Staying Lean While Keeping It Green

Happy Wednesday, everyone! We really enjoyed sharing our DIY pampering recipes with you all last night, so tonight we’re carrying on the path to health and happiness. Did you know that your daily workout is another lifestyle area where you can make earth-friendly changes? There are countless eco-savvy ways to get in your daily dose of physical fitness. Here are some of our favorite tips for energizing your exercise with a green boost:

Take it outside whenever you can.
Instead of increasing your energy consumption via home and gym exercise machines, take advantage of hiking and biking trails in your area. One big advantage to the great outdoors - it’s 100% free and always interesting! If you don’t fancy going solo, invite a friend or two and take in some quality time as well.

Inspire a green makeover at your health club or gym.
If the great outdoors just aren’t for you, consider encouraging your gym to make some eco-friendly upgrades. Make sure your club offers recycling bins and energy efficient machines, and remind the staff to ask patrons to limit their towel usage.

Car pool to your local gym with a friend or neighbor.
Not only does carpooling cut down on your fuel costs and usage, but having a gym buddy is an instant incentive to keep up with your fitness goals and resolutions. For extra support, consider joining a soccer, volleyball, or kickball league in your neighborhood. No one to car pool with? Your bike is another great way to get where you’re going and warm up for your workout at the same time.

Dress the part.
Looking for some new workout clothing or gear? Organic cotton and bamboo threads are a great place to start for sweat-friendly green fabrics. For eco-conscious equipment choices, check the web or a local sporting goods shop for great deals on secondhand bikes and weights.

Give in to the bottle.
The water bottle that is! Move on from one-time use plastic water bottles. It’s time to commit to using refillable water bottles for workouts and everyday hydration. Using a refillable bottle means less waste in landfills and more money in your wallet.

Get creative with your workout routine.
It’s not always easy to find time to head to the gym or commit to an after-work jogging schedule. Try to throw in an extra walk or bike ride during your lunch break for a calorie-burning boost. Another great way to supplement your gym routine: Try knocking out some house or yard work by attacking the job with gusto! Shoveling snow, raking leaves, vacuuming and dusting can be great activities for burning off a greasy business lunch or the sins of the weekend roasts and barbecues. Do you have more ideas on how to stay lean and keep it green? We would love to hear from you. In the meantime, stay fit, happy and healthy the Green Cleaners way!