8 Reasons Why This Girls Holiday May be Good for Your Health! Serious!

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Need a break from the hum-drum of daily life? Wish you could have a bit more fun and adventure in your life? How does the idea of a week break with your best girlfriends and other like-minded gals skiing or snow boarding sound? Awesome, right? Well, just in case you need any more convincing, we’ve put together these 8 reasons why skiing or snowboarding with a group of other women could be good for your health.

Get Healthier & Happier! Get on the Ski Slopes!

Enhance Your Mood and Well-being

It is widely recognised that exercise boosts mood and well-being. Even moderate activity can prompt the brain to release endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine –your bodies very own feel good chemicals.

South Korean researchers from Yonsei University found that skiing (even one off ski trips) are good for your mental health.

‘Adult playfulness can influence people’s happiness, while activities and socially convening around a sporting activity, such as skiing have positive psychological outcomes and contribute to overall well-being,’ explained Head researcher Hyun-Woo Lee.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Hitting the slopes to soaking up the magnificent scenery also has the added benefit of exposing you to some much-needed Vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D plays a vital role in bone health but researchers are now discovering it may also play an important role in mental health too. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with depression and other mental health problems. Exposing your skin to the sun (in moderation) to get vitamin D enhances your mood and energy levels.

Burn Excess Calories

Did you know that downhill skiing is known to burn more calories per hour than any other physical activity? It’s true! You can burn over 400 calories in an hour skiing or snowboarding! (That’s got to make it one of the most fun and effective ways of losing weight!)

Improve Muscle Strength and Tone

Skiing and snowboarding involves engaging multiple muscle groups in your body. Using your arms, legs and core muscles at the same time ensures balanced muscle development. Yes, getting out on the slopes will give you an excellent core workout without a single sit-up or crunch! You’ll be using your abdominals and obliques to balance, twist and turn without even knowing.

Improve Cardiovascular Health

The physical activity involved in skiing or snowboarding is great for enhancing your cardiovascular health. Just like the other muscles in your body, your heart needs to be challenged to become stronger.

Strengthen Bones and Joints

Weight-bearing activities (those done on your feet that work your bones and muscles against gravity such as skiing and snowboarding) improve the strength of bones. This is particularly important for women. Bone loss normally begins in the mid-30’s, and pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause and the removal of ovaries can all lower bone mass. So get out and get active ladies!

Promotes Deep Sleep

A day carving up powder on the slopes will leave you exhausted in the best possible way– paving the way to a restful night’s sleep (so you’ll be ready and raring to get up and do it all again tomorrow!)

Socialising Can Reduce Symptoms of Depression

Notice how you always feel in better spirits after a good catch up with your girlfriends? According to researchers at the University of Dublin, socialising can reduce the symptoms of depression.

‘Increased social interaction helps to rebuild [your] self-esteem which in turn enables [you] to maintain and develop positive relationships and friends, explained Ms Kathleen Lynch TD, Minister for Disbility,Equality, Mental Health and Older People.

Add to this the sense of achievement that results from progressing and developing your skiing or boarding skills in a non competitive environment and you have the recipe for a fabulous, feel good week away.

For the ultimate New Zealand snow trip check out Alpine World’s ‘She Ski’s’ Ladies Tour.

7 nights accommodation 3 star+
Welcome dinner at Tequila Mockingbird 4 courses of a delicious menu
6 day lift pass
7 cooked breakfast
Airport Transfers from Christchurch to the hotel
Tekapo Hot Springs pool entry
Driver/Guide/Host for tour duration
Transport
Instant like-minded ski/board friends

Optional extras

Rental skis boots and pole/snowboard and boots add $100 NZD
Lessons and rental skis boots and pole/snowboard and boots add $200 NZD

Top 4 Highlights

Explore 6 different mountains over 6 days
3 nights in Queenstown, the ‘adventure capital of the world.’
Ski/Ride Ohau, remote ski field far off the beaten track
Soak in hot pools whilst gazing up at the stars in Lake Tekapo, an International Dark Sky Reserve

Cost: $2849 pp

Flights can be arranged from only $550pp