Trekking to Lose Weight

When I think of all the people I’ve met hiking in the last 7 years, I can’t remember anyone who said they were hiking to lose weight. Maybe some of you didn’t feel comfortable admitting it, but I think that, generally speaking, weight loss is not a big factor for people to go trekking. But honestly, why the hell not? Many of my friends are almost obsessed with losing weight and maintaining their ideal body shape. I guess it’s a matter of mentality. Or maybe hiking in nature is not as trendy as going to a trendy gym for an hour or two every once in a while. God knows… But the truth is that trekking is one of the best ways to lose weight! You do not believe me? keep reading

When you work out at the gym, do aerobics or some high-energy sport, you can expect to burn between 4 and 800 calories per hour. Compare that to trekking and you’ll find trekking to be on the lower end of that range. While trekking, a “typical trekker” burns between 4 and 500 calories per hour. So why is trekking so good for losing weight?

The two main reasons are:

1. When you walk you do it all day. You burn calories from morning to night, not just for a couple of hours in a gym.

2. On the trekking trail you are far from the temptations of everyday life, the cookie jar, junk food restaurants, etc.

Let’s look at the math.

Let’s assume you’re a bit like me, male, 30 years old, around 160lbs/72kg.

1. You go hiking and have an extra 15-20 pounds (7-10 kg) of stuff in your pack. You do a good hike that is a bit difficult, but equally enjoyable. You walk for 8 hours a day, burning 500 calories per hour. That’s 4000 calories you burn right there. You’ll probably burn another 1,500 calories while you rest for the rest of the day.

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED: 5500 CAL/DAY

2. You do sports or intense training, half an hour a day. That will burn 800 calories. Besides that, you lead a normal life, with moderate activity, going to school, office or light physical work, shopping, housework, etc. To do this, your body will burn about 2700 calories a day.

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED: 3500 CAL/DAY

Do you see my point?

While trekking you burn 2000 more calories per day, compared to doing intense exercise! Well, at least in this example. The precise numbers are up to you. If you weigh more, carry a heavier backpack, hike longer, on rougher terrain, etc., you’ll burn even more calories. If you are smaller and take it easy, you will burn less. But these numbers are pretty typical.

Right, you probably eat a little more while you walk. But many of the extra calories burned will typically come from burning body fat. Trekking is a sustained activity, so it is easier for the body to burn body fat, at a slow but steady pace.

And besides being great for losing weight, trekking gets you up close to some spectacular natural landscapes and your own body as well. I don’t hike because I want to lose weight. I do it for the pleasure and the feeling that it gives me every time I have a few days of vacation or a couple of weeks off in some way. And even though I’m not overweight, I always come back much slimmer and, for some reason, with a fresher, more positive outlook on life!

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