The dreary winter cold can leave you in a bit of an exercise rut, but the springtime sun makes everyone more motivated to get outdoors and get in shape. These exercise tips will help you get in your best shape ever—all while experiencing the great outdoors.

Buddy up.
There are a number of different reasons why working out with another person is helpful, but the number one reason is because it’s more fun! You’ll look forward to working out much more if you have a friend by your side, and being outdoors will be that much more motivation.

Improve your gear.
It’s beneficial to have the proper shoes and workout attire, especially when you’re exercising outdoors. Warm thermal shirts are important for the days when it’s not quite springtime weather, and breezy, breathable fabrics help once the temperature reaches its full potential. Having the proper outdoor running shoes can also prevent injuries and make you feel more comfortable on the pavement.

Experiment with exercises you haven’t tried before.
You probably haven’t jumped rope since gym class, but this fun and simple outdoor activity burns up to 208 calories in just 20 minutes. Swimming is another fun outdoor activity, and starting slow with a few leisurely laps makes it much less intimidating.

Spring Training Fitness Tips [Shape]
Great Spring Exercise Ideas [Fitness.com]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr niiicedave

Adding houseplants to your home adds a pop of green color and a feeling of freshness, but they can also make a decorative statement. Instead of the usual small ferns and succulents, try adding these large-scale houseplants to a bare room in your home at BLVD l Loudoun Station.

1. Dracaenas. This inexpensive plant comes in many sizes, but its cane form is the largest and most impactful. It features long, curved leaves that extend all the way up the length of the cane, creating a lush look that’s perfect for bare corners of a room.
2. Palms. If you prefer a tropical look, palm plants are a great choice. These come in a variety of styles, though if you’re worried about how it will hold up, purchasing a higher quality palm is recommended.
3. Fiddle Leaf Fig. For renters with lots of sunlight, the fiddle leaf fig tree works well in many spaces. This type of tree contains large, green leaves that grow tall and wide to fill those empty spaces.
4. Norfolk Pine. If you love the smell of pine trees during the holiday season, you can have that in your home all year round with a Norfolk pine. This needle-covered tree grows well in bright or indirect sunlight, and it can even grow to be up to 20 feet tall!

The 15 easiest indoor house plants that won't die on you [Today]
5 Tall Indoor Plants [Ambius]
Large House Plants [Guide to Houseplants]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr emily @ go haus go

Eagletree Farm may be best known as the place to pick strawberries in June, but it also churns out barrels of sweet, fruity wines. You can come to the farm to buy a bottle, or check them out at McKeever's Pub in McLean. The nearby restaurant offers up glasses of the Tannat, which comes in a dark rouge hue and tastes of black cherry. whereas the white Viognier trends more toward cool and crisp, slightly acidic and full of sweet, fruity undertones.

If you're just in it for the blueberry picking, though, head to Eagletree Farm in June or July (when blueberries are perfectly purple and plump). You won't be slowed down by or overcharged for any gimmicks or extras here. It's solely a blueberry patch where you and your friends or family can run around, plucking fresh blueberries right from their stems. By the time you leave, you'll probably have enough fruit to make a few batches of blueberry pancakes or a blueberry-flecked coffee cake.

Eagletree Farm
15126 Harrison Hill Lane
Leesburg, VA 20176
(703) 777-5954
www.facebook.com/EagletreeFarm
www.yelp.com/biz/eagletree-farm-and-vineyard-leesburg

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr torbakhopper