As January draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the past month and assess how you’ve been doing on your New Year’s Resolutions. Ok, so maybe cutting down on alcohol and calories and upping the exercise isn’t going so well. But don’t panic, because there is good news! The new year coincides nicely with the heart of the ski season, and there are plenty of ways you can incorporate a ski holiday into the quest for the newer, better you. Read on to discover how skiing can help quell your insecurities and prepare you for a brighter 2017.
1. Get in shape
This just in: lugging your boots and skis across three car parks fulfills your exercise quota for the next month! For those of us who get to carry feather-light snowboards, you might want to lay off on the kaiserschmarrn. But rest assured, everyone will easily burn off at least some calories by waiting in queues – standing burns over 100 calories an hour!
Photo by Vic on Flickr
2. Drink less alcohol
A little-known fact is that glühwein, the après-ski favourite, contains almost zero alcohol. Ok, perhaps a little, but the process of boiling it to blend it with the cinnamon and heaps of sugar does a good job of cutting down on the calorie-laden spirit, allowing you to consume as much glühwein as you want without forsaking your vows to end all drunkenness (incidentally, did you know that glühwein is also fat-free? You can basically just put it in the health food section right now). If you’re more of a cocktail kind of person, you still don’t have to worry about the calories - these are actually offset by the fruit contained therein, which are full of nutritious goodness.
Photo by Andrew Stawarz on Flickr
3. Be a better person
Many people vaguely make a promise to themselves to “be a better person this year,” and while this is admirable, it helps to narrow this goal down a bit. How about sharing your second- or third-best powder stash with the nice man you met on the lift this morning, or taking a few minutes out of your day to help up the skier you knocked over while racing down the hill? Other skiers will be positively inspired by your virtuous nature.
"Sorry, I didn't see you!"
4. Spend less, earn more
Those health insurance bills you pay monthly add up pretty quickly. What’s the point of paying hundreds a year if you don’t cash them in at some point? It might seem counterintuitive, but skiing can actually help you save money. With just a few trips to the nearest hospital for a torn ACL or a few broken bones (Harakiri, anyone?), you’ll be paying off the value of your health insurance in no time!
Photo by wplynn on Flickr
5. Quit smoking
More and more places on the continent are banning smoking indoors – the ski havens of France and Andorra come to mind. Since, judging by your lack of pre-season training, you should be short of breath anyway after one or two runs, this effectively makes it EASY for you to stop smoking during the holidays! Yay!
No smoking!
6. Be more spontaneous
Nothing says “exciting!” more than an impromptu 10am break for a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Never mind the lunch break you had carefully planned for 12:00 on the dot, nobody has to know that the real reason you can’t bear to be outside anymore is because your gloves have been entirely soaked through and your fingers are now in imminent danger of frostbite from the -20° weather. Away with schedules and herald in the new, spontaneous you!
Waterproof gear is essential
7. Learn something new
No, I’m not talking about skiing techniques. Some of the most valuable lessons to be had while skiing in the Alps are about the cultural differences - naked Germans in the sauna and cheesy Austrian après-ski hits. Culture clash can be scary, but in the interest of giving a good image to your own nation, it’s important you grasp the finer nuances of the land you are visiting. Now, repeat after me: “Oon-bee-ye-er.” “Oon-bee-YE-er.” “Une bière.” “Une bière, see-eel-voo-play.” “Une bière, s’il vous plait.” There, now you’ve learned French.
Photo by Tanja on Flickr
8. Care about family more
What better family bonding is there than pointing fingers in the morning to find out who’s to blame for not getting out the door early enough? The day is off to a good start as you all pile into the lift and peruse the map to find the best runs of the day. Ten minutes in, your youngest is dying to go to the loo and your pre-teen is whinging about missing the best part of the morning. On second thoughts, perhaps the best family bonding experience is to be had by enrolling the kids in some lessons with the top-notch instructors at the resort. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! …right?
