Get fit, blast calories load, and have some real fun outside!

It is the best time of the year for the residents and the visitors of Dubai alike. A time when the sun shines happily and a certain chill in the air makes the long nights all too quixotic… With this beautiful weather, there remains no excuse to not partake in the joys of the great outdoors, when burning calories also gets a lot more fun. Exercising in the gym is great, but we wouldn’t exactly call it fun!  Taking your workout outside and trying some feel good sunny-weather activities, allows us to burn calories, whilst having a great time with Mother Nature.

Besides the overall fun element associated with outdoor activities, research also shows that exercising outdoors is linked with good things such as greater vitality, enthusiasm, pleasure, self-esteem, and lower levels of stress hormone cortisol and lessening of bad things such as tension, depression, and fatigue.

We have created a list of outdoor activities that boost calorie-burn, tone and strengthen muscles, and definitely, let you get connected with nature instantly.

Cycling/ Biking

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This perhaps is the best time of the year to master your cycling skill and burn those calories in the process. Biking is a simple, fun and effective way to get a great workout since it is an excellent cardiovascular exercise. Just imagine your cycling workout routine at the gym, and now bring it outside, the best thing is that time passes much faster and in terms of effort tends to feel a little easier, due to the pleasant distraction of scenery. Cycling outdoors also works the glutes (butt muscles), hamstrings, quadriceps, shins, and calves harder than indoor cycling. Another great advantage of biking is that not only do you get the opportunity to just explore new neighborhoods, places or trails but once you get the knack of it, you can use it as a mode of transport, for your daily household errands and even for commuting to work.

Walking

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One of the easiest to execute exercises for just about everyone, walking is one of the best lifetime sports… And getting used to it is as easy as a leisurely walk around the neighborhood.  The benefits of walking are that it is easy on the joints, you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment, and you can still burn calories. According to the standard guidelines, walking for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, at a brisk pace (about 4 mph) helps ward off chronic ailments. It actually decreases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.  For those who are aiming to lose weight, walking is essentially the easiest workout to start with.  Walking for 60 minutes most days of the week with healthy meals can really help in weight loss and then to keep it off, following the same routine can have lasting effects. If this looks overwhelming, then consider incorporating walking into your daily life by breaking the time into several manageable spurts, like, walking the kids to school or the bus stop, running errands at lunchtime, and a stroll after dinner every evening.

Jogging/Running

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Jogging is a terrific sport for your heart and lungs, and it also works wonders in building stamina. If you’re trying to lose weight, jogging or running burns calories faster than walking & it also challenges your muscles.  A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999 found that exercise like running may be as effective as medication for treating depression in some people. However, the key is to start slowly and to gradually increase your time or distance.

Beach volleyball

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Perhaps the best time of the year to pay a visit to the beach in Dubai is Now! And one of the best beach sports of all time is Beach volleyball. It is an awesome full body workout that targets and tones the legs, arms, shoulders, and abs. During a game you’re continuously on the move, changing direction, squatting, diving, jumping, serving or hitting. You’re also moving on the sand, which is more difficult and boosts calorie burn further.

Swimming

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Swimming is a wonderful cardiovascular conditioner that also helps tone arms and legs, and it’s very easy on the joints, perfect for people who have muscle or joint problems. The weightlessness of the water helps them exercise pain-free. Swimming also increases stamina, it can also help ward off diabetes and high blood pressure, and to relieve stress.  If you do not have easy access to pools, a trip to the nearest beach can be a daylong fun activity and a healthy break…

Hiking

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Hiking is one the most spiritually connecting sport. It provides a relaxed atmosphere for a workout that doesn’t seem like a workout at all. Listening to the birds and a babbling brook, perhaps enjoying the cool breeze of the forest, provides a break from daily stresses. If you dwell in a concrete jungle don’t feel distressed, a trip to a local park will instantly reveal what you have been missing.  Hiking is a tremendous workout for your legs along with providing many cardiovascular benefits.

Snorkeling/ Scuba Diving

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If you’re lucky enough to plan a beach vacation or are even luckier still and actually live near the beach, snorkeling or scuba diving can be the most fun and entertaining of workouts. These activities combine both cardio and strength training, burning a ton of calories while tightening and toning the body. Snorkeling and scuba diving offer, the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, minus the strain, sweat, stress, and discomfort of a typical workout. And because you have to work hard to push against the resistance of water (water is hundred times denser than air) to move forward, it also really works the butt, thighs, hips, back and abs.

*Featured image: https://www.panache-lingerie.com