Since I work at a fitness center, the idea of not having access to one has always seemed a little far-fetched. I’ve been lucky enough that with a little planning, catching a spin class before work or pilates class on my lunch break had been pretty easy to schedule; it’s a great perk of the job! Combine working in a fitness center to working only 5 minutes from home and I had easy access to the gym seven days a week. The key word in that statement is, of course, “had”.
About a year ago my husband and I moved closer to our family... and about 45 minutes further from work. This wasn’t a problem until just two short months later when we were blessed with our first child. Along with all of the joys of a new baby, we also found ourselves with an additional 20 minutes tagged on to our already long commute in order to drop the baby off at day care. Suddenly that morning spin class seemed a whole lot earlier and that great lunchtime pilates class meant I might be late to day care. So I found myself wondering, how do people maintain a consistent exercise schedule when they don’t have easy access to a fitness center?
Sure, I’ve always made the most of my opportunities when we travel. My husband and I frequent the hotel fitness centers, go for a run or (our favorite) travel with our bikes and hit up the local bike shops to find some great routes. But, that’s just for a week. This was looking to be a long term trend for me personally and I had to imagine that I was not alone. Let’s face it, in the midst of a tough economy people are cutting corners wherever they can… and in many cases this involves dropping a gym membership to save costs. So, I became very intrigued to find out what do people do when all of their workouts are taking place in the absence of a fitness center.
It turns out that Indy has a lot more to offer than I realized and summer is a great time to take advantage of all that the city has to offer. The best part is you can start in your own back yard…. literally! According to the American Council on Exercise, an hour of gardening can burn 300 calories. Still want more? Mowing your lawn with a push mower can help you burn another 400 calories. So, slather on the sunscreen and head outdoors! What could be better than accomplishing a household chore, getting in your daily exercise and getting a nice suntan while you’re at it?
Don’t enjoy yard work? Don’t worry there are plenty of other options that allow you to leave home and enjoy your community. Of course, there’s always the Monon Trail, which is a great place to walk, run, bike, rollerblade or any other form of movement that comes to mind! The double bonus here is that you get great people watching opportunities and can always find a great place to stop for lunch along the way.If you’re looking for a little more of a “great outdoors” experience, Indy has that, too. Eagle
Creek offers great roads for a bike ride, trails for hiking or running and, of course, a great beach where you can relax after finishing your exercise. On top of 3.5 miles of trails, Holliday Park also offers gardening work days for those of you who don’t have your own yard to play in (recall the great calorie burning effects of gardening that were mentioned above) as well as family fun days where you can partake in a scavenger hunt with your kiddos as a way to get the whole family active together.If trail runs and bike rides aren’t you’re idea of fun, don’t worry there are still plenty of opportunities out there. There are sports complexes such as baseball diamonds, tennis courts, aquatics centers and even gyms located at parks throughout the city such as Broadripple Park and Krannert Park. Many of these parks offer group fitness classes, as well. Just check out http://www.indyparks.org/ to find a sports complex or park near you.
So, it turns out that there aren’t a lot of excuses for inactivity….. even when there isn’t easy access to a fitness center. Grab your tennis shoes and gym shorts and let’s get fit while exploring the city!
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