Exercise with the Earth in Mind

With the New Year nearly here we all start thinking about what changes we want to make. Fresh on your mind is probably all the delicious treats you were eating over the holidays! Next stop, an excercising New Year’s resolution. But, it is hard to exercise. There is that stupid scale, the food points, and those crazy machines. Nevertheless, you look around and everyone seems to be doing it these days. How do those people who work out all the time do it? After a while, you just get bored or lose hope. The number one way is to get in a healthy habit; find the exercise and diet plan that works for you. It’s even better if you can work some healthy habits for the earth into your workout plan too. It’s not as hard as television makes it out to be. Don’t think of it as just something to do to look good for the summer but something that can improve your life! Healthy habits create a longer life; and we all want that, right?

Get Out: if you cannot afford a gym membership, it may seem like you have limited options for staying fit. The gyms haven’t taken up all of the space in the world. Exercising outside is still a great option. When you’re working inside it takes a lot of electricity to break a sweat. But when you’re working out in the outdoors the only manpower is you. You build up your cardio a lot faster and can train to go longer a lot easier. Don’t like running? That’s ok. Try walking at first and gradually go from walking to jogging to running. Is there a park in your area? Sounds like a great place to do lunges. When you’re going to work park the car half a mile or a mile away and get a quick 15-minute workout at the start of your day. When riding the bus get off a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way. 

Trying New Things: You think you can’t stick to an exercise plan? It’s all in your head. You need to connect your body with your mind and put them both into a positive place that says “Yes I Can!” Try Pilates. Sounds like something weak and girly doesn’t it? It’s far from that. Do you have an aching back or not-so-strong core? Those are the focuses of Pilates. If you want an exercise that not only works out different parts of your body but also has you, walking away feeling rejuvenated than Yoga is calling your name. Through poses inspired by the animals of the earth, it unites the body with the spirit. There is no one way to do yoga but thousands! Both of these exercise forms focus on the mind connecting with the body. Many people around the world consider these to not just be forms of exercise but a discipline, so it’s great for people who want to find an exercise plan to stick to. If you feel like you’re likely to quit after a short time find an exercise buddy or join a class. If you don’t live in a city, it might take a little research to find a licensed trainer or a trainer certified DVD in your area but it will be well worth the search.

Pump Some Iron: You don’t like exercising but feel really bad about the environment using the big machines? There are other ways to exercise at home or in the gym. Pump some iron instead of using the machine; you wouldn’t believe how many exercises you can do with a few weights, dumbbells, or kettle bells. Just make sure you’re exercising the right way, you don’t want to pull a muscle by trying these inexperienced on your own. There are items from your childhood that can help too. Remember the jump rope? You can skip around the house or around the block. It might also be a great idea to invest in self-powered machines instead of electrical. Spinning bikes and rowing machines that don’t run on electricity are great.

Dress for a Sweat: When thinking about which exercise clothes to buy think about fabrics like organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, or other natural fibers. Many major manufacturers are starting to make clothing from recycled fabrics; everything from sneakers to sweatbands. When you’ve worn out your exercise clothing, you don’t have to throw it away. Since 1993 Nike’s program Reuse-A-Shoe has collected sneakers to make basketball courts, playground floors, tennis courts, and running tracks for communities in need around the world. More than likely, there is a center or playground near you that is made from recycled sneakers. Companies like Patagonia want the clothes that you buy from them back so that they can be recycled and made into something else. Anything in your closet that is decent but you just don’t want to wear anymore should be sold at a consignment shop or given away to charities or friends. Donate your bad clothes to a local quilting club or to an animal shelter to make bedding for animals in need. You can see if the recycling center in your area recycles clothes or knows of a place where you can.

Guffly is a one product per day online store featuring eco friendly products and fair trade lifestyle goods like home, pet, clothing, office and personal accessories. We know that people aren’t interested in ugly stuff, so you can bet Guffly’s green products are stylish, fun and attractive – eco stylish if you will. Shop the Daily Guff at http://www.guffly.com

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