How do you feel when you are walking around your local neighbourhood, listening to what’s around you, the birds, the trees, the smell of fresh flowers and breathing in the fresh air around you?
How do you feel when you’re running along a sandy white beach barefoot with the sun touching your skin?
How do you feel when you are in dense bush land, when you can hear the distinct sounds of every bird? When a kangaroo all of a sudden hops past?
How do you feel when you feel when you are inside a gym, listening to blaring music, watching TV screens, the smell of fresh sweat and the feeling of metal between your fingers?
When do you feel the most alive?
Studies have shown in the research journal Environmental Science and Technology  that exercise in the outdoors has an immediate affect on mood, mental well being, an increase in energy and revitalization, when subjects exercised outdoors they found there was a decrease in tension, depression and anger. The subjects that participated in the study stated that they would be more likely to repeat the activity at a later time, and a sense of enjoyment.
Have you wondered why animals can be so fast, so adaptable in their environments and so strong? They are simply doing what they were made to do and that is to move and survive. The human body was made the same way, we were made to be challenged, to learn, this is why our brains grew because we became highly adaptable in difficult situations.
The natural outdoor environment is the ultimate place where we can fully test our bodies strength, where we can test our mental capacity, to make decisions and solve problems. We want our bodies to grow to be strong to perform at its best, but it can only do this if we continue to challenge it, by changing the stimuli we encounter. We have become scared and trapped through time and our bodies are becoming tired. By moving naturally and going back to those fundamental skills we learnt as a child, and exploring our surroundings we are allowing our bodies to do exactly what it was made to do, be challenged and move. You will be giving yourself the best all round workout and as mentioned earlier, your general mental well being, energy levels, and mood levels will all be benefiting.
For those of you that do not live where there are freely accessible wide open spaces, can you tell me that there is no nearby park? Reserve? Trees? Or a backyard at your own home?
Accessing your outdoor environment, taking in those natural endorphins, moving is always accessible.
Treat your body and yourself to an adventure in your outdoor playground and get moving!