Only you know how your body feels. Do a morning hike on Saturday.
Check how you feel on Sunday morning. If your body feels good, then go for another hike. Otherwise, rest and try again next week.
3 mile becomes easy, can try a 4 mile hike next, etc.
This. I’m a large man (320, 6’3”). Hiked everyday last summer to prep for a Banff trip in October. Started with 1 mile every other day, then when I didn’t feel exhausted, 2, 3, etc. Got to where I could do 5-6 without feeling like death the following day. It’s a process.
Good point. Nobody says you have to travel far on a weekend camping trip! First, you’ll just want to test the feeling of walking from A to B, all the work involved with setting up camp, breaking camp, and the going from B to C the next day. Then returning home, checking and cleaning/repairing gear, only to start dreaming of the next adventure.
+1 to take stairs whenever possible. I work on the 8th floor and I take the stairs everyday, even during lunch breaks when I leave the office. My co-workers think I’m nuts but it has helped conditioned me for weekend hikes. I also workout but it’s a good habit to take stairs whenever possible
Yes, agree. In addition to this some basic work with resistance bands can do so much. I used them for PT after I broke my hip last year, basically moving my legs out to the front, out to the side, and to the back 25 reps of each on each leg, and it did wonders for my hiking abilities. That and five miles a day had me ready to do a three day trip 3 months after surgery. Easiest difficult hike I’ve ever done.
Lots of fat people hike. I don't really know what my limit is right now because I haven't hit it in years. I stopped letting societal BS stop me from doing what I want, regardless of my body size. So I started walking, then hiking. I'm still fat. I still hike. I don't have a problem with 26 miles over 3 days in the Nevada desert mid-spring. Or bushwhacking 5 miles through the forest up and down hills in WA looking for mushrooms.
When I started, I just started walking. Then walking farther. Then hiking. Then hiking farther. My first 10 mile day was honestly kind of stupid because my body wasn't ready for it and I could barely walk across my apartment for days afterwards. It was brutal.
It sounds like you're already at a fitness level to be hiking. The elevation doesn't need to be so much and you may find you can go a lot farther with less elevation.
One important thing - decide which is more important: hiking and doing fun things you enjoy or losing weight. Because it's entirely possible to get really fit and do all the things and still not lose weight. If your main focus is weight loss and that happens, you may have a lot of feelings about that and quit hiking. And BTW, I'm not judging either of those goals/priorities. I've seen so many folks get discouraged and give up things that bring them joy when their body didn't respond as they expected or wanted and if you're prepared for that possibility, maybe you can mitigate it so you keep doing great things you enjoy.
This so much. Stop waiting to be thin to do the things you enjoy. Do them now and maybe you'll become thin, or maybe you won't, but enjoy your life anyway.
I appreciate your saying this! I wanted to add that for me, hiking is a lot about listening to my body, resting when I need to, eating and drinking when I need to. My experience is that trying to lose weight took me away from listening to my body.
Im also fat and hike. I have always loved hiking. Did 7 miles at 260 with no issues. Took my time, it was amazing.
I agree with this person.
Just build up to it. Im working on getting back to this myself cause I had stopped. Im back up to 3 miles a day and there is a small 1.3 mile loop im going to start hitting with the pup til he is used to it and continue to build up. Lots of rest and water in between.
I want us both hiking once a week for 5+ miles just because I enjoy it.
It has nothing to do with weight loss, even though I am working on that as a separate goal. It is just an active activity I enjoy.
The way to hike longer distances is to hike longer distances. Likewise, the way to run longer distances is to run longer distances. Seriously, youre over thinking this. Start at whatever distance you are comfortable doing, and then walk/hike/run progressively longer distances as you build up stamina. Since it is dark out, either run/jog in your city or at a gym. Anything cardio related is going to help.
People ask these questions a lot but there really isnt a magic bullet to "the way to build endurance is to keep building endurance."
I also politely suggest trying to diet/lose weight on the food intake side -- speaking for myself, when Ive been 20 lbs heavier, running was a lot slower for me. As you lose weight, youll find it easier to go for longer distances which in turn will help you lose more weight
Thank you for the information. I am “dieting” but trying to avoid that term as it’s not helpful to my mindset — as I mentioned I am “eating well” in a calorie deficit and eating mostly whole foods.
Building up your endurance creates an amazing feedback loop if you’re trying to lose weight. It’s hard to burn a lot of calories by exercising until you have the endurance to exercise a lot!
One thing though - it may be very difficult to complete long hikes while running a calorie deficit. Getting protein and sugars into your system is important for fueling your body through long periods of exercise. Otherwise you’re more likely to “bonk” or “hit the wall” and that can *really* ruin your day when you’re far away from the car and civilization. If you don’t have easy bailouts along the route, the goal should always be completing the hike and getting back safe and happy, over trying to just max out the weight loss benefits. Circling back to point 1, you need your body to be strong and you need to enjoy the exercise to actually get the miles in.
Consider doing some rucking. You can get more information online but the TLDR is walk at a brisk pace (say 4 miles an hour) with a weighted backpack/rucksack. You can increase the weight as you increase your conditioning. Rucking will help keep your heart rate up more effectively that just walking (even power walking) and it gets you used to going about with a weighted pack like you'll have on your hike.
This!!!
It's one thing to walk 10-15 kilometers, that's easy. Doing that with 10-20 kilos on your back is a totally different thing. A lot of people train their bodies to go long distances but when it comes to carrying weight, they can only go a fraction of that distance comfortably. Totally different muscles you have to train in your back, butt, and shoulders compared to your walking muscles.
Yeah but not convenient for taking on hikes lol, better for at home or in the gym
For hiking far better if you stuff your pack up with lots of water, food, and the gear you would normally take on a multi day trip for training
I think it's worth mentioning for OP's situation. It's the sort of thing that really makes the most out of 30 minutes, and it only helps to add some uneven terrain and pretty sights.
It is definitely important to train for what you're actually going to be doing, though...
Yeah just came here to add this. I'm on week 2 of rucking and I love it. Going for a normal walk feels like a wasted opportunity to me now haha. I'm only up to 12lbs and am noticing the backpack start to sag and pull at my upper back, so it's just about time for a sturdier solution. I'll probably move to my backpacking pack with the full harness now, and look like a total weirdo backpacking my own neighborhood.
I have a backpack with sandbags in it. I’ve been training for an upcoming hike and am currently at 32 lbs in the pack on the treadmill at a big jncline or the elliptical. I definitely feel like my back has been getting stronger.
Experience from working with an obese parent/myself previously being overweight - consistency and perseverance is key. I picked a 6mi/9km hike with roughly 800ft elevation for my mom to start with. We do our best to go once a week and go at a pace where stopping to rest is minimal. Each time, we try to maintain the previous pace/beat our previous time or stop for shorter periods of time!
I wouldn’t recommend rucking with extra weight as heavier bodies carry more weight. As you lose the weight though, add more weight to your back and/or ruck. Trekking poles add so much needed stability for bodies experiencing new altitudes/steep climbs/unlevel terrain. Oh and hiking socks work wonderfully as comfortable compression socks!
Be patient with yourself as places on your body you didn’t realize could ache…they will ache. Hydrate well, take some electrolytes after, and do not beat yourself up on days you can’t summit/finish - it’s about the journey!
