Hiking for weight loss. Help, tips, tricks please.

NikiChicken

Another Colorado hiker here. I typically hike 3-10 miles at a time and hiking is my absolute favorite form of exercise. I love it! As for gear, these are my recommendations:

Sturdy shoes with some ankle support to avoid turning your ankle in rocky/gravelly terrain. (Skechers aren't what you will want) Your shoes are, in my opinion, probably your most important piece of gear for hiking. Make sure they are comfortable and sturdy.

Lightweight, breathable clothing. Avoid jeans - they are uncomfortable when hiking and hot in the warm weather and cold in the cold weather. Get something that will wick away sweat, such as cotton or lycra. Bring layers, including a light, water resistant jacket, that you can add or subtract depending on the conditions. Conditions can change quickly, so layers are your best bet.
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Water bottle or camelback. Always bring more water than you think you will need!

A trail map of the area you will be

Snacks. Like the water, bring more than you think you will need. Granola bars, nuts and fruit are all good, easily portable ideas.

A fully charged cell phone, although reception is often a problem out on hiking trails

Leave your intended route map with a friend so if you don't get back in a reasonable time, people know where to start looking.

Tissues and/or wet wipes and some band aids. I can't count the number of times these have come in handy. Even on a very short 3-mile hike!

Sunscreen and chapstick. Don't forget to use these!!! You can burn very quickly if not prepared and that is miserable.

Check the weather BEFORE you leave. Weather can change very quickly on the trail. It helps if you have some idea of what you can expect.

A small back pack or fanny pack to carry your water, snacks, clothing layers, tissues, band aids, sunscreen and chapstick.

A hat if that's your thing (I personally hate them and don't wear them).

I have a small camelback/daypack that I just leave packed for day hikes at all times (except for water and perishables). When I use something out of my pack, I just replace it when I get home so it's ready for the next time that I go out.

ETA: Hiking is slower than walking. The same distance will take you much longer hiking than it would walking, so keep that in mind when planning a route. It's also more difficult than walking. Someone that can easily walk 5 miles, might have a much more difficult time hiking that same distance. The terrain and conditions can vary greatly and make it much more challenging.

isa75

As it sounds like your are truly starting out, also look into hiking clubs (like meetup or meetin) or through local sports stores (REI in our area does lot's of hiking trips). Sometimes there are fees, sometimes not, but bonus is that you will have experienced hikers, with gear, to help you along and give advice. Easier than going out and trying to learn to read maps or buy safety gear all at once.

If you can get to a National Park (I hear there are some nice ones in Utah) they often times do easier ranger guided hikes that might be a good intro for a newbie like yourself.

I hear it's pretty darn breathtaking hiking there, I'm looking to get there in the next year, so you are going to really enjoy yourself.

Espressocycle

Camelback and a decent pair of shoes, a good sun hat, preferably crushable synthetic. If you really want to go all out, Smartwool t-shirt

isa75

Also, update us how it goes. I love hiking so much, I am giddy just thinking of what a lovely new world is about to open up for you.

kimmieruns

I have been an avid hiker for years in California and find it is one of the best workouts for weight loss! Also, being outdoors on beautiful trails is a good stress reducer which also aids in weight loss. Check Meetup for hiking clubs in your area. Don't worry if you're shy, hikers are some of the nicest, most welcoming people I've ever met. It's more fun and easier to stick with it when you have a group you hike with, and when hiking routes and times are predetermined. Usually a group hike is a set route & time, so you're pretty much committed and can't quit partway through. For a good workout and weight loss, it's best to hike at least an hour, and look for trails with lots of hills. Hikes of 2-3 hours burn a lot of calories! Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Many hikers wear official hiking shoes/boots, but I find running shoes or trail running shoes more comfortable. Most traditional running shoes are fine for hiking as long as they have good traction and they're not the new flatter soled "minimalist" style. Good luck and have fun on the trails!

skylark94

I live in Colorado Springs and do a lot of hiking.

For short hikes around town I carry water, and wear comfy running shoes.

For longer hikes, or those away from town, I carry a backpack containing water, a UV water purifier in case I need to restock from a stream, snacks, a thermal blanket, a whistle, a knife, small first aid kit, waterproof matches, a headlamp, and a handheld GPS. I also wear waterproof hiking shoes and carry bear spray and a handgun. The handgun is optional, of course, but I highly recommend the bear spray if you're going to be out with the critters.

If you have an REI store near you, look at some of the classes they offer. Many offer "backpacking for beginners" type classes.

Need2Exerc1se

NikiChicken wrote: »

Sturdy shoes with some ankle support to avoid turning your ankle in rocky/gravelly terrain. (Skechers aren't what you will want) Your shoes are, in my opinion, probably your most important piece of gear for hiking. Make sure they are comfortable and sturdy.

This is good advice, especially for a beginner. But, I will say that ankle support is not needed by everyone even in rough terrain. I have very boney ankles and have never been able to find a lightweight warm weather boot that doesn't hurt my feet. I wear low top hiking shoes and have never had any problems. I have been doing this for decades though, so my ankles are quite strong. I worry more about snake bites from no ankle protection than turning an ankle.

dbmata

skylark94 wrote: »

I live in Colorado Springs and do a lot of hiking.

For short hikes around town I carry water, and wear comfy running shoes.

For longer hikes, or those away from town, I carry a backpack containing water, a UV water purifier in case I need to restock from a stream, snacks, a thermal blanket, a whistle, a knife, small first aid kit, waterproof matches, a headlamp, and a handheld GPS. I also wear waterproof hiking shoes and carry bear spray and a handgun. The handgun is optional, of course, but I highly recommend the bear spray if you're going to be out with the critters.

If you have an REI store near you, look at some of the classes they offer. Many offer "backpacking for beginners" type classes.

I definitely agree here. For a couple reasons.

Firstly, Utah has a good population of blacks, and the first fatal black attack on record. Blacks hate the bear spray. They don't look that dangerous, but when they attack us, they attack to eat. Unlike big browns.

The handgun is something I keep at all times when hiking, fishing, hunting, etc. Good for signalling, but more importantly, I've had to use a firearm to protect myself in the backwoods from cougar and from wackadoos. It's rare, so rare that most people will never have a problem, but I'm the type that enjoys having 17 fast moving friends with me, just in case there is a need.

tomato, tomahto... whatevs.

minminmoo

I think distance is very subjective. What some call a long distance, for others is a walk in the park. I'd advice getting some walking books, a bottle of water and getting out there. Do what you can do and then try to increase it each time.

Need2Exerc1se

dbmata wrote: »

skylark94 wrote: »

I live in Colorado Springs and do a lot of hiking.

For short hikes around town I carry water, and wear comfy running shoes.

For longer hikes, or those away from town, I carry a backpack containing water, a UV water purifier in case I need to restock from a stream, snacks, a thermal blanket, a whistle, a knife, small first aid kit, waterproof matches, a headlamp, and a handheld GPS. I also wear waterproof hiking shoes and carry bear spray and a handgun. The handgun is optional, of course, but I highly recommend the bear spray if you're going to be out with the critters.

If you have an REI store near you, look at some of the classes they offer. Many offer "backpacking for beginners" type classes.

I definitely agree here. For a couple reasons.

Firstly, Utah has a good population of blacks, and the first fatal black attack on record. Blacks hate the bear spray. They don't look that dangerous, but when they attack us, they attack to eat. Unlike big browns.

The handgun is something I keep at all times when hiking, fishing, hunting, etc. Good for signalling, but more importantly, I've had to use a firearm to protect myself in the backwoods from cougar and from wackadoos. It's rare, so rare that most people will never have a problem, but I'm the type that enjoys having 17 fast moving friends with me, just in case there is a need.

tomato, tomahto... whatevs.

We carry a pistol too, though we keep it loaded with snake shot. It won't do much to a bear or coyote (we don't have mtn lions) but the noise is enough to send them running. We have black bears, but no grisslies. Bear spray isn't something you can by here. I doubt most people in my area even know what it is.

skylark94

dbmata wrote: »

skylark94 wrote: »

I live in Colorado Springs and do a lot of hiking.

For short hikes around town I carry water, and wear comfy running shoes.

For longer hikes, or those away from town, I carry a backpack containing water, a UV water purifier in case I need to restock from a stream, snacks, a thermal blanket, a whistle, a knife, small first aid kit, waterproof matches, a headlamp, and a handheld GPS. I also wear waterproof hiking shoes and carry bear spray and a handgun. The handgun is optional, of course, but I highly recommend the bear spray if you're going to be out with the critters.

If you have an REI store near you, look at some of the classes they offer. Many offer "backpacking for beginners" type classes.

I definitely agree here. For a couple reasons.

