Fitness Goes Green!

Turn off, unplug and get outdoors. Going Green and getting fit go hand in hand. Ideas are plentiful if you choose to try and help the environment by changing up your daily fitness routines. By starting with a pair of good tennis shoes, some organic clothing and a reusable water bottle you will be contributing to Earth Day efforts.

Here is a top 10 list to get you started:

1. Ride your bike to the store or if you can to work.
2. Head to your local park and ask for a map of hiking trails. Exercising outside releases the stress of the day. Trees, birds, and ponds add to the enjoyment.
3. Participate in Earth Day activities. This week my daughter and I are helping clean the roads in our area. A walk and volunteering in our community are great mood boosters and fun.
4. Workout at your playground. Running around with your kids, playing basketball, soccer, and doing some chin-ups are great ways to conserve energy in the home or at the gym.
5. If you can’t workout outside then use dumbbells, kettle bells, jump ropes, hoola hoops, rowing machines and spin bikes that don’t use energy.
6. When you’ve worn out your clothes, recycle them. Patagonia, for instance, has a program that allows you to recycle old workout clothes and turn them into new ones. Nike takes old tennis shoes and builds basketball courts, running tracks and playgrounds.
7. Share your exercise equipment. If you have videos or dumbbells etc. take turns using them with your neighbors. You might even make a day or two to work out together to utilize the equipment so both of you won’t need to purchase these items.
8. Make your own energy bars and save on the packaging that’s needed to display them in the stores. Recipes are all over the internet and ingredients are usually things you already have on hand at home.
9. Get out the volleyball net and have a backyard game night with family and friends.
10. Start your own garden or plant some beautiful flowers. All that weeding, watering and planting is great exercise.

And, believe it or not there is an eco-friendly gym. The gym is powered by the people who use it and so much more. The gym is in Portland, Oregon. Check out this video.




Here’s a great energy bar recipe to get you started:

Energy Bars- Unbaked Recipe
By: American Running Association Running and Fitnews

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup raisins or dried fruit and chopped
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup light Karo syrup
Mix it all well. Freeze in bar shapes.

Go Green! Go Fitness!