40 minutes = 320 calories^[1]

Who said exercise can't be fun? Well, hauling the toboggan up the hill might not be, but whooping out loud all the way down can let off a whole lot of winter steam.

For that thirty seconds of screaming fun you have to trek uphill through the snow dragging a toboggan behind you - it's certainly an invigorating way to raise your heart rate level, give your legs a serious workout, break a sweat, and burn some calories. If you add a child to the load, the muscular workout for your arms, shoulders and legs will at least ensure you have a good night's sleep! If tobogganing isn't your thing, try building a snowman with the kids or throwing a few snowballs around - these playful activities will also get your heart rate up, though not as much.

To make sure your tobogganing experiences don't turn into "wreck-reation", follow these safety tips:

• Wait until the ground is covered with a thick layer of soft snow and be wary of concealed logs, rocks or chunks of ice.
  
  
• Make sure the hill isn't too icy or steep. An icy hill makes the toboggan go much faster; you don't want to get out of control.
  
  
• About half of all tobogganing injuries are head injuries, so wear a helmet.

30 mins = 200 calories

Next time the snow hits the driveway, don't despair - think of the calories you can burn shoveling it out of the way! Thirty minutes of this activity and you'll clear away 200 calories along with the snow. That's about the same as what you would burn jogging for twenty-five minutes. Stacking firewood is another "useful" exercise, burning 275 calories for forty minutes (mind your back, though).

Shoveling snow is good for strength building. It combines weight lifting, isometric lifting (in which the leg muscles contract without movement at the joint) and dynamic muscular work. However, the downside of this type of upper-body exercise is that it can put unwanted stress on the cardiovascular system and cause blood pressure to rise significantly, increasing the risk of heart attack. Therefore, it's best avoided if you have a weak heart.

Back injury is also a risk when shoveling snow. Follow these guidelines to keep your body safe:

• Warm up by walking around the house or taking a hot shower.
  
  
• When you grip the shovel, make sure your hands are at least 12 inches apart. This will increase your leverage and reduce strain on your body.
  
  
• Lift the snow properly. Squat with your legs apart, knees bent and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist.
  
  
• Step in the direction in which you're throwing the snow to prevent your lower back from twisting.
  
  
• Take frequent breaks. Stand up straight and walk around periodically to extend your lower back.