All of us at Focus Fitness UK enjoy training, but we all know our bodies operate not too dissimilar from cars, in that we must put good fuel in if we want to perform at our optimum. Given that it’s Go Green week, we figured it would be a great opportunity to share with you 5 ways to go green but still keep getting fitter. A lot of claims have been made by plant-based dieters that going green is far more beneficial to the body and opposing claims have been made by the meat eaters, claiming how plant-based diets can halt muscular gains. But going green is about more than just our diets, it is about maintaining a healthier lifestyle by creating sustainable habits which meet the environmental needs of our future. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
1. Start actually taking those 5-minute showers!
Step 1 starts in the morning as part of your morning ablutions, the infamous “5-minute shower”. The problem is, most of us aren’t committed and believe us, we get it. Nobody wants to get out of bed in the morning let alone a warm shower, but therein lies the problem. Try having a cold shower instead, sounds dreadful, I know, but you won’t regret it after a week of getting used it. According to the Wim Hof Method, the benefits of cold therapy starts a cascade of health benefits including the buildup of brown adipose tissue and resultant fat loss. Try it, 5 minutes! No more.
2. Bike to Work
By biking to work, not only will you be reducing your carbon footprint, but you’ll also be burning fat and improving heart health. You may even inspire your fellow work colleagues to adopt your green habits too! If you can’t bike to work, bike everywhere else. If, however, you are new to biking and you’re not too sure where to start, there is a great article published by Bicycling.com on a beginner’s guide to biking which is worth a read.
3. Use a reusable water bottle
We all take a bottle to the gym, but which type of bottle do you take? One of every six plastic water bottles are actually thrown into the recycling bin, others pile up on landfills polluting our planet on a daily basis. Thousands pledged to cut down their plastic use after seeing the heartbreaking images of plastic killing our sea creatures on Blue Planet. Go Green Week is a chance to make that pledge again and to encourage others to do the same.
Rather than contributing to environmental degradation, we encourage you to switch from plastic bottles to reusable drinkware. Bottles made from aluminium, stainless steel, and BPA-free plastic are great alternatives for eco-friendly thirst quenching. And if you’re concerned about the quality of your water, buy a water filter.
4. Update your look, without downgrading the environment.
We all enjoy looking the part in the gym, what about looking after our planet? In 2018, 0nline shoppers in the UK used the internet for 87% of their retail purchases; that’s a lot of single use plastic packaging. However, there is now a growing market of eco-friendly brands which offer clothes made sustainably and ethically from natural, non-GMO cotton or recycled materials such as Organic Basics and Curiously Conscious. And if you’re a runner, check out this post by Runner’s World on environmentally friendly running brands.
5. Eat smart
Although this option can be more costly, it is more beneficial towards your own personal and the health of the planet, the question is what price would you put on health? If you’re an avid meat-eater and if you feel threatened by the idea of going vegan, perhaps start by adding one meatless week a month and if this seems impossible then at least buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers is also a great way of keeping money in the local economy.
And that’s it, 5 simple ways for you to Go Green this week without making any fitness losses! It is a lifestyle change, so it will take some getting used to, some changes more than others, but you will be happy you did. At least at the end of the day, you can go to bed and sleep with a good conscience knowing you paid your dues and played your part in a more eco-friendly environment. At Focus Fitness UK, we have some great exercise blogs posted on the blog page if you are in need of inspiration, additionally, you can check out our Facebook page for more inspiration and useful resources. If you are interested in some of our courses available or if you are interested in becoming a qualified personal trainer this year, visit our Course page!
Written by Daniyal Siddiqui.