Sustainable Fitness Trends: Sweat to Save Earth
Imagine sweating your way to better fitness while putting in some good for the planet too. Well, that is just what's happening with the increased awareness of sustainability, especially when it comes to fitness. From working out outdoors to having sustainable equipment, people are figuring out how you can have a killer workout while keeping carbon footprint in check.
Fitness is no longer about body sculpting but all about sensitivity toward the earth. So, as you're all set to sweat over this little change, these eco-friendly workout trends will both bring good health and a better planet.
- Take your workout outside: Nature's free gym
One of the easiest and most environmentally friendly ways of staying fit? Hit the great outdoors! With the latest wave of exercising outdoors, there are plenty of simple and solid reasons why that trend is here to stay. Whether it is in hiking, running, cycling, or practicing yoga in the park, workouts outdoors cut energy-guzzling gym equipment and decrease carbon spewed into the atmosphere by driving to the gym. Lastly, fresh air and sunlight can be helpful for your mental well-being and mood.
Trade in your treadmill for running or exercising on neighborhood trails or a park, rather than going to the gym to work out at strength training. You connect with nature by working out outdoors, and you get a head-to-toe workout-all without super-sleek equipment.
- Green Fitness Equipment: Gear Up, Green Up
Traditionally, sports enthusiasts and fitness enthusiasts use plastic water bottles and synthetic workout outfits. And in fact, now is just the time when it's high time to go green. Nowadays, various fitness gear brands create eco-friendly products designed to benefit you and the planet. For instance, yoga mats are now made out of a core-crafted core of cork and natural rubber, while workout clothes are recycled out of plastics and manufactured only from sustainably sourced wood. Almost anything, for your personal or professional workout, has nearly acquired a sustainable alternative.
You should also search for brands that actually care about the responsible manufacture of their products, the amount of recycled materials and chemicals used, and don't possess unhealthy chemicals. That will help you minimize your footprint as well, because even if you spend your money on quality gear, it lasts longer, thus saving you money in the long run.
Some of the most sustainable workout gear: it uses natural sources, such as;
•Eco-friendly yoga mats make use of such materials as cork, jute, or organic rubber so that they will easily biodegrade.
•Activewear made from recycled materials; companies like Patagonia and Girlfriend Collective made workout clothes using recycled ocean plastic, salvaging contents which originally had their beginnings from water bottles, used fishing nets, and also other post-consumer wastes.
• Reusable water bottle: From plastic wrapping to a stainless steel or glass one-Thanks to the water bottle, for hydrating without making any kinds of waste.
- Accept Simple Exercises: More Intensity, Less Equipments
Though low-intensity minimalist exercises originated from modern trends, they do not require such heavy equipment; rather, they only require bodyweight exercise, such as push-ups, squats, and planks, among others, which are already enough to negate the need for heavy gym machinery and dumbbells to become fit and strong in the first place.
Even greener? Try a resistance band workout. Resistance bands weigh nothing, take up little room, and don't require the production of heavy metal equipment. And they are probably the most versatile equipment piece you can have, allowing you to target multiple muscle groups with pretty minimal environmental impact.
- Join the Green Gym Movement
Thus, green gyms appear to sprout up in every nook and cranny for fitness while giving back to nature. Thus, these green gyms contribute towards reducing energy consumption by renewable sources of energy outdoor classes or even through human-powered equipment, which is used to harness energy through exercising.
Some actual green gyms even take members to plant trees, clean beaches, or maintain trails. Exercise turns into an actual method of doing a lot of good for the neighborhood suddenly!
- Sustainably Communing: Walking, Cycling or Running
So instead of driving to the gym, walk or bike your way to it. Walking or biking to where you would go exercises pump you up and gets blood flowing before you even step into the gym, and that already reduces your carbon footprint. One, saving money on gas and parking; two, it lowers greenhouse gas emissions.
Ditch the car and take the slightly greener road at least to your next fitness class. If you can't bike or run, find carpooling or a community bus service that will take you from A to B in a more environmentally friendly manner.
The Bottom Line
Sustainable fitness is no fad - it's a movement that aligns personal health with the health of the planet. From minimal gym gear and green gyms to environment-friendly equipment and outdoor training, one finds a thousand ways of making your fitness journey more eco-friendly. Next time you sweat out your workout, think of how the workout will benefit the world around you. Get fit, go green, and be part of the solution-one workout at a time!
