Hiking and Weight Control
Hiking and weight control go hand-in-hand. Did you ever fill out one of those online calorie counters that will determine how many calories a day you need? They sometimes ask questions about your metabolism and activity level. I don’t know about you, but I’m never sure what to enter here.
Despite the fact that I’ve been privileged to participate in some great physical activities in my lifetime, I’m not a professional adventurer. Despite the fact that I’ve always been an active, athletic person, I’m now over 60 and the metabolism and body aren’t what they once were. Drat. When I’m hiking, canoeing, bicycling, etc it’s true that I’m recreating vigorously, but in between there are long days of working at my desk, “crash” days when I’m curled in a recliner with a good novel, weeks when there is little motivation to hike farther than the mailbox.
Keeping my weight in check when I’m backpacking isn’t much of a problem. In that situation the food is rationed and packaged and I’m walking for hours every day over varied terrain. Day hiking and eating out, however, can become a real problem. Restaurant portions are too large, and it’s easy to tell myself that I afford to eat a little extra.
The truth is that a walk of a few hours isn’t usually enough to work off the extra calories of a big meal. A 2004 Syracuse University experiment determined that between 74 and 88 calories were burned per mile of walking, depending on the size of the individual. An average pace for many adults is 2 miles an hour. So, for an hour-long walk, a small woman might burn 148 calories. However, that same woman, sitting in her chair with a book would burn about 60 calories. Walking for an hour is only a net gain of 88 calories. Not even worth one of those little portioned snacks. Bummer.
Despite the fact that I’ve been privileged to participate in some great physical activities in my lifetime, I’m not a professional adventurer. Despite the fact that I’ve always been an active, athletic person, I’m now over 60 and the metabolism and body aren’t what they once were. Drat. When I’m hiking, canoeing, bicycling, etc it’s true that I’m recreating vigorously, but in between there are long days of working at my desk, “crash” days when I’m curled in a recliner with a good novel, weeks when there is little motivation to hike farther than the mailbox.
Keeping my weight in check when I’m backpacking isn’t much of a problem. In that situation the food is rationed and packaged and I’m walking for hours every day over varied terrain. Day hiking and eating out, however, can become a real problem. Restaurant portions are too large, and it’s easy to tell myself that I afford to eat a little extra.
The truth is that a walk of a few hours isn’t usually enough to work off the extra calories of a big meal. A 2004 Syracuse University experiment determined that between 74 and 88 calories were burned per mile of walking, depending on the size of the individual. An average pace for many adults is 2 miles an hour. So, for an hour-long walk, a small woman might burn 148 calories. However, that same woman, sitting in her chair with a book would burn about 60 calories. Walking for an hour is only a net gain of 88 calories. Not even worth one of those little portioned snacks. Bummer.
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Nevertheless, there’s no sense getting depressed and eating another cookie. If you don’t increase your calorie intake, then burning those 88 calories a day would get rid of a pound in just 40 days. Perhaps not spectacular, but in the right direction. If you can increase your pace to 3 miles an hour, you’ll burn a net 162 calories. Now we’re getting somewhere. If you do nothing else, you can walk off a pound in three weeks. Remember, these figures are for a small woman. If you are average or tall, you’ll burn even more calories. But it’s hardest for those of us who are short.
Were you expecting some magic hiking or walking cure for weight loss? Sorry. The bottom line is that you have to balance your calorie intake and your activity level, and choose a healthy diet to go with it all. But don’t despair. Anyone in reasonable health with the motivation can find an eating/activity plan that will result in your desired weight.
To be honest, I’m about five pounds overweight. What’s lacking? The motivation to bump those few pounds. The older I get, the harder it is to stay under 120 pounds. So, at least as you read this you will know that this advice is not coming from someone who looks like a toothpick and can eat donuts all day long without gaining an ounce.
What is needed is a healthy diet geared to your caloric needs, and regular exercise. If you are more active, your metabolism will also increase, so that you can eat a little more. That is great news! You’ll feel better too, and your body will crave activity, making it easier to go out for a daily walk.
Were you expecting some magic hiking or walking cure for weight loss? Sorry. The bottom line is that you have to balance your calorie intake and your activity level, and choose a healthy diet to go with it all. But don’t despair. Anyone in reasonable health with the motivation can find an eating/activity plan that will result in your desired weight.
To be honest, I’m about five pounds overweight. What’s lacking? The motivation to bump those few pounds. The older I get, the harder it is to stay under 120 pounds. So, at least as you read this you will know that this advice is not coming from someone who looks like a toothpick and can eat donuts all day long without gaining an ounce.
What is needed is a healthy diet geared to your caloric needs, and regular exercise. If you are more active, your metabolism will also increase, so that you can eat a little more. That is great news! You’ll feel better too, and your body will crave activity, making it easier to go out for a daily walk.
Walking and hiking are easy, proven aerobic exercise. They don’t require special equipment, not even a pair of hiking boots unless you want them. You won’t be staring at a blank wall in the gym. You may come home having seen some interesting wildlife or a beautiful flower to enrich your soul as well as your body.
Probably the most important part of walking as exercise is to do it regularly. You will need to develop a plan that you can live with. Maybe you are willing to drive to a park each day, maybe you need to be able to just walk out your door and follow a route of interesting streets. If you can walk two miles an hour that’s a great start, but try to work up to three per hour, or more, and you’ll experience even greater benefits without any gym costs, or purchasing any expensive hiking and camping equipment.
Add a daypack and hiking sticks and the effects are even better. Using hiking poles can burn extra calories because you’ll be using upper body muscles too.
Even if you never develop a desire go stock up on hiking gear and take on a 4400-mile walk, those good old reliable principles of eating right and walking regularly will go a long way towards a maintaining an appropriate weight and enjoying good health. Go for it!
Joan H. Young
Probably the most important part of walking as exercise is to do it regularly. You will need to develop a plan that you can live with. Maybe you are willing to drive to a park each day, maybe you need to be able to just walk out your door and follow a route of interesting streets. If you can walk two miles an hour that’s a great start, but try to work up to three per hour, or more, and you’ll experience even greater benefits without any gym costs, or purchasing any expensive hiking and camping equipment.
Add a daypack and hiking sticks and the effects are even better. Using hiking poles can burn extra calories because you’ll be using upper body muscles too.
Even if you never develop a desire go stock up on hiking gear and take on a 4400-mile walk, those good old reliable principles of eating right and walking regularly will go a long way towards a maintaining an appropriate weight and enjoying good health. Go for it!
Joan H. Young
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"Get Off the Couch with Joan"
These ten essays were previously published as newspaper columns chronicling two years of hikes on the North Country Trail. A reviewer has said;
"Young has an easy, breezy way of writing that makes reading both pleasurable and informative."
--- Big Rapids Pioneer (Michigan)
Joan Young has enjoyed the out-of-doors her entire life. She was inspired by her adventures in Girl Scouts, which provided early training in camp skills, numerous short backpacking excursions, a 10 day canoe trip and even an invitation to the Senior Scout Round-Up in Coeur d‘Alene, Idaho.
In 1986 Joan rode a bicycle cross-continent from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean.
Not resting on her laurels, on August 3, 2010, Joan Young became the first woman to hike the complete North Country National Scenic Trail. She covered 4,395 miles on foot.
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