If you think that your only option for maintaining fitness over the holidays is a long boring hour on the treadmill, or mindlessly running through your usual sets at the gym, I challenge you to think differently. Exercising outdoors is an invigorating way to share time with friends and family, while being fit. Here are the top 10 fat-burning, calorie-consuming activities that anyone can do over the holidays.
10) Ice skating – Ice-skating can be an excellent exercise, not only is it good cardio, but it also works the large muscle groups of the legs, butt and core. One hour of ice-skating can burn between 400-700 calories.
9) Tobogganing – Hauling a sled uphill, especially one carrying the load of a rosy cheeked child on it, and gliding effortlessly downhill afterward, creates the perfect rest/effort combination, like that of interval training, without you even realizing just how much you’re working. A good hour of sledding can burn 300- 550 calories.
8) Downhill Skiing – This well known winter sport tones the muscles of your hips, thighs and calves and burns 470 – 800 calories per hour.
7) Snowshoeing – An excellent outdoor cardio, allows you to explore some great untouched winter wonderlands. Take the road less travelled and burn 420-670 calories per hour.
6) Road Hockey - This fun-spirited outdoor game is great to play during family holiday get-togethers no matter what your age or level. A good hour of road hockey is excellent cardiovascular activity and can eat up between 400-800 calories.
5) Cross Country Skiing - The perfect full body workout! You won’t feel a touch of the cold during this activity as cross country skiing has you burning 400-700 calories in a one hour bout.
4) Snow Ball Fights – whether organized into teams with specific battlefield rules or just random snowball tossing, a good snow ball fight will have you running, ducking and throwing hard. Burn between 300-600 calories with this activity.
3) Snowman Making – This light-hearted activity will bring you right back to the days of your youth…and the squatting, rolling and lifting will bring your body right back there as well. This winter pastime burns 200-300 calories.
2) Shovelling the snow – The least fun activity of the list but the most necessary. Snow shovelling works the muscles of the upper and lower back, arms and shoulders, burning between 450 – 1230 calories depending on the size of your walkway and the heaviness of your snowfall.
1) Making Snow Angels –Clearly the most effortless and short lived exercise of the list, yet still an excellent addition to any of the above activities, as all four limbs move in unity, burning 200-250 joyful calories per hour… a smile on your face is guaranteed during this one.
Embrace the winter this year! Break a sweat outside.
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