The benefits of daily exercise are clear: regular physical activity can improve your health, mood, and longevity. But, what if there’s a magical way to increase your exercise health benefits without a gym membership? The good news is there’s no wizardry or witchcraft involved. All you need to do is take your sweat session outside.
Outdoor exercise, also known as green exercise, combines moving your body and the natural environment, providing health-enhancing benefits while you burn calories in the open air. According to WebMD, studies have shown increased mental health when exercising for at least 15 minutes in a park or other natural setting.
We talked to Jordan Ng, personal trainer and HMSA community well-being analyst, to learn more about green exercise, its health benefits, and how we can incorporate more outdoor exercise into our workout routines.
Q&A with Jordan Ng
What is green exercise?
Green exercise is any form of physical activity, movement, or exercise that’s done in green and natural settings, such as parks, beaches, hiking trails, or even in your backyard (as long as it provides a natural environment).
Exercising outdoors has added mental and physical health benefits.
What are the benefits of green exercise?
There’s growing evidence that being outdoors in a natural space can lead to increased physical activity motivation and participation. Current research acknowledges that green exercise not only provides the general benefits of physical activity, but it can also amplify the positive impact on mood enhancement and emotional well-being, compared to physical activity done indoors. Another benefit of green exercise is increased exposure to sunlight, which elevates our vitamin D, decreases cortisol levels (which help you manage stress), and can help improve sleep quality.
How much green exercise should we try to incorporate?
The general physical activity recommendation is 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes a week of high-intensity activity. However, these values can differ based on your individual preference and schedule.
A 10-to-30-minute walk around a park or on the beach three times a week is a great place to start. Eventually, try to increase the frequency and intensity of green exercise to get closer to the general recommendation above. The main point is to move in a natural environment, which allows us to connect with nature, reduce noise pollution and stress, and soak up some sunlight and fresh air. Also, remember to put on sunscreen before you head outdoors.
Exercising at a beach park is a fun way to incorporate green exercise into our daily life.
What are some ways people can incorporate green exercise into their daily/weekly routine
Luckily, in Hawaii there are a variety of ways we can incorporate green exercise into our daily life. We have access to many parks, hiking trails, and beaches.
The key is to identify convenient ways to get green exercise into our busy schedules.
- If your kids have a sporting event at a field, take a few minutes to walk or go for a quick jog.
- Maybe this is a sign for you to start gardening, which is another great way to move in a natural environment.
- Go to a natural setting, bring a towel and earphones, and do a quick 10-to-15-minute yoga video on YouTube.
- Schedule a planned family day at the beach or go on a quick hike with friends. This type of exercise is even more beneficial if done in a social setting!
What are some options for green exercise if people can’t get outside regularly?
Try to get outside when you can and continue to exercise or find ways to move around on a regular basis.
It might sound a little unorthodox, but research has found that incorporating virtual approaches to the natural environment while moving can lead to some of the same psychophysiological responses as if one was actually doing green exercise, including increased energy levels and better emotional well-being. For example, if you walk on a treadmill or do yoga while watching a video of nature, it could provide benefits similar to green exercise. There are studies that have demonstrated that even a brief seven-to-10-minute video of nature can elicit psychophysiological benefits, such as improved mood. Ultimately, do your best to take advantage of natural settings and spend as little as 10 minutes to do some type of green exercise.
Outdoor fitness ideas
Need green exercise inspiration? These stories will motivate you to get outdoors and moving. Find ways to boost your physical activity with green exercise. Your mind, body, and wallet may thank you.
- 4 tips for new runners in hawaii
- adventures in biking
- biking on the safe path
- exercise is mental
- hawaii fitness: bryan clay exercise park
- hiking to beacons of light
- time to celebrate national walking day
- workout: how to run hills
Photos courtesy Michelle Liu
