How to burn a few calories at Great America without even trying
One: One lap around the park on the midways is one mile, says Great America spokeswoman Brooke Gabbert. But the average guest, she says, walks 10 miles per day.
456: That's how many calories the American Council on Exercise says you can burn in one hour of continuous, brisk walking if you are 140 pounds. (Heavier people will burn slightly more; lighter people, slightly less.) Florez says even two to four leisurely laps around the park can benefit your body.
Four: Not all attractions at Great America demand that you sit on your tush behind a harness. The park offers four areas that can burn some respectable calories: a climbing wall, a three-point shootout basketball game, a climbing ladder game and a Nintendo Wii Experience in its County Fair section, where you can play games that simulate fitness activities.
64: The most critical item to consume at any amusement park? "Water, water, water," Florez says. He says the key is to drink between 64 to 90 oz. of water during a daylong visit to ward off heat stroke and prevent overeating.
"When your body first feels hungry, mostly it's because you're dehydrated and your body sends off the incorrect signal," Florez says. "Drink frequently throughout the day. And if 90 oz. sounds like a lot, and it will, consider that it's only two to three sips per hour."
5: That's how many ounces of water you should drink before diving into that high-calorie ice cream sundae or churro.
"It's OK to go to the concession stand, but drink 5 to 10 ounces of water first so it will fill you up and you won't want to eat the whole thing," Florez says. He also said sno-cones and Popcicles ˆ- any water-based snacks - tend to have far fewer calories than denser foods.
And if you want to find healthy meals inside the park, Gabbert says here's where to find the smart choices: fresh salads at Papa John's, Mooseburger Lodge, Angelo's Pizza & Pasta and Aunt Martha's Chicken Dinner; fruit at Pink Flamingo; steamed vegetable bowls at Panda Express; carrot snacks and milk for kids in Wiggles World.
36: That's how many flights of stairs you would climb if you rode every water slide in Hurricane Harbor water park. The tallest one would take 549 stairs to get to the top, and Florez says stairs are one of the best calorie-burners at a theme park - especially if you climb them with zest.
He also says hanging out for a few rounds in the wave pool will engage all of your muscle groups and stimulate your cardiovascular system, giving you a light workout.
"Because you have to fight to hold your position and not get washed away, you are burning calories," says Florez. "Although it's not as efficient as if you are doing water aerobics, you are definitely doing some good."