by Kate Johns

Created on: November 13, 2008   Last Updated: January 17, 2009

Exercising outdoors during the winter will keep you fit and trim all winter long. There are many ways to incorporate exercise into a winter fitness regime. Utilize the snow, and those howling winter winds to your best advantage. A winter weather workout is an adrenaline pumping exercise that will make you feel great. You will be working harder to stay warm , thus burning more calories. With all those positive endorphins coursing through your veins, you will feel refreshed, and ready to battle whatever Mother Nature throws at you.

Here are TEN ways to exercise during the winter.

1. Shovel your driveway and the surrounding sidewalk, back patio, or deck to get some exercise in. Depending on how much snow you get, you might not have to go anywhere from your own home to work out. When it snows every day, there's more opportunity to shovel and more of a winter weather workout to be had!

2. Take the kids outside, and show them how to make a real snowma. Start with a ball, roll it around in the snow on the lawn will work up a sweat worthy of any great workout. Throw snowballs at an outdoor target, and make snow angels. It's outdoor exercise and a lot of winter fun!

3. Trek over to a local beach or park where you can snowshoe. Snowshoeing is a great form of exercise that will have not only your legs fit and trim, but you entire body longing to go outside and snowshoe again and again!

4. Walking on a beach, in a park or your own neighborhood when it isn't super windy and the temperature is above 20 degrees is another way to get that blood pumping. Dress in layers, and wear warm boots with several layers of socks. And you will feel the adrenaline rush of a cold weather workout. Your face will be ruby-red, and you may get wind burned, but you will feel invigorated.

5. Go ice skating outside. Many local parks now have ice skating rinks outside. Many times they are free for you to use. Skate for at least a half hour to an hour to get a terrific workout in.

6. Do something completely different. Take a large inner tube or a sled and slide down the slopes at any nearby park. You will get tons of exercise due to walking back up the slope each time you come down. Run back up the slope for even more exercise. Take the kids and spend an entire day having stellar winter fun that is great exercise too!

7. You're going to love this one. For many years when I was completely bored with being copped up all winter long, I would get dressed in layers and go outside in the backyard, and run through

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