Wonderful Winter Workout Ideas

With the changing of the season those of us that normally break a sweat outdoors have to revamp the way we get our winter workout. Because after all, snow, sleet, and rain aren’t the best running conditions! For some of us that means we’ve got to get really inventive. There are tons of ways to pump up our heart rates, sculpt muscle, and burn calories in cold climates that are not your typical run-of-the-mill walk or run. Here are some fun ways to stay fit over the cold dreary months of winter.

Hit The Ice: Get your inner Michelle Kwan on! Even if your city is not blanketed with snow every winter you can probably find an indoor ice-skating rink nearby. What better way to get into the spirit of the holiday season while having fun, reducing stress, and toning your legs? Grab some hockey sticks and whack around a puck, practice your figure eights, or just try to stay standing (in my case). One hour of ice-skating at a moderate intensity burns 460 calories!

Build A Snowman: Call over some friends and spend the afternoon building a life size snowman. Just squatting, and lifting the snow is awesome full body strengthening. Better yet, make it a contest! Provide a box full of snowman accessories, set teams, a time limit, and award prizes for most ingenious snowman/woman…like the most traditional or the sexiest.

Strap On Some Snowshoes: Snowshoeing is a great way to amp up a boring walk. With these webbed wonders you can explore all types of terrain. From the densest forests, to the deepest snow, snowshoes can take you where skis and snowboards just won’t fly. Today’s snowshoes have lightweight aluminum frames equipped with “teeth” otherwise known as crampons, which dig into the snow allowing you to scale all the hills you want with ease.

Warm It Up Bikram Style: Jump into a Bikram yoga class to clear the mind, and sweat it out. With the typical 105-degree temperature you’ll stay warm on the coldest of days. Just remember to wear tons of layers as you head out the door so as not to catch a cold.

Shovel Snow With Your Neighbor: Team up with your neighbor and shovel your driveways and walkways together. Not only will you get a great upper body workout, but you’ll have someone doing it with you for moral support. Thinking of it more as a calorie burner than a chore should make it more bearable. Again you could always make it a game and see who can shovel their paths faster!

Snowball Fight: Nothing is more fun than a snowball fight. With all the running, throwing and dodging you’ll break a sweat just like when you were a kid. You could even build little snow forts or walls to add to the fun. Working out doesn’t need to be monotonous and dull. If you make if fun you are way more likely to actually do it!

Trail Blaze: Bundle up and take the family or some dear friends on an adventure through your local forest or state park. Pack some hot cider and hike to a lookout point where you can sip and chat. It’s a fabulous way to bond and stay active.

With all of these fantastic outdoor fat-blasting activities why would anyone want to stay locked in the gym? I say we should all get outside and enjoy the beauty of nature this time of year. At least for a snowball fight!