Hiking: Why it should be important to everyone.
By: Amy Faux
By far my favorite form of exercise is hiking. Some day I would love to hike the Appalachian Trail or travel to Spain and participate in the Camino de Santiago. I’m not great at it and I’m not in tip-top shape but it’s something that I love and hey, it’s exercise. Hiking is one of the forms of exercise that anyone can do. There are different levels of trail difficulty so everyone can participate.
Here are 5 reasons why you should consider hiking more
- Hiking is categorized as an aerobic exercise.
- It strengthens your cardiorespiratory fitness, which affects your heart, lungs and blood vessels. It strengthens your muscles, helps with sleep and can help you lose weight. Studies have shown that on average you can burn up to 250-500 calories per hour hiking (depending on what level of trail you are on). It’s also been proven that losing weight through forms of exercise, such as hiking, can help keep weight off longer than fad diets and prevent re-gaining weight.
- It has other health benefits.
- Keeping your heart healthy also contributes to the health of the rest of your body. It can reduce your risk of stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers and even Type 2 diabetes.
- Kids get the same health benefits.
- It’s so important for kids to exercise to release energy and maintain their weight. It’s no secret that much of our youth are overweight. Hiking is fun for them. They get a chance to experience nature firsthand while also experiencing the great health benefits. Hiking improves their cardiovascular and muscular fitness, helps with their bone health and helps them sleep better at night.
- You don’t have to be in perfect shape to start.
- Since there are so many different levels of hiking trails, it’s so easy for anyone to do it. If you’re new you can start easy and work your way up as you get better and more fit. Trails start at easy (0-7 scale) and can go all the way to extreme (28+).
- It helps you mentally.
- Studies have proven that being in nature, away from the busyness of cities can help heal people mentally. It calms the brain and helps with depression and suicidal thoughts. As someone who suffers from depression, this is true. I always feel so at peace when I’m out on a trail. I don’t have any bad memories of hiking. Whenever I’m feeling down, I think of hiking and it makes me feel better.
Hiking provides a lot of the same health benefits as any exercise, but it’s more enjoyable and possible for anyone. Nature is beautiful. Spend time outside and go hiking. It has so many more benefits than just physical health. Make memories, love exercising and love yourself
Sources:
Adams, Jeff. “The Many Benefits of Hiking.” Active. Active, n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2016
“Hike Difficulty Calculator.” Hike Difficulty Calculator. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
Robinson, Kara Mayer. “Hiking Benefits Heart, Mind, and Body.” WebMD. WebMD, 15 Sept. 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
“The Top Ten Health Benefits of Hiking.” Have Fun Stay Safe Tread Lightly. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
Wise, Abigail. “Proof That Hiking Makes You Happier And Healthier.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 18 July 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.