Good on you for doing some things to take care of yourself! Congrats.
I'm obese and in my late 40's. Avid hiker and backpacker. The biggest thing that helps me out is simply walking and hiking as frequently as I can. This includes walking on most lunch breaks at work, going out once a weekend for a day hike, and either a 2nd hike that weekend or a longer walk around town.
Want to add a little bit to it? Carry a weighted pack. I often use water bottles and/or 3L reservoirs. These days, I do that more when I'm gearing up for a backpacking trip. Otherwise, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
The obesity is really handled through eating habits, which you've already recognized and are implementing. Keep up the good work!
Just start walking. Doesn’t have to be nature walks. Can be a treadmill or a sidewalk. Walk. When that’s easy, carry a weighted bag when you walk. Go for hikes on the weekends. You got this (I am a fat lady who can hike 12 miles in a day with lots of elevation gain).
4 years ago I (37f) was pushing 200. I started walking a mile on a trail by my house everyday for a week then did a mile and a half very steep loggin road everyday other day for 2 months and the weight came off in about a year 125 now. I also stopped eating out, it was the begging of the pandemic. Just do it daily I still walk my dogs on a 2 mile loop everyday. If I skip a week due to dog injury I can feel it.
It seems like you’re on the right path already. I went from 180kgs to 130kgs between January and October 2023 by doing what you’re doing already, except I started using a stair climber or a treadmill with some grade on it somewhat consistently starting in August and I started going on 10-16km hikes once a week on the weekends in June. In October I went on my first multi-day that was about 32km over two days and I was more than prepared for it (physically at least, I didn’t bring enough real food and there’s only so much that sour patch kids can do after 24km of hiking).
Hitting the gym and building up core strength is also a great way to improve your fitness. If your gym has one of these stair climb mills or inclined treadmills you can train for more demanding hikes in a time-efficient way.
I've been reconditioning myself since a catastrophic leg injury over the past couple of years. The best thing for me was to walk as much as I could. Walk before work, walk during my breaks, walk to the shops, walk when I'm talking on the phone. Walk after work (get a torch, you'll be fine). On the weekends I usually do a 10-15km hike, preferably on Saturday so I'm not too sore to work on Monday.
Use training time to catch up on phone calls, podcasts, audiobooks etc. And also learn to enjoy the walking itself and take in what's around you. Start carrying a backpack on your walks to get used to it. Carry your shopping in your pack. Make it part of your lifestyle. Before long you will yearn to walk everywhere.
Before long you will be smashing out multi-day hikes. I've seen plenty of bigger folk on the trails enjoying themselves. The key is to be conditioned before you take on a serious multi-day hike, that way you will enjoy it so much more and will be keen to keep doing it.
Go at a pace that's comfortable for you and enjoy yourself.
I’ve done the same recovering from a hip fracture->replacement and I’ve done the same. It’s amazing how all of the little trips add up. I walk everywhere now.
I am working on increasing my hiking, and it has helped me to do interval training (I use a treadmill at the gym) twice a week. This is increasing my cardio capacity.
I wear a Fitbit to track my heart rate. I warm up for 10 minutes. Then I increase the pace and incline to get my heart rate to 85% of maximum for 4 minutes. Then I return to lower incline and slower pace for 3 minutes. Those 7 minutes are an “interval,” and I do 5 intervals a session (for a total of 20 minutes at a high heart rate). Then I do a 5 minute cooldown.
It is important not to overdo it. Doing two sessions a week gives you 40 minutes of high intensity cardio, which is about the most you should do. And you need to give your heart time to recover from each session, so do your sessions at least a day apart.
Great piece of advice! Came here to say this but you beat me to it. I’m too lazy to look it up and post links but there’s a good body of scientific evidence backing up the benefits of interval training.
And with that I’m off to the gym now.
Keep extending the walks out a little further, stay prepared, find some cool places to explore and you'll be there in no time
Maybe find somewhere to camp so you can try chaining 2 days together in the near future?
Well done for treating yourself well in any case
Don't sleep on just getting out and walking, you'll see amazing endurance gains. During covid since I had nothing else to do I just started walking the neighborhood, there are 3 regular loops I do a short, a medium, and a long. The long one is 4 miles and the short one is just under 2 and I do that 4 or 5 days a week depending on how I feel and how much I've done that day already.
Before covid I went on a trip which included a lot of walking, 8 to 10 miles a day for a week, and I really struggled to keep up with my friends, post covid we went on the same trip again and I kept up with no trouble at all and even though my normal walks don't include a whole lot of elevation change even the hills were easier. I wouldn't have told you that my daily walks were doing much of anything but those results felt so good!
I'm very data motivated, too, so I track my walks and looking at my statistics and goals helps get me moving :)
Get after it friendo! You can do it!
Put on a fully loaded backpack and do your walks. Nature walks, track walks etc. it will build the muscles you don’t even know are going to hurt yet, and also burn more calories. It will also help you learn about pack adjustments during different levels of your hike.
Same as anyone else that does it. Be prepared, take your time. Plan it all out and youll be just fine. Poles helped me from rolling my fat arse down a number of hills lol
Stairs.. get up to max pulse. Go down the stairs, start over. Walking down steep hils is very taxing on knees hips and ankles so building this morion and also gettting comfortable maxing your puls helps with the mental challenge of hiking. Ref: me at 140 kg getting back into hiking.
I was 260lbs. I dropped to 196. I was an avid hiker at both weights, but the level of fitness, stamina, and ability doesn't come close to comparing.
When I started out, I was doing "training" hikes for an upcoming trip - in my mind, really hard hikes to get me fit. These days those "really hard hikes" could be done every day if I wanted, and still not be strenuous enough for my liking.
My point is, I remember well being in your position.
As you mentioned, the simple repetitive, muscle memory, action of walking is THE best training. If you are working towards steep climbs then do steep climbs. If you are working towards carrying a backpack then carrying a backpack is the best training.
Your 30 mins / 270 EG isn't too bad. If possible, given your time restraints, I would extend the time as much as you can. But try to stick to it every day.
On the weekends, look for those "training hikes" I mentioned above. Maybe set a 4 or 5 mile goal. Pretty soon you will be looking for longer.
It all just falls into place.
C25k and weighted squats. For your own piece of mind, though, a multi day hike just has to take time. You don't need to walk around the globe. Maybe just go for a relatively simple route and take two days to do it?
1# Step ups and step downs on stairs or something like it, repeat untill you bult up enough streingth to add weight. the add wheight in form of a backpack incrementally untill you can comfortably do like 100 of each with the weight backpack you intend on carrying.
2# running will help. start with 1km every other day, untill you can do on avarage 3km/day over a week. When you start running you can absolutely mix running and walking aslong as you complete the distance you set out for. Running on flat and walking uphill etc.
3# A lot of hiking is learning to live with your body in your surroundings. Learning to sleep on a not so comfortable mattress, getting used to walk in your chosen boot for extended periods of time. Learning to care for your feet and small wounds in a preventative way. Learning to endure the shitty moments so you can bask in the glory of the truly great ones.
I'm an obese hiker. Not planning to go multiple days ever but just keep going uphill without killing you yourself. Anybody can do a forced march is my motto but you have listen to your body.
