5 Fun Summer Workouts to Blast Calories

Maybe it’s the sweat factor, but some women assume that a summertime stroll qualifies as a workout. No question, walking is a fitness fundamental, especially during the workweek. But why not try more invigorating and challenging outdoor activities on the weekend?

Recreational pursuits such as biking, hiking, and inline skating allow you to reap up to six times more fat-blasting, body-shaping benefits than cruising around the neighborhood on foot. And you don’t have to be a hard-core athlete or fitness freak to get the most out of the five we’re suggesting. Top off your normal weekday exercise routine with one of these exhilarating weekend activities, and you’ll be firmer and fitter by mid-July.

Weekend 1: Kayaking
Calories Burned: 340 per hour

Body Benefits

A sculpted upper body. “Pulling the paddle against the water is great resistance,” says 29-year-old Michelle Christensen of Baltimore, who spends summer weekends kayaking around the Chesapeake Bay. “You target your shoulders, triceps, biceps, back, and core.”