Fitness Tips: Prepare for a Day of Hiking

By Mara Miller

Celebrities like Kate Hudson, Jessica Biel, and Kendall Jenner say hiking helps them stay crazy-fit, so why not think about taking a hike yourself with this fitness tip? Pack up your gear, grab your sweetie or your dog, and go for a nice long walk. Taking a hike is a good way to reduce stress levels, it makes you unplug from electronics, and it helps you lose weight!

In this fitness tip, we’ll explore what you need in order to have a safe hike for a mini getaway from life.

It’s important to be prepared for your hike. If you’re not used to hiking and decide to do it spur of the moment, it can have some disastrous consequences like dehydration or injury. If you follow these tips, you’ll have fun on your hike and won’t have to worry about any of the negatives:

1. Make sure you have a buddy: Depending on the trail you take, it can be dangerous to hike alone. It’s best to plan your hike with your partner or a friend in case anything happens on your hike. Remember, you’ve probably chosen a day of hiking to be closer to nature, but nature (and snakes and other wildlife) will be closer to you!

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2. Research the trail you’ve chosen: Finding a map of the place you plan to hike is important. You don’t want to get lost and it’s a good idea to know where it comes out so you don’t end up hiking for days.

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3. Make sure you’re physically prepared: Hiking is just like any other workout. You want to make sure you’re prepared so you don’t injure yourself. Yoga is a good way to prepare because you’re stretching out your muscles before you do any intense walking.

4. Dress smart: Cotton dries slowly, which can cause chafing, and loses its thermal properties when wet. Try modern backpacking clothes, which do away with all the problems cotton can cause. And don’t forget a good pair of hiking boots–the more lightweight, the better–either.

5. Water, water, water: Make sure you bring enough water to support you while you’re hiking. The last thing you want to do is get so dehydrated that you have a migraine for two days after you are finished with the hike, especially if you choose to do it on a hot day. Dehydration is dangerous, and it can be more dangerous when you are cut off from the world if your cell phone loses signal on the hike.

Are there any other essential things you need for a day of hiking? Let us know in the comments below!