I began getting active with my
kids by taking 1-hour daily walks, regardless of the weather that January blew my
way. I got my kids bundled up in
snowsuits, and this worked well until our first major snowfall in the Greater
Toronto Area. Then, with sidewalks obstructed
by snow, I decided to take my exercise to the toboggan hill!
Did you know that you burn 476
calories per hour by sledding? It sounds
unbelievable, doesn’t it, as it’s a recumbent sport enjoyed on your derriรจre! And I wouldn’t have believed it either, until
my clothing began to fall off me due to a 15-lb weight loss! The sled ride downhill is simple, a piece of
cake, but the walk up a snowy hill on an incline is a workout for leg and butt
muscles. Even the repetitive motion of
standing up and sitting down on the sled works abs, quads, hamstrings and butt
combined! I did this sledding exercise
routine 5 days per week, an hour each day, and started seeing results in just 2
weeks.
The kinds of results I began to
see were slimmer legs, a disappearing backside, a leaner-looking face and an overall
slimmer look. In addition, I noticed an
increase in my flexibility—and a decrease in my hip and waist size. Now, at the 6-week mark, friends and family
alike have noticed a change in my physique.
It’s a great feeling knowing that this change has been due to my
increased activity level and improved nutrition.
In respects to my kids, they’ve enjoyed
our time tobogganing together! For them,
it has been a thrill-packed morning of outdoor play, laughter and fun! For me, it has been a great time to bond with
my kids, enjoy the snow—and regale in exercise disguised as play.
To parents of young kids, I know it’s
not easy to find time to be active. As a
parent, it’s easy to put oneself last and quickly lose sight of personal health
and fitness goals. Although being sedentary
can become a habit, it doesn’t have to be.
And finding a way to being active with your children doesn’t have to be
difficult.
For those who want to try my “Sledding
Workout”, I should note I also cut out junk food from my diet, and ate
nutritiously and moderately throughout this timeframe. Although my diet definitely went hand-in-hand
with my exercise regime, it’s definitely the sledding that has toned and shaped
my body. On days where there was
insufficient snow to toboggan, I substituted my routine with a 1-hour walk
instead. Although I sometimes used a 5-seat wood
toboggan for my workout, I eventually streamlined to red Crazy Carpet plastic
sleds.
That's so awesome! What a great way to exercise while spending time with your kids :) It's a win-win situation! And we all know... tobogganing is SO fun!!! hehe.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brandi!
DeleteThat's incredible :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a fitness consultant and if you ever want some support feel free to email me randeric@telus.net :)
Randa, thanks a lot for the offer of support!
DeleteThat's awesome. So what are you planning to do once the snow's gone?
ReplyDeleteDeanna, we'll continue walking and doing outdoor activities. In addition, we're looking at a YMCA family membership for swimming, martial arts and an aerobics component.
Deletegood job mama!
ReplyDeleteThanks MVTB!
DeleteNow that is my kind of workout! The one where you don't realize you are doing it!! Great job! Thanks for sharing! I never realized how athletic the simple joys of winter could be!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I'm excited that by the time Spring rolls around, I won't have to start at point 0!
DeleteOh I highly recommend a Y membership. We got one when my ygst was like one year old and we use it SOOOO much. What a great tool it is for all of us. My kids swim consistently and well because of it. Now the oldest can work out with me sometimes when her rehearsal schedule permits and my youngest likes to do various things - we even tried diving and scuba and snorkelling there. Husband does his martial arts and we have all done gymnastics and gym and swim, pilates and yoga. Holy cow it has been very affordable for our whole family and a smart investment too.
ReplyDeletePaula, my husband and I are really excited about the possibility of joining the Y! We already pay for our kids to take swim lessons elsewhere, so for the same price we'd get martial arts, aerobics and everything else they offer.
DeleteI'm excited that there's one place that the whole family can get active!
Awesome news! 2 perks in one - spending time with family and getting healthy...Congrats.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Thanks Vonnie!
DeleteThat is awesome, a great work out for sure. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gingermommy! Trying to get a little more active!
DeleteWow! that is wonderful! It does seem like it would be a great workout!
ReplyDeleteAlaina, I would have never thought so until I saw the results with my own two eyes!
DeleteWe've been tobogganing a couple times this winter and it really is a GREAT workout.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, oh yeah! Add in some kids too tired to walk up the hill, and you get yourself a full body workout!
DeleteSeriously?! That is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI'm not even joking, MTM!
DeleteFun, fun, fun! ANd congratulations! It's been so cold here in NB that I find it hard to take my youngest daughter out. She's 16 months, but it's been warmer lately and we've been getting out more too.
ReplyDeleteWhat Fun! Your kids must be so happy their Mama sleds with them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up to the Outdoor Play Party! I share your post on my FB page, The Golden Gleam.
That is very awesome. Sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada day
Congratulations and Happy Canada Day!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great story! Apparently satisfying your unhealthy cravings in the morning goes a long way in helping too. I knew a guy who loved chicken wings, so he'd eat them for breakfast occasionally and he lost a ton. :) Happy Canada Day! (www.cookingdangerously.com #tgcbb)
ReplyDeleteWow really? I'm gamed... now if I can keep it up!!
ReplyDeleteMelinda L.
That's pretty cool. I never thought of tobogganing as a sport but I guess like horseriding, even though you aren't doing all the work yourself, you're still moving around and being active. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteso awesome ! , first off congrats to you ! what a big accomplishment ! I have been feeling trapped by the weather but I think this just gave me some motivation to drag my butt and lil one outside for some winter fun !
ReplyDeleteThis is quite possibly the most fun "workout" I've seen in ages. We certainly don't have snow here in Costa Rica, but if we visit family up north next winter I'll definitely be extra motivated to join my kids on the slopes. Love it! Sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to shed some lbs!
ReplyDeleteI seriously had no idea that sledding could be so beneficial! We just got hit with 18 inches of snow. Guess where I will be 1 hour day until it melts!!
ReplyDeleteI also want to say that I love the bright colors on your blog. The photos stand out really well!
wow that's amazing. I don't think that would work for me because we don't really have any good sledding hills close by but I am impressed lol.
ReplyDeleteGreat story!
ReplyDeletePlaytime with the kids and burn calories ! what a bonus
ReplyDeletetobogganing sure beats the gym lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to lose weight,you look fantastic
ReplyDeleteGreat exercise that's for sure , and so much fun to boot :) Treen Goodwin rafflecopter name
ReplyDelete