Stay Fit and Happy This Winter With Snowsports
It’s never to early to start planning your winter fitness routine. Don’t settle for boring visits to the gym. Stay active and get outdoors with some of these exciting, calorie burning snow sports.
Get Outside This Winter
Staying active is vital for your health. So is getting outside. Limited daylight hours makes this difficult for many of us in northern locations. Work schedules and just plain freezing temperatures make it easy to excuse ourselves from outdoor excursions. This is not good. Exposure to sunlight and nature is necessary for our health. Studies show that sunlight and being outdoors promotes healthy growth and prevents debilitating disease like Alzheimer’s. Plus, exercise and spending time in nature helps fight off winter blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Try one of these snow sports this winter to stay in shape and keep your spirits up.
Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is a low impact, easy to learn snow sport that has a 3,000-year track record of proven success. Snowshoes are a great choice for hikers and joggers looking to ramp up their workout in the winter months. The motion is very similar to walking and jogging, but with even less impact on joints. Snowshoes also make hiking through heavy snow significantly easier, keeping you out on the trail even with feet of snow on the ground. Snowshoes are affordable and most community centers provide rentals for beginners to try. Snowshoeing is also an incredible workout. A 150-pound person burns anywhere from 650 to 750 calories per hour.
Snowboarding
If you seek a little more thrill in your workout routine, give snowboarding a try. This aerobic activity works your core and your lower body. Your core works to balance your body while you skim down the slopes. Your lower body is constantly engaged as your glutes, quadriceps, calves, and even your feet and ankles work to keep you upright and steering. Snowboarding improves balance while toning muscles. The average person burns about 450 calories per hour, not to mention the thrill of speed is exciting and fun. Learning how to snowboard is not as difficult as it looks. Find a ski resort near you and look into a season pass or beginner class.
Skiing
Downhill skiing provides similar benefits to snowboarding. The sport works your core and your lower body, not to mention your upper body if you ski with poles. The adrenaline rush of downhill skiing is an exciting way to scare away the blues.
If pointing your skis down a steep slope intimidates you, don’t worry. Cross-country skiing is a great way to burn calories and get outside. Plus, you don’t have to buy a season pass to access the slopes. Just find a nature park near you with trails open to cross-country skiers, or cut your own trail through the woods if you feel especially brave.
Stay Fit, Stay Happy
Try one of these fun, action packed winter snow sports to stay fit and happy this winter. Enjoy birdwatching while hiking or skiing on the trail. Get a rush from downhill sports and bring the whole family. Just be sure to wear appropriate clothing and make sure you are prepared for winter emergencies.