Exercise plays a significant role in overall health and wellness. When combined with a proper diet and adequate sleep, it’s one of the catalytic forces in maintaining proper health. But in order to make your workouts good for your body and the planet, you need to think about how you’re executing your fitness routine.
How to Make Your Workout Greener
Most people automatically assume that exercise is an eco-friendly activity. After all, what could be bad about taking care of your body? Well…it turns out that that many fitness routines aren’t all that sustainable from an environmental perspective.
For one, people tend to purchase lots of workout clothes, even if they’re only worn once every few weeks. And once these clothes are worn once, they immediately get washed. This makes exercise clothing highly inefficient and wasteful.
Then there’s the fact that many of today’s gyms offer 24/7 service. While this sounds great, very few people actually go to the gym between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. When you think about all of the energy it takes to keep lights on and equipment running during this seven-hour stretch, it’s easy to see the waste.
Plastic water bottles are another point of contention. A lot of people buy 24-packs of water, place them in their refrigerators, and grab a bottle before heading to the gym. While it’s important to stay hydrated, plastic is highly inefficient and should be avoided.
These may seem like small points of friction – and they are when viewed in isolation – but they become major problems when compounded across millions of people. If you want to do your part in keeping the planet green; you can make your workouts more eco-friendly. Here are some suggestions:
Workout at Home
Who says you have to drive to a gym to get a workout in? For some people, this requires a 10- or 15-mile round trip – which guzzles gas and creates additional carbon pollution. An alternative option is to work out from home.
Don’t have a home gym? Don’t worry. All you need is a little bit of floor space and a few household items – such as a chair, a yoga mat, and maybe a couple of weights.
Choose the Outdoors
Whenever possible, make it a point to exercise outside. Not only will your body benefit from being outdoors, but you’ll also gain a greater respect for nature. This will likely result in a stronger connection and increases your chances of being an advocate for the environment in the future.
Try Bodyweight Exercises
Treadmills and elliptical machines certainly have their place, but the amount of energy they consume is astounding.
Instead of using energy-sucking machines, opt for bodyweight exercises whenever possible. Here’s a long list of exercises you can do with nothing more than yourself and some basic household supplies.
Select Organic Sports Nutrition Options
The nutrition side of the sports and fitness industry has exploded in recent years. Unfortunately, many of the products you’ll find in this niche are unhealthy – both for you and the environment. If you want to stop supporting companies that do the environment harm – and find items that replenish your body with healthy ingredients – look for organic sports nutrition products.
Commute on Foot
If you really want to get serious about staying fit and reducing your impact on the local environment, you could try commuting to work on foot. Yes, you could run to work instead of driving. This clearly won’t be possible for everyone, but if you live and work in an area that’s conducive to this sort of setup, it’s worth considering!
Keeping Your Body and the Planet Healthy
Exercise and sustainability don’t have to be an either/or sort of equation. It’s possible to keep your body healthy and promote a greener planet. The key is to be conscientious with the products you purchase, the items you use, and the workouts you do.
The more thoughtful you are, the less likely it is that you’ll cause undue harm.
Article Submitted By Community Writer