If you’ve been cooped up inside for far too long thanks to the cold weather outside, it might just be time for you to consider getting out and active. Just because the temperature is dropping doesn’t mean you need to be in the gym to get fitness into your day.

There are plenty of great ways to stay active that all happen in the great outdoors. Here are a few of the top activities to consider this winter.

Skiing

Few activities are as fun as skiing and whether you choose to cross-country ski, downhill ski, or test your luck with snowboarding, all are great total body workouts that will torch massive calories.

Skiing is going to work your quads and hamstrings especially and will really put your core muscles to the test as they must stay contracted to keep you balanced at all times.

Tobogganing

Another excellent calorie burning activity that’s fun for the whole family is tobogganing. Grab your toboggan and head out for a few hours. The walk up the hill is where the real exercise happens with this activity as you’ll be working your glutes, calves, quads, and hamstrings.

Then enjoy yourself on the ride down before it all happens again.

Skating

Skating is a fun and relaxing activity you can take in this winter. It’s also a more romantic option, so great to do on date nights with your partner. Or, grab your kids and teach them how to skate – it’ll provide an entertaining evening in itself.

Skating is a great core workout as your core muscles will be contracting the entire time to keep you balance and on top of your feet.

Snow-Shoeing

Snow-shoeing is an often forgotten about winter activity but one that you should definitely consider getting involved in. It’s great because it can be done pretty much anywhere there is a thick layer of snow and is one of the best ways to get a full lower body workout in.

You’ll get your heart rate up, burn a high number of calories, and perform an activity that just about anyone can do. The learning curve on snowshoeing is very easy, so it’s something that even beginners just getting started can incorporate into their winter routine.

Shovelling

Finally, it’s the activity that few people enjoy, but one that must be done: shoveling.

Getting out and shoveling the snow off the driveway is a fantastic way to work the lower body and back while burning up quite a few calories in the process.

The important thing to remember when shoveling is that you’ll want to lift the snow from your legs, not from your back. Try and keep your back straight at all times, using the lower body to power the movements.

This will help prevent back pain down the road and ensure that you are targeting the muscles properly.

If you head out and shovel a driveway full of snow, consider that your workout for the day.

So there you have some great cold-weather winter activities that earn top marks as far as keeping your fitness up and burning calories go. Try getting involved in at least one of these and you’ll be reaping the benefits in no time.

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