Medical Weight Loss Gone Green

Exercising outside can have you seeing green during your program for medical weight loss in Chandler or Scottsdale.

There is something about being outside that is mentally rejuvenating. Whether you are taking a brisk walk in the cold winter air, tanning yourself in the hot Arizona sun or listening to the birds on a nice spring day, being outside can help you cope with stress and clear your mind—benefits that physical activity can provide, too. So what happens when you combine your natural desire to be outside with physical activity? You get a combination that can boost your weight loss efforts and your mental health all at once.

Working out at the gym can grow stuffy, lonely and just plain boring. Nature boosts the exercise experience. When you regularly exercise outside you are constantly seeing movement. There are new people, new buildings and new plants to see every time you explore your neighborhood. By stimulating your mental awareness, exercising outside can help you remain more interested in the activity you are engaging in. Well, now researchers are finding further evidence that getting active in nature really is better for your efforts to lose weight in Chandler and Scottsdale, and it is all thanks to the color green.

The Study

At the University of Essex in England, researchers found that the color green stimulated positive energy and enhanced mood during the course of exercise. And it isn’t just seeing any color that stimulates this. After seeing the color red participants were more likely to feel angry—an emotion that can be damaging to your workout efforts, especially if the anger drives you to give up or lose concentration.

The study was small, but the researchers now speculate that exercising in the greenness of nature may be even better for your workout efforts than previously imagined. Of course, not all of nature is green. Especially in Scottsdale and Chandler there are plenty of other hues outside your front door that are worth exploring.

Whatever the exact cause of nature’s positive influence on our minds and mental health, it is true that getting outside can inspire you to become more active. Throughout Arizona the weather stays warm enough year-round to take advantage of outside activities. If you are growing tired of working out at the gym, then try spending a few hours getting fit outside. You might find the motivation you need to keep going in your own front yard!