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When the weather gets warmer, there's nothing we want to do more than explore the wilderness just beyond our backyards. As you're lacing up your hiking shoes and rubbing in your sunscreen, it's fair to start thinking about how hiking can fit into your fitness routine. Hitting the trails is a great way to unwind and appreciate the natural world, and it feels like a full-body workout when you're done, too.
So what's the official take — can hiking count as your cardio workout for the day? In short: yes. And it's especially effective if you're hiking on a rugged surface, as opposed to a maintained dirt or asphalt path.
Many hikes also include elevation changes — hills and mountains — that add to the cardio benefits. One of our editors hiked to Mount Everest base camp and back — now that's cardio with elevation change. Compared to other forms of cardio, Stephanie acknowledged that hiking probably won't spike your heart rate the way running does.
Hiking can help you manage your weight. It is a joint-friendly form of exercise that can keep arthritis sufferers more limber and mobile. Being outside in the sunshine provides the body with vitamin D. For those with type 2 diabetes, hiking can possibly reduce, or even eliminate, your need for insulin. Talk with your doctor about how exercise may reduce your need for medication. For a person who has Type I insulin-dependent diabetes, walking can reduce the amount of insulin the person needs.
A person with Type II non-insulin dependent diabetes can actually reverse the course of the disease through diet, exercise and weight loss. Obesity Like all forms of exercise, hiking is one of the best ways to lose weight and is a method of stabilizing cholesterol levels.
On average, you burn calories for every mile you walk. Another way to look at it is in terms of how quickly you are walking. People who lose weight through hiking or walking maintain the loss and continue to lose while those who lose through dieting tend to gain weight again quickly. Walking releases this adrenaline.
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