I used to think I was one of those people who could just never get into shape, no matter how hard I tried.

Although I come from some pretty good genes, I always figured I was the outlier in the family—the one who could never be in good shape, regardless of how healthy I ate or how often I exercised. And though I was never seriously overweight, there have certainly been times in my life where I was a little… chunky.

I remember that time (mostly during college) clearly…

I remember how difficult it was hard to buy clothes, because nothing fit quite right—and when I did, I’d try to buy things that would cover up my body, rather than show it off. I remember the feeling of having a muffintop, how it felt jiggly when I walked and spilled over the top of my jeans, and how I embarrassed and ashamed it made me feel.  I remember feeling slow and gross and lethargic and sorry for myself. I remember how self-conscious and unconfident I felt, and how that lack of confidence translated to other areas of my life as well.

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Summer is officially here, and that means means long, sunny days, fewer layers and warmer temperatures. Yet despite the beautiful weather, if you’re like most people, you’re still taking your workouts indoors.

And unless you’re a runner, tennis player or an ultimate frisbee star, you’ve probably spent most of your life exercising inside, whether it’s in a stuffy gym, a tiny apartment, or in random hotel rooms.

But the truth is, exercising indoors can be a bit… uninspiring. Seeing the same thing day after day may make you feel like you’re a hamster in a wheel—plus, it’s pretty boring at times.

The simple answer?

Try taking your workouts outside!

All you have to do is head to your backyard (if you have one), or even to a local park, beach, or playground—and get sweaty.

Sure, you’ll feel silly at first, and don’t be surprised if you get a few strange looks from curious bystanders (don’t worry, they’re only jealous of your incredible strength). But ultimately, working out outside packs so many benefits you’ll soon forget you’re feeling uncomfortable at all and start working even harder than normal (you don’t want strangers thinking you’re a total wimp, do you?).

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Most of the time, comparing yourself to others isn’t a good thing.

Looking through too many magazines with photoshopped, perfect bodies, measuring your own athletic abilities against those of super-trained, superhuman athletes—these types of comparisons can motivate you to push stronger, harder, faster—or they may cause you to lose all hope and give up all together.

But if you’re anything like me, you need some type of comparison to give you a sense of how fit you really are.

Back when you were in high school or junior high and played on a sports team or two (if you did play high school sports, of course), it was easy to figure out how fit you were. You knew whether you were good by how often you started on the basketball team, how often other players passed to you on the soccer field, how fast your 400 meter sprint was compared to the rest of the track team.

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