That's Fit

I'm so happy to be back to incorporating outdoor workouts into my routine, sporadic as it may be. It's been almost three years since I moved from the West Coast to the East Coast and I still don't have winter workout gear in my wardrobe. So I tend to wait around for April to go for any lengthy walks or jogs outside.

But that would be so normal.

The other day, I actually did sprints, played hide and seek and pretended to be Dora the Explorer in a field of tall grass down the street from our house. Of course, I wasn't alone. This was my daughter's idea of a grand time. And it turned out to be a pretty darn good workout, too.

No trails, stroller, trails, or special gear needed. Just an empty meadow and our imaginations.

Oakley came out several years ago with the THUMP, a sunglass/mp3 player combo. It was a really cool idea, because, really, how much extra stuff do you to carry when you go running? And it's great to not have to worry about cords or earbud slippage. Plus, the earphones hover just outside your ear, so while you can hear the music, other noises aren't entirely blocked, which is a nice safety feature.

They've now come out with an improved version, the Oakley Split THUMP. The first improvement I noticed was the fact that the earphones are removable, so if you show up at a race and find out only then that you can't have earphones (not like that's ever happened to me or anyone I know), you've still got glasses. Plus, if you're out for a run and then head out to the beach or park to hang out with friends, you can remove the earphones.

Additionally, the sound quality has improved (though, I actually hadn't noticed it being all that bad to begin with). They come in two varieties, a 512MB for $249, and a 2GB for $399, so you should be able to fit enough music on there to last your entire workout. The battery life is estimated to be around seven hours, so that should hold out for you, too.

I grew up in Michigan, and every winter was COLD. The only fluctuation was in whether it was cold and dry enough for thick ice to form on the lake so we could safely ice skate, or whether it would just be cold and miserable outside.

I always looked forward to summer -- we had a pool, and the minute it looked like we wouldn't have another freeze, I would beg my folks to uncover it so I could get in. Now, the temperature when we first took the cover off was generally about 60 degrees, so I couldn't exactly spend a day swimming in it, but it was a step toward those summer days of swimming for hours on end, getting out only because Grandma said I had to eat something for lunch.

This got me thinking of what summer outdoor activities I look forward to most as an adult. I still love going to the pool, but now that I live in Florida, I love taking a vacation to the beach. I get up early (usually) and take a long run along the beach, and generally go for a couple more long walks in the sand during the day. Between that, throwing around a football, and jumping through waves, I get a great workout and have a blast.

What summer workout are you looking forward to most? Check out the gallery for inspiration and be sure to vote in the poll!

January's Men's Journal magazine calls these five outdoor websites incredibly helpful. If you're the outdoorsy type -- I'm thinking of you, Bev -- then take a peek at these for the lowdown on finding mountains and rocks, investigating a forecasted snowfall, or hunting down the perfect camping spot.

summitpost.com
For serious climbers, take a look at this stocked site.

onthesnow.com
For the skiing obsessed, this destination has it all.

reserveamerica.com
For the camping set, this resource awaits you.

trails.com
For $50, you'll get information on 40,000 trails around the world.

mbpost.com
For mountain biking enthusiasts, take a spin here.

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy

My guest this week is the very excellent athlete and adventurer Will Gadd. Starring on Discovery Channel's Fearless Planet, Will guides us through the world's most spectacular natural wonders to teach us how these land formations were created. The show is really so gripping that as I lay sick and exhausted in bed a few weeks ago, I refused to fall asleep. I couldn't miss his journey through and lesson about the Sahara. (No.....I don't have TiVo.Yes, I know I'm a nerd.) I was wishing this show was around when I was back in school learning about geography. If it was.....I think I would have actually been interested in the subject and learned all of the things I was supposed to learn back then. Totally entertaining!

