hiking - Blog - Macedonian Honey

 

It’s intensity level allows you to hike for hours, sometimes a full day, blasting hundreds of calories.

 

Lower intensity, longer duration activities may also improve blood cholesterol levels and improve insulin function. A Dutch study found that when the same number of calories are burned, low intensity activity done throughout the day (walking, standing) may be more effective than short, intense activity at improving blood cholesterol and insulin levels.

 

Adults weighing 150 to 200 pounds can burn 1,900 to 2,500 calories on a four hour hike.

Hiking with a pack requires you to work harder causing an increase in calories burned. A 150-pound person hiking with a 21-42 pound pack burns about 80 more calories per hour than when hiking without a pack.

If you want to lose weight, it’s important not to eat back all of the calories you’ve worked so hard to burn. Focus on a combination of snacks that supply complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and healthy fat that will keep you full with fewer calories. Jerky, dry cereal, vegetables with hummus, fruit with nut butter, and Honeystick are good choices that will stay fresh in a small insulated lunch bag for day hikes.

Exploring outdoor paths is also good for your brain. Research shows that just five minutes of exercise in a natural environment boosts your mood.A study from the University of Utah and the University of Kansas found that backpackers scored 50 percent better on a creativity test after spending four days in natural settings, disconnected from electronic devices. Away from our cell phones and tablet devices, our mind can relax, scientists say, freeing up our imagination.

Remember to dress comfortably and know that higher elevations can be colder, even snow-covered depending on how high you’re climbing.