Cool Moves

It’s freezing, and you’re bundled head to toe. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a sedentary season. While cross–country skiing and snowshoe walking are well known calorie burners, winter welcomes other recreations that foster fun and fitness. Break a sweat with these surprising icy activities that melt away pounds.

• Snowball fight: Throw on the mittens and find a snowdrift. A good snowball fight can exert your entire body. Darting to and fro works your cardiovascular system, while the dodging and ducking send your legs, back, and buttocks into overtime. And hurling the frozen spheres back and forth will likely lead to laughter, which engages your abs and boosts endorphins.

• Sledding: In an hour, you can burn 400–500 calories — if you’re doing more than riding the toboggan. Every time you trudge up the hill, you tax your heart and lower body. Plus, staying upright down the slope requires more than just hanging on; your core must perform frequent stabilization movements to maintain control.

• Ice–skating: Akin to the summer fat buster rollerblading, the winter version will have you gliding to a smaller waistline and firmer buns… should you stay on your feet long enough to reap the aerobic benefits. Insert short spurts into your whirl around the rink, and you’ll enhance the overall metabolic rewards while steeling up your thighs.