Outside

I am a strong believer in the power of exercise. Regular physical activity can help control your weight and prevent diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Exercise also has profound effects on mental health. It can improve your mood and lead to better sleep.  The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week to improve cardiovascular health. This averages out to 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Moderate exercise can be anything from brisk walking or jogging to swimming, biking or playing sports.
While I love to run, check out local yoga classes or sweat it out at the gym, you don’t have to stick to the traditional methods of exercise to see the same tremendous benefits. We just returned from a great weekend full of physical activity. After a long work week, my husband and I decided last minute that we were in need of a night out of town. He had just finished a stressful month of work and business school finals, and I was craving some time away from my normal routine. After a few phone calls, we had a plan in place- we were off to Wayne National Forest for the night.

Wayne National Forest is in eastern Ohio, right near the city of Nelsonville and on the way to Athens (better known as the home of Ohio University) about one hour east of Columbus. There are plenty of cabin rental companies offering weekend stays in the secluded wilderness. You can spend your days hiking on nearby trails, canoeing, zip-lining, and horseback riding. It’s a great option for a romantic couples trip, girls’ weekend or family trip. Usually most of the rental companies require a 2-night stay, but luckily we were able to find deal for a single-night cabin rental from 1^st Choice Cabins.  Saturday morning, we packed up the cooler, backpack and the dog and hit the road.

Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before, studies, among other things, happiness and self-improvement.  On her blog and throughout her books, she talks about the importance of getting outdoors: “Spending time outside gives a feeling of freedom, of connecting with the seasons (even when the weather isn’t ideal), of breathing fresh air, of not being so trapped by a schedule that I can’t be out in the world.” She also points out that people in industrialized countries spent 93% of their time inside. This only further illuminates the importance of spending time outside with nature.

A few wrong turns and several dirt roads later, we found ourselves at the Wildcat Hollow trailhead. We opted for the shorter 5-mile loop (there was a 17-mile loop designed for backpackers) and off we went, Gwen leading the way. We stopped for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches halfway through- a must on a 2-hour hike. I carried a camelback water pack to help keep us hydrated.

We spent the evening relaxing on our cabin’s porch savoring the great view. Gwen was in heaven, chasing birds and running through the thick marsh at the edge of the pond. The next morning, we packed up and drove to Burr Oak State Park, about 30 minutes from our cabin. We hiked 2.5 miles out before turning around to make our way back to the car for a total of 5 miles. The trail was deserted, making for a serene and peaceful morning. Gwen was ecstatic when pack of wild turkeys took flight towards the end of our hike. It was the highlight of her day. After a snack of watermelon and Oreos, we made the quick drive back to Columbus.

It was a short trip that we didn’t realize how much we needed until we were there, away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday routine. Hiking is a perfect way to exercise while spending time in nature and unplugging from daily life. It is important to take time away from social media, to-do lists, household chores, and work tasks.  The beauty is, you don’t need a plane ticket or a fancy resort.  We found this little oasis right in our backyard.