When the two of us first met each other in 2005, we went to our local gym to workout together. We’d jump on the treadmill, lift weights and ride stationary bikes. The sound of electric machines, the smell of sweat and the amount of ego that filled the room was displeasing. Let’s just say our gym time didn’t last very long.

There was something very unnatural about working out inside. Rather than the mind and body taking in natural outdoor surroundings as it should expect, we humans have been taught to stuff ourselves into boxes to exercise. Yes, it is true, gyms make fitting in workouts more convenient. They also often provide a wide variety of tools that help cut fat and build muscle. The two of us just prefer doing it the old-fashioned way. We prefer breathing in fresh air, the wind hitting us, the sun beaming down on us and the sounds of nature all around.

Rather than swimming in pools filled with chlorine, we have traveled to many wonderful lakes, rivers, creeks, lagoons and oceans to get our water workouts. We hike, we run, we bike, we swim, we climb, we jump, we stretch and each time we step out into nature, we gain more of a connection with Mother Earth.

Years ago we met a woman in Charleston, South Carolina who knew all about the power of exercising outdoors. Although she was pushing twins in a stroller and looked like their mother, she was actually their grandmother. She pulled out a photo of herself from when she was over 300 pounds. She proudly explained that all it took was for her to go outside and start walking. She literally walked her butt off and never stepped foot in a gym.

People sit to work, sit to eat, sit to watch television and sit in the car to go places. With the introduction of junk food, people are consuming far more calories than they used to. There’s so much to do and so little time that finding a moment to exercise the body can be difficult. It’s up to us to organize life, so we can keep fit and stay in touch with the great outdoors.