Fitness Path, A Guide to Get Healthy

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
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Some forms of exercise you may want to do to get or stay healthy, more here.

Hiking
Calories burned: 167 to 223*

Muscles engaged: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, hips, core

Common injuries: Blisters, muscle strains/sprains, cuts, sunburn, dehydration, falls

Over the last 12 years, SharonMcCarthy has laced up her boots and hiked all of the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and completed the 1,200-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail from the Smokies to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. She hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru and trekked the summit of Mount Whitney in California. And she did it all while carrying a pack on her back.

“Hiking and backpacking are aerobic without pounding the knees like running,” she says. “Hiking provides overall strength training: You can increase the weight you carry and you use muscles in a natural way, rather than repetitive movements of weightlifting.”

McCarthy started hiking when she turned 50. At the time, she was dealing with the stresses of her mother’s death and her youngest child leaving home. She says hiking is “a tonic for the mid-life trifecta,” and a great chance to get outdoors.

“I love the remote trails in the mountains but they can be inaccessible in winter so, this year, I’m exploring parts of the Carolina Thread Trail [closer to home in Charlotte] and having a marvelous time,”McCarthy says.

“Hiking is a great way to get a cardio workout and strengthen your lower body—and the steeper the incline, the more it engages your core,” Cohen says. “If you add poles, you get a bit of an upper body workout, too.”

If you prefer walking to hiking (or need a quick workout that doesn’t require driving to a hiking trail), Cohen suggests maintaining a brisk pace, choosing routes with hills and holding two- or three-pound weights to build strength and get a better calorie burn.

Whether walking or hiking, wear good shoes and stay on sidewalks or marked trails. If you plan to walk in the evening, wear a reflective vest or add reflective tape to your clothing. Hikers should also be prepared with plenty of water, snacks, layers of clothing, maps and a cell phone in case of emergencies.

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If you prefer walking to hiking (or need a quick workout that doesn’t require driving to a hiking trail), Cohen suggests maintaining a brisk pace, choosing routes with hills and holding two- or three-pound weights to build strength and get a better calorie burn.

That, to me, is key. Walking, as true exercise, is vastly overrated. You really need to do a quick enough pace so that your heart rate is significantly raised and weights (hand or ankle) can help. Walking is better than nothing, but you don't do much of anything for your cardiovascular system unless you're pushing it enough to raise heartrate and respiration.
 
I need to come back to this...sounds like just what I've been looking for!!!
 

Biking and gardening the old fashioned way with hand tools. A shovel will use every muscle in the body from head to toes. I must have strong toes because I have used it quite often.
 
It’s best to try to walk more. Another question is if your knees do not allow you to do this for a long time. You should always alternate with moments of relaxation. Be wary of doing regular exercises in the morning and dousing with cold water.
 
It’s best to try to walk more. Another question is if your knees do not allow you to do this for a long time. You should always alternate with moments of relaxation. Be wary of doing regular exercises in the morning and dousing with cold water.
Some of my Asian friends believe it is much better to drink hot or warm water, than it is to consume cold water. I've never looked into it.
 
Gardening is my salvation. I don't know what I would do without it. Besides the satisfaction of growing my own veggies it keeps my creaky knees moving.

When I first go out in the spring I almost have to crawl back to the house. Each year gets a bit harder yet by the 3rd week I can feel the difference. By the time fall rolls around I'm able to turn over the whole garden with a spade. I have access to a tiller but prefer to do it by hand. Little by little I get it done.
 
I drink my water at room temp., always ... when it's not in my tea, then it's hot.
 


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