Winter Workouts and Exercises

Winter Workouts and Exercises

Top 11 Winter Workouts

When the weather turns cold, you don't have to put your fitness routine on ice. Look at our gallery of 11 fun, calorie-burning activities that will help you stay in shape and lose weight all winter.

Number 11: Fitness DVDs

Don't feel like warming up your car to go to the gym? Invest in some dumbbells and a stash of fitness DVDs and get fit in your living room. With your gym at home, all you have to do is roll out of bed and press 'play.'

Number 10: Pilates

Sculpt your abs and back with Pilates. Whether you use DVD instruction or take a class, this mat-based exercise is a great way to strengthen your core.

Number 9: Mall Walking

Attention shoppers: Walking around the mall does double duty -- burning calories while you get your errands done. To get the best burn, intersperse 2-minute intervals of fast walking into your regular pace.

Number 8: Jump Rope

An intense workout, like jumping rope, burns calories in a short amount of time. Jump ropes are inexpensive and light enough to pack when you travel. Just remember to wear a good pair of shock-absorbent shoes.

Number 7: Yoga

Escape the winter blahs and find your inner zen with yoga. Not only is yoga meditative, you'll build muscle holding those tough poses, so you'll be more relaxed and toned after your winter-long practice.

Number 6: Dance

Salsa, swing or freestyle your way slim with dancing. It's a fun way to work your glutes, abs and legs when you're stuck indoors. You may not be ready for a guest spot on 'Dancing With the Stars,' but you'll be sure to break a sweat and groove pounds away.

Number 5: Spinning

Cycling indoors will help you shed pounds and firm up your legs and rear. Crank up your favorite music and start spinning. Keep the revolutions-per-minute high for an intense cardio workout.

Number 4: Circuit Training

Fight boredom and get a full-body workout by combining cardio and strength exercises. Whether you're at the gym or at home, you can easily burn calories by switching up activities. Start with a 5- or 10-minute workout on the treadmill, elliptical machine or bike, then mix in bicep curls, squats and back extensions into your circuit training. Repeat the routine for 30 minutes to an hour.

Number 3: Ski or Snowboard

What's a better winter sport than hitting the slopes? Skiing and snowboarding use all the major upper- and lower-body muscle groups -- and you get to play in the snow.