I am not a fan of winter. Luckily, I moved to Los Angeles a few years ago, so as I write this it is 70 degrees and sunny out in the midst of January. But after having spent nearly 30 winters freezing my ass off in the cold Northeast and even colder Midwest, I appreciate the need for anything that will get you through the endless stream of gray, cold days.

1. Skiing.

I conned my parents into private ski lessons as a kid and it was love at first sight. A love so devoted that as a New Englander, I would even brave temperatures of 15 below zero–and the frozen eyelashes that entails–in the event of the coveted and elusive good snowfall. When I hit college, we hit on the idea of flying out west for some bigger mountains and more pleasant weather, but the point remains. There is something ridiculously fun about strapping sticks to your feet and barreling down a mountain. Just make sure you get the boot and glove heaters for the cold days–they make a world of difference. And those fun new helmets that you can hook up your iPod to. (See also: snowboarding.)

2. Cross-country skiing.

As a downhill skier, I will cop to a huge prejudice against cross country skiing. Anyone who has pushed him or herself across a traverse, or even (dread!) had to go uphill will know that it is miserable. However, my husband persuaded me to try it and it turns out it is ridiculously awesome. Those light little cross country skis are a whole world of difference–a difference that makes me dream of moving to Iowa or somewhere else flat, where I can get low-impact, aerobic but not too stressful exercise with my dog running along next to me. Oh, and cheap?! So cheap! NB: Go for groomed trails if you can. I tried un-groomed trails once and thought I would die of exposure in the middle of a golf course.

3. Ice Skating.

Most people think of doing this one as romantic, at the sweet little rinks holding hands with your man while you wobble in gentle circles. But as the flamboyant gay man ice dancing as though he was rollerskating around cones at Venice Beach in the ’80s taught me, this can be more of a workout. If you have a frozen over pond near you, then you’re in luck. Get a pair of cheap skates off Craigslist, hook up your iPod, and go to town.

4. Snow Shoeing

I remember snow shoeing in Vermont with my dad when I was a kid. We strapped on ancient snow shoes that looked more like tennis racquets and walked through the quiet woods and saw trees that grew through rocks. Snow shoe technology has come a long way since then, morphing into fun, lightweight fancy gear that beckon to me from the L.L. Bean and REI catalogs. It really is pretty cool being able to walk on top of the snow, and it’s a peaceful, relaxing way to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Plus, keeping warm always burns calories — right?

5. Dog sledding

I am obsessed with the idea of getting to go on a dog sled ride. I doubt it can be considered exercise, per se, for the humans involved, but who cares? It has to be the most fun ever. For extra credit, you can also try skijoring, which basically involves getting a special harness for your dog and then letting him/her pull you along while you are on skis. Obviously this sounds amazingly fun, and one day I will do it. Oh, one sweet day.