Four Ways to Stay Fit on the Fourth

Take advantage of the holiday to keep active and healthy with a few fun tricks.

Independence Day is a great excuse to get together with family and friends and celebrate with food, music and drinks. But it’s also easy to overdo it—or skip your sweat time altogether. Here are four simple, fun ways to stay fit on the Fourth of July.

  1. Run a race

Signing up for a 5 or 10K on the morning of a holiday like the Fourth of July is an easy way to ensure you’ll get a great workout and a sweat in before all the family barbecues and parties. And much of the time, those races even raise money to benefit a good cause—so it’s a win-win. Find a race near you, and lace up your shoes!

  1. Get competitive

Get the family in on your scheme to stay active, and take advantage of the summer weather, by organizing a game of Frisbee at the family BBQ or a game of volleyball in the pool. (They’ll never have to know your motives.)

  1. Use your melon

Rather than reaching for the chocolate chip cookies or a slice of cake, make watermelon your dessert. The sweet fruit is a delicious alternative—it’s mostly water so it will not only provide you with hydration benefits, but it’s lower in calories and choc-full of vitamins. (And all that water will fill you up faster, too.)

  1. Find the fireworks on foot

Perhaps everyone’s favorite part of the holiday is the fireworks lighting up the sky at night. But finding a spot to park and view the light show can be tricky—even a nightmare if other people have the same idea. Leave the car at home, and hike, climb or walk to a nearby spot where you can get spectacular views of the fireworks, like a hill or open space—no car required.

Photo credit: Robert Zaleski, Stocksy