Exercise in the cold winter months often leaves much to be desired. Gone are the comfortable temperatures of the fall, where you could walk, run and bike outdoors for an enjoyable way to stay fit. When it's cold out, the gym may seem like the only option for winter exercise. To avoid going to the gym, you may wonder if you're getting an adequate amount of exercise while doing regular winter tasks, such as using a snow blower. Changing the way you clear your driveway may actually contribute to a healthy lifestyle until it warms up again.
Calories Burned
A 150-lb. person can burn around 211 calories per hour simply using a snow blower to clear the driveway. This means that snow blowing is about as effective as walking at a moderate pace when it comes to burning calories. The act of pushing the heavy machinery also adds resistive benefits for muscle toning, along with the cardiovascular exercise of walking up and down your driveway. While using a snow blower may not be an efficient substitute for a gym workout or going for a run, it can help you fulfill your daily fitness requirement of at least 30 minutes.
Winter Activities
While going for a run may not be a possibility in the winter, other winter activities can help you burn calories, much in the way using a snow blower can. Exercising outside in the cold may be irritating to some, particularly if you suffer from exercise-induced asthma and cannot exercise in cool, dry air. So long as you're healthy though, the snow can add resistance to make simple activities more difficult for more calories burned. Walking, snowshoeing, skiing and even sledding can all make for enjoyable alternatives to formal exercise in the winter.
Snow Blower Safety
If you are going to use a snow blower as a method of physical activity during the winter months, ensure that you're doing so safely. When using a snow blower, avoid wearing loose clothing that could become caught in the gears and never put your hands into the machine when it's still moving. If the snow blower becomes clogged, turn it off and wait at least five seconds before using a stick to clear the debris. Always wear clothing appropriate for the weather and never walk away from the machine while it's still running.
Alternatives
If you need to remove the snow from your driveway and get a good workout, consider shoveling by hand rather than using the snow blower. Shoveling by hand doubles the amount of calories burned over snow blowing, and you can get an effective muscular workout as well. When shoveling snow, it's imperative that you lift with your knees as you expel the snow from your driveway and walkway. Avoid putting pressure on your back, which can result in strain and subsequent pain.
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