Green Your Exercise Routine

Are you planning on starting 2018 off with the ever-popular goal of working out more often? If so, we have some tips to help you burn calories while staying environmentally friendly.

Working out offers countless benefits to the mind and body, but if you’re not careful, it can cause a detriment to your ecological footprint. Exercise equipment can guzzle energy, while the clothing itself can came from unsound manufacturing processes. Transportation to and from the gym can rack up harmful emissions. On top of all that, you’ll – hopefully – spend a few extra minutes in the shower afterward.

This year, don’t let your New Year’s resolution go – there’s plenty of ways you can exercise without doing any damage to the environment.

Invest In Self-Powered Equipment

Exercise bikes and treadmills, when plugged in, can spend immense amounts of energy, especially in gyms, where they run constantly. You can solve this issue by switching over to self-powered machines. These run on the energy you provide, meaning that they run as long as you put out the necessary effort. It’s a good way to keep your own energy up while keeping your electricity costs down. You could also petition your gym to make the change, as many outlets have started adapting to changing environmental needs by installing this type of equipment.

Some universities and even private gyms have started another trend, as well – using exercise to power entire buildings. Suggest to your gym that they can try out this inventive new phenomenon.

Green Exercise Clothes

Next time you need a new set of workout clothes, consider looking for companies with a commitment to sustainability. A number of companies, such as Patagonia and Alternative have made a name for themselves in environmentally-conscious business practices. The fashion industry has long grappled with its environmental fallout; these days, practicality has started enforcing better decision making. As materials become scarcer and harder to produce, organic choices will enable businesses to continue in the long-run. Do some research to find a company that’s right for you, and the Earth.

Green Hydration

Buy reusable drinking containers. Instead of loading up on non-reusable plastic water bottles, invest in a hard plastic water bottle that will last you as long as it can stay in tact. For protein shakes, buy powder in bulk and make it with your reusable bottle or shaker.

Get A Workout Buddy

Those who make the daily pilgrimage to the gym can attest to the importance of a fitness partner. They supply a number of benefits to your workout, allowing you to reach your potential and monitor your progress. But they also have a major environmental upside – you don’t have to travel alone. Traveling together decreases the number of cars on the road, which cuts down on your carbon footprint, reduces traffic congestion and saves you money. The immense clutter on the roads contributes significantly to climate change, as vehicles spew out fossil fuels and destroy the air quality. So when you go to the gym, don’t go it alone – the environment will thank you, and so will your body.

Workout Outside

The best ways to help the environment are the simplest. Instead of languishing on a treadmill or bike under harsh, dim lighting in a cold, cramped room filled with evaporated sweat, you can take your workout outside. Running offers some of the most complete exercise you can manage, as it engages your entire body. Biking and swimming can provide similar advantages, and interacting with real-world obstacles and environmental changes helps to engage muscles differently. Outside exercise also correlates with reduced levels of stress.

With so many options available, you can get your workout in without having a harmful effect on the environment. Going green isn’t just healthy for the earth – it can also be healthy for you, too.