Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Here in Switzerland we have a three-day weekend in honor of Whit Monday. While it may seem like we have a lot of bank holidays over here, the fact is that they are simply more condensed than the holidays in the United States. While there is a national holiday on average of once a month in the United States, Switzerland has only four more this year: August 1st, September 11th, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.

A year ago, I was spending quite a lot of time enjoying workout classes like Barry’s Bootcamp, Soul Cycle, Uplift and the rest of my NYC favorites before the big move. I had a hard time imagining life without these classes as working out in a group setting had become such a way of life. After the move, I quickly realized that there are very few workout classes in Geneva and that many of my co-workers did not even have a gym membership. When I asked about how they worked out, many of them laughed at me. The general response was, “look outside, the whole world is my gym.” I figured that maybe something just didn’t translate well.

Yesterday, when typing an email to a new Geneva expat, I found myself giving similar advice when answering her question of which gym to join and how I work out in the city. While I still rely on my small office gym for workouts when the weather is bad or for convenience, I rarely use it more than once per week. There aren’t large chain gyms here in Geneva other than a CrossFit box which is on the other side of town. Instead, I find myself spending as much time working out outside and then taking advantage of smaller, local studios such as InnerCity Yoga.

The people with whom we surround ourselves in Geneva are the most active group I’ve ever known. For them, working out is more than just a way to burn calories and stay in shape. It is a way to enjoy nature and each other’s company. This morning, when I looked through my Facebook feed, it was clear that my closest friends spent the entire three-day weekend outside being active. Some went canyoning in Interlaken, others hiked in the mountains, and those of us who stayed in Geneva spent time cycling,  running, and swimming in and around the lake.

I highly recommend that you challenge yourself to think twice before heading inside for a workout this summer. The next time you find yourself ruled by your workout class schedule try thinking differently. Swim in a local lake, rent a bike and explore back roads or trails, or swap out the treadmill for a run outside. While the first outdoor workout might be more difficult, your body and mind will thank you in the long-run.

What’s your favorite way to get outside for outdoor workouts?