About 80 million people pay for gym memberships every month, almost 7% of them never to be used.

It’s not that they hate physical fitness but that they hate going to the gym. It can be intimidating and expensive not to mention inconvenient.

People pay to go walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike that simulates being outdoors. Other people prefer to actually be outdoors.

You don’t need a pricey gym membership or to buy tons of equipment to stay fit.

Keep reading for 3 awesome outdoor workout ideas to help you break a sweat rather than break the bank.

Hiking & Biking

People often use the excuse they don’t work out because they don’t have a gym membership anymore or they don’t live near anyplace they can work out.

No matter where you live in the world you can probably find a place to hike or bike. Some cities even have bike share programs for those who don’t have their own bikes.

You can get a well rounded cardio workout by biking to a local hiking spot. You’ll get to know the area around you, reduce stress while you enjoy nature and get a good workout.

The amount of calories you burn depends on many factors including your weight, difficulty of the hike, speed and incline of the route, etc but you can burn anywhere from 400 to 600 calories per hour of hiking.

The average person can burn between 400 and 750 calories an hour while biking again depending on the route, intensity of workout and person’s size and fitness level.

If you need even more motivation- take a camera with you and look for 5 awesome pictures to take each day. You’ll see the world around you in a whole new light and be distracted from the “exercise” part of getting fit while hiking and biking your way to a healthier you.

Exercise Groups, Personal Trainers, and Boot Camps

Many people are more motivated to exercise if they’re held accountable, have guidance or others sweating too. There are many sports groups and associations that offer leagues or activities that you could participate in and meet new friends in the process.

Some ideas are:

• jogging, power walking or biking
• swimming, rowing, beach volleyball
• skiing, skating, snowboarding
• tia chi, karate in the park
• soccer, lacrosse, extreme frisbee
• horseback riding, doggie walking, bird watching

If you’d rather have someone giving you more guidance on a personal fitness level then something like Fit-InMotion Personal Training is probably a good option.

Many cities have short term fitness boot camps held at local parks or community centers that can give you a boost in your workouts.

Volunteer for Workout Ideas

There are several ways you can get physically fit, give your mental health a boost and help another at the same time. Why not add a good deed to your workout plan and volunteer while you’re getting fit?

• walk dogs for a local shelter or elderly neighbor
• cut grass or shovel snow for elderly, disabled or someone in need.
• give time to youth sports leagues
• plant trees, participate in neighborhood cleanup or beautification project

Borrow a friend’s dog and take it for a run, help a neighbor with some chores they need help doing or give some time at the community garden.

These activities not only give you a good work out but are stress relievers, and bless the lives of others.

Have Fun

Physical fitness doesn’t have to be a chore you just need to have workout ideas that match your idea of fun.

Explore the rest of the categories for tips on taking care of your health and wellbeing, education, love, money and more.