It seems like everything sleeps in winter, but it’s really a time of renewal and reflection. Elizabeth Camden

Canadians are often polarized when it comes to winter – the outdoor enthusiasts who embrace all the season has to offer and the hibernators who are content to cozy up indoors as much as possible. Finding a happy medium is always my goal in winter.

The Arctic weather of late likely has many of us experiencing Cabin Fever. And while the extreme temperatures mean we should be careful about our outdoor exposure, temps are getting milder, which means more opportunity for winter outdoor activities.

If, like me, you find yourself cursing the snow this time of year, for all the extra energy it is taking to walk through it, then hear this – for every step you take in the snow, you could be expending up to 30% more energy; this could be as high as 65% more in deeper snow (10 cm vs. 20 cm, respectively).

Think of it this way: winter activities can put our calorie burn into overdrive, giving our bodies the much-needed challenge for engaging our muscles to change things up and increase our metabolism. And winter generally makes our bodies work harder just to stay warm.

Some ways in which that little extra effort will pay off:

Skating – A great social activity, skating or playing hockey can burn 400 to 600 calories/hour.

Walking/hiking – At 300-600 calories/hour depending on terrain, incline, speed, and depth of snow, we can really make the steps count.

Skiing – Cross-country skiing is the ultimate full-body workout, burning anywhere from 450 calories/hour to 1300 calories/hour depending on style and intensity vs. 300-600 calories/hour for downhill skiing which focuses more on the lower body and core.

Snowboarding – A great workout for the core and lower body, this one can burn 400 calories/hour just for having fun. 

Snowshoeing – A super fun way to burn around 500 calories/hour or more.

Winter biking – Fat-tire biking anyone? There’s no reason not to make cycling a year-round sport. And at a potential 1000 calorie burn/hour through the snow? Thank you.

Sledding – All that uphill walking for that exhilarating rush down the hill can burn up to 400 calories/hour.

Shovelling snow – Though it may not be the winter activity of choice, this one still can burn 400 calories/hour.

There is no denying the sun glistening off the snow in the deep cold is stunning. And a cold blast of air is rejuvenating. Go on, get outside. And sit back and reap the benefits once back inside and relaxing (our bodies are still working in our downtime). And remember, days are gradually getting longer and brighter. Hopefully we can learn to move from winter blues to winter wonderful.