Benefits of Skiing

Skiing is a perfect workout for people of all shapes and sizes. It is a great workout for the winter time or in cold areas that helps work many muscles in the body. It can also help improve your body, mind, and mood as the fresh air, snow, and exercise are all things we can use in our daily lives. There are numerous advantages to a day on the slopes. Discover the benefits of skiing below:

Strengthens Lower Body Muscles

Skiing is a great workout for the body, since it keeps the body in a squat position--which strengthens your quads, thighs, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. The snow and fresh air may keep you from noticing your workout while skiing, but afterwards you will feel the burn. It may hurt to walk afterwards--but skiing multiple times a week will ultimately make your legs stronger than ever!

Increases Flexibility

You may want to stretch before skiing to improve your body’s flexibility. Balancing your core and other primary muscles means that your body will become more flexible. This is immensely helpful in skiing, it helps prevent muscle strains and sprains. It can help in everyday life and makes your body less susceptible to injury.

Boosts Core Strength

Keeping your body upright and balancing heavily works your core muscles. Balancing down a slope works your muscles constantly, which tones your abdomen muscles. Skiing takes focus and attention to keep your balance--and having a strong core makes doing so much easier. Boosting your core strength also helps you with breathing, digestion, and posture.

Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle

Fresh air, the outdoors, and the sun all are things you should be exposed to regularly, as they increase your endorphin levels and keep you feeling happy. Skiing is a perfect way of getting more sun and vitamin D during the shorter days of winter months. It can help elevate your mood as well, since exercise in general releases adrenaline and endorphins. Waking up early for a day on the slopes requires lots of energy and calories that you can burn off while skiing.

Burns Calories

Skiing is a great cardiovascular workout that can be a full-day activity. The steeper the slope, the more calories you burn. Since skiing works the whole body, you constantly burn calories while doing it--and skiing several days per week for a few hours (coupled with healthy eating) could help with weight loss. The cold weather also helps you to burn calories as your body must exert energy to keep warm. However, you may wish to bring snacks along with you since the constant burning of calories may make you hungry.

All of the natural benefits of skiing should be paired with a nutritious energy booster to keep you going. Kate’s Real Food organic energy bars are a perfect snack to bring along on your skiing adventures. Instead of eating bars with unhealthy or nonorganic ingredients you can fill your diet with healthy energy bars that fill you up, make you feel energized, and keep your body feeling 100%. Try one of our various flavors and find your favorite! Skiing takes a lot of energy and calories, so fill your diet with foods that improve your body functions instead. Whether it's on the slopes or on a trail, Kate’s Real Food snack bars are the perfect pick me up for a day of intense exercise. 

Photography by Iain Kuo.