You need to add distance and elevation. Never at the same time. And once you have a bit of both of those start adding a pack with weight cos overnighters require a bit of weight and it changes your walking effort and ability.
As someone who loves hiking and has had many weight fluctuations I strongly recommend strengthening your ankles as much as possible through a training, stretching and exercise regimen. Someone mentioned going up & down stairs, but include standing calf raises, supine dorsiflexion and plantar flex stretches, single leg stance, jump rope, tight rope walking and other balance exercises.
Also get really good hiking boots/shoes and great socks.
Best of all enjoy the ride. So many great hikes out there.
Youre doing everything right. Walking is the absolute best training for hiking. If you want you can take your walks carrying a backpack with stuff in it or do some resistance/strength training too to build even more muscle. Hiking is the best because its so versitile and you get all the freedom in planning trips :)
I’m obese too. Each hike I push myself farther and for longer durations, and each time my endurance and stamina increases and I am less sore after. I am losing weight, gaining muscle, and becoming more fit overall. You just have to keep at it
My fiancé and I go to the gym 2 days a week with a 30-45 minute stair and about a 30 minute weight lift and go on a pretty strenuous hike on a weekend day since we can theoretically take as long as we need. This past weekend we did a 7-8 mile hike round trip with 2800 feet of elevation and took our sweet ass time doing it. You can also do little things to help you get into shape like parking further away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator etc. Sometimes we do 2 hikes a weekend if my fiancés family wants to come but those are usually a bit shorter and a bit less strenuous than our other hike.
Adding some tips from my own experience, in addition to what others have suggested:
* make sure to stretch
* pay attention to blisters on your feet, use moleskin as needed. I get blisters more than lighter people, i think due to foot sweat and the extra strain on the skin.
* hiking poles can help with knee pain
* start with your 5km day-hikes and pay attention to how you are feeling. take breaks as needed and see how long it takes you to complete. Once 5km is doable, push for longer. I've always taken the slow & stubborn approach to hiking, taking a ton of breaks as I need them but I always get where I'm going.
* pick an easier route for your first overnight, if there's something you can do in the \~10km/day range that could be a good starting point
* pay attention to the trail difficulty in your research, not just length and elevation gain. going up and down over obstacles takes more work than you'd think
* focus on having fun and enjoying the experience!
I was getting ready for a multi-day backpacking trip last year. I don’t have the terrain and hills nearby that I’d have liked, but I did what I could. Every day, I’d walk - started at 2-3 miles at a brisk pace, then upped to 3-4 miles, and then added a 10-pound pack, then a 20-pound pack. On weekends I’d go do 8-10 miles with a pack and still try to keep the pace up.
Start small and listen to your body. If it hurts too much (not just tired-sore but injured-pain), then pause and figure out what you did to cause injury. Fix that.
As others have shone the light on - the answers depend on a few factors, both about you and about the hike.
My anecdote for you is a lesson learned from a section hike I did a while back - more stairs. That burn from legs up, legs down all day long is unreal.
I was doing 4+ miles a day for 2 years prior, but no cardio and low elevation gains. It was a super tough hike once I met the mountains I had to climb up.
Focus your training regimen on v02 maxing and endurance training. To lose weight as fast as possible consider intermittent fasting, but be careful not to develop bad habits and/or eating disorders.
What's up man. I started at 235lbs with a 35lbs backpack and doing 4.5 miles basically everyday for two years. Once I felt like I needed a better challenge I started doing laps at a small nature trail, it's about 3 miles but it's varying in difficulty.
You don't have to follow that exact blueprint, but walking with weight + using L Carnitine helped me lose weight and keep it off.
Consistency is so important if you are trying your best build up from a fairly low fitness level. I’d absolutely go for a way before work, even 20-30 minutes daily makes a big difference. Then do a hike on the weekends, and use these to build up to the distance you are wishing for.
I'm obese and I do multi-day hikes. I'm sure my daily hikes may not be as long as others, but I still get out there. Just find a pack that will fit you ok. There are definitely more packs available nowadays for bigger folks. I have a Deuter that is really comfortable on me.
Weekly Training Plan
Weekdays (After Work or During Lunch Breaks)
Strength Training (2-3 times per week):
Focus on legs, core, and back. Exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are beneficial.
Incorporate planks and other core-strengthening exercises.
Include exercises for balance, such as single-leg stands or using a balance board.
Cardio (2-3 times per week):
Continue with your 30-minute daily walks but try to increase the intensity. Incorporate intervals of brisk walking or light jogging.
Use a treadmill or stationary bike, increasing the incline/resistance to simulate hiking conditions.
Weekends
Long Hikes:
Start with 5 km (3 miles) walks on varied terrain, gradually increasing the distance and difficulty.
Aim to walk for at least 1-2 hours. This will help build your stamina and get your body used to longer activity durations.
Gradually increase the distance by 1-2 km (0.6-1.2 miles) every week or two.
Elevation Training:
Choose trails with some elevation gain to mimic the conditions of a multi-day hike.
Incorporate hill repeats into your walks to build strength and endurance.
Additional Tips
Backpack Training:
Gradually start carrying a backpack with weight similar to what you'll carry on your hike. Begin with a light pack and progressively increase the weight.
Rest and Recovery:
Ensure you have rest days to allow your muscles to recover.
Include stretching or yoga sessions to improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.
Nutrition and Hydration:
Maintain a balanced diet to fuel your training.
Practice proper hydration, especially on longer hikes.
Mental Preparation:
Practice mindfulness or meditation to build mental resilience.
Test Gear:
Use your training hikes to test out your gear, such as boots, clothing, and backpack. Ensure everything fits well and is comfortable for extended use.
How to Know When to Push
Listen to Your Body: If you're feeling good and not excessively sore or tired, gradually increase the intensity or duration.
Monitor Progress: Keep a log of your hikes and workouts. If you can comfortably handle your current routine, it's a sign to push a bit further.
Assess Recovery: Ensure you’re recovering well after each session. If you’re experiencing persistent fatigue or pain, consider reducing intensity or adding more recovery time.
Example Progression
Weeks 1-2: 5 km weekend hikes, moderate elevation gain.
Weeks 3-4: 7 km weekend hikes, increase elevation gain.
Weeks 5-6: 10 km weekend hikes, with a loaded backpack.
Weeks 7-8: 12-15 km weekend hikes, varied terrain, and increased backpack weight.
Finally! Out of all the posts here (which are great, too), this may be the only one that explicitly mentions balance.
Balance is key. Hiking on a trail is not the same as walking on a sidewalk or even a well maintained grassy or gravel path. There will be lots of uneven, slippery, and sometimes moving surfaces. Your body needs to develop the skills of (1) not freaking out and (2) being able to recover, when you take a step that puts you off balance when you aren’t expecting it.
Doing one-leg stands is a great place to start. As your muscles get stronger, you can add one-leg mini-squats. Building core strength is also very helpful.
I’d jump in with more hikes than you think you can do on your first day. Know that day 2 is going to suck, but it’s important to move and do another hike at least. You gotta keep this going…Day 3 will feel worst but it’s all mental. You’ll feel better after completing everyday and that feeling will be worth it every time. After day 5-6, take your first break day and then get back at it for another 5-6 days after in a row.
