Summer Weight Loss Activities

Weight loss for summer

Do You Hate The Gym?
I can't lie. There are some days I absolutely hate having to head down to the gym. It's 80 degrees and sunny outside with the slightest breeze. I want to be out there, not in a basement. How can I take my cardio activities outside? People get fixated on running and forget about all of the everyday activities we love to do that also double as intense calorie burners. After reading through an article published by the Mayo Clinic regarding calorie expenditure, I decided I needed to share the best ways to enjoy the sun AND burn calories in one hour.

Basketball
I'm 6'2", pasty white, and have never played a real game of basketball in my life. Remember Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in "White Men Can't Jump"? Story of my life. A lot of my friends at school love to head down to the park and play pickup games. We're in West Philly so there's always a game going.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 584
200 pounds: 728
240 pounds: 872

Canoeing
My family used to camp a lot my brother and I were younger. Our canoe is still under our deck, but I definitely remember having a lot of fun going out on the lake and canoeing to the best fishing spots. A lot of the kids I met from PA regularly go camping with their friends. Not sure I'd trust them on a canoe with a 30 rack but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 256
200 pounds: 319
240 pounds: 382

Golfing
Cigars, beer, and golf go hand in hand. It's counterproductive to drink while out in the heat and playing golf but to each his own. My friends and I are starting to get back into playing. It's a chill way to spend a day outside with a little bit of competition. The calories listed below are for carrying your clubs, but it is also only 1 hour's worth of activity. Think how long it takes you to play a round. Yea, that's a nice little workout.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 314
200 pounds: 391
240 pounds: 469

Hiking
I'm not in the woods or anything but a lot of people love hiking when it's nice out. Personally, I hate getting eaten alive. Hiking can be an awesome workout though because you're climbing different surfaces with varying inclines.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 438
200 pounds: 546
240 pounds: 654

Running at 8mph
I have a mud run coming up in a week. It's called Muck Ruckus MS and it's for an awesome cause. Nowadays I don't run at a 7:30 pace on level surfaces so I sure as hell won't be trucking at that pace in the mud, but running is always a good choice for summer cardio.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 861
200 pounds: 1074
240 pounds: 1286

Softball or Baseball
Living right across the street from baseball and softball fields all of my life means I've seen my fair share of adult leagues playing late into the night. These guys and gals are out there having a great time and, when there's a little bit of competition to it, getting a decent workout while catching up with their friends.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 365
200 pounds: 455
240 pounds: 545

Swimming
My pool isn't big enough for laps but swimming is an AMAZING workout. I had never really swum for exercise until my sophomore year of college. I thought I was going to sink to the bottom midway through my 4th 50m lap. Sure, I was sprinting them...but it was still pretty pathetic. Water has so many therapeutic benefits and is a great alternative to high-impact cardio activities such as running.

Calories Burnt
160 pounds: 423
200 pounds: 528
240 pounds: 632

How Will YOU Get Fit?
There is no one right answer to the question "How do I lose fat and/or get fit?" You need to do activities that interest you if you want to increase your adherence to your program. If you're afraid of water you probably won't stick to a swimming routine very long. Do what you love, work hard, and you'll see results.

Mayo Clinic article available here:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109

Bobby

http://collegiatefitness.com/

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