I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand. I had long heard about their beautiful landscapes and fondness for adventure. So when I had the opportunity to visit this month, I was very excited.
One thing I love about New Zealand is how its landscape lends itself to an active lifestyle. Hiking, biking, caving, rafting…you name it, they’ve got it! Although New Zealand is known for its penchant for adventure, you don’t have to travel half way around the world to make an active lifestyle a part of your life. Biking for example is something most of us can do in our own neighborhood. All you need is two wheels and a road (and a helmet of course). Need some motivation? Try signing up for a local bike race. This may sound intimidating, but I can assure you, there are many races out there that welcome beginners and seasoned riders alike. I personally took part in the 27 mile ‘Tour for Tucson’s Children’ here in Arizona last June. Being my first biking event, I was a little nervous, but I had a great time! There were people of all fitness levels and abilities at this event. Biking is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors.
If biking is not your thing, how about walking or even running? These are both great ways to burn calories and keep your metabolism revved up. Again, signing up for a race is great motivation. Don’t worry about how slow you think you are. Most running events welcome people of all speeds. Trust me on this one, I am definitely not a fast runner. Two years ago, after a friend encouraged me to try it, I signed up for my first 5k. A 5k is approximately 3 miles, but at that point, I had never walked let alone run more than 1 mile. However, I thought it would be good motivation. It is much harder to hit the snooze button when you know you have an event coming up. Now, thirteen ‘half marathons’ later, I’m glad I did that first 5k. I really enjoy running events. Whether you walk or run, it is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors and meet new people.
Like New Zealanders, if you are lucky enough to have great places to hike in your area, take advantage of it. Can’t hike? How about swimming? Can’t swim? How about shopping…yes I said shopping! Anything is better than sitting on the couch! You’d be surprised the distance that can be covered in an afternoon shopping trip. One thing I loved about many towns in New Zealand was the quaint downtown areas that were filled with all kinds of neat boutiques, galleries and café’s. The streets of these centers were filled with people out for a bit of window shopping. I also found it interesting that when people took a break from shopping, they would stop at the local café for a fresh cup of coffee. I was amazed that the cafes and restaurants there appeared to be full of people, not eating, but enjoying some afternoon conversation and a cup o’ ‘Jo’. There seemed to be a distinct lack of ‘grazing’ in New Zealand, at least by my estimation. Very interesting….
Gardening, walking the dog, coaching Little League, painting the house, washing the car…there are many ways to incorporate more activity into our everyday lives. If you do, you will likely find that you are stronger, feel better and have more energy. So the next time you have the urge to plop down onto the couch for a couple of hours in front of the ol’ ‘boob tube’, why not head to the local park instead? Roller-blading anyone?
