Are you wondering how you can train or exercise as sustainably as possible? Then you've come to the right place! In principle, environmental protection and sport are quite compatible. But as is often the case, there are some differences in terms of sustainability, especially when it comes to the exact activity, the supporting nutrition, the journey or the clothing.
In this article, I would therefore like to give you what I consider to be the most important tips for sustainable training that you can implement quickly and easily! Let's go!
10 tips: How can you exercise sustainably?
I try to do my various sporting activities as freely as possible. For me, sustainability therefore means efficient, effective and sustainable, but also environmentally friendly to implement. I would like to show you exactly how I achieve this with the following tips for sustainable training.
Important: Nobody is perfect and nobody has to implement eco-friendly training to perfection! It is much more important to develop step by step in the right direction. Here I would just like to inspire you a little bit.
1. use a reusable drinking bottle with tap water
With the Privatization of water sources and the sale of mineral water in plastic bottles provide Corporations like Nestlé for the fact that many places and people on the planet are running out of water.
What's more, the plastic bottled water is so much more expensive than the Water from the tapwhich fortunately we can drink without hesitation in Germany. (all the advantages of tap water can be found here)
So you can also still Save money sustainably, for example, if you are looking for a Stainless steel drinking bottle and keep filling them up with water from the tap. Save yourself the hassle of carrying the six-pack with water and do some real sport instead 😉.
This water bottle* I can warmly recommend it to you!
Tip: You can also get your water bottle on the go with the app Refill can be refilled at participating businesses!
2. look for sustainable sports
Of course, it also depends on the sport you're doing. Here are just a few Sustainable sports before:
- Jogging
- Inline skating
- Road bike riding
- Skating
- Surfing
- Archery
- Dragon boat / canoeing
- Hiking
- Gliding
- Climbing
- …
There are so many possibilities! In terms of sustainability, for example, it is certainly better to Spreewald paddlingthan playing a round on the golf course. Especially because a golf course must be constantly watered and mowed. But also because without the profession of Golf ball diver far more golf balls would end up in nature. 🙂
Also Motorsports, skiing or e-sports are rather energy-intensive or environmentally harmful sports. That doesn't mean you shouldn't pursue them at all. But a healthy measure will help you to exercise in a more environmentally friendly way.
Once again: My aim here is not to badmouth individual sports. I just want to show which sports are basically more environmentally friendly and which are not.
Pick up trash while jogging!
Probably one of the most sustainable sports is Plogging! On the one hand, because you just go jogging and do not harm the environment. On the other hand, because you also pick up trash in the process and automatically a few Squats do.
All you need are a pair of gloves and, depending on how much Finding garbage on your running route is also a bin liner. Sustainable training "at its best", I would say!
4. use environmentally friendly sportswear
Make sure, for example, that you prefer fair sportswear that is produced in Germany and the USA. not under inhumane conditions was produced in low-wage countries such as Bangladesh. Seals like Fairtrade or Bluesign help you stay sustainable with your sportswear, too.
A good place to start is always the AvocadoStore*. The company's entire philosophy is geared towards sustainability and the range is very diverse, especially in the clothing sector.
Tip: Feel free to check out the post about Slow Fashion Tips on. There you will learn how you can daily avoid the polluting and human exploiting Fast Fashion the fight.
5. support running events that do not use single-use plastic
Everyone knows the long prepared marathon events in big cities like Hamburg or Berlin. And almost everyone should also be familiar with the many Disposable plastic cups that end up falling by the wayside. Of course, this is absolutely not in the spirit of the sustainable, plastic-free life.
That's why more and more running events are now offering small, edible Algae balls with waterwhere absolutely no garbage is left behind. Simply choose running and sporting events where the organizers pursue a sustainable philosophy.
6. train in nature with your own body weight
Anyone who has ever worked out in a gym knows that a lot of energy is consumed for wellness areas, heating or lighting. Sports that you can do outdoors are often more energy efficient. resource-saving.
That's why I like to train outside in the park or in the garden with my own body weight. I simply use the App Freeleticsthat gives me really strenuous workouts for which you basically don't need any equipment (a such wall bars* or pull-up bar helps immensely). SitUps, PushUps, Squats and last but not least Burpees.. This really hits the spot!
Tip: In a separate article, you can find out more about the psychological reasons why the Staying in nature promotes our health.
7. get sustainable training equipment
As you've noticed, you don't necessarily need a gym. Especially not if the Travel distances so long are.
If you want to train sustainably, you need besides his own body weight only a few objectsto protect the joints or to always have enough to drink with you.
Here are some Sustainable fitness equipment or things that will help you to do sport in an environmentally friendly way:
- Push up grips wood (direct to the provider*)
- Glass drinking bottle (direct to the provider*)
- Wood jump rope (direct to the provider*)
- Cork yoga block (direct to the provider*)
I can also recommend you again this wall bars* from sustainable forestry, because you For an incredible range of different training exercises can use.
Tip: In the Plastic Free Shop's Sport Category, you will find many more products!
8. slowly and consciously switch to a plant-based diet
If you exercise and at the same time eat a poor and unbalanced diet, you are unlikely to achieve the desired results. To both in harmony and remain sustainable at the same time, you should therefore gradually switch to a vegan diet.
Reduce your meat consumption Piece by piece. Because the Factory farming contributes to almost all of the biggest environmental problems of our time at.
Find out a little more in the Nutrition blog about it. You can also get a good start with the Online course "Vegan made easy "* and my article about the vegan lifestyle.
Tip: At vegan documentaries I have compiled a list of inspiring and motivating films for you! One of them is "The Game Changers"where vegan professional athletes show how they were able to improve their performance by changing their diet.
9. keep your journeys to the sport short
I used to drive 25 minutes by car to the gym. This Travel was not only time consuming - Sometimes it even stopped me from doing any sport at all. And sustainable were the car trips and of course not with the combustion engine!
If you want to train more sustainably, you should therefore simply leave the car at home if possible and jog to the gym or training spot, for example, or get there by bike ride. Then you're warmed up straight away. Depending on where you live, you can of course also the Öffi's be a good alternative 🙂
Tip: If you are at home on the wall bars* or in the garden with your own body weight, as described above, the CO2-intensive journey is completely eliminated!
10. reduce water consumption for laundry and showers
Try not to start the washing machine after every workout and instead collect your sports clothes for a few days. If you haven't worked out too hard or sweated too much, you might even be able to wear them again. In the end, that's what counts: the fewer wash cycles, the more energy and water you save.
Moreover, I can advise you to, cold to shower! This not only saves you money on hot water, but also stimulates your circulation and makes you more concentrated. Just give it a try.
Tip: In the articles Save water and Save energy you will get dozens more tips!
Train sustainably and still have fun!
As you have probably noticed, sustainable training is not that complicated and super easy to implement. Just start with one or two things. For example, swap the mineral water from the plastic bottle for tap water from the reusable drinking bottle. And next, simply try exercising outside in the open air.
to do even more for them.
"What we do today will determine what the world looks like tomorrow."
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (more at Environmental protection quotes)
I hope that these tips will inspire you to take up your favorite sport or a completely new sport in a more environmentally friendly way! Do you have any questions, tips or experiences of your own? on the topics of sustainability and sport that you would like to share? Then write me a comment as always!
Stay fit and sustainable,
PS: Do you sometimes need that extra boost of motivation? Then switch on motivating music for training on! Have fun!