Take a Hike!
Access your inner Mountain Lion and get moving!
Source: Seventeen
 Ick. The gym is always packed, and whenever
you're doing your lat pulls, there always seems to be an
ex-football player in a too-tight tank top sighing impatiently,
waiting for you to finish. You want a workout, but breathing
the re-circulated air in the gym is not your idea of a healthy
activity. Do you really need to sacrifice your emotional
well being for a workout? No way! If you want a workout that
will let you breathe fresh air, connect with your inner self,
and burn serious calories, hiking is your perfect match!
A 130-pound person hiking for four hours with a twenty-pound
pack will burn more than 1,200 calories! You'd have to rack
up some pretty serious mileage on the elliptical to come
close to that -- plus you don't even have the option of deer
and bear sightings. Even if you're a city girl, there's bound
to be a national park with hiking trails pretty close to
your home. Check out the National Park Service for a complete
directory of national parks, or check out your state's website
for a list of state parks. Once you have an idea of your
destination, round up some buds, and plan what hike you'd
like to do. Once you get to your destination, get a map of
the trail and talk to the Park Ranger about environmental
conditions and things to watch out for. Don't have gear?
No worries! Although plenty of people on the trail look like
they were caught in an EMS outlet explosion, all you need
for a beginning day hike are a good, supportive pair of sneakers,
an extra pair of socks, lightweight, layering clothes, a
flashlight, a compass, sunscreen, insect repellent, a big
bottle of water, and trail mix or granola bars for energy.
Sounds like a lot, but think of all the stuff you bring just
to go to the gym! And, if you decide you need a new water
bottle or jacket, check out REI for the best gear for any
outdoor sport.
If you're a beginning hiker, try a relatively easy trail
first to get the feel of it (i.e., don't plan to hike the
entire Appalachian Trail your first time out). If you want
to try staying overnight, pick a spot that's not too far
from the car or ranger station. For some ideas on food preparation
and safety, check out the tips on the Food Safety and Inspection
Services, and check out RecipeSource for some ideas on meals
to prepare. And, of course, make sure to dispose of your
food properly, and not leave anything lying around, because
cuddling up with a black bear or cougar in the middle of
the night is probably not your ideal camping situation. Finally,
when you leave, be respectful of your environment and take
everything you brought with you.
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