5 ways to #OptOutside and 2 major reasons you should

For the third year running, people are being encouraged to #OptOutside and spend time in nature rather than in Black Friday crowds. REI continues the movement it started by keeping all of its retail locations closed on what would otherwise be a busy holiday shopping day. 

Time off the couch, outside of malls and in Mother Nature has whole-body benefits:

1. Physical health: Outdoor exercise has been shown to help with a variety of conditions, with medical research showing it can help combat obesity and lessen the threat of heart disease and diabetes.
2. Mental health: "Being outside seems to tap into the relaxation side of our nervous system and does it in as little as five minutes," said Victoria Maizes, executive director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona-Tucson.

Considering holiday shopping can feel as stressful as running a marathon, opting outside could be doubly beneficial on Black Friday. If you want to spend time with your family outdoors, here are 5 fun ways to do it:

Hiking

Many state parks offer free admission in an effort to re-label Black Friday as Green Friday. And if you're a city dweller, the U.S. Interior has suggestions for beautiful public lands to visit near major metro areas.

Turkey bowl

So you spent Thanksgiving watching football? Now prove your skills on the field (or, you know, in the park park, yard, etc.). Gather friends and family for a friendly game of touch football. No one gets hurt and everyone gets a chance to channel their inner Aaron Rodgers.

Turkey trot

A lot of "turkey trots" are Thanksgiving Day, but here's a list of races you can participate in on Black Friday. Don't see any near you? Grab a running buddy and plot out your own 5K instead.

Ice skating

It's after Thanksgiving, so no one can complain if you don your snowflake scarf and ice skates while blasting Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas." Here are Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski's 10 favorite ice skating rinks all across the country (yes, even Southern California). 

Anti-waste walk

If you're going for a walk — whether in your neighborhood, in a park, or on a beach — bring along a trash bag and some gloves. Picking up discarded bottles is not only good for the environment, it can be good for your soul.

So stretch your legs, do good and feel good.