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Wellness > Health

Lose the Freshman 15: 10 Ways to Embrace the Outdoors

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Nicole Yang

What a lovely afternoon collegiettes!  I am currently writing this blog entry from an Adirondack chair on the freshman quad.  The weather has been absolutely fabulous lately, and this upcoming week looks promising as well.  With this beautiful 70 degree weather, I am definitely feeling the spring fever.

Here are some outdoor activities that let you burn calories and enjoy the weather at the same time:

  1. RUN! – Perfect way to de-stress and get your mind off things!  Instead of heading towards the treadmill, why not go outdoors?!  My school has an awesome bikepath that a lot of students use to run on, and I also like to run on streets throughout town as well.  There are a bunch of great apps for your phone that you can use to track how far you’ve run and the number of calories you’ve burned.
  2. Hiking – Relaxing way to enjoy the scenic beauty and landscapes nature has to offer.  My school has an Outing Club that plans a number of hikes each month for students to go on free of charge.  See if your school has something similar – meet some new people!
  3. Tennis – My favorite sport!  Even if you don’t know how to play, it’s never too late to start!  Tennis is a sport that you can play for life, so you most definitely won’t regret learning it.
  4. Rollerskating – One of my favorite childhood activities– but who says it has to stay in the past?!  Fun way to work both your leg and glute muscles without putting too much pressure on those knees.
  5. Outdoor PE classes – Yoga, zumba, pilates– there is a wide variety of outdoor PE classes that you can take.  I know that my local lululemon store offers free yoga classes on the weekends, so check out your community to see what offers you can find as well!
  6. Frisbee – Easy way to get moving!  There are always groups of kids tossing a frisbee on our freshman quad.  Grab a friend and go join them! Maybe even join the ultimate frisbee team if you’re up for a little competition.
  7. Walking – While you might not be sweating up a storm, walking is still a solid form of activity.  After dinner, instead of going back to your dorm room to sit down, maybe take a 15 minute walk with a friend.  Stay moving and let your food digest!  Plus, it’s an opportunity to chat or catch up with a friend!
  8. Swimming/Pool Aerobics – An outdoor pool is a great resource to get a full body workout in!
  9. Outdoor Sports – Badmitton, volleyball, wiffleball– easy backyard games for when you have a BBQ or friends over!  Hang out while still working out!
  10. Kayaking or Canoeing – While you probably can’t do these activities too often in college, kayking and canoeing are two fun arm workouts! 

While the gym is great, sometimes you just need some fresh air, so get outside and get moving!  Maybe you’ll get a little tan while you’re at it!

Until Wednesday,

xoxo

Nicole 

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Nicole Yang is an Editorial Intern at Her Campus.  Before joining the team at HC, she previously was the Managing Editor of her college's weekly newspaper, The Amherst Student.  While at Amherst College, Nicole was also a tour guide and a member of the women's varsity squash team.  Her professional experience includes working as a Communications Intern for Comcast and Monster, and her work has been published by Fast Company, Fortune, and The Sports Quotient.  Follow her on Twitter.