2 . Kayaking(皮划艇) is an activity enjoyed by many people of all ages. It requires little or no experience and nearly anyone of any skill level can participate. It’s most popular as a summertime sport, but it is also a great activity during the winter. Kayaking also seems relatively friendly to the environment, more so than speed boating or water skiing. Because a kayak doesn’t create large or frequent waves, require fuel, or let off polluted air, it is indeed a fairly safe activity for humans and wildlife alike.

Kayaking on freshwater lakes and streams creates little turbulence and therefore does not disturb fish or other aquatic life. Actually, the gentle paddling and movement of the kayak helps to bring seaweed to the surface, making for convenient snacking to the fish. However, there is a drawback to the all-you-can-buffet for your fishy friends. In addition to bringing food to the surface, kayaking also stirs up litter that’s been hiding beneath the waters. Some aquatic animals will mistake it for food. This could cause the animals to choke on the indigestible litter, leading to death. As hazardous as this sounds, it isn’t very likely for such an event to take place. Most litter in lakes and streams is found along the shoreline and settles in the sand and dirt, and isn’t likely to drift away to the main body of water. Unlike boats operated by motor and fuel, kayaks pose little or no harm to the fish swimming beneath. And because kayaks do not have a motor, fish have no risk of getting caught underneath the boat.

One potential hazard that results from kayaking is human waste. This depends solely on where you plan to kayak, and if there are resources available (such as campsites) along the shoreline. When there are no facilities in sight, you’re paddling in the middle of a lake, and nature calls, then often you are given no choice but to expel your waste in the middle of the water. While human waste is considered biodegradable, it can be harmful when swallowed by fish. The only preventative measure is to avoid using the water as a restroom. Some public lakes and streams have taken steps to preserve the quality of the water by requiring permits for kayaking. This won’t ease the human waste problem, but does help regulate entry into the lake and prevent it from becoming overcrowded.

An important factor to remember when kayaking is that you are a guest in someone else’s home. You may not be greeted by anyone or be able to kick up your feet and watch TV, but the water is home to many aquatic animals and wildlife. Just as you would not throw trash on the floor or destroy the home of another, you shouldn’t do it outdoors either. Keep all trash with you in your kayak and properly dispose of it after you return to shore. By doing your part, you will help keep kayaking a safe and enjoyable activity for yourself and the environment.

3 . Active Challenge

Weight loss camp for girls aged 13—18 in Canada

Active Challenge is a weight loss program specially for young women. The burden of being overweight is heavier than just the extra pounds. We use outdoor adventures to challenge the girls, to give them something to draw strength from.

Because you’ll be losing weight alongside young women just like you, you’ll find no one laughing at you and you’ll help each other. At Active Challenge you’ll make lifelong friends with young women of your own age and learn to love new adventurous activities.

Unlike any other weight loss program, Active Challenge is designed so you’ll lose weight and have the strategies and skills to keep the weight off forever. Active Challenge does not put you on a diet. We follow the Canada Food Guide to healthy eating and exercise appropriate portion control. We help you develop healthy habits.

The staff at Active Challenge combine experienced outdoor adventure professional with highly qualified clinicians. All of us are absolutely devoted to helping you achieve lasting behavioral change and weigh loss. Most of all we are devoted to having a great time doing it.

Pre-Camp: Upon registration in Active Challenge, a registration package will be sent out to you with forms to be completed before camping as well as program preparation materials, an introduction to Active Challenge and pre-program personal challenge assignments to get you on your way toward a healthier you.

Post-Camp: Our post program is designed to keep you focused and remind you of the goals that you set during the camp. We will send you home with your personal meal and exercise plan and keep in touch with you for a full three months after the camp ends through letters, emails and phone calls, tracking your progress and giving you strategies and support.

4 . Sports fandom is about more than just entertainment. It can boost your self-esteem (自尊) and make you happier — and you don’t have to root for the winning team to gain the benefits.     

Being a sports fan is a “very psychologically healthy activity,” says Daniel Wann, professor at Murray State University whose research program centers on the psychology of sport fandom. Fandom connects us to other like-minded people, which satisfies our human need for belonging, he says.

These relationships are significant: People who identify as sports fans have higher levels of self-esteem, lower levels of loneliness and tend to be more satisfied with their lives compared to those who aren’t interested in sports, Wann says. Fans tend to have more access to social support, help and resources as well. Research suggests that when people have support from their communities, they have better health.

Beyond bonding, fans get to enjoy the psychological benefits of winning, even if they have nothing to do with the players or games, says Stephen Reysen, associate professor at Texas A&M University-Commerce who studies identity and fandom.

“Individuals feel that the fan interest (in this case a sport team) is a part of them,”   Reysen says. “So when the team is winning, you feel like you are winning even though you are not a player.”

Of course, teams sometimes lose.

So, why do people continue to put their faith behind teams that tend to lose? People who feel a strong psychological connection to a team are more likely to root for a team when they’re having a losing season, Reysen says.

“Sports fandom has nothing to do with the outcome of a game,” Wann says. For example, if a pizza restaurant continually got your order wrong, you’d likely switch to a more reliable one. But because being a fan is so central to people’s identities, people are willing to accept defeat and continue to be loyal to a team.

Being part of a fan community can also help people cope with losses. A 2019 study found that watching a football game with other fans helps to ease the negative psychological effects of losing.

“For fans of the losing team, sharing the pain may have protected them from losing self-esteem,” Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, co-author of the study and professor of communication at The Ohio State University said in a release.