How Often Should You Hike For Mental And Physical Benefits?

As I started to get into the hobby of hiking I found myself gaining a greater appreciation for life. Not to get all woo woo on you but I couldn’t help notice some of the benefits I experienced from walking in nature.  It left me wondering how often I should hike to see these benefits. I am no expert but I have found that submerging myself in nature at least once a week for an hour or more has made a tremendous impact on my overall wellbeing. In an article written by the Scientif Jounral it states that spending at least 2 hours a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing.

There is no set frequency for how often you should hike but hiking at least once a week can prove to be beneficial. You will build physical endurance, cultivate muscle, enhance bone density, burn calories, trim body fat, and increase endorphins (the feel-good hormone). Hiking is just like any other exercise in that regard to those benefits but, there seems to be an extra benefit to also being in nature.  According to mentalhealth.org.uk, going outside and being in nature can facilitate joy, calmness, creativity, and even enhance concentration. Spending time in nature is also associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety.

How Often Should You Hike To Lose Weight?

When I first started hiking I noticed some fat around my backside decreased noticeably.  I am fairly lean as is but, I tend to hold fat in this part of my body. It really felt motivating to see the fat burn away simply by getting outside and enjoying nature. I work out regularly but the extra weekends spent hiking really helped shred some fat. Of course, you have to put in the work but there is something about nature that makes exercising more enjoyable. You should treat hiking like cardio; 2-3 times per week for 45 minutes should help with weight management. Keep in mind that the difficulty of the terrain and your diet will also be a factor.

Hiking is a great exercise. It is more strenuous than walking yet better on the knees and joints than running or jogging. Carrying the weight of a backpack can help strengthen your core along with your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Since hiking is a cardio workout it is healthy for your heart and for those who have trouble maintaining their weight. As you can imagine, a lot of the benefits you get from walking or jogging you will also obtain from hiking - with an added dash of nature to boost cognitive performance and overall well-being. Betteraging.com suggests exercise also can help with preventing mild cognitive impairment. And one of the best ways to exercise both the body and brain is hiking. Research suggests that hiking not only oxygenates your heart and keeps your body calmer, but also can help keep your mind sharper. A hike in nature also can elevate mental well-being by lowering stress and calming anxieties. 

How soon will you notice the benefits of Hiking?

Everyone is different as to when they will experience benefits. From a mental perspective, endorphins will release after about 20-30 minutes of hiking. Endorphins can provide happiness and help you cope with stress and anxiety.  From a physical perspective, it will vary on your personal body chemistry, the frequency, and, the duration for which you partake in hiking. Just like other cardio exercises it may take a few weeks before you notice any changes to your body.

It is important to start slow and pace yourself in the beginning. You can work your way up to longer hikes and more advanced terrain as your skills and strength increase. You will eventually start to notice an increase in strength in your legs. There is an idiom in the hiking community called trail legs, or hiker's legs. This term refers to the body building strength and endurance in the leg muscles to cope with increased hiking activity. You will need to get your trail legs established if you are planning a backpacking trip.

How Often Should You Hike To Prepare For A Backpacking Trip?

Backpacking trips can be a blast. For the novices out there, the difference between backpacking and a regular hike is backpacking is usually a multi-day trip where you will need to carry more gear than you would for a regular hike. You will need some sort of shelter, pillows, and extra rations of food. Given that you will have more items to haul for a backpacking trip your backpack will most likely need to be bigger, typically in the 45-60 liter range, and it will be much heavier as well. Depending on how long your hike will be will help determine how much you should hike to prepare for a multi-day excursion.  

If your backpacking trip is 30 miles you can take that number and divide it by the number of days you have available per week for training. If you have 4 days per week to hike then  30/4 comes out to 7.5 miles. You can then hike 4 days a week at 7.5 miles per day. Do this for a month and you will be in great shape for your backpacking trip. 

Tip:  Add weights to your backpack to mirror the weight of the bag you will use for your trip.  

If this regimen still seems intense then expand your training time to two months and for the first month cut your daily miles in half. This will ensure you give your body enough time to acclimate to the demands of hiking and backpacking.

Is Hiking Every Day Bad?

Hiking every day is certainly not bad but you should try and pace yourself and build stamina and strength week by week. It also helps to be familiar with the terrain you hike. The last thing you need is to be stranded in an area when you are feeling weak and lethargic and unable to get yourself out of immediate danger. Moderation is key, especially in the beginning. If possible, get friends and family to join in on the hiking adventures. Some of the best conversations can take place while hiking. There is no limit to the many benefits hiking can bring to the table.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a new alternative to walking or running I would definitely give hiking a chance. Likewise, if you have always been interested in hiking but never took the leap of faith there is no time like the present to get started. Before you get started select some trails that are less than 5 miles with a total elevation gain of fewer than 500 feet per mile. This sort of elevation is manageable for a beginner. Remember, spending two hours a week in nature can prove to be mentally beneficial as well. If you are unsure of what to take with you hiking then check out the 11 Essential of Hiking here.

Let us know how often you hike and the benefits you have noticed from your journeys in the comments below! Happy Trails!

Popular Posts: