Try these outdoor options for getting fit in Atlanta

Trade fluorescent lights for the real deal. Soak up the vitamin D and breathe in the fresh air as the sounds of nature provide the soundtrack to your fitness routine. The calming benefits of the outdoors may be that extra push you need to kick-start some good habits or sustain your healthy endeavors. If you don't want to know that you are ACTUALLY working out, try these unique outdoor activities around Atlanta.

Traverse the trees
No longer just a team building exercise for corporate retreats, Treetop Quest has a unique safety system that locks you in from the start and allows you to work at your own pace through the rigorous challenges that await in the canopy of the trees. The summer camp-like activity has become mainstream and available for kids through adults, as well as varying skill levels. Walk through v-shaped rope bridges, make your way across swinging steps and conquer the giant swing that requires a leap to a spider-like web. From start to finish, you will engage your muscles along with your mind. Strategic thinking is required at each step as you analyze the task before you. A season pass grants you access from March through November. Passes are good at both locations, Dunwoody and Buford.

Namaste on the Beltline
Not only has the Atlanta Beltline revitalized the surrounding landscape, it is offering FREE fitness classes to the community. Go on an instructor-led hike along one of the surrounding trails and combine it with the strength and flexibility benefits of a yoga session. If yoga isn't your style, the Beltline has a list of classes and schedules for you to choose from. For more information, visit www.beltline.org.

Climb to the top of a monad-what?
The metro Atlanta area is home to three monadnocks; small mountains formed out of compressed magma that are visible after the surrounding area has eroded away. Residents know these geological features as Stone Mountain, Panola Mountain and Arabia Mountain.

Breathtaking views and scenery are awarded to those who climb the summits. Less strenuous paved hiking and biking trails are available in the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, home to the sister peaks of Panola and Arabia. With over 30 miles of trails available, there are options for every skills level. Travel through the woods, across creeks and past historic sites.

After your hike, reward yourself with a visit to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Here you will find the popular homemade biscotti that is baked on premises by the resident monks. For more information about the Heritage area, visit www.arabiaalliance.org.

Other ideas to get you exercising outdoors