The Ottawa Outdoors Winter Challenge DO EACH OF THESE ACTIVITIES, GET IN SHAPE AND WIN SOME GREAT PRIZES! BY JENNIFER HARTLEY
[Ed.Note – There is much to do this wintery city of ours and Jennifer has written an article on 11 outdoor activities and the fitness rankings of each. Email us a photo of you participating in each, and your name goes in to win a brand new winter backpack and a couple of bath passes to Le Nordic Spa.] LACE UP YOUR SKATES, slip into ski boots, strap on snowshoes or grab the kids and hit the toboggan runs. Ottawa-Gatineau is tops for access to so many different outdoor winter sport opportunities. Here’s the winter equivalent of the summer sports sketch we did earlier this year to help vary anyone’s fitness regime and count the calorie burn along the way. 1. SNOW SHOVELLING Are you kidding? No. Snow shovelling is mundane, but a good workout and saves money. Instead of paying someone do plow the driveway, grab your toque and shovel and you’ll be working your arms, midsection (known as the “core” among fitness freaks) and legs as you burn anywhere between 250 and 400 calories an hour, depending on your size and gender. For example, a 150-pound man will burn 350 calories an hour moving the white www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
stuff while a 130- pound woman will burn 300. We’ll use this generic lady throughout this story. Our only caution: Don’t take too much snow with each shovelful – you could hurt your back. While you’re at it, help
an elderly neighbour. This will burn even more calories and get you a star in the golden book of heaven.
a great gateway to the outdoors. Besides Gatineau Park, XC paths abound in Ottawa-Gatineau – in the Greenbelt and at commercial ski hills. Gearing up for a beginner will cost around $400 for skis, poles, boots and bindings. 3. DOWNHILL SKIING Want more speed? Click into alpine skis and hit the many nearby slopes. Downhill burns fewer calories than cross-country per hour, but you still get a good workout because few people downhill for only an hour. You’ll work your butt, abs, thighs and arms and burn between 350 and 400 calories an hour. Downhill skiing is not cheap. To gear up properly will cost $1,200–$1,500 to start, including a helmet. And that’s before you fork over for the lift pass to get you onto the ski hill. A ski pass locally is in the $30–$40 range for day skiing, cheaper at night. 4. SNOWBOARDING For the more adventurous, join the hill junkies and try snowboarding. You won’t burn calories bigtime, but it’s an adrenaline rush and you get an incredible core workout from it. Balancing your body on the board takes big effort. Gear costs about $1,000. Lift passes cost the same as for downhill skiing. Local hills welcoming board users include Vorlage www. skivorlage.com, Camp Fortune www.campfortune.com, Calabogie Peaks www.calabogie.com, Mont
2. CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Like running, a calorie-burner and a workout for major muscle groups – arms, core (including abs) and much, much work for your legs, thighs and butt. Our generic 130-pound woman burns 450 calories an hour, and once you get the hang of cross-country, it’s
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