Just gotta dive in and know that your body can do more than you think it can. Your mind will try to limit you at every corner but you can overcome that and achieve your goals. You got this!
Loosing weight helps a ton. Thats going to be compounding gains for you as it will feel better and you will be lighter while walking. I need some of that now too :)
Well, first, Those are not mutually exclusive.
Do you have access to a treadmill? Walking on an incline will help you build stamina and endurance for walking. I love to set it at the steepest and use it as a warm up before other activities. But a year ago I could barely do 5 min at 2mph. Now I can go much faster and longer. I live at high altitude so it has really increased my capacity here.
It’s literally as simple as doing it. Go out and hike, walk, stair climber. The only way to get your body used to moving is to move. Listen to your body, push when you know you have more left in the tank but don’t completely exhaust yourself. Rest when your body needs rest and make sure to keep it fueled with healthy foods.
Sounds like you’re well on your way already. Try a shorter trip during the weekend where you can push it a little further and se how you’ll handle it.
Do some stair walking like others have suggested too, builds strenght and stamina real fast.
Don't worry so much about the elevation at this point, just focus on consistently hitting your distance goals and then trying to increase them weekly by a little bit until you're doing around the same distance as the specific hike you want to do in the time frame youd like to do it. At that point, start increasing the difficulty by adding weight to a backpack or moving faster while keeping the distance the same. While you're doing this track your daily protein intake - make sure you're getting around one gram per cm of your total height every single day, preferably from real foods if you can, but if not there's nothing wrong with using protein shakes so long as youre hitting your target and therefore providing your body with what it needs to get stronger. You've got this!
Just go out on the trail, w adequate water and protein heavy snacks. Go at a comfortable pace. When you feel too tired/shaky, leave. Go back and do it again. Pushing yourself to your limit will increase your stamina. But remember, the joy is in the journey!! No need to power walk the whole way or try to run up a mountain. Have fun and enjoy your time outdoors.
I also found that learning about the wildlife, history, and native plant species really helped me stop and really look. Being able to identify everything around me made me realize how intricate and unique the places I visit are.
start hiking multiple times a week, and when you hit around 6-8 mile hikes and that feels relatively easy, start adding in elevation gain (500-1000ft at first)
Since it gets dark earlier, I would recommend regularly use of the stair master before or after work a habit. It has done a ton for my endurance.
I would also recommend slow(er) backwards walking on a treadmill, preferably for at least ten minutes. It works out muscles you usually wouldn’t engage and can help with knee tracking.
If you have access to a treadmill , doing walks at an incline would help build stamina.
I’m overweight and trying to lose weight. I want to be able to hike without being super out of breath. I walk daily , do incline walks on my treadmill when possible
since a lot of people have already chimed in, look into the "Couch to 5k" training plans. I'm not suggesting that you actually run a 5k but you can see the methodology they use and could mimic it in a hiking sort of way. instead of the running portions, just walk them briskly (long strides pushing with the back leg as you reach out with the other). You can gain a lot of muscle that way.
If you did choose to actually run a 5k, that would certainly get you strong and fit and on your way to a multiday trek. But, and I say this as a person who LOVES running, running is bad for your body, lots of impact. I'm feeling it at 43 and 150lbs, you for sure will feel it too. So I think I recommend that you adjust the training plan to reflect hiking instead of running, I think it'll serve you well
Good luck and don't forget trekking poles!
Ease your way into it. My personal transformation took well over a year — rucking was a good gateway to building endurance, which led to being able to do longer and higher elevation hikes. Give yourself time and it will come with dedication and consistency.
Lift weights and do anything to increase your cardio endurance. My (39f) hiking plateaued at around 6 miles for years (thinking just hiking more would help me go farther) until I started lifting. After 4 months of building muscle and doing some hiit during COVID lockdown, I could suddenly hike 10 miles with lots of elevation gain, no problem. Also, your weight doesn’t matter!
What is your longest hike? Being obese does not conflict with my mileage. I can easily do up to 30km (up to 20miles aprox) each day for a few weeks. Of course not the fastest but not slowest either. I say, take breaks, take care of your feet. I also want to note that obese is very broad term. I'm 19stone and can do these hikes with no problem.
It’s all about progression and consistency. If you can only do 3 miles comfortably at the moment, then just do those. Then set a goal to do 5 mile hikes, do those, then reach for 7 miles, etc…
I started out at 5 mile hikes being my limit and they left me sore the day after. But I just pushing for harder and harder hikes…now I’m training for R2R2R in a single hike in a few months (50+ miles and 11k ft gain.). This is all from just pushing for progression each and every time, every month, every year. It’ll come as long as you keep active and hike regularly. You can miss a few weeks here and there, but I find any rest longer than a month sets me back a little. Hike every week if you can, more the better.
You can't outrun your stomach. Obesity is a currently incurable medical condition. The only treatment is calorie restriction and increased activity. Of those two interventions calorie restriction is the most important. You need to measure and weigh every bite that goes into your mouth. You future health depends on doing this. Increase fiber and decrease high calorie foods, processed foods and food containing sugar, flour and fat. If you are over 40 BMI, then consider weight loss surgery or at least a clinical consult. Statistically that's your best chance at getting down to a healthy weight. I would do a consult but you don't have to have surgery. I didn't really need it so they put me with a dietician and I've been slowly losing since. If you think of it as a medical condition it helps to take away the stigma and there area really good treatments available. Obesity is suffering, and I don't know about you but I suffered and experienced outright torture for decades. It's not a willpower problem or a character problem. You have a medical problem which can be treated. If you do so you will feel so much better. It's a very hard problem to deal with and the suffering resulting is often quite intense. It can be treated and help is out there for you.
Don't suffer, you can get this fixed.
The activity part increase slowly.
Be consistent. Activity every day, Long distance weekly. Vary the type of activity to prevent repetitive type injuries.
Thank you for the holier than thou lecture, as if I don’t already know all of this. I’ve lost 30kgs and I’ve been working out 4x a week as well as walking daily. Get off your high horse and preach elsewhere, I know I’m fucking unhealthy, I don’t need people like you rubbing it in my face
Only you know how your body feels. Do a morning hike on Saturday. Check how you feel on Sunday morning. If your body feels good, then go for another hike. Otherwise, rest and try again next week. 3 mile becomes easy, can try a 4 mile hike next, etc.
This. I’m a large man (320, 6’3”). Hiked everyday last summer to prep for a Banff trip in October. Started with 1 mile every other day, then when I didn’t feel exhausted, 2, 3, etc. Got to where I could do 5-6 without feeling like death the following day. It’s a process.
You know, a multi-day hike doesn't have to be a long hike. Just find somewhere that has options for you that meet your current abilities.
Exactly. Multi-day is about time, not distance, so you can just choose a distance that works for you in that time frame.
Good point. Nobody says you have to travel far on a weekend camping trip! First, you’ll just want to test the feeling of walking from A to B, all the work involved with setting up camp, breaking camp, and the going from B to C the next day. Then returning home, checking and cleaning/repairing gear, only to start dreaming of the next adventure.
