As we come closer to the end of the year, colder days and the Christmas festivities combined can put pressure on your sap motivation and running schedules. It’s a fact that we tend to exercise less in the last weeks of the year, before beginning afresh in January. Investing in quality exercise time in winter can greatly improve your general well-being.
Since you’ll be doing the fitness activities in colder climate conditions, ensure that you’re warmly dresses and properly warmed up before stepping outside. Bundle up any of the following winter fitness activities to get fit, burn calories and have some fun!
1. Cross-Country Skiing
Since you’re using both the lower and upper body, cross-country skiing is among the best winter fitness activities. As most skiers will tell you, it’s an excellent calorie burner though it requires some hard work! For instance, a person weighing 150 pounds can burn approximately 340 calories in just thirty minutes when doing cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiing is an ideal family fitness activity since you can even do it in one of the nearby parks; you don’t need to go to the slopes, which can be costly.
2. Sledding
Provided it’s snowing, go to a local sledding hill for an enjoyable, aerobic workout. Sledding needs you to use several muscle groups to help you steer as you’re speeding downhill. You also apply effort as you’re going up the hill with the sled so you can speed downhill again. Actually, going uphill is most beneficial; it’s an aerobic exercise that’s great for the leg muscles. The number of calories you burn when sledding depends on the hill’s steepness and the back-and-forth trips you do. If you sled for thirty minutes on a medium-height slope, you can burn approximately 240 calories.
3. Snow Tubing
In some instances, simple exercises such as snow tubing yield unbelievable results. Include snow tubing in your winter fitness activities, and your family will enjoy themselves as they barrel downhill on rubber tube tops. Snow tubing doesn’t require any balance skills or coordination that’s needed in ice skating or skiing. Every family member, no matter how tall or short, can take part in snow tubing. For instance, a person weighing 150 pounds burns about 200-300 calories after snow tubing for thirty minutes.
4. Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is a winter fitness activity that provides a complete body workout, plus a lot of fun for your family. It strengthens leg muscles and gets the heart pumping as oxygen flows into the lungs. If done moderately, snowshoeing enables a person weighing 150 pounds to burn 270 calories in thirty minutes. It’s a simple fitness activity that can be done by all your family members for fun and the physical benefits it provides.
5. Downhill Skiing
Although downhill skiing is associated with some costs such as lift tickets, it’s an excellent winter fitness activity. It’s a fun fitness activity that you and your family can take part in and have fun together. It doesn’t burn calories as intensely as cross-country skiing, but you still burn enough calories. For instance, a person weighing 150 pounds burns 240 calories in thirty minutes after skiing downhill. Many ski lovers do downhill skiing for several hours at a given time, enabling them to burn more calories.
6. Ice Skating
Ice skating is one of the best winter fitness activities that’s ideal for families. Just like skiing, how long and how fast you skate determines the number of calories you burn ultimately. A person weighing 150 pounds burns approximately 240 calories after ice skating for thirty minutes. The main advantage ice skating as compared to skiing as a winter fitness activity is that it’s not expensive. You can rent skates from most rinks if you don’t own one, and certain rinks will only charge skate rental costs.
7. Playing in the Snow
It has snowed, you can’t go to work, and the children are not in school. Make the most of this time by taking your family outside to play with snow. You can burn about 200-400 calories after playing in the snow for one hour; this depends on how high you can build the snowmen. Other snow activities you can try include, having old-fashioned snowball fights, making snow angels, and building forts. Playing in the snow is definitely more enjoyable than shoveling snow, though you can burn 200-300 calories after shoveling snow for thirty minutes.
8. Touch Football
Another fun and great winter fitness activity is football. You don’t require snow to start playing football during winter. When playing football in the cold weather, you tackle and run which helps you to burn 200-300 calories in one hour. If you’re concerned about the safety of family members of all sizes and shapes playing together, try tag or touch football rather than traditional tackle games.
9. Jogging or Running
Jogging during winter enhances your body’s resistance powers. Moderate or light running or jogging boosts the body’s immune system naturally. The main emphasis is on moderate speeds. Running at moderate speeds trains your body to resist colds, infections, and coughs. Additionally, running or jogging during winter enables you to stay active, ensuring that you don’t add unwanted weight just by staying indoors. Running during winter prevents you from experiencing Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD); it releases hormones that combat depression, giving you more positive energy.
10. Ice Hockey
Ice hockey is a winter fitness activity that has similar physical benefits to ice skating. Organize an ice hockey game to play with your friends and family. Gather people you can have fun with when playing ice hockey; this encourages you to play for longer periods, enabling you to burn more calories. A person weighing 150 pounds burns approximately 200 calories after playing ice hockey for twenty minutes.
Final Say
The most important thing to remember before taking part in any of the outdoors winter fitness activities is to wear protective gear for different activities. Also, ensure that you’re warmly dressed to prevent you from contacting illnesses related to cold such as chest pains and coughs. Remember that the cold weather in winter doesn’t mean that you should stay indoors and eat more junk and watch more television!