Nutrition Quarterly Series 3, Volume 1

Scan the QR Code below or visit www.nutritionquarterlymag.com/currentissue to get the current issue digitally! The last thing a lot of us want to do in the winter is exercise – being under a snuggly blanket, perhaps by a fireplace with a mug of your favorite hot beverage, sounds way more appealing most of the time. But, if you live in a snowy area, you can use that snow as free gym equipment! Read on for some unexpected (and even fun) ways to burn calories and stay warm this season. AWinter Workout Land: 4 WAYS TO USE THE WEATHER TO YOUR ADVANTAGE Shoveling Snow – Ok, so this one isn’t super fun, but if you need to clear your sidewalks anyway, you might as well reap the benefits for your bod! When shoveling snow by hand, you can burn about 200 calories every 30 minutes. In fact, studies show that shoveling snow burns about as may calories in 30 minutes as other physical activities, like an aerobics class. Next time there’s a blizzard, don’t feel so bad about skipping the gym, and grab a shovel instead! 1 Have a Snowball Fight – Bring your inner-child out to play by inviting your friends or your kids to a friendly (or competitive, you do you!) snowball fight. While throwing the snowballs themselves isn’t the most intense workout, running around in the snow while dodging your neighbor’s impeccable aim helps you burn about 320 calories per hour! Plus, trudging through the heavy snow provides a natural resistance for your leg muscles. Go Sledding – Not the horse drawn kind! You can burn around 400– 600 calories an hour by climbing up those snow-covered hills. All of that climbing makes for a great cardio and leg workout, so you’ll be sure to feel the burn. Not to mention, staying on your sled requires balance, strengthens your core, and your obliques and arm muscles from steering. Look out below! Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? – Come on, let’s go and play! Ok, enough with the singing, but seriously – rolling heavy snow around is no joke. It works out your arms, legs, and core muscles, plus you have to lift those big snow boulders you just made on top of one another. On average, building a snowman burns about 285 calories an hour, especially if your snowman is on the husky side, with lots of snow to lift and roll around. 2 3 4 Nutrition Quarterly · Series 3 – Volume 1 20 Seasonal Fitness Tips