BLOG #78. WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE WINTER TO STAY FIT

​STAYING FIT DURNG SNOW SEASON


The hardest time of the year for me, is late Autumn.
The weather is usually bad, the day light shortens, the temps get cold, but I find places to go to and hike no matter what.
The issue is, I don’t get to go high in the mountains, on long ridge line walks.

What I’ve found thru life, is if I  fill the shoulder months with as much outdoor activities as possible, my outlook on life gets better.

Science says, that as little as 120 minutes a week, spent in Nature, can do wonders for our well being, stress levels, blood pressure, peace of mind, and more.

But committing to 30 to 60 minutes a day is difficult to fit into our busy lives. So do several 15 to 20 minutes walks throughout the day.
Shoot for 60 minutes, but if all you get is 30 minutes, that’s okay.
Maybe the next day, we can go just a few more minutes to each day.
On days we feel good and can stay out longer, do so.
Push your envelope just a bit every day.

An old adage I’ve enjoyed thru life is as follows….

“Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”
Neale Donald Walsch 

Obviously, the mountains are filling with fluff.
So if you are unlikely to go to the mountains, below are some of the best places to experience Nature, and not necessarily be in snow.


SPOKANE AREA

https://www.inlandnwroutes.com/spokane-county-conservation-futures.html
This url will take you to more than a dozen locations in Spokane County to get out and enjoy Nature, year round.

Dig around a bit on the county parks website above to see the many trails in and around Spokane County.


https://dishmanhills.org/Maps
The Dishman Hills is located south of Sprague Street, and west of South Dishman Mica Road.
With over 3,200 acres to explore, these trails are well worth the effort to enjoy them.
The above url will show you maps of the many trails at Dishman Hills.  Get out and enjoy this local treasure.


https://www.inlandnwroutes.com
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For those of you who want warmer areas to hike in, check out our section on the Washington Scablands.
Log on and go to…..
ACTIVITY……..HIKE…….WASHINGTON…..WASHINGTON SCABLANDS.
Here you will find over 20 hikes west of Spokane.
There is a lot of very nice areas to hike and enjoy warmer weather walks.
In March or April, I keep hiking clothes in the car. If skiing isn’t good, I head for the Scabs.
During these months, you don’t necessarily need snowshoes to get up high.


 Science says the below are benefits from spending time in Nature.

MENTAL HEALTH
Reduces stress and anxiety
improves concentration and attention
Lower risk of depression
Increases positive emotions

PHYSICAL HEALTH CAN..
Lower heart rate and blood pressure 
Increases Vitamin D levels
Lower risk of heart disease
Reduces risk of obesity and diabetes

PAIN MANAGEMENT
Patients recover from surgery better
Experience less pain and stress
Patients with a view of trees, tolerate pain better

SLEEP
Improves sleep.
Allows for better sleep 

So, now that you are armed with WHY to go into Nature, and WHERE to go, don’t let the next 3 to 5 months get you down.

GET UP AND GET OUTSIDE AND FEEL MOTHER NATURE AT HER BEST.

Note: (At the bottom of each page on our website, is an envelope.
This envelope will allow you to communicate with me directly.)

Thank You for reading and using our website.


Chic            David



InlandNWRoutes.com

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