Image via SkiReport.com
The snow has not stopped falling over the last few days in my hometown and everything is covered in white. Some people see this and think of nothing but the summer they want back. For thousands of others, myself included, winter means winter sports.
Whether it is downhill skiing, snowboarding or even cross country skiing, there’s one little piece of information every winter sports enthusiast needs to know before they suit up, load up and head off to enjoy their sport of choice: The ski report. There’s no way you’re going to spend all of that time, energy and money without knowing the conditions, including the temperature, the snow depth and the wind speed.
The good news is there are plenty of places that can help you find out exactly what’s going on in your neck of the woods. From Web sites to iPhone applications, there are tons of ways to check the snow details at whichever ski hill you frequent. One of our favorites is SkiReport.com and their amazingly slick iPhone App that uses GPS to find all the details at any given moment at the ski hill nearest to you. That’s right, now you can know instantly whether or not getting yourself out of bed on a cold morning is worth it or whether you should wait for better powder, better weather and friendlier skies.
The bottom line is it’s getting easier and easier to stay active, stay fit and stay completely tapped into the physical world around us. Many may say that technology is ruining our connection to nature. I am inclined to disagree. If used properly, it can tap us even further into things we might not have done other wise. Choose the latter.
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DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
So we’ve officially dived head first into how to stay fit through the frosty and windy months of winter, but there’s a little something we haven’t told you yet. A lot of activities that truly make winter, well, winter, also come packing a pretty serious calorie burning punch. It’s not all running, lifting weights and riding that dreaded exercise bike over the chilly months. There are a lot of other ways to get exercise that are actually a great deal of fun. And you can burn those extra holiday calories without putting on the workout gear or going to a gym.
That’s exactly right, some of the most beloved and fun winter activities are actually amazing ways to keep fit without becoming bored or longing for the sun to let you back outside. Check out how many calories some of the most fun activities actually burn per hour … yes, per hour. The first number is for a 120 pound woman, and the second for a woman weighing 150 pounds, for comparison sake:
- Skiing - 273 and 340
- Snowboarding - 273 and 340
- Snowshoeing - 382 and 476
- Cross-Country Skiing - 436 and 476
- Ice Skating - 327 and 408
- Ice Hockey - 436 and 544
- Winter Hiking - 327 and 408
- Shoveling Snow - 273 and 340
- Sledding - 327 and 408
See! Even shoveling snow, which is admittedly not the most FUN activity you can partake in during the chilly winter months, burns a TON of calories per hour! So, if you’re looking for a way to burn some serious holiday calories and help fight off heart disease, cancer and a whole slew of other terrible things this winter, buy a lift ticket along with your gym membership or some snowshoes along with your new running sneakers. Get up, get moving and start loving the life you live!
Got any other amazing methods to keep those holiday pounds from creeping up on you? We’d love to hear your tips for staying fit as a fiddle while the mercury drops! Sound off!
Popularity: 8% [?]
DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
