5 Tips on How to Burn Calories Without Burning the Ozone

Do you love going to the gym, but feel guilty about using energy and resources when you really could have just exercised outside? Well here are 5 workout tips to help make your gym time a little more eco-friendly:

1) Don’t drive to the gym to workout – Do you work or live nearby your gym? If so, try walking, running, or biking there instead. You’ll be cutting down on pollution while you start your cardio warm up. Plus, as a bonus, you’ll save on gas money!

2) Don’t be a towel hog – Just because you aren’t the one doing the laundry doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to use 4 towels per shower. Really, you’re not Rapunzel; you don’t need a separate towel to dry your hair! Besides, gym towels are usually too small to cover your naughty bits… you’re better off bringing 1 big towel from home and washing it once a week. Trust me, it won’t smell funky as long as you air dry it properly.

3) Keep the power off – A lot of gyms now have personal TV’s attached to their treadmills, bikes, and elliptical machines. Save some electrical juice by keeping them powered off. Try entertaining yourself by reading a magazine or listening to your iPod. If you do decide to turn the TV on while you’re exercising, make sure you turn it off after you leave the machine.

4) Recycle what you can – When it comes time to ditch your old shoes and clothes, don’t just send them to the trash receptacle. See if you can donate them to a charity or recycle them. Visit Runners World to find out how you can recycle or donate old shoes.

5) Reduce your gear consumption – Have you heard the phrase, “make do with what you’ve got.”? In this case, you’re better of ignoring some of the “shiny” new products you see on the market, and using what you already have. Also, don’t take the gym’s freebie such as bags or t-shirts if you’re just going to throw them away in a few months.

Please share your tips and advice on other ways to green up your trip to the gym!