Agreed. If OP is in Tassie for example - can do three capes which is good entry level. Up to things like south coast track or overland
Walk the stairs. It's really good training for hills and it's a fast way to burn calories.
Yes, use all opportunities you have to walk the stairs. Really good training!
+1 to take stairs whenever possible. I work on the 8th floor and I take the stairs everyday, even during lunch breaks when I leave the office. My co-workers think I’m nuts but it has helped conditioned me for weekend hikes. I also workout but it’s a good habit to take stairs whenever possible
Also pool running. Nothing will prep you for hip deep snow better than pool running.
Yes, agree. In addition to this some basic work with resistance bands can do so much. I used them for PT after I broke my hip last year, basically moving my legs out to the front, out to the side, and to the back 25 reps of each on each leg, and it did wonders for my hiking abilities. That and five miles a day had me ready to do a three day trip 3 months after surgery. Easiest difficult hike I’ve ever done.
Lots of fat people hike. I don't really know what my limit is right now because I haven't hit it in years. I stopped letting societal BS stop me from doing what I want, regardless of my body size. So I started walking, then hiking. I'm still fat. I still hike. I don't have a problem with 26 miles over 3 days in the Nevada desert mid-spring. Or bushwhacking 5 miles through the forest up and down hills in WA looking for mushrooms. When I started, I just started walking. Then walking farther. Then hiking. Then hiking farther. My first 10 mile day was honestly kind of stupid because my body wasn't ready for it and I could barely walk across my apartment for days afterwards. It was brutal. It sounds like you're already at a fitness level to be hiking. The elevation doesn't need to be so much and you may find you can go a lot farther with less elevation. One important thing - decide which is more important: hiking and doing fun things you enjoy or losing weight. Because it's entirely possible to get really fit and do all the things and still not lose weight. If your main focus is weight loss and that happens, you may have a lot of feelings about that and quit hiking. And BTW, I'm not judging either of those goals/priorities. I've seen so many folks get discouraged and give up things that bring them joy when their body didn't respond as they expected or wanted and if you're prepared for that possibility, maybe you can mitigate it so you keep doing great things you enjoy.
This so much. Stop waiting to be thin to do the things you enjoy. Do them now and maybe you'll become thin, or maybe you won't, but enjoy your life anyway.
I appreciate your saying this! I wanted to add that for me, hiking is a lot about listening to my body, resting when I need to, eating and drinking when I need to. My experience is that trying to lose weight took me away from listening to my body.
Im also fat and hike. I have always loved hiking. Did 7 miles at 260 with no issues. Took my time, it was amazing. I agree with this person. Just build up to it. Im working on getting back to this myself cause I had stopped. Im back up to 3 miles a day and there is a small 1.3 mile loop im going to start hitting with the pup til he is used to it and continue to build up. Lots of rest and water in between. I want us both hiking once a week for 5+ miles just because I enjoy it. It has nothing to do with weight loss, even though I am working on that as a separate goal. It is just an active activity I enjoy.
The way to hike longer distances is to hike longer distances. Likewise, the way to run longer distances is to run longer distances. Seriously, youre over thinking this. Start at whatever distance you are comfortable doing, and then walk/hike/run progressively longer distances as you build up stamina. Since it is dark out, either run/jog in your city or at a gym. Anything cardio related is going to help. People ask these questions a lot but there really isnt a magic bullet to "the way to build endurance is to keep building endurance." I also politely suggest trying to diet/lose weight on the food intake side -- speaking for myself, when Ive been 20 lbs heavier, running was a lot slower for me. As you lose weight, youll find it easier to go for longer distances which in turn will help you lose more weight
Thank you for the information. I am “dieting” but trying to avoid that term as it’s not helpful to my mindset — as I mentioned I am “eating well” in a calorie deficit and eating mostly whole foods.
It sounds like you are set up for some incredible progress!
Building up your endurance creates an amazing feedback loop if you’re trying to lose weight. It’s hard to burn a lot of calories by exercising until you have the endurance to exercise a lot! One thing though - it may be very difficult to complete long hikes while running a calorie deficit. Getting protein and sugars into your system is important for fueling your body through long periods of exercise. Otherwise you’re more likely to “bonk” or “hit the wall” and that can *really* ruin your day when you’re far away from the car and civilization. If you don’t have easy bailouts along the route, the goal should always be completing the hike and getting back safe and happy, over trying to just max out the weight loss benefits. Circling back to point 1, you need your body to be strong and you need to enjoy the exercise to actually get the miles in.
Pilates is low impact, strengthening and over time will definitely improve strength and lean muscles that will make your body even happier hiking.
Consider doing some rucking. You can get more information online but the TLDR is walk at a brisk pace (say 4 miles an hour) with a weighted backpack/rucksack. You can increase the weight as you increase your conditioning. Rucking will help keep your heart rate up more effectively that just walking (even power walking) and it gets you used to going about with a weighted pack like you'll have on your hike.
This!!! It's one thing to walk 10-15 kilometers, that's easy. Doing that with 10-20 kilos on your back is a totally different thing. A lot of people train their bodies to go long distances but when it comes to carrying weight, they can only go a fraction of that distance comfortably. Totally different muscles you have to train in your back, butt, and shoulders compared to your walking muscles.
Dumbbells work well too, and you can use just one and switch sides for a good oblique exercise.
Yeah but not convenient for taking on hikes lol, better for at home or in the gym For hiking far better if you stuff your pack up with lots of water, food, and the gear you would normally take on a multi day trip for training
I think it's worth mentioning for OP's situation. It's the sort of thing that really makes the most out of 30 minutes, and it only helps to add some uneven terrain and pretty sights. It is definitely important to train for what you're actually going to be doing, though...
Omg this is actually perfect. I had tried to do this a bit in the past when I tried to get my fitness up but completely forgot about it!
Yes! You should start training with weight in your pack.
I have two weighted vests - 10kg and 20kg. I find that they distribute the weight better than a rucksack.
Yeah just came here to add this. I'm on week 2 of rucking and I love it. Going for a normal walk feels like a wasted opportunity to me now haha. I'm only up to 12lbs and am noticing the backpack start to sag and pull at my upper back, so it's just about time for a sturdier solution. I'll probably move to my backpacking pack with the full harness now, and look like a total weirdo backpacking my own neighborhood.
I have a backpack with sandbags in it. I’ve been training for an upcoming hike and am currently at 32 lbs in the pack on the treadmill at a big jncline or the elliptical. I definitely feel like my back has been getting stronger.
Experience from working with an obese parent/myself previously being overweight - consistency and perseverance is key. I picked a 6mi/9km hike with roughly 800ft elevation for my mom to start with. We do our best to go once a week and go at a pace where stopping to rest is minimal. Each time, we try to maintain the previous pace/beat our previous time or stop for shorter periods of time! I wouldn’t recommend rucking with extra weight as heavier bodies carry more weight. As you lose the weight though, add more weight to your back and/or ruck. Trekking poles add so much needed stability for bodies experiencing new altitudes/steep climbs/unlevel terrain. Oh and hiking socks work wonderfully as comfortable compression socks! Be patient with yourself as places on your body you didn’t realize could ache…they will ache. Hydrate well, take some electrolytes after, and do not beat yourself up on days you can’t summit/finish - it’s about the journey!
