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

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.