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Downhill skiing moderate effort is MET 5.3; vigorous effort is MET 7.0; cross-country skiing moderate is MET 9.0. Snowboarding moderate is MET 5.0. Multiply by body weight and active ski time.
Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Active Duration (hr)Skiing below 0°C increases thermogenic calorie cost 5–15%. Altitude above 2,000 m elevates basal metabolic rate 5–10%. Combined, add 10–20% to flat-terrain MET estimates for mountain resort conditions.
Adjusted Burn ≈ Base Calories × 1.10–1.20Post-ski recovery should include 1.0–1.2 g carbs/kg and 0.25–0.4 g protein/kg within 2 hours. For a 75 kg skier who burned 2,500 kcal, aim for 75–90 g carbs and 20–30 g protein at après-ski meal.
Recovery Carbs = Weight (kg) × 1.2 g; Protein = Weight × 0.3 gUpdated: July 2026
Recreational skier on blue runs with lift time excluded, resort altitude 1,800 m.
→ ~1,650 kcal burn; recovery: 84 g carbs, 21 g protein
Advanced skier on black diamonds with minimal lift rest, cold conditions (−5°C).
→ ~3,220 kcal burn; recovery: 96 g carbs, 24 g protein
Teen snowboarder on park and groomers for a 3-hour morning session.
→ ~975 kcal burn; recovery: 78 g carbs, 20 g protein
Only count time actively skiing or riding — typically 3–5 hours of a 7-hour mountain day. Lift time is near-resting MET (~1.5). Overestimating active time inflates calorie burn by 30–40%.
Even a half-day of skiing depletes significant glycogen from leg muscles. Failing to eat carbs and protein within 2 hours delays recovery and increases next-day fatigue on multi-day trips.
Alcohol impairs glycogen resynthesis and protein synthesis. Prioritize a proper meal with carbs and protein before indulging in après-ski drinks. One mulled wine (~150 kcal) does not replace 60 g of recovery carbohydrates.
A full day on the slopes burns substantial calories through sustained leg work, cold thermogenesis, and altitude effects. This calculator estimates skiing energy expenditure by intensity and duration, then translates burn into recovery nutrition targets for glycogen replenishment and muscle repair.