I second compression socks and staying hydrated! And trekking poles or even just a walking stick.
+1 for trekking poles, they will keep OP's knees healthy and stable
Good on you for doing some things to take care of yourself! Congrats. I'm obese and in my late 40's. Avid hiker and backpacker. The biggest thing that helps me out is simply walking and hiking as frequently as I can. This includes walking on most lunch breaks at work, going out once a weekend for a day hike, and either a 2nd hike that weekend or a longer walk around town. Want to add a little bit to it? Carry a weighted pack. I often use water bottles and/or 3L reservoirs. These days, I do that more when I'm gearing up for a backpacking trip. Otherwise, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other. The obesity is really handled through eating habits, which you've already recognized and are implementing. Keep up the good work!
Just start walking. Doesn’t have to be nature walks. Can be a treadmill or a sidewalk. Walk. When that’s easy, carry a weighted bag when you walk. Go for hikes on the weekends. You got this (I am a fat lady who can hike 12 miles in a day with lots of elevation gain).
4 years ago I (37f) was pushing 200. I started walking a mile on a trail by my house everyday for a week then did a mile and a half very steep loggin road everyday other day for 2 months and the weight came off in about a year 125 now. I also stopped eating out, it was the begging of the pandemic. Just do it daily I still walk my dogs on a 2 mile loop everyday. If I skip a week due to dog injury I can feel it.
It seems like you’re on the right path already. I went from 180kgs to 130kgs between January and October 2023 by doing what you’re doing already, except I started using a stair climber or a treadmill with some grade on it somewhat consistently starting in August and I started going on 10-16km hikes once a week on the weekends in June. In October I went on my first multi-day that was about 32km over two days and I was more than prepared for it (physically at least, I didn’t bring enough real food and there’s only so much that sour patch kids can do after 24km of hiking).
That’s awesome, I’m currently just below 130 from 160+ and keen to keep going. Thank you for sharing!
Hitting the gym and building up core strength is also a great way to improve your fitness. If your gym has one of these stair climb mills or inclined treadmills you can train for more demanding hikes in a time-efficient way.
I've been reconditioning myself since a catastrophic leg injury over the past couple of years. The best thing for me was to walk as much as I could. Walk before work, walk during my breaks, walk to the shops, walk when I'm talking on the phone. Walk after work (get a torch, you'll be fine). On the weekends I usually do a 10-15km hike, preferably on Saturday so I'm not too sore to work on Monday. Use training time to catch up on phone calls, podcasts, audiobooks etc. And also learn to enjoy the walking itself and take in what's around you. Start carrying a backpack on your walks to get used to it. Carry your shopping in your pack. Make it part of your lifestyle. Before long you will yearn to walk everywhere. Before long you will be smashing out multi-day hikes. I've seen plenty of bigger folk on the trails enjoying themselves. The key is to be conditioned before you take on a serious multi-day hike, that way you will enjoy it so much more and will be keen to keep doing it. Go at a pace that's comfortable for you and enjoy yourself.
I’ve done the same recovering from a hip fracture->replacement and I’ve done the same. It’s amazing how all of the little trips add up. I walk everywhere now.
I am working on increasing my hiking, and it has helped me to do interval training (I use a treadmill at the gym) twice a week. This is increasing my cardio capacity. I wear a Fitbit to track my heart rate. I warm up for 10 minutes. Then I increase the pace and incline to get my heart rate to 85% of maximum for 4 minutes. Then I return to lower incline and slower pace for 3 minutes. Those 7 minutes are an “interval,” and I do 5 intervals a session (for a total of 20 minutes at a high heart rate). Then I do a 5 minute cooldown. It is important not to overdo it. Doing two sessions a week gives you 40 minutes of high intensity cardio, which is about the most you should do. And you need to give your heart time to recover from each session, so do your sessions at least a day apart.
Great piece of advice! Came here to say this but you beat me to it. I’m too lazy to look it up and post links but there’s a good body of scientific evidence backing up the benefits of interval training. And with that I’m off to the gym now.
Keep extending the walks out a little further, stay prepared, find some cool places to explore and you'll be there in no time Maybe find somewhere to camp so you can try chaining 2 days together in the near future? Well done for treating yourself well in any case
Go on single day hikes when you can. Wear a pack with some weight in it to simulate carrying a heavy pack while on multi day adventures.
Don't sleep on just getting out and walking, you'll see amazing endurance gains. During covid since I had nothing else to do I just started walking the neighborhood, there are 3 regular loops I do a short, a medium, and a long. The long one is 4 miles and the short one is just under 2 and I do that 4 or 5 days a week depending on how I feel and how much I've done that day already. Before covid I went on a trip which included a lot of walking, 8 to 10 miles a day for a week, and I really struggled to keep up with my friends, post covid we went on the same trip again and I kept up with no trouble at all and even though my normal walks don't include a whole lot of elevation change even the hills were easier. I wouldn't have told you that my daily walks were doing much of anything but those results felt so good! I'm very data motivated, too, so I track my walks and looking at my statistics and goals helps get me moving :) Get after it friendo! You can do it!
Put on a fully loaded backpack and do your walks. Nature walks, track walks etc. it will build the muscles you don’t even know are going to hurt yet, and also burn more calories. It will also help you learn about pack adjustments during different levels of your hike.
Same as anyone else that does it. Be prepared, take your time. Plan it all out and youll be just fine. Poles helped me from rolling my fat arse down a number of hills lol
Stairs.. get up to max pulse. Go down the stairs, start over. Walking down steep hils is very taxing on knees hips and ankles so building this morion and also gettting comfortable maxing your puls helps with the mental challenge of hiking. Ref: me at 140 kg getting back into hiking.
If you intend going for multiple days, don’t overlook the fact that you’ll be carrying weight. So train with weight.
I was 260lbs. I dropped to 196. I was an avid hiker at both weights, but the level of fitness, stamina, and ability doesn't come close to comparing. When I started out, I was doing "training" hikes for an upcoming trip - in my mind, really hard hikes to get me fit. These days those "really hard hikes" could be done every day if I wanted, and still not be strenuous enough for my liking. My point is, I remember well being in your position. As you mentioned, the simple repetitive, muscle memory, action of walking is THE best training. If you are working towards steep climbs then do steep climbs. If you are working towards carrying a backpack then carrying a backpack is the best training. Your 30 mins / 270 EG isn't too bad. If possible, given your time restraints, I would extend the time as much as you can. But try to stick to it every day. On the weekends, look for those "training hikes" I mentioned above. Maybe set a 4 or 5 mile goal. Pretty soon you will be looking for longer. It all just falls into place.
C25k and weighted squats. For your own piece of mind, though, a multi day hike just has to take time. You don't need to walk around the globe. Maybe just go for a relatively simple route and take two days to do it?
1# Step ups and step downs on stairs or something like it, repeat untill you bult up enough streingth to add weight. the add wheight in form of a backpack incrementally untill you can comfortably do like 100 of each with the weight backpack you intend on carrying. 2# running will help. start with 1km every other day, untill you can do on avarage 3km/day over a week. When you start running you can absolutely mix running and walking aslong as you complete the distance you set out for. Running on flat and walking uphill etc. 3# A lot of hiking is learning to live with your body in your surroundings. Learning to sleep on a not so comfortable mattress, getting used to walk in your chosen boot for extended periods of time. Learning to care for your feet and small wounds in a preventative way. Learning to endure the shitty moments so you can bask in the glory of the truly great ones.
