Fitness Fanatic #2: - Hiking for fitness and pics of my favourite hikes

Hello lovely Steemians

Lately I've been so busy sharing our amateur adventures in far away exotic places and closer to home and fitness has gone by the wayside (as is obvious by the fact this is only #2 in a series started 3 months ago!)

But as summer approaches in Australia and I'm thinking about shorts, beachwear and upcoming friends weddings - fitness is rapidly climbing up the ladder of priority!

And what better way to get some fitness in then combining it with my love of adventuring - so really this is Amateur Adventures Meets Fitness Fanatic!

Two things that may or may not be apparent on most of my adventures.

One, all really good sites to see are at the top of a REALLY big hill; Two, you have to walk to get to them.

So we seem to always end up hiking - a lot! The photos in this post are some of the favourite hikes I have done - both while out adventuring and just around the coast where I live. Hope it inspires you to get our and adventure and get fit at the same time.

Hiking around the many lakes in the Plitvice Lake system in Croatia is truly amazing. Boardwalks run past streams and waterfalls and everything is an "ooh" moment

We are pretty lucky in most parts of our great country to have easy access to hiking trails and scenic walks and there’s nothing I like better than getting out on the trails on the weekend (Okay coffee..maybe I like coffee better..you caught me!) I'm also lucky in that my travels have given me lots of opportunity see some beautiful parts of the world on foot.

There is just something about being out with nature that is like chicken soup for the soul!

Better still, it's really good for your overall health and fitness, and all that lovely Vitamin D you are soaking up.

I love hiking around places in Indonesia... there are always beautiful waterfalls to find - hidden in the forest

There is growing evidence that a dedicated session of walking each day is better than running and other aerobic activities for overall health. When you include the terrain and inclination changes that come from hiking you increase the difficulty level of walking, as well as the benefits you receive. I'm still at an age where I do think a couple of harder training sessions thrown in there are beneficial over all (check me on that in ten years time when everything hurts more lol) - but daily walking is definitely not going to hurt your fitness.

We try to get out on weekends to go for a hike - whether long or short. We have so many hiking trails along our coastline and all are beautiful

Weight loss is usually quoted as the number one reason someone takes up a fitness plan. While that is certainly a great benefit of hiking for fitness, there are a few more mental and physical rewards listed below which are impressive as well.

1 – You enjoy a decreased risk of developing any number of cardiovascular diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States mentions hiking as one of its top recommendations for keeping your heart healthy. You don’t have to engage in weekend or week-long hikes to benefit, either.

The sights you see on some walks are simply amazing - and it's not always the natural scenery. Yellow mountain is in the middle of nowhere in China - yet look at the crowds during holiday periods. I found it pretty amusing!
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The CDC has released research which shows a very moderate hiking plan can deliver extreme rewards that promote heart health. Hiking for just 1 hour a day, 5 days a week drops your risk of stroke by a full 50%. Also, the CDC says that these benefits can be accessed by anyone that hikes in accordance with their personal fitness level.

Sometimes you hike so far you can even get a medal

Your heart becomes healthy since hiking, which is a consistent aerobic movement, increases your good HDL cholesterol level, and lowers your triglycerides as well as your harmful LDL cholesterol level. This means there is a lower chance of you developing high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease whenever you add a regular hiking routine to your life.

Good things are always at the top of really big hills. 900 rocky steps are included on the hike up to the Monastery building at Petra in Jordan, and that's after you've already hiked several kms to get to the base - through the stunning cliffs and past the famous Treasury

Hiking and walking also helps to treat back pain effectively. Hiking puts less stress and strain on your body than running and other aerobic exercises, while still creating the core body strength that prevents, and soothes, an aching back.

7 - Hiking increases your cardiovascular fitness. Your endurance will improve and if you are eating a healthy well balanced diet you may lose weight without feeling like you have to put in the hard yards at the gym. Hike with a friend or in a beautiful location and you’ll hardly notice you are exercising.

Hiking Around Plitvice Lakes in Croatia with some friends we'd made on our travels was a great experience that we all shared - we didn't even notice the big hill we had to hike up to see that fantastic view!

Studies referred to in the post can be found here:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/
2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/canjclin.54.4.190/full

Hope you are inspired to get our and see the world and be fit! Stay tuned for more adventures coming soon

Til then,

Steem on with Love and Light

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Source:

1. All Photos have been taken by the Author
2. This post is an edited version of an original post on my Lifestyle Blog http://agirlsguidetosuccess.com/7-benefits-hiking-fitness/
3. Content is original!
4. You can check out some of my other adventures here:
   a: Amateur Adventures #23: Far from the "Maddening" Crowd - Following the Nile
   b: Amateur Adventures #24: Size Does Matter - Egyptian Temples and the Male Ego
   c: Amateur Adventures #25: Petra - The Road to the Holy Grail