SHOPPING
P L AY I T COOL Don’t escape winter—embrace it! This season, hit the trails, rinks or hills with these heart-pumping, calorie-burning, fat-melting activities. BY GRACE TOBY
LIST
Flaunt your best figureeight loops with these padded and lined skates, which deliver both comfort and warmth. Glacier SoftSkate fleece skates, $90, sportchek.ca.
We calculated calories burned for a 150-pound woman.
Stand out and stay warm in stylish ombré tights. This pair works well on its own but can also double as a base layer. Nike Pro HyperWarm tights, $84, nike.com.
AT I N G ICE-SK
You might not know the difference between a twizzle (a quick 360-degree turn on one foot) and a swizzle (a forward-propelled skate where feet make an hourglass-shaped motion), but that shouldn’t stop you from gliding your way to some serious fitness goals—you can score a significant burn without even noticing. Meagan Duhamel, a Montreal-based Olympic pairs skating silver medallist and two-time world champion, suggests making it an interval-training session by switching up the pace from fast to slow. Don’t forget to change direction: Skating forward conditions your glutes, while backward movements engage your quads. And it’s not all about the legs; your core will also get a workout, as those muscles are helping keep you balanced. F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 | C A N A D I A N L I V I N G .C O M
B E F O R E YO U STA RT Make sure your skates fit properly, and if lacing up new ones, prepare to break them in for a few minutes over the first couple of skating sessions. Sharpen blades at least twice each year: at the beginning of winter and halfway through the season. If skating on outdoor ice that’s cleaned less thoroughly or frequently than indoor arenas, your blades will need more regular upkeep, says Duhamel. When it comes to clothing, remember your ABCs: anything but cotton, which absorbs moisture, making you colder faster as you sweat. Wear warm, loosefitting clothes so you can easily move around, and invest in a pair of high-quality socks with merino wool to keep toes toasty.
48
Look the part with a tuque that will also keep you toasty. This one comes with a removable pom-pom! Slouch cable-knit tuque, $70, tilley.com.
Give arctic chill the cold shoulder with merino-wool socks to keep feet warm and dry. Hike+ light crew socks, $25, icebreaker.com.
PHOTOGRAPHY, STOCKSY UNITED (SKATER)
500 CA LO R I E S PER HOUR
LOW TO MEDIUM INTENSITY
GOOD FOR The beginner winter warrior. “Skating is great for the heart and the lungs. If the wind-chill factor is below -15°C and you have heart or respiratory problems, stick to an indoor rink,” says Debbie Childerhose, a physiotherapist at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.