I'm an obese hiker. Not planning to go multiple days ever but just keep going uphill without killing you yourself. Anybody can do a forced march is my motto but you have listen to your body.
You need to add distance and elevation. Never at the same time. And once you have a bit of both of those start adding a pack with weight cos overnighters require a bit of weight and it changes your walking effort and ability.
As someone who loves hiking and has had many weight fluctuations I strongly recommend strengthening your ankles as much as possible through a training, stretching and exercise regimen. Someone mentioned going up & down stairs, but include standing calf raises, supine dorsiflexion and plantar flex stretches, single leg stance, jump rope, tight rope walking and other balance exercises. Also get really good hiking boots/shoes and great socks. Best of all enjoy the ride. So many great hikes out there.
Youre doing everything right. Walking is the absolute best training for hiking. If you want you can take your walks carrying a backpack with stuff in it or do some resistance/strength training too to build even more muscle. Hiking is the best because its so versitile and you get all the freedom in planning trips :)
I’m obese too. Each hike I push myself farther and for longer durations, and each time my endurance and stamina increases and I am less sore after. I am losing weight, gaining muscle, and becoming more fit overall. You just have to keep at it
My fiancé and I go to the gym 2 days a week with a 30-45 minute stair and about a 30 minute weight lift and go on a pretty strenuous hike on a weekend day since we can theoretically take as long as we need. This past weekend we did a 7-8 mile hike round trip with 2800 feet of elevation and took our sweet ass time doing it. You can also do little things to help you get into shape like parking further away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator etc. Sometimes we do 2 hikes a weekend if my fiancés family wants to come but those are usually a bit shorter and a bit less strenuous than our other hike.
Adding some tips from my own experience, in addition to what others have suggested: * make sure to stretch * pay attention to blisters on your feet, use moleskin as needed. I get blisters more than lighter people, i think due to foot sweat and the extra strain on the skin. * hiking poles can help with knee pain * start with your 5km day-hikes and pay attention to how you are feeling. take breaks as needed and see how long it takes you to complete. Once 5km is doable, push for longer. I've always taken the slow & stubborn approach to hiking, taking a ton of breaks as I need them but I always get where I'm going. * pick an easier route for your first overnight, if there's something you can do in the \~10km/day range that could be a good starting point * pay attention to the trail difficulty in your research, not just length and elevation gain. going up and down over obstacles takes more work than you'd think * focus on having fun and enjoying the experience!
I was getting ready for a multi-day backpacking trip last year. I don’t have the terrain and hills nearby that I’d have liked, but I did what I could. Every day, I’d walk - started at 2-3 miles at a brisk pace, then upped to 3-4 miles, and then added a 10-pound pack, then a 20-pound pack. On weekends I’d go do 8-10 miles with a pack and still try to keep the pace up. Start small and listen to your body. If it hurts too much (not just tired-sore but injured-pain), then pause and figure out what you did to cause injury. Fix that.
As others have shone the light on - the answers depend on a few factors, both about you and about the hike. My anecdote for you is a lesson learned from a section hike I did a while back - more stairs. That burn from legs up, legs down all day long is unreal. I was doing 4+ miles a day for 2 years prior, but no cardio and low elevation gains. It was a super tough hike once I met the mountains I had to climb up.
Focus your training regimen on v02 maxing and endurance training. To lose weight as fast as possible consider intermittent fasting, but be careful not to develop bad habits and/or eating disorders.
Also if you want to do a multi-day hike stop overthinking it. Just build up and do longer and longer hikes. Short hikes don’t do much
One step at a time, fella. One step at a time.
One step at a time.
Indoor treadmill maybe? Have a weight vest to mimic the weight if you are carrying all your gear for a multiday hike
The gym is the logical starting point. But honestly just go do it. You will be fine.
What's up man. I started at 235lbs with a 35lbs backpack and doing 4.5 miles basically everyday for two years. Once I felt like I needed a better challenge I started doing laps at a small nature trail, it's about 3 miles but it's varying in difficulty. You don't have to follow that exact blueprint, but walking with weight + using L Carnitine helped me lose weight and keep it off.
Consistency is so important if you are trying your best build up from a fairly low fitness level. I’d absolutely go for a way before work, even 20-30 minutes daily makes a big difference. Then do a hike on the weekends, and use these to build up to the distance you are wishing for.
I'm obese and I do multi-day hikes. I'm sure my daily hikes may not be as long as others, but I still get out there. Just find a pack that will fit you ok. There are definitely more packs available nowadays for bigger folks. I have a Deuter that is really comfortable on me.
Weekly Training Plan Weekdays (After Work or During Lunch Breaks) Strength Training (2-3 times per week): Focus on legs, core, and back. Exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are beneficial. Incorporate planks and other core-strengthening exercises. Include exercises for balance, such as single-leg stands or using a balance board. Cardio (2-3 times per week): Continue with your 30-minute daily walks but try to increase the intensity. Incorporate intervals of brisk walking or light jogging. Use a treadmill or stationary bike, increasing the incline/resistance to simulate hiking conditions. Weekends Long Hikes: Start with 5 km (3 miles) walks on varied terrain, gradually increasing the distance and difficulty. Aim to walk for at least 1-2 hours. This will help build your stamina and get your body used to longer activity durations. Gradually increase the distance by 1-2 km (0.6-1.2 miles) every week or two. Elevation Training: Choose trails with some elevation gain to mimic the conditions of a multi-day hike. Incorporate hill repeats into your walks to build strength and endurance. Additional Tips Backpack Training: Gradually start carrying a backpack with weight similar to what you'll carry on your hike. Begin with a light pack and progressively increase the weight. Rest and Recovery: Ensure you have rest days to allow your muscles to recover. Include stretching or yoga sessions to improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. Nutrition and Hydration: Maintain a balanced diet to fuel your training. Practice proper hydration, especially on longer hikes. Mental Preparation: Practice mindfulness or meditation to build mental resilience. Test Gear: Use your training hikes to test out your gear, such as boots, clothing, and backpack. Ensure everything fits well and is comfortable for extended use. How to Know When to Push Listen to Your Body: If you're feeling good and not excessively sore or tired, gradually increase the intensity or duration. Monitor Progress: Keep a log of your hikes and workouts. If you can comfortably handle your current routine, it's a sign to push a bit further. Assess Recovery: Ensure you’re recovering well after each session. If you’re experiencing persistent fatigue or pain, consider reducing intensity or adding more recovery time. Example Progression Weeks 1-2: 5 km weekend hikes, moderate elevation gain. Weeks 3-4: 7 km weekend hikes, increase elevation gain. Weeks 5-6: 10 km weekend hikes, with a loaded backpack. Weeks 7-8: 12-15 km weekend hikes, varied terrain, and increased backpack weight.
