I couldn’t help myself. The stroller is green. And when I take my cat, Chancey, on walks in it, I’m being green, right? You gotta see us in action over here! But besides walking your pet in a stroller, here are 5 other ways to be lean and green.

1. Move it outdoors – This may sound like a no-brainer, but think of all the things you can do outside that only use YOUR energy. Get creative – besides walking, jogging, or biking, you can also skip, do jumping jacks, or run up and down stairs. You can even throw in some strength training along the way – do a few lunges, squats, pushups, or situps.

We did a lot of exercises that used just our body weight in my Boot Camp class.

2. Take a dip – Go for a swim or get some water exercise canoeing, kayaking, or doing water aerobics.

3. Re-think your drink – Bring your own reusable water bottle for your H2O when you workout instead of using paper cups or buying bottled water.

4. Get your green on – Wear workout clothes made of organic cotton, bamboo, or other natural fibers. And try yoga mats or yoga bags made of recycled materials.

5. Give your old threads and treads a second life – For example, send your worn-out workout clothes to Patagonia and they will recycle them and turn them into new ones. Or drop off your battered sneakers at a Nike Reuse-A-Shoe collection center and they will use them to make basketball courts, running tracks, and playgrounds.

I’m fortunate enough to live in an area where I’m within a mile or two of my bank, gym, and grocery store, so I walk my errands as much as possible. How about you? Got any green exercise tips to share?

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