December 2005 OK, I'm trying to have a positive attitude about the snow that fell over Thanksgiving and am thinking about the snowmobiling trips I have planned. (I'll have to look into exercise calories for that too now!) So, I was thinking about other things to do in the snow besides cuss at it, and I found this article about snowshoeing. I'm looking forward to trying it. Seems like a good calorie burner and a fun activity.  Snowshoeing Data show that the numbers of snowshoers have increased as much as 300% over previous years. Both improvements in snowshoe technology, making snowshoes smaller, lighter and less cumbersome, and the ease of learning the sport have increased its popularity. Research has shown that snowshoeing provides a moderate to strenuous workout and raises the heart rate to within ACSM guidelines to improve cardiorespiratory endurance and positively alter body composition. In addition, snowshoeing produces significant calorie expenditure. Snowshoers must dress appropriately, including choosing the right snowshoes and carrying the right equipment. Snowshoeing is an attractive wintertime activity because it is simple, low-impact, and available wherever there is enough snow. Here is some information about the calorie burning: A metabolic equivalent (MET) is a numerical figure often used to represent the intensity of a given activity according to its oxygen requirement. Snowshoeing uses 5-12 METS depending on the speed of snowshoeing, the grade of the terrain, and the depth of the snow. These compare to running 5-7 mph, swimming 25-75 yards/min, cross country skiing 3-8 mph, and bicycling 10-15 mph. Snowshoeing may rank above fitness walking and may be too strenuous for older or more reconditioned individuals, without at least some preliminary conditioning. At speeds between 2.0-2.5 mph, on variable terrain, people can expect to burn 5-8 calories per minute (or 150-240 for 30 minutes). At 3.0-3.5 mph, you can expect to burn 350-500 calories in 30 minutes. This is an intensity that will be quite high for the average person, corresponding to 15 (hard) on the Borg perceived exertion scale or between 75%-85% of maximum heart rate. Many people have the mistaken notion that they will walk, on top of, the snow, but usually you will sink 2-8 inches, depending on the snow condition, depth, the size of the snowshoe, and their body weight. Unpacked conditions versus packed conditions uses almost double the energy. From the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health and Fitness Journal Jan/Feb 2001

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