Don't let kids have all the fun – surprise them by booking yourself onto an activity camp this summer. Ease in gently with a yoga or t'ai chi camp, which offers teachers from diverse schools of practice and early-morning and late-night sessions. A hike camp with dawn-to-dusk guided walks may suit more seasoned exercisers, though even these include gentle rambles and nature-watching sessions suitable for novices.
14. Take a city stroll
If you don't live near the countryside you can still exercise in a green way. Buy a guidebook or download a city walk that takes in handsome buildings, industrial heritage sites, rivers, parks, and cathedrals. If there's a tower, climb the steps to the top for a panoramic view.
15. Celebrate seasonal fare
In town, seek out seasonal festivals celebrating the harvest. At apple days, sample local varieties and take part in apple-bobbing games; at a tomato festival, sign up for a fruit-throwing contest; at eggplant or pink onion time, enjoy speciality dishes and dancing till dawn.
16. City park fitness
If you like being pushed to achieve your best, look for army vets teaching fitness sessions in city parks. In addition to push-ups, instructors include team-building games such as tug of war and participants are graded by ability, with fitness-focused, weight-loss, and team-building options.
17. Scavenger hunt
Join a team to run about town or countryside for a day or weekend searching for items on a list and photographing them, or performing extreme (often embarrassing) tasks to order – and being taped in the act. The first to finish or the team with the most objects wins.
Page 4 of 4 - Discover great ways get in shape with outdoor activites and the "green gym" on page 1.
Excerpted from 1,001 Ways to Get in Shape, copyright 2009 by Susannah Marriott. Used by permission of Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.
