Weight management – weight loss, to be more precise – has grown to become one of the primary goals of many people. You only need to look at the trend of so many workout regimens and exercise programs popping up all over to find proof of that. Each claims to be the most effective, the easiest, and the fastest in yielding results. Their programs often include some guidelines and, upon closer inspection and comparison, you may find that some of these programs are in conflict with each other. With those many contradictions, it is no wonder why people tend to become confused and give up on them altogether.
For all those contradictions and differences, however, most of these programs agree on one thing: walking is one of the most effective and sure-fire ways to lose weight, even better than running or jogging. But, given the chance, why simply walk when you can hike? Did you know that weight loss through hiking is also possible?
Hiking vs. Walking
Aside from maintaining a clean and healthy lifestyle and eating the proper type and amount of food, you should also increase your physical activity if you are serious about losing weight and keeping it down. Walking is considered to be the most popular exercise for people who want to manage their weight. However, before resigning yourself to walking as your only exercise, try comparing it with hiking first.
- Hiking Burns Calories Faster Than Walking
On a normal day, a man who weighs around 130 lbs hits the gym for an hour-long walking workout on a treadmill. Better yet, he would bring his music player, plug on his earphones and do some brisk walking for 1 hour. This would burn approximately 295 calories. If he walks any faster, say, at 4.5 mph, he could burn as much as 372 calories. The next day, he decides to hit the trails for some hiking. In one hour of cross-country hiking done on a regular pace, he will burn 354 calories. If he’s carrying a backpack, it will reach up to 413 calories. Hands down, hiking does burn more calories and at a faster rate than simply walking.
- Hiking Offers More Opportunities To Burn Calories Than Walking
Walking is as straightforward as it comes. Put on your walking shoes, pull on some proper clothes for walking, bring some water and your music player with you, and start walking a relatively straight and uncomplicated path. However, with hiking, you will have more ways of increasing the rate at which your body burns calories. Carrying a backpack alone will greatly speed up the process. So does having to deal with uneven terrain, such as climbing hills and mountain trails, or even something as simple as trying to go over rocks. Certain hiking tools and implements will also help you lose weight as well as make you leaner and stronger. Walking poles and backpacks are particularly handy when it comes to building up your upper body strength and endurance.
- Hiking Is More Fun Than Walking
If you love nature and you want to spend as much time as you could outdoors, hiking is definitely the better option. Walking could only take you to particular places, probably all-too-familiar places if you’ve walked through them countless times in the past. It becomes even more boring if all your walking is done in a gym. When you go hiking, you will be getting closer to nature and have a journey of discovery as you come across trails that are rarely taken.
Other Advantages of Hiking
Aside from the points discussed above, why else should you consider weight loss through hiking?
- Hiking Is Inexpensive: Walking on a treadmill will cost you a lot of money, from gym membership to rental or buying the equipment. But for hiking all you need is just a good pair of hiking boots, a backpack to hold the essentials, an enthusiasm to explore, and the drive and strong will to lose weight and stay fit. Buying your hiking gear on-line by using coupons for discount in outdoor merchants you’ll save even more money, and so hiking will definitely be the cheapest weight loss program
- Anyone Can Hike: Just like everyone can walk their way to thin, healthy and light, everyone could also take up hiking. Even older people can start hiking, even if they take the easiest trails.
- Hiking Offers Excitement: Hiking is, basically, an adventure, and that is not really something you can say about walking or working out in a gym. While you are exploring the unknown, learning new things about nature and soaking up the great outdoors, you are also working your way towards losing weight.
Hiking Is For Everyone
Hiking is definitely the best option for all around physical fitness, plus it has the advantage of looking into one’s mental fitness, too. Every part of the body, every muscle and joint, gets exercised while calories are burned faster. Bringing you closer to nature while doing all these will also take care of your emotional balance, taking you away from the distractions of your daily grind that, more often than not, are the main things that keep you from taking care of your health, your weight, and your body.
About the Author: Nick is a mountaineer and a rock-climber. He owns a blog dedicated to the great outdoors which offers Moosejaw Coupon Code, and Backcountry Redemption Code along with many outdoor tips-tricks and gear reviews. He is focused on motivating people live the adventure.
