Jump Into Summer Fun!

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Nature lifts your spirits. Activity boosts your mood. And spending time in surroundings that elicit a sense of awe provides the cherry on top: Greater feelings of happiness, wellbeing, and even generosity! Conveniently, summer offers ideal conditions for combining all these healthy choices: warm weather to get you outside, possibly in places that are off-limits other times of year, with the people you love. Whether or not your crew plans an annual summer jaunt to paradise, you can probably find awesome sights and activity opportunities right in your hometown as well. Check out the suggestions in your WW Freestyle weekly, then read on for more active adventure ideas

Think of activities you enjoy and that enhance your life—those can be the foundation of a lifetime of fitness. For instance, everyone enjoys a long talk with a good friend. Instead of catching up over happy hour once a week, why not suggest a walk instead? Try exploring a park or neighbourhood you’ve always wanted to check out. Grabbing some extra vitamin D along with earning some FitPoints® can boost your post-work mood, especially if you catch one of those shockingly pink summer sunsets on your way home. (Maybe snap a pic to post on Connect?

If you’re on vacation, even better: Sand, especially if it's loose-packed, can tone legs like a stair climber, and in any season there’s something about the ocean waves that raises your spirits. Even if the beach isn’t your speed or on your itinerary, any vacation can provide you with new, awe-inspiring sights: Think nature preserves, outdoor art fairs, skyscrapers.

If you’ve ever been in a boat and were mesmerized by the wide-open vistas and sun sparkling on the water, SUP might be for you. Stand up paddle boarding checks every active-summer-adventure box: fresh air and sunshine, a full-body workout, and rippling water to soothe and inspire. Most beaches that see summer migrants will offer paddle boarding rentals; but there's a good chance that nearby lakes and park ponds do, too.

Research shows that awe can give us an extra boost of well-being and life satisfaction. But, for real: What’s more awe-inspiring than helping care for the earth and all its creatures? Get in activity, and do good, too: Check local listings for park or nature preserve cleanups. Whether in your own town or on vacation, animals and their habitats always need our help. From cleaning up a beach where wild horses make their homes, to volunteering with a local animal shelter and taking dogs outside to play, it’s easy to turn your caring spirit into an active (and outdoorsy) lifestyle.