The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge is hosting Healthy Weight Day on January 25th to promote healthy lifestyles and lifelong fitness. While gyms are commonly associated with exercise, the Nature Center offers over 20 miles of trails for outdoor activities like hiking, canoeing, kayaking, running and walking. On Healthy Weight Day, visitors can skip the gym and get exercise by exploring the Nature Center's habitats, plants and animals. Exercising outdoors provides benefits like free vitamin D from sunlight, cleaner air than indoors, no membership fees, and improved mood and self-esteem. The Nature Center offers activities like canoeing, hiking and cycling to support exercise.

1. Celebrate Healthy Weight Day at The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
FORT WORTH, April 15 – Healthy Weight Day on Jan. 25 celebrates healthy lifestyles
and lifetime fitness. While most people may automatically think of gyms as the place
to get fit, reports show that there are many things you can do outside to get a good
workout such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, running, jogging and walking. So this
year on Healthy Weight Day, skip the fitness center and drive into outdoor
recreation at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge.
“There are numerous fitness-related activities that can be done at the Nature
Center,” said Laura Wood, executive director of Friends of the Fort Worth Nature
Center. With more than 20 miles of trails, spread across wetlands and prairies, it’s a
great place to get an enjoyable workout.
Take advantage of the opportunity to get good exercise outdoors as you explore the
different habitats, animals and plants at the Nature Center.
Outdoor fitness can be a structured exercise program that takes advantage of nature
to get you in shape. Exercising is good for a lot more reasons than just losing weight
and building muscle. Whichever way you choose to exercise outside, here are 4
benefits:
1. A free daily dose of vitamin D
Outdoor exercise is the best way to get your vitamin D through sunlight. Its
plays a role in maintaining strong bones and keeps your immune system
healthy.
2. The air is cleaner
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is polluted
occasionally more than a 100 times higher than outdoor air since people
spend more than 90% of their time indoor.
3. No membership fee
You don’t need special equipment in order to exercise. There are numerous
exercises that can be done without having to visit a gym. A few include
running, walking jogging, cycling and swimming. You are also more likely to
spend less than the average gym pass.
4. Improve mood and self-esteem
Spending time outside and absorbing nature with all your senses can help in
managing your mood and putting your mind at ease. Also when you are at the
gym, you feel like all eyes are on you and sometimes it can make you feel
uncomfortable. On the hand, exercising in nature, the wildlife shows no
concern for your struggle.
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2. Exercising Outdoors
Daily exercise can be a challenge. But when your workout has an opportunity to
boost your mood and save you some money as well as maintaining a healthy body,
the choice to get off the couch to go outside becomes a little bit easier.
Here are some activities that can be done at the FWNC&R as you workout:
 Explore the Trinity River by canoe and burn about 500 calories per hour.
 Hike along the 20-mile trail and learn about hiking safety, knot tying and
daypack essentials during our summer time program.
 Enjoy cycling on the roads in the Nature Center.
For more information about the activities available, please contact the FWNC&R at
(817) 392-7410.
About Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
The Nature Center & Refuge was founded in 1964 on city-owned land. More than
3,600-acres, it is one of the largest nature centers in the United States, with more
than 20 miles of hiking trails providing access to forests and prairies. The Nature
Center’s mission is to share the love of nature with children and the public. A variety
of affordable programs are offered forfamilies, birders, hikers and other outdoor
enthusiasts every month of the year.
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3. Dear Sarah Bahari,
In a recent study according to Outdoor Foundation, 49.2 percent of the U.S.
population has participated in an outdoor activity at least once since 2013.
An article focusing on the benefits of exercising outdoors can grab the attention of
many types of audiences who read your articles on the Star-Telegram. Not only will
this article grab people’s attention, but it can also inform them reasons why they
should workout and motivate them to workout, leading to an increase in the
percentage of people participating in outdoor activities.
Such article would include different types of outdoor activities that could be done at
the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge such as kayaking, hiking and walking as well
as the benefits of exercising outdoors.
Would you be interested in an article that motivates people to be proactive
outdoors? The article will also inform people of the ‘Healthy Weight Day’ at the
FWNC&R, where they can enjoy their form of exercise as they participate in
activities that the Nature Center has to provide. If this article is of interest, please
feel free to contact me at (817) 903-5678 or zeina.barakat@mavs.uta.edu.
I have spent the past few weeks working with the Fort Worth Nature Center &
Refuge to strategically increase awareness and diversity. Although this is my first
feature release for them, I have written for them a news release, media advisory as
well as a fact sheet.
Sincerely,
Zeina Barakat