Living in Southern California provides an opportunity like nowhere else. Minutes from most beaches and just a couple of hours to the mountains or deserts, living in California offers ample places to go and plenty of things to do.
It’s a lifestyle that is busy yet relaxed, easy-going and friendly, but also very active as California is ranked as the 6th most active state in the United States. So whether you’re known as someone serious about activity and exercise, or merely a weekend warrior, there are plenty of things to do in and around California.
Beaches
California is known for its miles of beaches, from famous Huntington Beach, Venice Beach, and Big Sur, to San Diego. There are miles of sand and surf for people looking to lounge and swim in the ocean. Some areas are better for surfing, some beaches like the La Jolla Cove are better for swimming and snorkeling, and others are great for windsurfing.
For the nostalgic and thrill-seekers among you, a quick little jaunt to Santa Monica Pier and the boardwalk, which harkens back to late turn-of-the-century boardwalks along the Atlantic coast, could be in order.
Mountains
There are plenty of trails to hike in most metropolitan areas, but a short drive includes hikes such as the San Bernardino Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Yosemite, and Mount Whitney. Whatever your experience, there are mountains, hills, or trials to match your interests.
Deserts
There are numerous deserts to camp, explore, relax, and enjoy motorsports of all types within a couple of hours. In SoCal, you can head to ocotillo wells for offroading fun or explore desert hot springs outside of Riverside.
Amusement Parks
Of course, any active lifestyle in Southern California has to include visits to the numerous amusement parks in the area. It doesn’t take long to drive and enjoy a day at Disneyland, Six Flags, Knott’s Berry Farm, or the South, Sea World, and Legoland.
How To Maintain a Healthy, Active Lifestyle
Regardless of whether you hike, surf, skate, bike, kayak, or run, living in the mild climate of California allows you to be active almost every day of the year. However, to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to do things to keep your physical health.
First, before you begin any new activity, be sure that you’re fit enough to perform the necessary tasks. For example, if you’ve never gone mountain climbing before, then climbing Halfdome in Yosemite isn’t recommended as your first climb.
The second thing to do is consult with your physician and be sure that you don’t have any underlying health concerns and that the activity is safe for you to participate in.
Once you start your activity and exercise, maintaining your health is the next step.
Drink plenty of water: Water serves to hydrate the muscles, keeping them elastic, and helps with digestion, regulating body temperatures, and muscular recovery.
Stretch after exercise: Stretching after the activity is good to help your muscles and joints maintain their flexibility, which is a primary way to avoid injury.
Get enough rest: A typical adult requires 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep to function at optimal levels. In addition, sleep allows the body and mind to repair and recover from tasks of the day, especially when the body is challenged, such as with exercise and activity.
Eat the proper foods for fuel: There’s a saying, “junk in, junk out.” The truth is, the better you eat, the better, longer-lasting energy you’ll provide your body for activity and recovery.
Take vitamins and other supplements for optimal nutrition: In order to eat the proper amount of nutrients needed to fuel your body and provide enough essential vitamins and minerals is an unreal task from food alone. So you’ll want to consider supplementing your diet with vitamins and other nutrition supplements.
Not all supplements are the same. For example, turmeric will aid in heart health, while vitamin C will benefit the immune system. The best part is that vitamins come in all types, such as vitamin D gummies for adults and kids, other chewable forms, and traditional pill forms.
Living in California is a paradise for so many reasons. The best thing is that if you like being active, there is so much to do nearby, and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle requires eating well and supplementing your diet to receive all the nutrients you need.
