ll wake up and cruise for an hour down the beaches. Just last year, I finally tried paddleboard yoga – it’s tough but fun! I’m definitely no expert but have enjoyed trying. If you’re new to it, here’s one of my blogs with 3 paddleboard yoga poses for beginners.
Do you also love to do any of these activities in the summer? What are your other favorite outdoor workouts? Comment or tweet me, @LindsayIRL. Share your summer workout pics on Twitter and Instagram too, and be sure to use hashtag #wellirl.