Firstly, Utah has a good population of blacks, and the first fatal black attack on record. Blacks hate the bear spray. They don't look that dangerous, but when they attack us, they attack to eat. Unlike big browns.

The handgun is something I keep at all times when hiking, fishing, hunting, etc. Good for signalling, but more importantly, I've had to use a firearm to protect myself in the backwoods from cougar and from wackadoos. It's rare, so rare that most people will never have a problem, but I'm the type that enjoys having 17 fast moving friends with me, just in case there is a need.

tomato, tomahto... whatevs.

My back country firearm of choice is a Glock 20. I know many hunters who carry that one for a backup weapon to supplement their long guns. I think if any handgun is going to have a chance with a bear, that's a good one. I am generally more concerned about my safety from human critters than the woodland type though, so I concealed carry a XD-S 9mm when I hike around town.

PAtinCO

Avid hiker here. I hike most weekends out of the year, winter included.

One bit of good news is that Southern Utah is a great place to go hiking, particularly the southwest portion. There should be plenty of places to go including two of your mighty five parks, Zion and Brice. The monuments in northern Arizona are another beautiful place if a "bit" hot in the summer. Near the four corners is full of great places to hike too.

Long distance\short distance: Opinions will vary on which is which but I consider long distance hiking to be multiple days to weeks and either tens or hundreds of miles. Day hiking doesn't usually fall into the long distance category unless we're talking some huge hike (20+ miles).

Like most hobbies, you can spend a bunch of money on hiking. If you get really into it, you probably will. The good news is that you don't need to spend much, if anything to get started.

For shoes, I go against the grain and hike in running shoes. A lot of folks will disagree with that and that's fine, it's really personal preference. I'm fairly sure footed so not worried about twisting an ankle. Instead I worry about heat and blisters which I am prone to. A decent pair of wool hiking socks and a really breathable pair of shoes and I don't have to worry about it. Even if I get them wet, running shoes dry out in about 20 minutes of hiking in the dry climates we get out west. Plus running shoes weigh a lot less than boots which can make a huge difference on fatigue.

For additional gear, you shouldn't need to spend much money. For a first aid kit, just get some stuff from your home kit and put it in a quart ziplock bag. No need to spend money on a pre-built kit. Make sure to take sunscreen, chapstick, water and snacks. For clothes, I like to wear synthetic fabrics. I do own convertible hiking pants, but other than that my clothes are usually champion performance shirts from target that you can pick up for about $10 each. Merino wool hiking socks can be ordered off of Amazon for $5 or less per pair if you avoid the Smartwool brand.

I also like to use poles and that's one area it doesn't pay to go cheap. I wouldn't buy them till you know for sure that this is something you want to do a lot of though, because they're not required or anything. They just help. The problem with the cheaper ones, like at Costco, is that they break fairly easily. A nice set from an outdoor store will cost around $100 but they'll last for years where I've seen the Costco ones ($40) break on the first day.

coloradogrrrl21

Bring water, have a small first aid kit and dress in layers - then get out the door and hit the trail. If you're just starting out look for trails that are marked as "easy" - maybe buy a trail guide for your area, or borrow one from your local library. Bring a friend and/or your cell phone, in case of emergencies. As a beginner you don't really need to go crazy on specialist gear - you're not backpacking on unmarked trails yet - just comfortable shoes and minimal safety precautions should cover you. That said, I have always been a hiker/walker and it's never really helped with my weight loss. It has helped with my overall fitness and weight maintenance, but I wouldn't expect to lose a lot of weight just by hiking. Hiking is my hands-down favorite form of exercise! I just love getting outside and enjoying nature while moving my body. I am so blessed to live in CO and be able to go often - BUT - weight loss begins with food, I'm convinced. Move more, but don't expect moving more alone to be the difference maker. (You may already know all this, but just want to make sure your expectations are reasonable).

kandeye

Bring water, water, water, water! Being from the desert and doing a lot of backcountry hiking I can't stress enough how essential water is. Don't ever get caught up in the idea that you don't need much because it's not too long, things happen. Also don't forget a jacket/sweater just because it's 90 degrees when you start the hike. The weather can change drastically. I second the handgun idea. I have run ins with bears ( the scariest was the angry guy just coming out of hibernation) and wolves when I was hiking/camping in Alaska. The gun made me feel a whole lot safer. And just have fun! Hiking can be highly addictive so be prepared for a new hobby

1960HikerDude

You might consider joining a local hiking group on Meetup.com. It's safer than hiking alone and you will learn a lot and make friends in the process.