Keeping Yourself in Shape for Your Next Backpacking Trip

A new post by Lee.

If you have a big backpacking trip planned for the near future, you definitely want to be in the kind of shape where you can enjoy it. You won’t have nearly as much fun if you’re huffing and puffing after the first mile. It doesn’t take training like Rocky to be ready for backpacking, as all you need to do is follow a few simple steps to keep yourself in good condition.

Go on Walks, Runs, and Hikes

The best way to train for a physical activity is to mimic that physical activity as closely as possible. For backpacking, your best option is going on hikes while wearing a backpack, since that’s exactly what you’ll be doing on your trip. Do this frequently enough in the weeks and months leading up to your trip, and you shouldn’t have any issues.

You may not be in a situation where you can hike much, if at all, depending on where you live and the weather. If that’s the case, running and walking are both good alternatives, with running being better since you need to work harder. You can wear a backpack or substitute it with a weight vest so you still get the feeling of carrying weight.

Stick to Healthy Eating Habits

What you eat is a huge part of your overall health. The key to eating healthy is to make it part of your lifestyle, instead of looking at it as a diet. If you don’t currently have the best eating habits, start substituting healthier food choices one meal at a time. By changing your eating gradually instead of all at once, it’s easier to commit to the changes.

As far as what you should eat, you should focus on natural foods, which means anything that comes from an animal or the ground. Healthy food choices include lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You can usually find the natural foods towards the outer edges of a supermarket, while the processed junk food will be concentrated in the center aisles.

Work on Any Bad Habits

If you’re smoking a pack a day or drinking heavily, it’s going to be nearly impossible to get in good shape for your backpacking trip. One different alternative to tobacco is vaping. You may find that getting a vape helps you cut back on cigarettes. The nice thing about vaping is you can try all kinds of different flavors. Online sites like the e cig juice page from Halocigs can give you a variety of many flavors you can check out.

When it comes to drinking, alcohol isn’t an issue if you use it in moderation. If you find that your drinking is getting out of hand, you may want to commit to staying sober for a certain amount of time or at least cutting down on your alcohol intake.

Get Enough Rest

Make sure you don’t push yourself too hard to the point where you end up injured or burnt out before it’s time for your trip. Whenever you start a new workout routine, take it slow and gradually build up to higher frequencies and intensities. Get at least six to eight hours of sleep every night, as that’s when your body will dot the bulk of its recovering.

If you start feeling very tired or sore, that’s a sign that it’s time to slow down. Take a couple days to let your body recover from everything. You may also want to do some lighter intensity work, such as yoga, on occasion. Remember that you want to be at your best for your trip.

The sooner you start preparing for your backpacking trip, the better. In the leadup to your trip, try to get a workout in at least three or four days per week. Eat healthy, reduce those bad habits, and rest up so you’ll be ready to go when it’s trip time.