Posted Fri, 2 Jan 2015, 4:21pm by Yanick Landry
(NC) If you've already booked your skiing holiday, you're probably looking forward to perfecting your snow bunny look and enjoying winter treats in the lodge. But your vacation can provide plenty of fantastic health benefits too, including weight loss, muscular fitness and even relief from seasonal affective disorder or SAD.
The trick to skiing is, of course, to keep yourself balanced on a slippery slope. Engaging your stomach muscles this way boosts core stability and compresses the lower abdomen (which means a flatter tummy). Plus, it promotes overall flexibility and coordination. Your leg muscles will also thank you: the general stance of a skier is a slight crouch which strengthens the large quadriceps and glutes muscle groups.
Hitting the slopes is also a fantastic cardiovascular workout. It elevates your heart rate which promotes blood circulation and brings more nutrients and oxygen to your tissues. The immersive experience of skiing also boosts endorphins and adrenaline, providing an overall feeling of wellness.
Most experts agree that an average day on the slopes burns serious calories, up to 3000, far more than an average gym session. Cold temperatures also force your body to raise its own temperature, burning even more calories. Need proof? Trace Snow, a free comprehensive ski and snowboard app, helps you track your day at the mountain. It measures calories burned, speed, distance and much more.
Falling temperatures and exaggerations of a polar vortex can deter many from hitting the slopes, but the many advantages of skiing are undeniable. Try it out with the Toronto Gay Ski and Snowboarding Club with the support of OUTSPORT TORONTO.
[source] www.newscanada.com
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