How to Get Fit Without Joining a Gym

As the deputy editor of FITNESS Magazine, Mary Anderson has her finger on the pulse of the latest workout trends. But what she really craves is running outdoors. 

“It’s just not the same on a treadmill—I get inspired by the outdoors, whereas I cover the treadmill’s digital readout with my towel!” 

And with good reason: Fitness experts widely agree that seeing greenery while working out reduces stress and can improve performance. Yet only 22 percent of women exercise outside of the gym, according to a recent Women’s Health survey. With some creative planning, you can skip the gym—including the monthly payments and the wait lists for hot yoga—and hit the road (or laundry room) for some serious conditioning. 

Here are some ways to get fit and get outside:

Be a team player. A University of Copenhagen study found that women who played soccer benefited more in overall fitness than women who ran alone. Scientists believe the social nature of the sport was a factor, says Anderson. Sign up for road races and train with a group of friends, join the town tennis league, or become a member of a bicycle club.

Try spring cleaning. Mowing the lawn, vacuuming, and ironing clothes gain some appeal when you consider the benefits of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), or movements outside of an actual workout, says Women’s Health Senior Fitness Editor Jen Ator. Such spontaneous movements can reduce stress, improve your mood, boost your metabolism and add years to your life, says Ator.

Step it up. FITNESS tracked how frequently we use our glutes and the results were not that often at all. One solution is to hit the stairs—consistently. Ator reports that a study out of a European journal showed hospital workers who climbed stairs exclusively for 12 weeks saw significant improvements in lung capacity, body fat reductions, and waist circumference. Pre-war walkups offer a great opportunity for a regimented workout and stairs can also be used for push ups.

Happy trails. “Nature’s uneven terrain also challenges your muscles way more than smoothly calibrated fitness machines. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that walking or running outdoors requires more effort than moving at the same speed on a treadmill, meaning you can burn more calories in the same amount of time,” says Ator. Think Prospect Park!

Big (and little) wheels keep on turning. Rollerblading burns 805 calories an hour in the average 135-pound woman, says Anderson, or the equivalent of an 8-minute mile. Paved trails like the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway are safe, car-free zones for rollerblading, bike riding, and pushing your baby stroller.

Swing time: Make use of time at the park with your kids by turning swings into balance training tools. “Place your feet on the seat and your hands on the ground so that you’re in a push-up position. Hold there for up to 60 seconds, or make it more challenging by bending your knees toward your chest, keeping your core tight and back flat,” suggests Ator. 

Beached: Public beaches offer an instant workout boost thanks to the resistance sand adds to any activity. Increase your calorie burn by walking or running on the beach and doing squat jumps, lunges, and side-to-side hops, says Ator.

This article includes additional reporting by Julia Halewicz.