harness spring energy and get fit outdoors this season

There’s something about this time of the year that awakens a special energy, unmatched by any other season. Spring brings in the fresh, crisp air, the familiar cacophony of the morning doves and the droves of pedestrians walking in their neighborhoods, soaking up the first signs of the season. With all of this newfound energy in nature, many people feel reinvigorated and begin to seek out reasons to get fit and be healthy.

This spring, consider the great outdoors and all that it has to offer in the way of fitness opportunities, healthy food options and stress relieving activity.

“Often times, the burden that a busy mind places on the body has negative physical effects,” explains Laura Gladwin, MS, AFP, Director of Preferred Care’s “You’re In Charge!” “Getting outdoors, practicing breathing exercises in the fresh air and taking advantage of all that nature has to offer are perfect ways to get on track to health and wellness.”

Preferred Care, area health care agencies and the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection have joined together to launch Nature’s Health Club, an initiative designed to encourage people to join the most cost effective health club in all of New York State. Nature’s Health Club offers more than 5,000 miles of nature, ripe for exploration. It also provides a myriad of activities and events that offer an alternative to an indoor fitness center.

A health club membership can be extremely beneficial. But if the thought of a steamy fitness center in warm summer temperatures has you feeling unmotivated, consider these easy ways to step into nature and experience the most beneficial lifetime fitness plan available:

1. A brisk walk can burn 300 calories in an hour. Take a walk along one of the Finger Lakes such as Seneca Lake on the Geneva waterfront.

2. Sign up for a Tai Chi class. Once you’ve perfected your technique, head to a park, such as West Lake Schoolhouse Park in Canandaigua, and conduct this energizing and stress relieving activity.

3. Visit one of the area’s farm markets and purchase fresh green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, to eat during family meals. One cup of chopped broccoli supplies the daily requirement of vitamin C, plus beta carotene (and other carotenoids), niacin, calcium, thiamin, and vitamin E, and lots of fiber. All this for only 30 calories.

4. Seek out mental wellness classes hosted by Finger Lakes Region medical centers and hospitals. These classes can teach stress relieving techniques that will help avoid hypertension, high-blood pressure and the other negative physical effects that stress can have on the body.

5. Use the water to stay fit. The Finger Lakes Region offers a myriad of lakes and waterways, providing miles of opportunities for fishing, canoeing, swimming and overall serenity.

There are many more ways to get fit outdoors and experience the wellness opportunities that exist in nature. For additional ideas, visit www.natureshealthclub.com.