If getting outside is impossible, we’ve also provided an at-home treadmill workout; we even have a fitness walk you can do while shopping at the mall. “The more options you have, the more likely you’ll be to stick to an exercise routine, no matter what the weather,” says certified personal trainer Kate Larsen, author of Progress Not Perfection: Your Journey Matters. Pace Yourself for Best ResultsHere are the pace and exertion levels you’ll find in these workouts: Easy: You can sing Moderate: You can talk freely Brisk: You can talk but you’d rather notFast: You’re huffing and puffingSprint: You can’t go for longer than 30 seconds
Hop On The Treadmill
350 calorie burnerThis hill-heavy routine sculpts and strengthens thighs and glutes, says creator Jennifer Renfroe, Tread N’ Shed treadmill class instructor at Crunch Gym in Atlanta. “Feel free to adjust the speed and incline depending on your personal fitness level,” she advises.What you’ll need: A treadmill with an incline adjustment THE ROUTINEDuration 45 minutes0-2:00 Easy walk (warm-up) 2:01-5:00 Moderate walk 5:01-10:00 Hill drill: Brisk walk, increasing incline one level every minute 10:01-12:00 Lower incline to level 1 and walk briskly12:01-17:00 Hill drill: Brisk walk, increasing speed by 0.1 MPH and incline by one level every minute17:01-19:00 Lower incline to level 2 and walk at a moderate pace19:01-20:00 Raise incline to level 5 and walk briskly 20:01-24:00 Hill drill: Brisk walk, increasing speed by 0.1 MPH and incline by one level every minute 24:01-26:00 Lower incline to level 2 and walk at a moderate pace26:01-40:00 Repeat minutes 19:01-26:00 two times 40:01-45:00 Easy walk, return incline to level 1 (cool-down)Boost Your Burn Strap on a Powerbelt ($90 at Bodytrends), a lightweight padded belt that’s equipped with retractable resistance cords, and give your upper body a workout. Hold the cords while you swing your arms forward, backward, up, or down and you’ll burn as much as 64% more calories.
Hit the Mall
400 calorie burner Many shopping malls open early for walkers, and some, like Minnesota’s Mall of America, even have walking clubs. (Contact malls in your area to find a club near you.) What you’ll need Your usual walking gear—even shorts if you want! THE ROUTINEDuration 1 hour0-2:00 Easy walk (warm-up)2:01-4:00 Moderate walk4:01-10:00 Brisk walk 10:01-30:00 Fast walk 30:01-33:00 Walking lunges33:01-35:00 Bench push-ups35:01-45:00 Fast walk45:01-47:00 Squat walk-ups47:01-49:00 Stair hops49:01-51:00 Triceps dips51:01-57:00 Brisk walk 57:01-60:00 Easy walk (cool-down)Boost Your Burn Wear a weighted vest that allows you to add small weights to your core. For each additional 5 pounds you carry, you’ll burn about 5% more calories and tone up faster. Skip the ankle and hand weights, says fitness trainer Larsen, who developed this workout. They put undue stress on those injury-prone joints.
Get Outside
200 calorie burner “The jumping and sprinting in this workout really challenge muscles, providing additional sculpting,” says Therese Iknoian, a California-based exercise physiologist, author of Fitness Walking, and creator of this workout. The built-in bonus of braving the cold: You burn calories just staying warm.What you’ll need Essential winter gear (see tips at right) THE ROUTINE Duration 30 minutes0-2:00 Easy walk (warm-up)2:01-4:00 Moderate walk, lifting knees for 60 seconds, then circling arms backward (30 seconds) and forward (30 seconds) 4:01-7:00 Brisk walk 7:01-8:00 Climb stairs or step off and onto a curb8:01-9:00 Do push-ups against a tree, bench, or other sturdy object9:01-9:30 Bend knees and jump to touch overhead branch or sign; repeat9:30-11:00 Brisk walk11:01-15:00 Repeat minutes 7:01-11:0015:01-25:00 Alternate fast walking and sprinting to landmarks located 50 yards apart (about half a football field)25:01-28:00 Brisk walk28:01-30:00 Easy walk (cool-down)Boost Your Burn Walking in snowshoes blasts twice as many calories; walking poles (about $100 at Exerstrider), about 20% more. MORE: 14 Walking Workouts To Burn Calories And Boost Energy
