Episode 59: Exercise and Fitness in the Great Outdoors

doTERRA: Did you know studies show that many Americans use their fitness regimen as their principal stress reduction method? With spring on its way, it's a great time to think about moving your exercise routine out into the sunshine. And today, we're going to help give you some simple, practical ideas of how.

Welcome back to Essential Oil Solutions with doTERRA, the podcast where you'll hear exciting, useful, and simple everyday uses for essential oils from experts in the field. If you like what you hear today, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. We always appreciate hearing from you. 

Today, we're excited to sit down with Tim Hightower, former professional athlete and fitness enthusiast. He'll share his favorite ways to take his exercise outdoors, as well as some doTERRA products that he loves to incorporate. Tim, thank you so much for being here today to sit down and talk with us.

Tim Hightower: Thank you for having me! I'm excited.

doTERRA: So what we want to talk about today is a big topic, as we're headed into warmer weather, and that's outdoor exercise. 

Tim: Yes. 

doTERRA: So what are the benefits of exercising outdoors versus exercising indoors?

Tim: Look, first of all, who doesn't like a change of scenery? Right?

doTERRA: Yeah.

Tim: I like going to the gym, but when the weather starts to clear up, it's sunny—you know—you're able to see the elements, the beautiful scenery, it just enhances your—your overall mood. Everyone gets tired of going to the gym sometimes. So just your mood, right? Being able to breathe in the fresh air, watch birds, whatever it is, just to change the environment. 

And then also you start January, you're excited about your New Year's resolutions, and then you kind of plateau a little bit. So the weather kind of gives you that extra energy and motivation to—you know—you feel like it's a change of season, change of energy, to just—you know—extra motivation to keep—to continue and build upon your goals.

And then you've got to get ready for your summer body so—

doTERRA: Absolutely. 

Tim: You know, it's all good stuff. 

doTERRA: So what are some of your favorite ways—I know you mentioned you like the outdoors, you love the change of scenery—what are some of your favorite ways to be active outdoors? 

Tim: Man, there—there are a lot. I mean, being in Utah now, I wasn't as big into hiking before, but it’s very therapeutic, which goes along with some of the benefits of being outdoors. There's a lot of studies about the benefits of being outside, right? You can get a great work out in the gym, but there's something that's just being—time in nature is so beneficial.

So being in the mountains, where sometimes it's not all about burning calories, right? Exercise is as much for your brain too, and so if you're—if I'm hiking outside, and I just stop on a rock, and I'm noticing something, well now I'm—I'm enhancing my, you know, cardiovascular or, you know, my physical health, but I'm also impacting my mental health with exercise as well, too. 

So I like—I've started to enjoy hiking. I love going for walks now. I think I'm officially getting older, they say you get older, you enjoy just walks with your family.

I love to run. I'm always going to be a sprinter, so I love to run on the track. 

And then, just—there is still some of the same workouts that I do inside, I'll just do them outside, grab some dumbbells, grab some bands in the backyard and just go outside, do some of the same workouts that I would traditionally do inside or in a gym, I'll just do them outside. 

doTERRA: And I love that you brought up that mental health aspect of exercise because I think that's one that people tend to look over a little bit more. 

Tim: Yes. 

doTERRA: That not only are we improving our body, we're improving our ability to handle the stress that's coming into our lives or things that might be coming up. I think what's really important.

Tim: Absolutely. 

doTERRA: So what are some things that maybe we should be careful of when we're exercising outside?

Dress Appropriately

Tim: Well, the weather is—just, the first thing I would think about is just what you're wearing, right? And so, being—I mean, it sounds like it's common sense—but dressing appropriately. It bothers me, sometimes I cringe when I see people running in the morning, it's cold outside, they're not properly—they don't have the proper attire on. I understand, you know, you may start to get hot when you're running, and you feel like you're sweating, and you want to take stuff off, but you still have to take care of your body, and having the proper footwear, clothing—when it's cool, you want to keep your body warm so that—that's one of the things, making sure you have the proper footwear on—proper clothing for the weather.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

And then just being aware of your surroundings, right? You know, a lot of times you see people with headphones on when they're running, or they're—they're distracted. And, you know, you're running on a trail, you're running on the—on the side, just being aware. You know, you're tuned in, you got your favorite playlist going, but just really be aware of your surroundings. 

Make a Plan

Having protective gear on, and then making sure that there's a way that you can be hydrated, and having some type of plan for either a snack if you're running with a backpack on, or knowing if I'm going for a long run, a long walk, you just don't know what—you may get dehydrated, you may get a little tired or fatigued. 

doTERRA: Right.

Tim: So have some kind of plan of either some type of snack or something and/or some type of hydration either on you or somewhere close. Those would be some things that kind of stick out to me.

doTERRA: And all of those I think are definitely super important things to remember, especially—you know—if you live somewhere that is hot and you have to make sure to take that hydration into account. 

Tim: Yes. 

doTERRA: So my final question for you is what doTERRA products can help support me as I exercise outdoors?

Tim: Oh man that's so many. I'll pick a few. There's so many things that, I mean, I feel like I'm learning every day. But I know prior to—something I just started doing not too long ago was using Peppermint before—you know, kind of energizing me, waking me up. 

Of course, everyone's familiar with Deep Blue post-workout, right? 

But then also, for me, a really big thing is the softgels, the Turmeric, Copaiba in the morning, probiotics in the morning, so I like to start—because nutrition is as important as the physical aspect of it, right?

doTERRA: Yeah.

Tim: You know, you've got to have—you got to fuel your body if you want to perform at a high level and just—you know—for you exercise and stuff like that. So utilizing in the morning the enzymes, the probiotics, the Turmeric, and the Copaiba, getting that in my body before I exercise, and then post-exercise, I may even—depending on how intense the workout was—take some more afterwards with some Deep Blue. 

And then at night, I love to elevate my feet up against the wall, take a hot bath with some—you know—some Serenity in there, some Deep Blue, and stuff like that. It just allows your body to reset and get you ready for the next day. So you've got the morning, you've got during the workout, you know your Peppermint before you workout—get you energized—and then take care of your body afterwards.

doTERRA: And I love that, that it's not just about what are you using when you workout. 

Tim: Correct.

doTERRA: It’s about preparing and the whole process of it. 

Tim: Absolutely. 

doTERRA: Well Tim, thank you so much for giving us all of this incredible information. You truly have years of experience to draw from, and we really appreciate it. 

Tim: Absolutely. Thanks for having me.

doTERRA: Thanks for joining us and congratulations on living a healthier lifestyle with essential oils. If you liked what you heard today, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. Also, if you want to try any of the products you learned about, go to doterra.com or find a Wellness Advocate near you to place an order today.