Photo by Karsten Winghart on Unsplash
These days many people are growing more concerned about the environment and are figuring out different ways to help. While many have mastered recycling and renewable energy, most have not added sustainability to their workout routine.
Sustainability is universal and can likely be implemented into most of your day-to-day activities. Here are a few ways to make your fitness routine more sustainable.
1. Exercise Outdoors
Soak up all the benefits of exercising by going outside. Exercising outdoors, also known as green exercise, is a great stress reliever and mood booster. While running, hiking, or biking you can receive direct sunlight which increases your intake of vitamin D. It’s also beneficial to exercise outdoors to lessen the use of gyms. Gyms house vending machines that contain many plastic products, as well as electrical machines that rely on a lot of power. By minimizing the time spent at an indoor facility, you are also reducing your carbon footprint.
2. Invest in Sustainable Activewear
Make your fitness routine more sustainable involves more than just your workout moves— it can also involve your activewear. Workout clothes made of spandex and polyester are great for keeping your body cool and dry, but they are not biodegradable. Instead, try clothes that are made of sustainable fibers that will still get the job done.
Sustainable activewear doesn’t just stop with your clothing, it also includes eco-friendly shoes. Eco-friendly shoes are made up of less harmful materials such as cotton canvas and natural rubber soles.
When shopping for your sustainable activewear, take the extra step by seeing if the items were also made sustainably. This means the items were made in a factory that conserves energy and water and doesn’t use hazardous chemicals that are released back into the air.
Finding sustainable activewear doesn’t have to be a challenge because there are numerous brands that put sustainability first.
One more element to your activewear is your equipment. Items like a yoga mat and your water bottle should also be made of sustainable materials. For example, instead of grabbing a single-use plastic water bottle, try using a reusable bottle made from sustainable materials such as a bamboo bottle. As for the yoga mat, avoid those that are not made of natural rubber or that contain synthetic fibers. This not only protects you, but the environment too.
3. Try Plogging
Plogging has become a trend in recent years and seems to only be getting bigger. The concept of plogging is the merge between jogging and picking up trash along the way. Here are a few tips to get you going on your plogging workout.
- This activity can be done individually, but have some fun by bringing along your friends, family, or community.
- Add in some workout moves along the way. For example, do a few squats when picking up the trash.
- Gathering trash can be unsanitary, so be sure to use gloves to keep your hands clean.
- Implement some friendly competition by seeing who can pick up the most trash in a certain amount of time.
Being sustainable comes in a plethora of ways. To learn more tips on how to make your fitness routine more eco-friendly, check out the infographic below.
