As I sit in the Philadelphia airport waiting for my next plane to Boston (I’m from Maine, so I will be driving home from there), I can’t help but think of all the experiences I have had over the course of this semester, and the experiences I will soon have in the upcoming months (studying abroad in New Zealand!). Hmmm…airports are a good place to reflect, I’ve figured out.
Many of my thoughts revolved around this blog, and I found myself pondering both ways the blog has worked so far, and ways where it hasn’t quite measured up – mainly focusing on my own individual workout routines and eating habits. For one, running has become easier; running for 30 minutes isn’t as dreadful as it used to be, and has even become rather enjoyable. My healthy eating habits however aren’t as developed as I had hoped they would be, and they definitely don’t reflect the hard work I feel I have been putting in with my workouts. So, over this Interim I plan on keeping a food journal – one of my friends swears by this – and I think it might be a good way to identify my problem areas of eating and snacking. As for running, I am going to work up to running an hour by the end of January; I am convinced I can do it just because running is something I really do enjoy now.
I have also begun to think of new ways to incorporate different physical activities into my everyday life, mainly ones I plan on doing not only during Christmas but over Interim. I love the outdoors, and all winter activities are right up my alley. Although as I peered out my dorm room window the other day, winter looked far away, snow is inevitable and I have begun to plan accordingly. Here are some winter activities that I am planning on doing and you can too, that are proven to burn a significant number of calories – while at the same time promising a lot of fun!
Ice Skating – This is a great aerobic workout that burns up to 20 calories per minute and helps strengthen your core as you try to balance on your blades!
Sledding- Whew!!! All those times running up and down Old Main after sledding really does pay off. Climbing up and down a hill in one hour can burn up to 400 calories.
Cross Country Skiing- Approximately 545 calories can be burned in an hour at moderate intensity. This activity works nearly every major part of your body, including your shoulders, arms, back, chest, butt and legs. There are some nice trails around the Natural Lands that I would recommend.
Downhill Skiing- LOVE. I have never actually tried snowboarding, so I guess I am a little biased (and I was on ski team at my high school), but skiing is a ton of fun, and you can burn up to 500 calories an hour. So get out and hit those slopes!
Snowboarding- You can burn off around 450 calories an hour when you snowboard. Aside from that it is a great way to work on your hamstrings, calves, and quads!
*Information for this article was derived from:
http://www.visitmaine.com/seasons/winter/activities/alpine/
http://wirednewyork.com/parks/bryant_park/ice-skating/
http://www.sodahead.com/fun/skiing-or-snowboarding/question-1969185/?link=ibaf&q=&imgurl=http://www.sailandski.com/boat_graphics/TemplateSites/DTS/DealerLibraries/8840/SnowboardingGIF.gif