Best Winter Sports to Lose Weight
Winter is a time when all we want to do is get warm and cozy and keep away from the cold even though all that inactivity doesn’t do us any good. Not only that, but we also have to deal with all the holidays and all that tasty food. However, winter doesn’t have to be the time when we just add weight, but the time when we lose it as well! The best way to do that is, of course, by practicing winter sports! Make sure to go through our short list and read about the best winter sports that can help you lose weight and burn those calories away!
Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is not only popular but also accessible to everyone lucky enough to live in a place where it snows during winter. You can consider it a kind of trekking during winter — all you need is a pair of snowshoes and tracks covered with snow. It can burn from 400–600 calories in a few hours, and it targets abs, thighs and calves. In addition, you can use poles that will balance things out and give your upper body an extra workout as well.
Ice Skating
Ice skating is a sports activity that isn’t necessarily winter-exclusive; depending on your location, you might find ice rinks that will let you test your skills in the middle of summer. However, the best thing about ice skating is that there are many things you can do with a pair of skates. You can casually skate around the rink, join figure skating classes or even recreationally play hockey. Not only that it is fun, but it will also help you burn around 400 calories per hour.
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is not as accessible as the former two activities. Not only that, but you are also required to have a full set of gear. Although it’s not a readily available sport, it is popular among both young and middle-aged people. However, if you happen to be one of those and you come prepared with your gear, you will be burning around 700 calories an hour. Even if you are not proficient in this winter activity, honing your snowboarding skills might end up being a workout in disguise.
Skiing
There are two types of skiing that people decide to go for, either the cross-country skiing or downhill skiing. Cross country skiing is an excellent cardiovascular workout that comes with virtually no risk of injury. While it does require specific tracks and some equipment, it can help you burn up to 700 calories per hour, if not even more. Even though downhill skiing sounds more extreme than cross-country skiing, it doesn’t necessarily have to be — choose the appropriate track based on your skill level and watch those calories melt away.