five Benefits of outdoor exercise
We’re sure you’re all aware of the countless health benefits associated with physical activity. But what you might not be aware of is the benefits the body gets out of performing exercise outdoors.
Majority of health clubs provide classes that are based purely indoors. At The Toll House, we offer outdoor exercises and areas to workout under the sun, allowing individuals to put themselves in a position to exponentially increase the health benefits associated with outdoor exercise.
Here are five key benefits to exercising outdoors:
1. boosts mental health
According to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, “Getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is absolutely vital to mental and physical health. It is perhaps the most important thing that any and all of us can and should do in order to promote metabolic well-being, promote the positive function of your hormone system, and to get your mental health steering in the right direction.”
Outdoor exercise can improve your mental health because sunshine naturally increases serotonin production, a hormone that affects mood, emotions, and sleep. Plus, exercise in itself produces endorphins, another feel-good hormone that boosts your mood and reduces pain.
The Toll House courtyard area is available for use at all times, meaning you get to start your day off in the right way while enjoying the positive boost in hormone levels.
2. REJUVINATE YOUR MOTIVATION
A set routine is productive, but repeatedly working out in the same way and same environment will drastically reduce your motivation to train. Changing up how you workout will help reignite that spark and refuel that inspiration to reach your goals.
Many of our members comment on how our outdoor workouts don’t feel like as much of a draining workout as regular session, but are still getting a great calorie burn out of them in a refreshing and exciting way.
So, if working out is starting to feel like a chore or you have noticed your motivation starting to slip, perhaps a workout outdoors could be the answer to getting you back on track!
3. INCREASE VITAMIN D
Exposure to UV from sunlight is the most important natural source of vitamin D. The vitamin has multiple important functions on the body, including: absorption of calcium and phosphorus for bone health, facilitating normal immune system function, decreasing the chance of heart disease, reducing the likelihood of severe illnesses, mood regulation, and the support of weight loss.
According to Healthline, to maintain healthy blood levels, individuals should aim to get 10–30 minutes of midday sunlight, several times per week. People with darker skin may need a little more than this. Your exposure time should depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight, so if you burn easily we have plenty of SPF here for you!
4. CHALLENGE YOUR BODY
Although your workout may still be challenging when completed indoors, you’re more than likely in a climate-controlled space with air conditioning and protection from the sun. While exercising indoors with air conditioning is completely fine, moving outdoors will put your body through greater physical stress, meaning you are getting more out of your workout in the same amount of time.
If you are finding you are finishing a workout with still plenty to give, then a switch to outdoor training could be the answer to taking that next step in your progress. When exercising outside, your body is tested by environmental elements such as weather, temperature and terrain, meaning your body is pushed harder than training indoors to cope with these factors.
5. IMPROVE MENTAL FOCUS AND RELIEVE STRESS
As mentioned above, the environment is constantly changing when we exercise outdoors. According to Workout Australia, our minds require a great deal of mental focus to adjust to these subtle changes. As a result, we receive a temporary break from daily stressors, which can improve our ability to focus on day-to-day tasks.
An outdoor environment like the ones at The Toll House will provide you with visual distractions that will in effect decrease your rate of perceived exertion allowing you to train harder and for longer periods of time.
THE TOLL HOUSE GROUP FITNESS CLASSES
Here at The Toll House, we have a range of outdoor classes available to suit all fitness levels including Legacy, ReFit, and BootCamp.
Check out all of our available classes here.
If you’d like to give them a try, why not take part in our FREE Seven Day Trial. Fill out the form here and we’ll be in touch to get you started on your fitness journey at The Toll House.
