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Outdoor activities are great not just for the fresh bursts of energy they give us, but also for burning more calories.
What if we told you that you can lose weight without really trying to lose weight? Sounds too good to be true, right?
No, we're not kidding around or offering a miraculous solution to weight loss that will have you slim and trim within 15 days.
What we're offering you is the knowledge of how to achieve those goals by cultivating a lifestyle for yourself that will not only leave you feeling physically exhilarated but also mentally elevated and more confident, all through some exciting outdoor activities.
We are no strangers to the conundrum of burning calories - the more we eat, the more we must burn.
Apart from bodily functions like breathing, blood circulation and cell processes that keep us alive - calories are used up or burnt when an individual performs activities that are a part of daily life, such as moving around, thinking, and working - physically or mentally, chores such as cookingand cleaning, etc.
The number of calories burnt every day is different for every individual, depending on their lifestyle and their daily tasks. Hence, it is definitely possible for you to incorporate some outdoor activities to burn more calories every day.
Outdoor activities that help in shedding extra pounds
Here we'll look at some outdoor activities that can help you shed those extra pounds effectively.
1) Yard Work
Are those autumn leaves piling up in your yard? Time to gather them up for the compost pit!
Shoveling snow, raking leaves and mowing the lawn are not just regular everyday outdoor activities that most people hate - they are the gateway to losing more calories.
Studies suggest that heavy yard work such as landscaping, moving rocks and hauling dirt can burn as many as 400-600 calories per hour.
Outdoor activities like raking and bagging leaves can help use 350-400 calories an hour, while mowing the lawn can help burn 250-300 calories per hour.
2) Sandboarding
Sandboarding is a boardsport that is a blend of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. It involves riding across or down a sand dune while standing on a board but has never been considered an 'official sport'.
The boarding itself is quite fun and requires you to use your glutes and quads to maintain your balance - although the truly difficult part is walking back up the sandy hill (there are no ski lifts here unlike in snowboarding).
Walking through dry sand is extremely tough, as there's no solid footing - hence the ground reaction force is considerably reduced, not to mention the burn associated with climbing the hill while carrying the sandboard.
Nevertheless, sandboarding is one of the more exhilarating outdoor activities that burns a lot of calories.
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3) Walking the dog/kids/getting groceries
Shopping for groceries burns calories? Wondering if you heard that right?
Indeed, the average person burns 165-220 calories per hour while shopping. Driving to and from the market, pushing a cart up and down aisle after aisle while trying to decide what your next meal is going to be can burn enough calories for you to need a low-calorie snack right away.
Turns out, your dog is not the only one who needs some outdoor activities. Walking is a low-impact exercise that causes improved cardio-vascular fitness, low blood pressure, and stronger muscles and bones.
Even walking your kids to and from school can help you as well as them stay fit.
4) Horseback Riding
Horseback riding falls into the category of moderate-intensity outdoor activity.
An hour of riding can burn up to 360 calories - the equivalent of an hour of riding a cycle at 10 mph. It mainly engages your inner thighs, pelvic muscles and your core as your body works to maintain its balance during the ride.
Maintaining a good posture and position will help to improve your balance and coordination as well as improve muscle tone and flexibility.
One of the best outdoor activities to relax, horseback riding does not just help you burn calories.
It also allows you to take a break from life's stresses and get some fresh air. Studies have proven that even grooming, moving hay bales, lifting saddles or carrying buckets can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 35%.
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5) Splitting Wood
Splitting firewood may just be one of the most masculine outdoor activities ever.
Ever since ancient times, this simple everyday need has been helping people stay in shape. Splitting wood is a strong cardio and core workout rather than an arm workout, as most people believe it to be.
When done correctly, this outdoor activity can help burn more than 400-500 calories per hour. Apparently, it activates the same muscles as a crunch would.
In this activity, the body uses various muscle groups to perform the swing as well as stabilise your position, thus engaging the entire core, lower and upper back, shoulders, arms, abs, chest, legs and butt.
Including this activity in your workout routine will definitely help you lose calories and tone up.
