That's Fit

When I was little, I skated like a little demon -- going as fast as my feet would take me, weaving in and out of people while chasing my little brother. I tried it last year for the first time in about 15 years and thought it would be like riding a bike -- I would pick it up again with ease. I was wrong. Maybe it's because these days I am afraid of the pain that falling will inevitably bring. Or maybe it's because skating is hard work.

You might be thinking, pfffffft. Skating is easy peasy. Hardly a workout at all. You'd be wrong though. Skating is a great aerobic workout, especially when you get to the point that you can go fast and don't spend the entire time desperately holding onto your spouse for support. Leisurely skating burns about 350 calories an hour, and when you're having fun on the ice, an hour goes by pretty quickly. If you're skating vigorously, skating can burn a whopping 650 calories an hour.

Skating also vastly improves your balance and coordination. I mean, when you're balancing your entire body's weight on two skinny strips of metal, how can it not? And, unless you take a tumble, skating has has a low impact on your joints, so it's far better for you than running. Ever notice how strong a speed skater's legs look? That's proof that it's a great workout for your legs (and your arms if you are, as mentioned before, holding desperately onto your spouse for support.)

So this Christmas season, when you have some downtime, how about taking the family skating instead of polishing off all those leftovers? You'll have a great time, if only for the laughs. Even if you live somewhere hot, I'm sure you can find an indoor rink. Living in Canada, finding ice is not a problem for me. And trust me, I'll be out there -- My mum's neighbor just happens to be a professional hockey player so maybe I can get him to give me some pointers!