Well, spring has sprung. The snow and ice are off the roads and sidewalks here in Yellowknife. We can walk around without fear of slipping and without our winter coats. Woohoo!

I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know about you, but my clothes seemed to get a bit smaller in the winter. Yeah, my shirts and jeans all seemed a bit tight. I was starting to only partially dry my clothes because I thought they were shrinking. 

Then I was in a clothing store, and I saw myself in a full-length mirror. SA国际影视传媒淥MG,SA国际影视传媒� I thought. SA国际影视传媒淟ook at that gut. I have a keg where my six-pack should be.SA国际影视传媒�

I realized that my clothes were not shrinking but that I had to tell myself, SA国际影视传媒淕et off the couch, you lazy bum!SA国际影视传媒� Eschia, take it easy eh.

Seriously, many of us put on a few extra pounds over the winter when thereSA国际影视传媒檚 snow and ice all over and itSA国际影视传媒檚 harder to get around. Plus, itSA国际影视传媒檚 pretty darn cold sometimes, so we do not want to walk too far or be outside too long. In the summertime, itSA国际影视传媒檚 nice and warm and itSA国际影视传媒檚 much easier to get around.

YouSA国际影视传媒檙e going to put on weight

Let me tell you a story about a man and his son. The man gave his old vehicle to his son and said to watch he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 gain weight. The son said, SA国际影视传媒淲hy would I gain weight? ISA国际影视传媒檝e always been slim.SA国际影视传媒� His dad replied, SA国际影视传媒淣ow you have a vehicle, youSA国际影视传媒檙e gonna be driving all over.SA国际影视传媒� The son said, SA国际影视传媒淣o, I will not gain weight. I will still walk a lot.SA国际影视传媒�  

True enough, the son gained weight and had a hard time burning it off. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 how most people are after they get a vehicle. We have to force ourselves to walk. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 good for our health and itSA国际影视传媒檚 good for our wallet because we will use less gas and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 less wear and tear on the vehicle.

Being more active

So letSA国际影视传媒檚 get outside and be more active. People can play sports like baseball, soccer, tennis, beach volleyball and golf. We can also go water skiing, hiking and canoeing. People who are not into that kind of stuff can simply go walking. 

One good thing about pets is you should take them for a walk every day. When I had dogs, they kept me active because I always took them out. Well yaaaaa.

It's also helpful to use StepsApp. Now that it is warmer out, we try to make sure we walk 5,000 steps a day, which is equivalent to about 3 km. Also, Jean always tells me to park farther away from the building weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to when we go shopping, so we have to walk a little farther to and from the store. 

Bring kids for a walk with you because this helps you to connect while you get fresh air and exercise, especially if they are using social media too much or on their devices a lot. It also helps them lose weight if they put on a few pounds over the winter.

Go on cookouts. Everybody loves that, as weSA国际影视传媒檙e people from the land and we need to be outside. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 time to have a spring cleanup outside and put your summer furniture out. 

Clean your yard of all the debris that showed up when the snow melted. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 an opportunity for you to do a good deed by helping a neighbour or an Elder to clean their yard. 

If youSA国际影视传媒檙e not going very far, walk and leave your vehicle at home like we try to do. Using a vehicle to drive a short distance is a bad habit and it does us no good, unless we need to carry something heavy.

Go to the cabin and get it ready for summer. Or bring your kids to the park and hang out with them. All that fresh air is beneficial for your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. 

Benefits of outdoor activities

Outdoor activities like walking or biking can improve the health of our heart and help us to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Research also suggests that being active in nature can reduce the risk of some types of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Woohoo!

Being outdoors can lower stress levels, improve our mood and help relieve anxiety and depression. It can help sharpen focus, improve our concentration and increase our energy levels.

Being in the natural light and fresh air can help us get a good nightSA国际影视传媒檚 sleep. It will provide a break from daily stressors and help us get a mental and emotional recharge.

We lose a lot of vitamin D in winter because we are not in the sun. Going outdoors in the spring and summer increases vitamin D, which is important for bone health, immune function and may help prevent other health problems. 

Pretty soon you will feel pretty good, not bad. 

Gotta go. JeanSA国际影视传媒檚 telling me to get off the couch to go for a walk! So, if you see us walking hand-in-hand around town, be sure to give us a wave.