Have you noticed the air getting warmer, the days getting longer, and your clothes feeling a little tighter? If you’re like us, you probably dealt with the long winter with lots of delicious comfort food and not quite enough exercise. If you feel like getting back into tip-top shape, your friends at OakwoodLife have helpful physical activities to ease you into the warmer months.
Walking
This is the easiest and cheapest exercise available, and it’s something you can do every day! Get up and walk around your neighborhood, a local park, a golf course before it opens, or even your local mall. If you want to work on increasing your distance, invest in a good pedometer or device and start setting personal goals. Walking ensures that your body is moving every day and can help keep you in good cardiovascular shape. An added bonus — you can invite friends along or start a local walking group, thus increasing your social circle while decreasing loneliness.
Hiking
Hiking is a more strenuous form of walking. For starters, you’re on a trail and you have to be careful of rocks and tree roots so that you don’t stumble. Since most hiking involves going up a mountain or up and down valleys, you’ll definitely be raising your heart rate. Hiking is a fantastic way to get friends together for a healthy physical activity; and even though it can be tough, the views are absolutely worthwhile. Be sure to check ahead of time to make sure the trail you selected isn’t still under snow and ice or you’ll need to bring extra equipment like snowshoes or hiking poles.
Swimming
Swimming — or any pool activity — is a powerful low-impact workout, especially for people dealing with injuries. Even if you don’t swim laps you can still get a good resistance workout by walking or running from one end of the pool to the other. Start by checking out water aerobics or Aqua Zumba classes on offer at a nearby gym.
Spring Skiing
Now that spring break is mostly over, the ski slopes should be significantly less crowded. Even if you’re not an avid skier, simply gliding along easy slopes is still a good workout. If you’re not up for lift lines and big clunky ski boots, then you can always try cross-country skiing — it puts less weight on your feet and joints while still providing an excellent cardio workout.
Yoga/Pilates
Yoga and pilates is smart because stretching is so important — some businesses may even offer an early spring discount as New Year’s resolutions fizzle out. Even if you’ve never tried yoga or pilates before, you’ll soon start strengthening your core, which can help with lower back issues. Just remember to pace yourself and don’t worry about keeping up with your classmates!
We hope these suggestions will get you moving in a positive direction for an active and healthy lifestyle this year. And remember: OakwoodLife communities are designed to keep you active year-round. Be sure to stop in at the SpringHouse Village community center or Fairway Villas to take advantage of all the amenities on offer.