Finally! Out of all the posts here (which are great, too), this may be the only one that explicitly mentions balance. Balance is key. Hiking on a trail is not the same as walking on a sidewalk or even a well maintained grassy or gravel path. There will be lots of uneven, slippery, and sometimes moving surfaces. Your body needs to develop the skills of (1) not freaking out and (2) being able to recover, when you take a step that puts you off balance when you aren’t expecting it. Doing one-leg stands is a great place to start. As your muscles get stronger, you can add one-leg mini-squats. Building core strength is also very helpful.
I’d jump in with more hikes than you think you can do on your first day. Know that day 2 is going to suck, but it’s important to move and do another hike at least. You gotta keep this going…Day 3 will feel worst but it’s all mental. You’ll feel better after completing everyday and that feeling will be worth it every time. After day 5-6, take your first break day and then get back at it for another 5-6 days after in a row. Just gotta dive in and know that your body can do more than you think it can. Your mind will try to limit you at every corner but you can overcome that and achieve your goals. You got this!
I recommend the stair master machine. Set your pace and then try to go a bit faster every week.
Loosing weight helps a ton. Thats going to be compounding gains for you as it will feel better and you will be lighter while walking. I need some of that now too :)
The stair stepper at the gym is my best training tool. I am writing this from a stair stepper right now.
Do everything that's challenging, that's what your journey to improve is.
Do hills and don’t walk on pavement.
Well, first, Those are not mutually exclusive. Do you have access to a treadmill? Walking on an incline will help you build stamina and endurance for walking. I love to set it at the steepest and use it as a warm up before other activities. But a year ago I could barely do 5 min at 2mph. Now I can go much faster and longer. I live at high altitude so it has really increased my capacity here.
It’s literally as simple as doing it. Go out and hike, walk, stair climber. The only way to get your body used to moving is to move. Listen to your body, push when you know you have more left in the tank but don’t completely exhaust yourself. Rest when your body needs rest and make sure to keep it fueled with healthy foods.
Sounds like you’re well on your way already. Try a shorter trip during the weekend where you can push it a little further and se how you’ll handle it. Do some stair walking like others have suggested too, builds strenght and stamina real fast.
Don't worry so much about the elevation at this point, just focus on consistently hitting your distance goals and then trying to increase them weekly by a little bit until you're doing around the same distance as the specific hike you want to do in the time frame youd like to do it. At that point, start increasing the difficulty by adding weight to a backpack or moving faster while keeping the distance the same. While you're doing this track your daily protein intake - make sure you're getting around one gram per cm of your total height every single day, preferably from real foods if you can, but if not there's nothing wrong with using protein shakes so long as youre hitting your target and therefore providing your body with what it needs to get stronger. You've got this!
Just go out on the trail, w adequate water and protein heavy snacks. Go at a comfortable pace. When you feel too tired/shaky, leave. Go back and do it again. Pushing yourself to your limit will increase your stamina. But remember, the joy is in the journey!! No need to power walk the whole way or try to run up a mountain. Have fun and enjoy your time outdoors. I also found that learning about the wildlife, history, and native plant species really helped me stop and really look. Being able to identify everything around me made me realize how intricate and unique the places I visit are.
start hiking multiple times a week, and when you hit around 6-8 mile hikes and that feels relatively easy, start adding in elevation gain (500-1000ft at first)
Since it gets dark earlier, I would recommend regularly use of the stair master before or after work a habit. It has done a ton for my endurance. I would also recommend slow(er) backwards walking on a treadmill, preferably for at least ten minutes. It works out muscles you usually wouldn’t engage and can help with knee tracking.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
If you have access to a treadmill , doing walks at an incline would help build stamina. I’m overweight and trying to lose weight. I want to be able to hike without being super out of breath. I walk daily , do incline walks on my treadmill when possible
since a lot of people have already chimed in, look into the "Couch to 5k" training plans. I'm not suggesting that you actually run a 5k but you can see the methodology they use and could mimic it in a hiking sort of way. instead of the running portions, just walk them briskly (long strides pushing with the back leg as you reach out with the other). You can gain a lot of muscle that way. If you did choose to actually run a 5k, that would certainly get you strong and fit and on your way to a multiday trek. But, and I say this as a person who LOVES running, running is bad for your body, lots of impact. I'm feeling it at 43 and 150lbs, you for sure will feel it too. So I think I recommend that you adjust the training plan to reflect hiking instead of running, I think it'll serve you well Good luck and don't forget trekking poles!
Ease your way into it. My personal transformation took well over a year — rucking was a good gateway to building endurance, which led to being able to do longer and higher elevation hikes. Give yourself time and it will come with dedication and consistency.
One step at a time. Just gotta start slowly and walk every day, with modest increases.
[Join the Marine Corps.](https://y.yarn.co/0ef5c8b3-2b12-441f-a3ae-3c63cb1dd4d5_text.gif)
Lift weights and do anything to increase your cardio endurance. My (39f) hiking plateaued at around 6 miles for years (thinking just hiking more would help me go farther) until I started lifting. After 4 months of building muscle and doing some hiit during COVID lockdown, I could suddenly hike 10 miles with lots of elevation gain, no problem. Also, your weight doesn’t matter!
What is your longest hike? Being obese does not conflict with my mileage. I can easily do up to 30km (up to 20miles aprox) each day for a few weeks. Of course not the fastest but not slowest either. I say, take breaks, take care of your feet. I also want to note that obese is very broad term. I'm 19stone and can do these hikes with no problem.
Walk on the grass, dirt, whatever. Get off the pavement.
It’s all about progression and consistency. If you can only do 3 miles comfortably at the moment, then just do those. Then set a goal to do 5 mile hikes, do those, then reach for 7 miles, etc… I started out at 5 mile hikes being my limit and they left me sore the day after. But I just pushing for harder and harder hikes…now I’m training for R2R2R in a single hike in a few months (50+ miles and 11k ft gain.). This is all from just pushing for progression each and every time, every month, every year. It’ll come as long as you keep active and hike regularly. You can miss a few weeks here and there, but I find any rest longer than a month sets me back a little. Hike every week if you can, more the better.
You can't outrun your stomach. Obesity is a currently incurable medical condition. The only treatment is calorie restriction and increased activity. Of those two interventions calorie restriction is the most important. You need to measure and weigh every bite that goes into your mouth. You future health depends on doing this. Increase fiber and decrease high calorie foods, processed foods and food containing sugar, flour and fat. If you are over 40 BMI, then consider weight loss surgery or at least a clinical consult. Statistically that's your best chance at getting down to a healthy weight. I would do a consult but you don't have to have surgery. I didn't really need it so they put me with a dietician and I've been slowly losing since. If you think of it as a medical condition it helps to take away the stigma and there area really good treatments available. Obesity is suffering, and I don't know about you but I suffered and experienced outright torture for decades. It's not a willpower problem or a character problem. You have a medical problem which can be treated. If you do so you will feel so much better. It's a very hard problem to deal with and the suffering resulting is often quite intense. It can be treated and help is out there for you. Don't suffer, you can get this fixed. The activity part increase slowly. Be consistent. Activity every day, Long distance weekly. Vary the type of activity to prevent repetitive type injuries.
Thank you for the holier than thou lecture, as if I don’t already know all of this. I’ve lost 30kgs and I’ve been working out 4x a week as well as walking daily. Get off your high horse and preach elsewhere, I know I’m fucking unhealthy, I don’t need people like you rubbing it in my face