http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GO0gAfr_n0
As the snow falls, forecasts over the next 24 hours call for totals in the Columbus area ranging from 6 inches to one foot. This snowfall provides both an exercise opportunity and a danger for those of us looking to lose weight.
The good news is that shoveling snow can provide an good calorie-burning exercise session. A 200-pound person can burn nearly 300 calories with thirty minutes of moderate shoveling. At 260 pounds, that calorie total reaches 400 for a half-hour of shoveling. These are fairly good calorie-burning totals for a chore that needs to be done.
However, snow shoveling can be dangerous, especially for those with underlying health concerns. It is no surprise that the overweight, especially those of us who need to lose large amounts of weight, have a propensity for heart problems. Shoveling snow, with the repetitive lifting and tossing, places a large strain on the cardiovascular system. The rate of heart attacks can triple on days with heavy snows, and the likelihood of suffering a heart attack will always be worse for the overweight and sedentary.
The key culprit for this risk is the fact that snow shoveling is hard, anaerobic exercise. Light to moderate aerobic exercise can actually cause blood pressure to drop, even while the heart beats harder, because blood vessels expand to allow faster delivery of oxygen to the working muscles. With anaerobic exercise, the vessels do not expand as much, so the heart will work harder and blood pressure increases at the same time. For this reason, those with heart conditions and those with hypertension are most at risk while shoveling snow.
There are a number of ways to reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow. First, warm-up with some light aerobic exercise, perhaps taking a short walk, to get your body ready to exercise. Second, use a shovel with a small blade or take small scoops with the larger shovel. There is no reason to be a hero and try to clear the entire driveway in one swipe. Another piece of advice is to push the snow to the side rather than lift and throw. This will reduce the most strenuous portion of the activity. Along the same lines, use proper lifting technique (hold the load close to your body and lift with your legs, only twisting or throwing after you have straightened up) to make the effort as easy as possible. Finally, take some breaks if you become tired. Just a few minutes of break every ten to fifteen minutes can help prevent a serious situation.
http://www.ruli.to/snow-remediation-is-an-essential-evil-when-it-involves-possessing-a-house-and-the-larger-your-spread-the-more-snow-youll-have-to-take-on/
