So you think winter is an excuse for staying indoors and getting fat? Think again. There are a lot of ways to keep yourself fit throughout the snowy winter. When it comes to staying fit, what applies during summer still applies during winter. So continue watching your calories and the food you eat and keep yourself active.
Walk, Jog, Run
Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can skip on your fitness routine. Unless there’s a blizzard and the temperature is far below freezing, you have no excuse. If you’re far from ski resorts, the best, easiest way to keep burning calories throughout the winter is through walking or jogging. If you’re fit enough and you don’t have joint issues, then run. Depending on your pace, walking alone can burn 150-250 calories in 30 minutes.
Too cold outdoors? Hop on a treadmill or elliptical machine.
Do bodyweight exercises.
There’s no reason to slack off this winter. It’s too blustery to go to your gym? Stay indoors and do bodyweight exercises. Push-ups, rows, squats, lunges, planks, and mountain climbers are exercises you can do at home without equipment. You have absolutely no excuse to skip these. You don’t have to do standard push-ups if they’re too hard. Start with knee push-ups or elevated push-ups. Start with 5 or 10 reps for squats or lunges. Start with 10 or 15 seconds for planks. These exercises do not only burn calories but also tone muscle.
Engage in winter sports.
Skiing, ice skating, and snowboarding are fun ways to burn calories in winter. Thirty minutes of ice skating burns about 250 calories. Skiing burns about 400-600 calories per hour. The bonus is you get to enjoy them with family or friends. Winter sports give you the perfect break from monotonous gym sessions.
Clear the driveway of snow.
Does this seem a little silly? No, it’s not. Grab the shovel and clear the pathway and driveway of thick snow. You’re hitting two birds with the same stone–removing unwanted snow and burning calories. This doesn’t sound much, but did you know you’re working different muscle groups when you’re shoveling snow? Yes, that’s right. Work your arms, shoulders, core, thighs, and legs while getting rid of snow and lose 200-300 calories in 30 minutes.
Count your calories.
In the northern hemisphere, the holidays fall in winter. That means parties and a lot of food on the table, mostly fattening. Normally, you would just want to indulge yourself and enjoy the good stuff. After all, it’s just for Christmas, but the holiday binge can add pounds to your gut. If you overeat, you will have to work harder to burn the added calories you ate. It’s easier to just control what you eat. You can still eat pretty much everything but in less amounts or fewer servings.
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