Being active outdoors connects us to nature and helps us have balance in our lives. Outdoors, we’re away from the TV, telephone, computer, and other time-consuming, sit-down activities.

While being active outdoors, we become role models for our children, friends, and neighbours. When we’re active as part of a group or team, we build the bonds that help people stay connected. When being active becomes the norm, everyone becomes comfortable being active and involved.

Affordable Ways to Be Active Outdoors

Whatever the size of your community, you can find places and ways to get off the couch and enjoy the outdoors.

Using community facilities and services is a fun and affordable way to be active outdoors. Consider the parks, trails, and programs provided by your local government. If your town has more than 3,000 people, those services may be run by a recreation and parks department. The staff can put you in touch with sports, arts programs, and recreational clubs, and help you choose the activities that fit your interests and abilities. Consider gardening, and see if there are community garden plots available.

If you live in a smaller community, check with your town or village office or with the local agricultural office. It’s also likely that your local recreation centre, county hall, ice arena, or library has information on all sorts of community activities.

Having a place to go also gets us out and about. Beyond work and errands, where else can you go? Many communities offer heritage tours or nature walks. Activities such as orienteering give you things to look for as you walk or run.

You don’t need expensive equipment, just some comfortable shoes or an older model bicycle and maybe a friend for company. Some communities even have programs that give used bikes and other sports equipment to kids and adults who need them. Families can be active outdoors on trails and in parks, playgrounds, and campgrounds.

When choosing a restaurant or theatre, look for one you can reach on foot or by bike. Also think about being active when you plan your holidays. Hiking, swimming, kayaking, golfing…there are so many ways to be active while exploring other parts of the world.

Getting Around Using Active Transportation

Active transportation is another great way to be active outdoors. It can be an environmentally friendly and relaxing way to add activity to your day. Whether walking, cycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, or wheeling a wheelchair, you’re using muscle power rather than fossil fuels to go where you want to go.

Taking an active route to work most days can give you much of the physical activity you need. If you can’t walk all the way to work, consider parking 20 minutes away or getting off the bus early to walk the rest of the way. You may also want to get a group together to walk at lunch time. Try leaving the car in the garage when you do your errands, and walk or bike instead. Besides cutting down on pollution, active transportation is less noisy and helps reduce crime by putting more eyes on the street.

Trails for biking and walking encourage people to use active transportation. A place designed so you can walk anywhere is a walkable community. When people take advantage of walkable design and use self-propelled transportation, they’re helping to create an active, healthy community.

Being Active with Others in Your Community

Being active in a group offers many advantages. The security of numbers can add to personal safety, especially at night. Buddies also help us stick to our goals. What’s more, being active together makes the entire experience more fun.

Longer term, groups that are active together often grow to trust each other, becoming part of the glue that helps communities weather the tough times and celebrate the good.

When finding or forming a group, look for people who share your lifestyle or interests. If you’re a preschool parent, form a stroller brigade, or walk with other parents while your children are in activities together. If you own a dog, invite other dog walkers to join you. If you live near someone who’s headed your way to work, make a point of walking or biking together. If you love to walk or run, check local campuses and running stores for a group you can join.

Setting goals may help you stay active. Wear a pedometer to track your steps, and see how soon you can reach the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Decide to be active at least 30 minutes a day, and chart your progress using a physical activity log.

Getting Out in the Great Outdoors

It’s easy to be active outdoors. Using active transportation and being active with other people are great ways to bring more activity to your day. Choosing activities that are simple, affordable, and fun will mean you’re active outdoors more often.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

These days, many Americans spend a lot of time using their computers, TVs and cell phones, on average Americans of all ages watch TV for eight to 14 hours a day.

Screen time, which causes us to be inactive for hours on end, is one of the reasons for ever-increasing obesity rates, even among very young children. Fortunately there are a number of ways to use technology to promote active living.

Active video games
Active video games for the Wii and games like Dance Dance Revolution and EyeToy Kinetic are getting lots of attention. These games are popular with both adults and kids because:

* They are fun and challenging, and they get you moving.
* You can play them with other people or alone.
* They can encourage socializing and turn-taking.
* They can be co-operative, or you can compete with another person or a computer opponent.
* Some games allow people of different ages and skill levels to play together.

People have found a variety of ways to use active video games. For example:

* Some kids are challenging their parents to a game of boxing or baseball.
* Families are playing virtual games of doubles tennis in their living rooms.
* Some schools are using Dance Dance Revolution in their physical education program, or during recess and lunch breaks. They may even hold dancing competitions with other schools.
* Some hospital staff are using active video games in their work with people recovering from accidents, surgery and strokes. For example, an Edmonton hospital has incorporated a virtual 10-pin bowling game into its medical rehabilitation program.

Techno helpers
Active technology doesn’t have to be all about games, though. You can use programs for your personal computer or a hand-held device like the Blackberry to remind you (and others) to be active. These “techno helpers” can also give you exercises to do and help track your daily activity levels. All you need is software (which might come with your computer) and an Internet connection.

Some people use their day-timer to remind them to get up and be active. Some use e-mails or text messages to help them meet friends at exercise classes, the neighbourhood park or the front door of their office building.

The Alberta Centre for Active Living has two popular exercise videos on its Physical Activity at Work website. These videos are simple to use and are designed to help you avoid spending too much time sitting and typing, whether you are at work or at home. If you’ve never done yoga, using these videos can give you a chance to try it out with a qualified instructor.

Some offices have workstations featuring a treadmill with a computer and telephone mounted in front. Workers can carry out many of their daily tasks while walking on the treadmill. This solution is really helpful for those who can’t find time for activity after work or on weekends.

A word of caution
Active video games are fun, and they do get you moving. But they are simply more active than traditional video games. They are no substitute for other types of physical activity.

Active video games can help adults achieve the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity per day (90 minutes are recommended for children and youth). As well, they can keep you active when the weather or other factors make it difficult to be outside.

Active video games might also inspire you to pursue related “non-screen” activities such as dancing, playing an instrument (guitar, drumming), shadow boxing, yoga or tai chi and sports such as bowling, baseball, boxing, tennis and golf. Once you know you like it, why not try it for real?

The bottom line: even if you are using active video games and other technical aids to become more active, you also need to participate in other activities and exercises that improve your flexibility, strength and endurance. Remember, too, that social contact is one of the great side benefits of playing sports or walking with friends or taking dance lessons.

Use technology as a tool for activity
It is important to keep up with the ongoing and rapid changes in technology in order to use these tools to the greatest advantage. Computers and TV tempt us to sit too much. But if they are used wisely, even they can help us to get moving.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com