Fitness Chronicles

Burn More Calories Snowshoeing
New research details energy expenditures for snowshoeing versus other activities.

Did you know you can burn more calories snowshoeing than you can running or cross country skiing?

According to two new independent studies conducted by Ball State University and the University of Vermont, snowshoers can burn 420-1000 calories per hour.

"Snowshoeing is an effective, low impact, and safe form of exercise to change body composition. It burns up to twice the number of calories as walking at the same speed," said Dr. Declan Connolly of the University of Vermont's exercise physiology department.

Connolly said snowshoers can vary the intensity of their workout, noting that they can burn fewer calories by taking an easy walk on flat packed terrain, or get a more intense workout, more than 1,000 calories burned per hour, if they snowshoe in powder on hilly terrain at a pace of three miles per hour.

"Snowshoeing utilizes major muscle groups which, when combined with a higher metabolic rate in cold weather and the added resistance of moving through snow, results in a high energy activity."

Energy Expenditure for
Snowshoeing and Comparable Activities