Although sporting activity is becoming increasingly popular, obesity is still a very big problem among young people and adults. Our current lifestyle, work, and distance learning can all contribute to our weight problems. It is therefore important to find time for even a moderate sport such as hiking. Can an overweight person hike and is it dangerous for their health? We will try to dispel your doubts and answer the most important questions.
So, can overweight person hike, or is it unsafe? There are plenty of types of daily activities that are not demanding, also hiking is advisable for people who are overweight. The important thing is to start hiking regularly and, if possible, increase the intensity and difficulty of the routes.
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What can happen to an overweight person during hiking?
There are many sports that are safe for obese people, including hiking, which is a year-round sport.
If someone has problems with movement, with good body coordination, or loses their breath very easily, not every sport is advisable then.
If you have an issue with excess weight and would like to take up a sport, it is important to consult your doctor to see if there are any contraindications.
Walking and hiking are among the safer sports which can be practiced by anyone who enjoys moderate sport and enjoys nature at the same time. Weight alone is not a contraindication for hiking, we just have to adjust the intensity and difficulty of the routes, and the time of year we want to hike is also important. However, there is a group of people with certain illnesses who should consult a doctor before a long hike:
- Cardiovascular problems
- Problems with the respiratory system
- Past injuries to bones and joints
- Severe back problems
Fortunately, few medical conditions are absolute contraindications to hiking; it is more a matter of adapting the effort to the current abilities of the body. Therefore, whether an overweight person can hike depends on whether they have any contraindications and whether their doctor decides that it is dangerous.
Why is hiking healthy?
Walking or hiking doesn’t require much preparation or effort – a short walk can be organized at any time, and if you have more time then hiking is ideal. This kind of physical activity helps burn calories, improves your fitness and mood, and strengthens your bones and muscles.
Hiking, depending on the weather or the season, also offers beautiful views and communing with nature. If you are planning to go hiking, there are a few things you should bear in mind first:
- Comfortable clothing, especially lightweight shoes and socks made of breathable material.
- Make sure your outfit suits the weather – when it’s chilly, wearing several layers that can be easily removed works well. On sunny days, it’s a good idea to.
- Headgear and sunglasses, also protect from the wind depending on the terrain and location.
- A short warm-up – At the beginning, simply walk at a slower pace. At the end of the walk, it is also a good idea to slow down to slowly cool your body.
These few points are always important, regardless of whether we have any health burdens and what weight we are, it is worth remembering healthy habits. Whether an overweight person hikes depends mainly on the preparation and our approach to the sport. In this article, you can read about whether hiking is an expensive sport and what equipment is important.
Why should obese people play sports?
Regardless of our age, we always need sporting activity and movement for our health and well-being. Sporting activities should be tailored to our age, health status, and predispositions, but hiking is usually suitable for everyone.
We already know that whether an overweight person hike depends on their health, desire, and lifestyle, but hiking can be a sport of varying intensity. Depending on whether you prefer a day hike with friends for the weekend or hiking for a few days, you can find something to suit you.
What advantages hiking has for an overweight person:
1) Regular exercise improves our fitness, of course, you don’t have to cover many kilometers or days straight away but increase the intensity of your hikes over time.
2) It helps to lose weight and maintain appropriate body weight, course during longer hikes it is important in our supply of water and food so that the calorie loss is not too drastic even for someone who wants to lose a lot of weight.
3) Hiking is also an opportunity to see and observe wild nature, which has a very positive effect on our body and mind. It allows you to relax after a long day at work, improve your mood or relieve tension and negative emotions.
4) Improves circulation – this influences the oxygenation of our whole organism. Regular exercise also leads to an increase in the efficiency of our body, which simply means better health.
5) Positive effect on blood sugar levels, regular exercise reduces high insulin levels in the blood, improves glucose tolerance.
6) It has an impact on improving the emotional state (reduces anxiety, depression, or various types of nervous tension).
Of course, hiking has many positive effects for overweight people and not only, but we have listed here only the more important ones. Whether an overweight person hikes and whether it is dangerous depends on many factors, but we must remember that common sense should also come first. We should observe our body and health condition, and if something is harmful to us, we should stop the activity and consult our doctor about it.
In Summary – Can overweight person hike?
We already know that hiking is a sport for anyone who likes both observing nature and doing sport at the same time. It is an activity in most situations for everyone, however, being an overweight person we have to remember not to harm ourselves first. If something does not suit us, it is better to give it up and look for something else.
Whether an overweight person hikes depends on several things, and each of us should observe his or her behavior and state of health during given activities. Hiking is a sport for people with moderate physical activity as well as for those who like big challenges, it depends on the season, length, and difficulty of the route we choose.
We recently wrote a similar article to this so if you want to know more about this topic then make sure to check out this article about “Is Hiking Good For A Skinny Person? – (Is It Safe?)“.
