Hello all!

I will arrive in Orlando, FL with my family around noon or 1pm today (if we survive the car ride!)  Because I will not be near a computer for the majority of the week, and summer is coming to an end I asked some blogger friends to write guest posts for me in celebration of summer about their favorite summer recipes or their favorite ways to be active in the summer…or both!

Today, Sam over at Fit for my Fork will be sharing her Top 5 Favorite Ways to be active in the summer.  Enjoy!

Guest Post:  Fit for my Fork Top 5 Ways to Be Active in the Summer

Hello Treble in the Kitchen readers! J My name is Sam and I blog over at Fit for my Fork. I’ve been really busy this summer for a few reasons – firstly, I moved back to Canada after six years in England, and secondly I have been enjoying the beautiful weather by indulging in some of my favourite outdoor activities!

Calgary summers are hot and dry and I love taking advantage of being outside. I’d never want to take a summer holiday while living here!

I was so thrilled when Tara asked me to share my favourite ways to be active during the summer. Here are my top five:

1. Horseback Riding

This is me and my old horse Freckles. I love exercising with a partner and horseback riding is no different! Even if your companion has four legs instead of two, having another personality around really makes things fun. I love riding in the summer whether it’s schooling outside or going on a trail ride. If you haven’t added horseback riding to your list of fun outside activities, you should definitely give it a shot!

(And always wear a helmet, unlike me in the photo above.)

1. Hiking

Whether it’s just wandering around someplace new or heading out for a few hours on rough terrain, I love to walk in the summer. Dubsy and I did some hiking on our most recent holiday to Crete. It’s a great way to investigate the area you’re staying in and get great views you may not otherwise see! Plus we needed some way to work off all the buffet food we’d scoffed for breakfast…

1. Working out Outside

I took several yoga and pilates classes in this beautiful ‘zen garden’ in Elounda, Crete. It really ignited a passion for working out outside and I have started taking my exercise routines to the deck now that the weather is nice. Portable workouts like ZWOWs, Bodyrock, yoga, and running are just a few examples of things you can do indoors or outdoors, so don’t be afraid to try taking your favourite workout outside. Being in the fresh air makes every workout more invigorating!

1. Picnics

I’m sure you’re thinking picnics involve lots of eating and not much activity, but if you combine your picnic with a nice walk or some swimming, everyone can have fun and enjoy good food in a nice location. Picnics don’t have to take place in parks – you can take your picnic up a mountain, to the beach, on a boat, or just to a place you haven’t been to before. The picture above was taken at a park beside Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales, where Dubsy and I went on a day trip last year. It was someplace I had never been before and the perfect spot for a wander and a picnic.

1. Boating (Punting, Canoeing, Rowing)

I lived in Cambridge for the last two years and when the sun came out everyone flocked to the river to go punting! The only person really doing much activity in this situation is the punter who stands at the back of the boat and uses the pole to push you along. I’m not particularly good at it and usually end up driving us into the bank (the punt above has been purposely moored so the occupants could go to the pub, so it is not an example of my poor punting skills, honest). I also love going canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and in pedal boats. Being out on the water – whether you’re putting in the effort pedalling, punting, or rowing or just hanging out while someone else does the work – is one of my favourite ways to spend a sunny afternoon. Someday I really want to try white water rafting too!

Thanks for letting me share my top five outdoor activities for the summer, Tara! I hope you guys enjoyed my post and I hope even more that it has inspired you to go for a picnic, hire a row boat or maybe go for a horseback ride. In a perfect world, summer would last all year, but since it doesn’t (in most places, anyway), we definitely have to take advantage of the beautiful weather while it lasts.

Hurry up and get outside already! 🙂