Forget the gym, head outside to burn off those holiday calories

Admit it.

Already, your pants are feeling too tight from all the holiday cookies, eggnog and Christmas ham.

The only thing that's thin, in fact, is your wallet -- thanks to all that gift shopping.

So when your body finally tells you it's time to get moving (we suspect that might happen around now), how do you start exercising without joining a pricey gym?

Easy. Let your tax dollars pay for your workout and go hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, or even snowboarding at your local forest preserve.

And no excuses. We know the forest preserves can be scattered -- and it can be confusing to figure out which preserve offers which activities -- so we've done the homework for you.

So change into some elastic-waist workout pants, bundle up and find your new (and cheap) winter workout.

Snowboarding

There is only one place you can shred -- which is pretty cool considering this isn't Colorado -- and that's Raging Buffalo snowboard park on Route 31 in Algonquin. (It's leased from the Kane County Forest Preserve District.)

The park features two rope tows, half pipes, kickers, table tops, staircase and a magic carpet on the beginner hill.

Snowboarding will cost you, though, and daily admission ranging from $32 to $45. Lessons and rentals are available for an additional fee,

For more information, visit www.ragingbuffalo.com.

Snowshoeing

Bust out that tennis racket-looking footwear at any preserve in Kane County, but the district recommends these spots. (Could that be because they all have warming houses?) Oakhurst, Fifth Avenue east of Farnsworth Avenue, Aurora; Fabyan, Route 31 north of Fabyan Parkway, near Geneva; Johnson's Mound, Hughes Road west of Fabyan Parkway, near Elburn.

At the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, snowshoeing is allowed on all trails, but these trails are recommended:

Blackwell, Butterfield Road west of Winfield Road, Warrenville; Danada, Naperville Road south of Butterfield Road, Wheaton; Fullersburg Woods, Spring Road south of 31st Street, Oak Brook, Greene Valley, Greene Road north of 75th Street, Naperville; Herrick Lake, Butterfield Road west of Naperville Road, Wheaton; Waterfall Glen, Northgate Road west of Cass Avenue, Darien, West DuPage Woods, Route 59 north of Roosevelt Road, West Chicago; Springbrook Prairie, Plainfield-Naperville Road south of 75th St., Naperville.

To hear the trail-conditions report, call (630) 871-6422.

Cross-country skiing

This is by far the most popular way to rev up your heart rate at the forest preserves. The most important thing to know is that it requires about 4 inches of snow no matter where you go.

• If you're new to the sport, it's worth a trip to Camp Sagawau, at 12454 W. 111th St. in south suburban Lemont. Here they've got a complete Nordic ski program, including lessons for all ability levels, nature ski tours and rentals.

But to find the best Cook County centers for seasoned skiers, check out Beverly Lake, at Route 72 west of Route 59, Barrington; and Deer Grove, Quentin Road north of Dundee Road, Palatine.

• In DuPage County, you can cross-country ski in all preserves. But the same trails recommended for snowshoeing are also groomed for classical and skate cross-country skiing.

• The Kane County Forest Preserve District offers cross-country skiing at five: Campton, Town Hall Road west of Randall Road; Oakhurst, Fifth Avenue east of Farnsworth, Aurora; Rutland, on the Great Western Trail west of Wasco Road; Batavia Branch Prairie Path; Hampshire, Allen Road west of Route 20, in Hampshire.

Bonus: four of them have warming houses, except for Rutland.

• There are more than 30 sites to strap on your skis in the Lake County Forest Preserve District. But workers groom the trail at the Winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve, Route 176 west of Fairfield Road, near Wauconda.

Avid skiers flock to Ryerson Woods (on Riverwoods Road, between Half Day and Deerfield roads, near Deerfield). To check for current winter sports conditions call (847) 968-3235.

For a punishing workout, try the 31 miles of Des Plaines River Trails, which connects 10 forest preserves. You can access the trail from Independence Grove, Buckley Road east of Milwaukee Avenue, near Libertyville.

• Skip a weekend on the couch and, instead, head to the McHenry County Conservation District for its Candlelight Skis, which happen at various sites from 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 23. The next ski is at Marengo Ridge, 3100 N. Route 23, Marengo. Call (815) 338-6223 for the location before each ski.

No worries if you don't live near Marengo, though, because cross-country skiing is available at 15 of the district's preserves. And at Glacial Park, 6316 Harts Road in Ringwood, they have a volunteer group that monitors the trails and -- you guessed it -- the district's only warming center.

Hiking

Regular hiking trails are typically still maintained at nearly all forest preserves. So if you have a favorite (or just one nearby that you've always ignored), now is the time to get your hustle on.

You can also get a jump start on that New Year's resolution and join the Night Hike through woodlands and meadows from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 30 at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, Butterfield Road west of Naperville Road, in Wheaton. For details, call (630) 850-3722.

Ice skating

"Skate at your own risk" is the mantra at most local forest preserves, including the lakes and ponds in DuPage and Cook counties.

But a safer alternative is offered at man-made rinks in Lake County. Visit Old School Forest Preserve on St. Mary's Road, south of Route 176 and north of Town Line Road, which is open until sunset, or the Lakewood Winter Sports Area near Wauconda, which is lit and open until 9 p.m.

Learn more

• Forest Preserve District of Cook County: fpdcc.com

• Forest Preserve District of DuPage County: dupageforest.com

• Kane County Forest Preserve District: kaneforest.com

• Lake County Forest Preserve District: lcfpd.org

• McHenry County Conservation District: mccdistrict.org