It is officially autumn in Florida...which usually still means hot and humid weather! This year, it looks to be a little cooler than last year around this time, and this can be a great opportunity to vary your home activities and incorporate some great weekend workouts outside of the gym!
Living in the sunshine state can have some benefits such as lots of sun, opportunity to grow a variety of plants, ability to enjoy water activities longer than our northern counterparts, numerous hiking and fishing opportunities, and not to mention living so near to theme parks!
But with all this sunshine comes loads of tourists, possibility of heat stroke, sunburns, and loads of allergies! Here are some ways to get the most out of your weekend activities and participate in exercise that doesn't involve running each weekend!
1. Yard work. Trimming and weeding and clipping, oh, my! Nothing says exercise like some yard work! Here is an opportunity to beautify your yard while doing some full body heavy work! Want to know just how hard you are working out while performing yard work? Check your fitness tracker or strap on your myzone belt! You are working out harder than you think you are, and those numbers won't lie! Neither will your sore body the day after this work!
2. Go for a hike! Stay local and check out Devil's Millhopper, or to one of our MANY state parks! Pack a snack and some lunch, and you will be getting loads of sunshine and fresh air while you do it! Hiking in the dense forest will also be much cooler than an open area as you will have loads of shade. Again, this is one thing that will leave you sore the day after!
3. Stand up paddle board, canoe, or kayak one of our local rivers, streams, or springs! This is a full body workout utilizing your core muscles and giving you the opportunity to see the natural side of Florida! Keep your eyes open for fish, turtles and more!!
4. Grab a soccer ball or frisbee disc and check out the many local parks with soccer fields or frisbee golf courses! Try a new sport like frisbee golf as we have a few courses around town! Make sure to pack a snack or lunch and try your hand at either activity!
5. Dust off that old Huffy and go for a bike ride! Again, we are so lucky to have so many bike trails at our disposal around Gainesville! Check out the Gainesville Hawthorne trail, or take it to the beach and enjoy a ride along the shore!
I hope that these are just a tip of the iceberg of outdoor ideas to get you moving, enjoying, and feeling good about staying active on the weekends! There is no coincidence that those who live in states with more sunshine are more active and happy, so pull out your calendar and get planning for a busy weekend of adventure!