Keeping your mind and body healthy needs a lot of dedication and effort, meaning, you will need to feed well and always exercise. Most of us are bored of sweating in a room full of already well bodied men and flexible ladies telling you what to lift and how far to stretch, Also most of us are not that discipline enough to keep up a restrictive diet when all you smell and see around is delicious mturas and Tusker on offer during the weekend. This, by all standards is a nerve wrecking process only a few can handle and dedicate their lives to. Lucky for you, there are exercises that anyone can afford to do; among these exercises are regular hikes.
In case you didn’t know, hiking offers immense stress relieving powers while still giving a bounty of health benefits. Best thing about hiking is that, it’s an activity that anyone can participate regardless of age or even fitness level (as long as you choose the right trail). Don’t belong to a hiking group? Sign Up for one immediately and embark on a new adventure! Want to know the immense benefits of hiking? Check out these top 5.
Who wouldn’t like this?
Hiking improves blood circulation and prevents heart disease
A study that was conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on runners and hikers revealed that there is a reduced risk in high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure over a period of six years. Working out regularly will not only prevent heart related diseases but also improve your cardiovascular workout.
Hiking improves your bone Density
Hiking regularly will help prevent osteoporosis and arthritis, while the added physical strain from the endurance improves your bone density. Did you know that you lose your bone mass as you grow older? It’s inevitable and with time it could lead to fractures due to falls. On the brighter side, when you hike, it provides sufficient body movement that assists in building your bones reducing the possibility of breaking when you fall. Just like a mechanical machine, let’s grease those joints when we can, shall we?
Hiking Helps tone down on Weight
Ever gone to city hall and the elevators are not working, I bet you know how it feels when you are told that your office visitation is on 5th floor and you have to use the stairway. Then there is this slender guy who takes two steps at a time while you are there struggling with just one. Well, as the old saying goes, we need to be comfortable in our own bodies, but what’s comfort when going up those stairs feels like one of those Japanese ultimate challenge shows on TV. Hiking regularly will not only help you tone down, but it will also stabilize your body weight. An hour of hiking will burn close to 500 Calories! Imagine what 5 of such hours will do? Just imagine…
Hiking Helps Fight Stress and Anxiety
Hiking is a natural stress reliever. A bad day at office? A nasty quarrel with someone? Take a hike. Of course with a team of friends. The TREK preferably…Hehe. You chat, you chat and you chat, just about anything. By the time you are done, you realize most of your daily stress is cut in half. And that the remaining half, you can handle yourself. To add on that, the beauty of hiking is the multiplicity of locations, you will never finish them. I’m told the world’s land mass area is about 148.94 million sq km and personally I’m not even fitting into square meter. So get out there and explore, find a calm and serene location and I guarantee, it will help boost your spirits. If you have depression research suggests you Take a Hike.
Hiking will help build your muscles
In front of a body length mirror, clothes down, butt naked, then…OH! I like what I see. That’s everybody’s wish. A fit body. Toned muscles. From chin to ankle, all flexed. Hiking tries to enhance all these, it will help strengthen your core and muscles in your legs and back. To add more, Hiking on uneven terrain, engages your torso (you won’t get this kind of lateral movements from running on a treadmill or even riding your bike). You get more oxygen in your muscles increasing your energy and endurance. Simply put, hiking is the simplest way to lose weight, improve on your health, mood, energy and it will definitely change your life.
The Trek and FUNDon’t belong to any active Hike group? The Trek and Fun is an amazing group to start your journey towards a more healthy fulfilling life, check out our next Trekking event. We are not interested in making profits, but in making you part of our big network, like our name states, we Trek and Have Fun, that’s just about it!!