From Canmore, Alberta, Will has won every major ice-climbing competition in the world and holds the distance world record in paragliding. He's one of the most successful outdoor sports athletes in the world, as well as an award-winning film-maker and writer. He has flown his para-glider over the Grand Canyon, climbed icebergs in the North Atlantic, won the X Games, written a best-selling outdoor instructional book and regularly writes for the New York Times and other international magazines and newspapers.

As I interviewed Will, we giggled a lot as he was totally down to earth (when not hanging from it). He's a new Daddy and considers that his most exciting, yet rewarding adventure. He's also the real deal when it comes to healthy living. He has some especially unique insight on food, which I think we could all learn from.

Fitz: You're the ultimate outdoor sports guy....in amazing shape. You're world renowned for excellence in ice climbing, mountain climbing, paragliding, kayaking , caving and skiing; a bit of a lunatic. How did you get started with all of this?

Will: I actually began my escapades in utero. My Mom was hitting the mountains while pregnant with me. My Dad's a climber too. I grew up with it.

Fitz: What does your wife think about you dangling upside-down from ice all the time?

Will: She totally gets it. She's (Kim Csizmazia) also a champion ice climber.

Fitz: That would probably help! And now you have a daughter?

For many people exercising outdoors is something reserved for every season but winter -- the cold and snow comes and everything moves indoors. But it doesn't have to -- winter has it's fair share of fun outdoor sports that will get your heart pumping and those pounds melting off. Everything from ice skating to sledding, even a snowball fight, can burn calories! Plus they're a great way to spend time with friends and family, or if you need some "me" time they can work great for that too (well, maybe not the snowball fight option). But there really is something for everybody.

It may seem pretty basic but starting Monday, all parents are urged to nudge their kiddos into the outdoors. Why? Because the week of September 24 has been dedicated as "Take a Child Outside Week."

The brainchild of Liz Baird, director of school programs for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, this week came about after Baird took a neighborhood walk one beautiful evening and noted the glow of television sets coming from nearly every window she passed. So yep, it's pretty basic. Turn off your TVs. And get the kids outside.

Research links a lack of outdoor activity to depression, obesity, and stress in children. Exposure to nature, on the other hand, fuels creativity, builds self-sufficiency, and activates the senses. Don't you remember roaming free when you were a kid? Today's children may not have such fond memories unless we shove them out the door because unstructured outdoor activity is down by half from the previous generation. Let's change that -- and not just for one week.

Do you have a lawn guy who mows your yard, pulls your weeds, and rakes your leaves? If so, fire him! Barring an injury or illness that keeps you safe from these chores, there's no reason you can't put a little effort into your own outdoor maintenance. Consider it a two-for-one -- you get to accomplish household duties while logging some precious exercise time.

I raked a few leaves in my front yard today. Now, I mean a few. Still, when I was done, my arms ached like I'd just finished a strenuous workout. Wait, I had just finished a strenuous workout. It just wasn't the traditional in-the-gym activity that usually leaves our muscles sore. Add on some cardio (my front yard in on an incline so my body was working double-time) and I had myself a pretty good exercise session. Did I mention I'd already run 2.5 miles, cranked out my 10 push-ups -- impressive, I know -- and logged two one-minute planks before my lawn tasks began? Right now, I'm spent.

I urge you to consider spending some time working around your house. I mean really working around your house, inside and out. Exercise doesn't always have to come in the form of weight training, jogging, yoga, and the other fitness standards. It can be as simple as exerting yourself consistently while tackling everyday responsibilities. Combine it with other workout forms, and you'll be one fit cookie.

When you think of being "seasoned" in pretty much any sport you probably picture a pretty fit physique to go along with the skill. But that's not always the case -- interestingly enough there are some sports that you can work at regularly and get good at without necessarily fitting into a sport-specific shape: bicycling for example. Due to aerodynamics and the unique way the center of gravity is used bicycling is much more forgiving of body type and age than other sports like, say, running. It's not uncommon for cyclists to surprise you by not fitting the expected 'mold' of young and rail thin -- instead being of all ages and all body types.

Summer is a great time of year to get outside and try a new sport that will help you stay fit and look great. After all, when it's nice out, who wants to be couped up on a treadmill? If you're bored of the same old gym routine and want to get out and enjoy the weather while getting some exercise, try the sports discussed here (note: calories burned are based on an 150lb person):

• Soccer: The sport burns between 630 and 900 calories an hour depending on the level of play and works your quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes. All that running is great for your cardiovascular system too.
• Squash: According to the piece, squash helps burn a whopping 1,080 calories in an hour! The sport also helps hand-eye coordination and strengthens core, shoulder and leg muscles.
• Basketball: Not only is shooting hopes fun, it will burn 400 calories in an hour. A competitive game will burn up to 700, and basketball also helps build coordination and agility. Plus, like soccer, it's good for your cardiovascular system.

Want to find out more? Take a look at the article for alternate work-outs for each sport, as well as for a breakdown on additional activities like water polo and kickboxing.

Although summer is often thought of as the season to do things outdoors, there are always those days when it's just too darn hot to even sit out there, let alone try to get physical and workout. But on those days when outdoor exercise means imminent heat stroke you don't have to skip exercising altogether: simply workout inside. Obviously there are all kinds of ways to exercise indoors, such as heading to the gym, popping in an exercise DVD, or even going mall-walking. But if for whatever reason none of those appeal to you and you're just looking for something quick and easy to get your heart pumping, try this 30 minute routine. No traveling to the gym, no equipment needed that you didn't already have for your outdoor plans (like good shoes), and it'll burn 200-300 calories altogether. Nothing wrong with that!

A little while ago, I did this post on some outdoor activities for the summer that will blast calories and provide hours of entertainment at the same time. I just discovered this eDiet's article that lists some other great outdoor activities, namely Whitewater rafting, frisbee, swinging (at the playground, not another type of swinging), gardening and more. I think it's a great list -- they're all things that you can easily work in to your routine, and as I look out at the gloomy spring showers, I can't wait to get out and about. Whitewater rafting is a favourite summer activity of mine -- it's thrilling, refreshing and a really good workout if you're tackling some serious rapids and not just floating down a river.

What other activities can you think of?

One of the best parts about spring, summer, and fall is grilling outdoors. Sadly, the typical grilled menu of hamburgers, brats, and steaks isn't so easy on the health-conscious dieter and their waistline. But happily, there are some healthier and just-as-tasty grilling alternatives.

Try vegetable pizza with the crust-and-all made right on the grill, and grill fruit like bananas and pineapples, or cantaloupe, on kabobs with mint and honey. And for dessert, try grilling slices of angel food cake until they're crusty on the outside and then top with frozen fruit. My mouth is watering just writing this!

If you've got a good thing going in the form of an outdoor fitness routine, don't let cold weather and a few snow flurries deter you. Although it's a simple thing to do, continuing with your morning jog through the winter months does take some preparation -- in the way of clothes and gear -- in order to stay warm and safe.

One of my favorites is the Zula ZigZag Earphone Hat, cuz it's not only a hat with headphones built right in, but it's also really cute! And my other favorite has got to be The Northface Flask -- it's designed to sling over your shoulder and it's heated.

See the slide show of fun, useful, and stylish winter gear to help keep your cold-weather-workout on track this season.

So you ate an enormous Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. You totally blew it, big time and kinda on purpose! After all, it was a holiday. But today you're feeling a little guilty and wish you could get out and do something physical to feel better about it. But there's family from out of town and they only get to stay a few days, so you'd hate to miss out on precious time with them.

So organize a family hike! It's a great way to spend time with your loved ones while doing something interesting and healthy, and it's great for kids and adults alike. Although you'll need to take different family member's individual fitness and health levels into account, hiking at a moderate to intense pace for one hour burns approximately 600 calories! And there are lots of ideas and suggestions on planning your hike, where to go, what to pack, how to stay safe, and ways to make it more interesting.