Best Winter Sport for Burning Calories

The snow is falling. Some ski resorts are already opening their lifts and holiday cabins are booking up fast. That can only mean, in a more lighthearted tone than Game of Thrones, winter is coming.

Before we begin, I have to mention a little disclaimer. When I say “winter sports” I should say SNOW sports. This post is about the best options for burning calories in the snow, not simply working out in the winter. Much like the Winter Olympics, it is biased towards those with access to the powder… although I look at it as encouragement for people to try new things and head to where the winter’s are white. Nothing like a Christmas vacation!

Moving on… you may be surprised at which winter sport (if you can call it that) takes the top prize for effort used and calories burned. Most would think a fast-paced sport like snowboarding or skiing would top the list but that is not the case. Can you guess? Cross country skiing? Close, but still not slow enough.MSR-Denali-Evo-Ascent-Snowshoes

The winner is Snowshoeing! Yes, it’s true, essentially walking in the snow is the best way to work your body. That being said, if you have ever had to trek through a few feet of powder to get to your car in the morning, this may not be as big of a surprise. Snowshoeing takes out any possibility of easy work. On a snowboard, skis, or even cross-country skiing, you are on slopes which means that even though you still are using your legs, you are also using gravity to bring you down the mountain rather than your own two feet. Snowshoeing boasts a calorie burn (for a person around 150 lbs) of 650-700 calories per hour! That’s insane! However, if you’ve tried it, you’ll know those calories are hard-earned and take serious effort and dedication.

Give snowshoeing a try this winter and walk your way to a winter-fit body! If you’re a member at REI, you can rent these for pretty cheap, too!

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