It’s ‘New Year - New You’ time again as fitness gurus update us on the latest trends for keeping fit and celebrities launch their latest endorsed exercise regimes. TV based plans such as Nintendo’s Wii Fit or a range of fitness DVDs are great for indoor exercise, but don’t let the cold weather keep you inside this winter.
There are many great, low cost, ideas for keeping fit outdoors, that all the family can enjoy.
Outdoor Fun in West Dorset
West Dorset has an abundance of stunning walking routes, with a network of countryside footpaths and bridleways and coastal walks along the Jurassic Coast. Always try to walk briskly whenever you can - even short bursts of activity are effective. Winter is also a great time to take your dog on the beach, with many of the summertime restrictions lifted. For the more energetic these same routes offer great choice and variety for your jogging routine. So get your walking boots or runners on because with so much accessible countryside on our doorstep it really is easy to go running and walking this winter.
Geocaching in Dorset
Looking for something different? Geocaching, is the new fun intensive walking activity that is sweeping the nation.
Essentially a technological scavenger hunt, all you need to participate is a hand-held GPS device, and some good outdoor clothing.
Here’s how it works: people hide objects almost anywhere you could imagine (the caches), and list them online identifying their location only by latitude and longitude co-ordinates. Geocachers, as members of these online groups, select caches to find based on general location and difficulty of the search. Caches are inexpensive, fun and quirky.
When you find a cache, you leave something else for the next person. To learn more, go to www.geocaching.com.
If you like to cover a lot of ground then consider a combination of Geocaching with a Winter Bike Ride. Dust off your bike, wrap up warm and spend a couple of hours exploring the beautiful Dorset countryside. With specific cache targets to aim for exercise becomes fun, and far less monotonous than treadmills or repetitive TV based regimes.
Fossil Hunting in Dorset
For a slightly more gentile exercise idea, why not take the family fossil huntingalong Dorset’s Jurassic coast, where the winter months generally offer the best chance for new and exciting finds. Mud flows and cliff falls will have exposed fresh material for enthusiasts to explore. It’s surprising how much energy you will burn up scrambling along the rocks searching for the next big find.
With regular exercise your body shape and muscle will become more toned and you will burn calories quicker. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins – known as feel-good hormones. Endorphins give you a natural high, so exercise will not only make you look great, but can help take away those New Year Winter blues.
Wrap up warm - See you out there!!






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