Winter fitness 101

I think I’ve finally discovered why Canadians are slimmer than our neighbours to the south.

According to a 2004 Statistics Canada report, the obesity rate in Canada is 23.1% for males and females over the age of 18, compared to 29.7% in the United States.

While experts like dieticians and scientists place the blame on fast food, video games and other culprits, I’ve found the real reason: winter.

Yes, we’re thinner because of our cold northern winters.

Think about all of the extra physical activity we Canucks get from December to March. First, we shovel hundreds of kilograms of snow. While the white stuff may look soft and fluffy in pictures, it’s much like a woman’s purse – easy on the eyes but hard on the shoulders.

Then there’s the second exercise in the winter workout: pushing stuck automobiles. This lift primarily works the latissimus dorsi (back) and the deltoids (shoulders). And don’t forget clearing the car, an exercise that tones and defines the triceps though repetition.

Canadians get their daily cardio fix by putting on all those extra layers of clothing. With all the bending and squatting to pull on three pairs of socks, the reaching down to lace up boots, and the stretching to get appendages into snow pants and jackets, getting dressed for the outdoors is the equivalent of completing a yoga session.

I find it ironic that gyms typically get a whole lot busier in January as people rush to the treadmill to work off those extra holiday calories and honour New Year’s resolutions. All these well-intentioned individuals have to do is run more errands to shed those unwanted pounds.

Look at it like this: a trip to the grocery story requires you to get bundled up, then you’ll have to shovel the snow from the mouth of your driveway because the plow just finished your street. Next you have to chisel a thick layer of ice from your windshield, then you’ll probably have to stop along the way to help push at least three cars stuck in the ditch (the fifth Canadian commandment is thou shall always help push). Finally, after spending a half hour in the store, you’ll come out to a snow-covered car and have to repeat cycle.

So the next time you complain about the snowy season, just look down at your waistline and remember that winter isn’t so bad.