Photo by Visit Lakeland on Flickr
Disclaimer: This article is intended to be humorous and no blame should be attributed to Snowplaza in the event that the information contained therein should be discovered to be not quite, er, 100% accurate…
As January draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the past month and assess how you’ve been doing on your New Year’s Resolutions. Ok, so maybe cutting down on alcohol and calories and upping the exercise isn’t going so well. But don’t panic, because there is good news! The new year coincides nicely with the heart of the ski season, and there are plenty of ways you can incorporate a ski holiday into the quest for the newer, better you. Read on to discover how skiing can help quell your insecurities and prepare you for a brighter 2017.
1. Get in shape
This just in: lugging your boots and skis across three car parks fulfills your exercise quota for the next month! For those of us who get to carry feather-light snowboards, you might want to lay off on the kaiserschmarrn. But rest assured, everyone will easily burn off at least some calories by waiting in queues – standing burns over 100 calories an hour!
Photo by Vic on Flickr
2. Drink less alcohol
A little-known fact is that glühwein, the après-ski favourite, contains almost zero alcohol. Ok, perhaps a little, but the process of boiling it to blend it with the cinnamon and heaps of sugar does a good job of cutting down on the calorie-laden spirit, allowing you to consume as much glühwein as you want without forsaking your vows to end all drunkenness (incidentally, did you know that glühwein is also fat-free? You can basically just put it in the health food section right now). If you’re more of a cocktail kind of person, you still don’t have to worry about the calories - these are actually offset by the fruit contained therein, which are full of nutritious goodness.
Photo by Andrew Stawarz on Flickr
3. Be a better person
Many people vaguely make a promise to themselves to “be a better person this year,” and while this is admirable, it helps to narrow this goal down a bit. How about sharing your second- or third-best powder stash with the nice man you met on the lift this morning, or taking a few minutes out of your day to help up the skier you knocked over while racing down the hill? Other skiers will be positively inspired by your virtuous nature.
"Sorry, I didn't see you!"
4. Spend less, earn more
Those health insurance bills you pay monthly add up pretty quickly. What’s the point of paying hundreds a year if you don’t cash them in at some point? It might seem counterintuitive, but skiing can actually help you save money. With just a few trips to the nearest hospital for a torn ACL or a few broken bones (Harakiri, anyone?), you’ll be paying off the value of your health insurance in no time!
Photo by wplynn on Flickr
5. Quit smoking
More and more places on the continent are banning smoking indoors – the ski havens of France and Andorra come to mind. Since, judging by your lack of pre-season training, you should be short of breath anyway after one or two runs, this effectively makes it EASY for you to stop smoking during the holidays! Yay!
No smoking!
6. Be more spontaneous
Nothing says “exciting!” more than an impromptu 10am break for a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Never mind the lunch break you had carefully planned for 12:00 on the dot, nobody has to know that the real reason you can’t bear to be outside anymore is because your gloves have been entirely soaked through and your fingers are now in imminent danger of frostbite from the -20° weather. Away with schedules and herald in the new, spontaneous you!
Waterproof gear is essential
7. Learn something new
No, I’m not talking about skiing techniques. Some of the most valuable lessons to be had while skiing in the Alps are about the cultural differences - naked Germans in the sauna and cheesy Austrian après-ski hits. Culture clash can be scary, but in the interest of giving a good image to your own nation, it’s important you grasp the finer nuances of the land you are visiting. Now, repeat after me: “Oon-bee-ye-er.” “Oon-bee-YE-er.” “Une bière.” “Une bière, see-eel-voo-play.” “Une bière, s’il vous plait.” There, now you’ve learned French.
Photo by Tanja on Flickr
8. Care about family more
What better family bonding is there than pointing fingers in the morning to find out who’s to blame for not getting out the door early enough? The day is off to a good start as you all pile into the lift and peruse the map to find the best runs of the day. Ten minutes in, your youngest is dying to go to the loo and your pre-teen is whinging about missing the best part of the morning. On second thoughts, perhaps the best family bonding experience is to be had by enrolling the kids in some lessons with the top-notch instructors at the resort. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! …right?
Photo by Visit Lakeland on Flickr
Disclaimer: This article is intended to be humorous and no blame should be attributed to Snowplaza in the event that the information contained therein should be discovered to be not quite, er, 100% accurate…
About Danielle
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!