It’s Saturday morning you wake up a little later than usual, you want to do something productive but you don’t feel like paying 25 dollars to be yelled at to run faster on a treadmill, you’re also not motivated enough to push yourself to work hard at the gym, BUT you know you’re going to hate yourself if you do nothing at all. You’re in a bind, what do you do? Well, believe it or not there is a workout that is great for your body, can help you find as much zen as you would at a yoga class, can be great for the whole family, and best of all is totally free. THAT DOESN’T EXIST YOU SAY, well it does and it’s called taking a hike. Other than burning calories (and that’s reason enough on it’s own), here are five more great benefits of going on a hike:
1. Stay Limber and Strong
Fully extending and flexing the muscles will help keep your joints limber and your leg and core muscles strong. It’s just like walking, but like better….
2. Minimal Equipment Needed
Depending on the difficulty of the hike, you won’t need much more than walking shoes and water. No need for fancy yoga pants or expensive machines, all you need is a positive attitude.
3. Getting the Family Together
Getting out in nature, without distractions, might be just what the family needs to bond. We live in world where we are glued to screens for the majority of our days so it’s so nice to get out of that space and find some peace and mind away from any form of cell phone reception or wifi. A hike is the prefect activity to get everyone in the family together to do something health positive, maybe even have a real face to face conversation with the kids (if you have a teenager you know what I mean)
4. Set Your Pace
You can make a hike as challenging as you’d like. Charge up a hill or take your time. This is what makes hikes family friendly (or hangover friendly).
5. Find Zen
Find peace and quiet in the outdoors. Relax in the breeze, the beautiful views and waterfalls. Let your mind be at ease and let all your worries float away even if just for a moment, take that moment for yourself and only once you’ve done that should you take a photo to share that moment with all of your facebook friends; because if you didn’t post a pic, did ever really even happen? just kidding… kind of.
The benefits of hiking are endless. Go ahead, turn off the cell phone, park the car, and take a hike.
