Around 63% of Americans aiming to lose weight tap into physical activities and eating healthy, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Beyond knowing how to maximize your nutritional intake, it is important to know what sort of physical activities will get you the most results for your effort. Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) can be your perfect gateway toward weight loss. So why exactly is SUP so good for getting in shape?

Highly Accessible

Stand Up Paddleboarding is ideal for people aiming to drop pounds because it’s highly accessible across the US. SUP can be done in different bodies of water—not just in the oceans. This is ideal for Americans who tend to live around lakes and rivers. For example, Ohio is experiencing a consistent 30% growth in interest for SUP, says local business owner Bill Cochrane. He also says that SUP is an activity that anyone can do, from kids to senior citizens. So if you’re looking for a strenuous activity that you can do anywhere, SUP just might be the perfect fit for you.

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Promotes Positive Lifestyle Change

It is no secret that a majority of Americans spend most of their time indoors. In fact, the average American spends only 5% of their time outdoors, according to the American Council of Exercise. SUP requires that participants be outside and on a body of water that they’re comfortable with. So if you choose to take part in SUP as your weight-loss activity, it will promote significant and positive lifestyle changes like spending more time outdoors. That will put you in a prime position to soak in the sun’s rays and reduce your levels of cortisol (stress-response hormone) down by 21%.

Caloric Loss

SUP is a full-body workout that can burn significant pounds for an hour’s worth of activity. For example, if a man weighing 140 lbs does SUP for about 60 minutes, they can burn an average of 385 calories. A woman of the same weight can burn 436 calories, based on a study conducted by Arizona State University. So if you regularly engage in stand up paddle boarding, you’ll have a better chance of consistently burning a healthy amount of calories and attain your target weight.

Photo: Shutterstock

SUP fitness is perfect for anyone seeking an activity that doesn’t just promote weight loss. It’s an activity that empowers enthusiasts to look beyond the scope of physical fitness and address other areas that may need growth. So if you’re really serious about losing weight and stimulating positive changes in your life, you may want to slant an eye toward stand up paddleboarding and get started.

For more SUP fitness tips, click HERE.