Hiking Benefits

Sure you know that hiking is good exercise and its a great way to get in touch with nature, but there's just a ton of other benefits to hiking. When you go on a hiking tour, you help make the world a better place!

• Weight Loss

   - Hiking is a super way to lose excess pounds. Obesity is now an epidemic in the United States according to the surgeon general - that's bad! 64% of adults are overweight and more than 30% are considered obese. Our sedentary lives, stuck in offices, in front of computers, surfing this miserable internet is killing us off. Move your body, burn off some calories, and lose weight.

• Prevent Heart Disease

   - Over 2500 Americans die every day from cardiovascular diseases. While you've read this far, someone died and by the time you read this entire page 5 more will be dead. A regular walking routine greatly reduces your chances of heart problems. Study after study after study show that regular, light exercise increases your odds immensely.

• Decrease Cholesterol

   - Hiking and walking increase the HDL good cholesterol which helps get rid of the bad cholesterol. This in turn reduces your chances of heart problems.

• Lower Blood Pressure

   - Going on a short hike of 30 minutes every other day is all it takes. Lower blood pressure means better overall health.

• Reduce Stress and Depression

   - Your body's natural drugs like endorphins and adrenaline are released when hiking and these chemicals have a natural positive effect on your stress levels.

• Stronger Longer

   - As you age, you do not need to experience a decline in physical activity. By staying active, your muscles stay strong. As you get older, your body will weaken, but regular hiking helps minimize that.

• Prevent Osteoporosis

   - Hiking helps increase bone density and strength, helping prevent the calcium loss and chance of broken bones from this disease.

• Better Air

   - Hiking to church, the store, school, or a local restaurant reduces the pollution from your car which makes the air better for everyone.

• Prevent Diabetes

   - Hiking can reduce the amount of insulin a Type I diabetic. A Type II diabetic can reverse the course of the diabetes with exercise, diet, and weight loss.

• Improve Arthritis

   - A regular exercise program can benefit most people that have been diagnosed with and treated for arthritis. Walking may be the best exercise as it strengthens muscles and improves support.

• Relief from Back Pain

   - Sitting at a computer or desk too long can cause back pain. People that walk commonly report significant decreases in back pain. Hiking puts much less stress on your body than running or aerobics and helps build core body strength.

• All Body Exercise

   - Hiking is an aerobic exercise that improves overall physical fitness, using leg muscles, core body muscles, and lungs. You set the pace and length that is a comfortable challenge for your body.

• Experience Nature

   - Hikers explore natural settings that can only be reached on foot, leaving the hectic urban life and pollution behind for awhile.

• Self Confidence

   - As more advanced hikes are completed, a hiker understands that he is capable of even larger feats. Making your way through foul weather or rugged terrain builds your confidence in what you can do.

• Basis of Much More

   - By mastering hiking skills, you expand your horizons to mountaineering, backpacking, rock climbing and other outdoor wilderness activities.

• Year Round

   - You can continue to hike any time of the year. It is a great activity that can be done in all seasons so a single hiking tour can have many different looks as the seasons change.

• Escape and Refreshment

   - the psychological effects of spending time in natural surroundings is positive and strong. Time spent on the trail will renew you for better performance in your job and life back in the real world.

Or, read more about:
Getting Ready to Hike
Planning a Hike