Take a Hike! :: Fitness :: Cardio Exercise

> Fitness > Cardio Exercise > walking and running

Take a Hike!
by author Nancy Bowman

As a child I loved to wander the hills surrounding our home in rural Pennsylvania. Today, preparing for a day hike up Chinese Mountain on Quadra Island, I get that same feeling of wanderlust as I pull my backpack from the closet and fill it with hiking gear and food.

One of the great things about hiking is how affordable and accessible it is. Very little special equipment is required. A comfortable pair of good hiking boots or shoes (depending on the trail), and a well-stocked backpack complete with water, energizing eats, and the standard hiking basics is all it takes to get you safely on the trail and back again.

Food for the Trail

We know the importance of taking a variety of high-energy, easy-to-eat foods and plenty of water on our sojourn. Eating lightly, but frequently, is the key to staying energized while hiking. Not eating enough can lead to dizziness, cramps, nausea, and fatigue.

Trail mix, sometimes called gorp, is considered by veteran hikers to be one of the best and most convenient quick energy foods. Primarily a combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, trail mix can also include chunks of carob or chocolate or chocolate chips. We always make our own, but a variety of trail-mix blends and energy bars are readily available at health food stores. We keep our food selections lightweight, compact, and easy to carry. Cheese and crackers or a pull-tab can of salmon or vegetarian pâté are a special trail treat. Fresh fruit, especially crisp apples, make a refreshingly nutritious snack. Remember, a strenuous hike can quickly lead to perspiration and water loss, so drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.

What to Wear

Organic cotton and hemp clothing, including shorts, pants, hats, and even hiking boots, are now available from several hiking and mountain equipment suppliers. A natural, toxin-free insect repellent and long-lasting SPF sunblock are two more important items to always have in your backpack.

Pack It In, Pack It Out

Every hiker knows the rule: whatever you come in with, you leave with. In other words, always pack out all your garbage. Mother Nature is not your maid or your refuse container, so leave nothing behind. If you want to give your karma a positive boost, you could even pick up any trash you find along the trail.

Day-Hike Reminders and Checklist:

Don’t hike alone.
Pack a first-aid kit.
Dress in layers.
Don’t drink water from lakes, streams, or rivers.
Pack a headlamp or flashlight.
Bring matches (in a waterproof container).
Pack a pocket knife.
Make a trip plan and leave it with a friend.
Bring a whistle.

Nancy Bowman is a freelance writer who loves exploring and writing about her adventures in BCâ€™s magnificent landscape.

Source: alive #299, September 2007

Running the Risks: Running vs Walking
There is no simpler or more natural workout than walking. It's easy, inexpensive and a great way to get in shap.

Running and Your Health
Do you love the feel of running in the great outdoors yet worry about the bad press running sometimes gets? You can continue to enjoy running as long as you alternate this activity with other types of exercise and take certain precautions.

Walk On
Walking - everybody's doing it! In fact, millions of North Americans have adopted walking as their main form of exercise. Walking is popular because it can be enjoyed just about anywhere.

Diversify for Fitness
If you've been faithfully logging miles in your jogging shoes and wonder why you are not getting fitter-or why you are not getting fitter faster-you may need to diversify your training. Improving your fitness requires challenging yourself by changing your routine occasionally.

Run for Your Life
You could look better, feel healthier, improve mood and self-confidence, sleep like a baby, reduce stress levels, boost energy, protect your heart and cardiovascular system, increase bone density, sharpen your vision...and all you need is a pair of running shoes. Sound too good to be true? Not so!

Take a Hike!
Hiking offers a cardiovascular workout that burns up to 400 calories an hour, calms the mind, and nourishes the spirit. The body is pleasantly relaxed, the mind lets go of trivial worries, and the beauty of the natural world reawakens the spirit.

Keeping an Older Metabolism Young
Let's face it-most of us never worry about our metabolisms when we are young. Unfortunately, as we age, our metabolic rates naturally declines. But research indicates that we don't have to experience a decline in metabolic activity with age-if we do the right things.

Move It or Lose It
Aging is inevitable. It is possible, however, to curb many of the effects of aging with regular physical activity. We all want to maintain quality of life and good health as we age, and exercise is essential to maintaining good health. The less we move, the more susceptible we are to various conditions and diseases, and thus the vicious cycle of inactivity begins.

Walking: The Ultimate in Fitness Freedom
Elizabeth was looking for a way to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety and achieve a heightened sense of well-being. She told me she hates going to the gym or swimming pool and is looking for another form of exercise to help her reach her fitness goal.

All It Takes is 10,000 Steps
Have you heard about Shape Up America's 10,000 Steps Program? Supported by the 2005 Healthy Living Strategy here in Canada, the program recommends that we strap on a pedometer to measure whether we're walking enough for good health.

I Walk; Therefore I am
More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates told his patients, "Walking is the best medicine. In the 18th century Thomas Jefferson pronounced, "Walking is the best possible exercise.

Extreme Frisbee
Had enough of playing Frisbee with your dog? Want to toss that disc with people who, like you, love the exhilarating feeling of pushing their bodies and working as a team? Then, ultimate Frisbee may be the sport for you.

Step Out with a Pedometer
How many steps do you take in a day? Studies show that Canadians take an average of 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day, and according to Health Canada, that's too few.

One Step At a Time
For some of us, the idea of starting a fitness program can be daunting; there are so many different exercise options to choose from. But we all do something every day that, when harnessed into a purposeful fitness regimen, can do wonders for our overall health and well-being.

Nordic Walking
My wife and I love to take a walk after dinner every evening, usually along the shores of Vancouver's False Creek inlet with mugs of tea in hand. Perhaps tonight we'll set down our tea and instead pick up a pair of lightweight Nordic walking poles for our stroll.

Swim, Bike, Run
Triathlon was introduced in the 1970s in California and migrated north into Canada soon thereafter. Some 50,000 Canadians participate annually in these continuously timed competitions, which feature segments in three of the world’s most popular sports—swimming, cycling, and running.