Most people spent their time inside their homes because of the pandemic, so it’s safe to say that many of them started gaining some pounds in the last few months.
"Does hiking help you lose weight?" is a question that a lot of people have been asking lately because they also want to enjoy nature while losing weight.
Definitely, hiking is a good alternative if you don’t want to spend your time in an enclosed space doing cardio and lifting weights.
Since hiking for weight loss became a new trend, let’s find out if hiking can really help you burn those calories.
Hiking for Weight Loss
Hiking is definitely a great way to lose weight but if you are in a rush and want immediate results, it is better to hit the gym and do workouts and cardio.
It’s better to have the disclaimer at the beginning so you won’t expect too much when you start hiking.
If your main goal is to lose weight before anything else, then hiking is not the right one for you.
If you want to maintain your health first and you’re not in a rush to lose weight, then hiking is a good activity to try.
Benefits of Hiking to Lose Weight
Hiking to lose weight can give you a few small benefits, though, such as:
More Fun
Let’s face it; it’s more fun to hike with your friends than to stay inside a gym doing cardio for three hours every day.
Gym exercises are repetitive, and even if you have companions, you meet the same person every day.
You don’t see any beautiful sceneries, and there’s no fresh air inside.
Hiking is like a complete package. You can enjoy the scenery and try different trails while losing weight.
You’re Not Pressured
When you’re working out in a gym or on a tight budget, you are more pressured than you think.
It’s because you are doing so much that you wanted a change to happen immediately.
It’s more of an issue on your mindset. It’s like, “I’m working really hard to lose weight, so I need to see some results after a few months.”
You can deny that you’re not pressured, but that’s what it is.
Instead of pressuring yourself, enjoy the moment when you’re hiking.
You can forget about your weight loss regimen and just enjoy the hike.
You also don’t need to do it every day. You can go hiking during the weekend and just enjoy the weekdays doing whatever you want.
It takes time to see the results that you want, but you’re not stressed.
Remember that stress can stop you from losing weight. The more stress you experience every day, the harder it is to lose weight.
Lifestyle Change
When you start hiking, you will see a big difference in your overall lifestyle.
In the past, you would just stay home during the weekend and lie down the whole day.
Now, you are making yourself more active and leaving that sedentary lifestyle.
Compared to working out, hiking is also a leisure activity. You can change your lifestyle completely by simply enjoying the sceneries on the trail with your family and friends.
Hiking to Lose Weight Tips
Does hiking burn fat? It’s a big yes because hiking will slowly burn your fats.
It is not as fast as working out in a gym and doing cardio, but it can help you reduce those fats from your body.
There are ways on how you can fully utilize hiking and lose weight faster.
Below are a few tips to help you make that goal achievable.
Tip #1: Start a Long Hike Once a Week
If you’re new to hiking, start with a long hike once a week. Long hikes can range from one hour up to 12 hours.
For beginners, one to three hours would be a good start. Don’t force yourself to go over six hours on your first hike.
You need to get used to all the walking and changes in the terrain before you log more hours on the trail.
After the first week, you can start increasing your long hike by about 10 percent.
After spending three hours on your first hike, you can increase your next hike by a few minutes to an hour, depending on your preference.
Here is the trick. After four to six weeks of long hikes or after reaching around eight to 10 hours of hiking, cut your hike hours by 30 to 50 percent.
That would allow your body to rest and strengthen. Remember that putting your body under pressure for a long time will not give your muscles enough time to recover.
The exhaustion you'll feel might also discourage you to on hikes in the future.
Tip #2: Learn to Pace
Hiking is not a race. There is nothing that requires you to follow the fast hikers and keep up with them.
To get the best fat-burning power, you should hike at low intensity.
What does it mean? Just relax and breathe through your nose while walking.
If you’re really serious about your weight loss, you can get a heart rate monitor.
Your fat-burning zone will be around 60 to 75 percent of your max heart rate. It can be set up to alert you if you already out of the zone.
Once you’re out of the zone, the heart rate monitor will immediately inform you.
Tip #3: Don’t Track Your Calories on Trail Days
Well, you’re probably doing a bit of diet since you want to speed up your weight loss.
That’s fine, and you can do it the whole week, but not during your trail days.
While you’re on the trail, your body will continuously ask you for food.
Since you’ve been on a diet the whole week, your body will start feeling weak if you go on a trail with an empty stomach.
The best thing you can do is eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re already satisfied. You don’t need to make yourself full.
Even if you are allowed to eat on the trail, make sure you still eat a balanced meal.
Don’t eat junk foods. You can have a bit of chocolate if you want since it gives you energy, but don’t go overboard.
Tip #4: Do Simple Aerobic Exercises
If you’re not going to hike regularly throughout the week or can only do it on weekends, do simple aerobic exercises.
Try jogging for at least 30 minutes every day or do some simple exercises before you go to work.
The goal is to keep your body moving throughout the week for your body will stay healthy and fit before your next hike.
Is Hiking a Good Way to Lose Weight?
Does hiking help you lose weight? Yes, hiking is a great way to burn your fats and lose weight.
However, don’t expect that it would provide the same result as doing gym exercises and cardio.
Hiking is just a more intense type of walking, so you should not expect immediate results.
If you don’t have a lot of time to hit the gym and you want to do something exciting, go hiking every weekend so you can burn your fats faster.
Can Hiking Burn Belly Fat?
Belly fat is the hardest fat to remove in the body, but if you can go hiking regularly, you can see a significant change in your tummy.
That said, you cannot get immediate results. Most of the time, the fat from the other body parts is burned first before your belly fat.
As such, you might notice that everything else is already slim, but your belly is still the same.
How Often Should You Hike to Lose Weight?
Since the answer to "Does hiking burn fat?" is yes, in terms of calories, hiking can burn up to 500 per hour.
If you are hiking for four hours a week, you are also burning 2,000 calories.
Hiking two times a week can already help you lose weight. If you can do it more frequently, you can definitely speed up your weight loss!
But, you don’t need to pressure yourself. Even if you only go on a hike once a week, you can still see a significant change in your weight.
As long as you track your food intake and have a balanced diet the whole week, you can burn a lot of fats through hiking.
Is Hiking or Running Better for Weight Loss?
Running can help you burn calories faster, but can you maintain a speed of 10 miles per hour for a long time?
Running at 10 miles per hour can help you burn over 700 calories in just 30 minutes.
Start Hiking and Lose Weight While Having Fun
Losing weight is not a fun process. You need to give up some foods you love to eat and need to take a few hours off your free time to work out.
Hiking for weight loss is a fun way to shed some pounds.
Follow the simple tips above, and you will surely see significant changes in your weight in just a few months.
Plus, don't forget to gear up properly. Have your hiking boots and daypack ready!