Losing extra weight through exercise is much easier than losing weight through dieting. With exercise, you can reach your desired weight faster and achieve good vitality and health. In this section, we share with you the benefits of weight control through mountain climbing exercise.
Recent studies increasingly emphasize the importance and necessity of physical and aerobic activities for weight control and mental and physical well-being. Any type of physical activity, regardless of its intensity, can help control body fat, as every physical activity, including mountain climbing, burns energy. However, dynamic aerobic exercises are more effective in reducing body fat. A group of exercises that can enhance your ability to burn fat are aerobic exercises. These exercises engage the major muscles of the body in a good manner (such as swimming, walking, jogging, mountain climbing). Regularly and consistently performing aerobic exercises will help you easily eliminate harmful and excess fat. If done regularly and for a long duration, mountain climbing can be effective in burning excess body fat.
Enjoy mountain climbing.
Try to make physical activities, especially mountain climbing, a priority in your life, and be sure that by doing so, you will reduce your excess weight.
Eliminate excuses. Never let the phrase "I don't have time" keep you from your weekly mountain climbing.
If you have never done heavy mountain climbing, do not attempt it suddenly, especially if you are overweight.
It is better to teach your children good habits such as hiking and spending time in nature regularly from childhood, so that they continue these good habits into adulthood.
Choose the right shoes for your climbing program. Proper sports shoes are crucial for weight loss during mountain climbing and hiking.
Prepare yourself for any weather conditions in the mountains. It is better to exercise and climb mountains on days when the weather is warm and humid, or during cooler hours. After returning home, refresh yourself with a warm shower and a proper meal.
Perform mountain climbing activities moderately and according to your body weight. When selecting your physical activity, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity. Do not try to compete with others based on their age or gender. Choose mountain climbing activities according to your needs and capabilities.
Gradually increase the distance and duration of your climbing program. When starting, do not engage in intense mountain climbing. It is recommended to start with lighter climbing and gradually increase the duration.
In terms of calorie burning, mountain climbing is the second most effective exercise for calorie burning after endurance skiing, and due to the conditions it creates in the body, it also affects appetite, leading to weight loss. Mountain climbing dramatically helps with weight loss for several reasons. You walk a long distance and engage in aerobic exercise; during the ascent, you must use your arms and legs, and sometimes you use your body weight to climb the mountain. Mountain climbing is an exercise that impacts most muscle groups. The central muscles, such as the glutes, thighs, and lower back, are especially engaged. These muscles are strengthened during mountain climbing and, if properly used, help maintain a better posture, improve breathing, and prevent injury. Strengthening these muscles and losing fat in these areas is a key factor in weight loss.
One of the benefits of mountain climbing is that it removes you from monotonous treadmill workouts and challenges your body in new ways. Anxiety, stress, and fatigue decrease in your body, as the adrenaline hormone released throughout the week is freed, reducing your stress. These effects can significantly contribute to weight loss. During the climb, your heart rate and breathing rate increase, which is a precursor to weight loss and fitness. Additionally, the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases is reduced.
Your mountain climbing should be a consistent and regular activity, not just one or two sessions. Consistency in mountain climbing is very important. You should dedicate a few days a week to this exercise and practice it regularly. Mountain climbing a few times a week will help reduce your weight and improve fitness over time. Therefore, avoid extremes, and in the first few weeks, do not try to climb every day, as it may exhaust your body and lead you to quit. Start gradually and consistently, and as you go on, increase the intensity of your activity, for example, by increasing the duration or choosing more challenging routes.
Weight loss during mountain climbing happens when you challenge your body for a specified time. Therefore, a 10-minute or 15-minute climb will not have a significant impact. However, as mentioned earlier, in the beginning, try easier routes and climb for about 45 minutes; in subsequent weeks, choose tougher paths and increase the duration.
In mountain climbing, the risk of injury exists. To make this exercise positively contribute to your weight loss and continue it, do some stretching exercises afterward to help your body recover. Stretch your calf muscles, thighs, glutes, and arms, holding each stretch for a few seconds.
Balance exercises in mountain climbing promote fitness and weight loss. You may need to cross a cliff edge or a tree trunk on uneven terrain. Therefore, it is better to practice balance exercises at home beforehand to avoid spraining your ankle or other similar issues.
Along with your mountain climbing activities, engage in complementary exercises such as swimming. For example, if you go mountain climbing once a week, you can swim for two days to allow your body to recover.
Eat healthy foods. The importance of nutrition before and after mountain climbing has a significant impact on physical health and weight loss. If you consume unhealthy foods such as chips and snacks during your climb, you may not see weight loss. Therefore, bring healthy snacks like fruits (carrots, cucumbers, celery, pears, bananas, grapes) and dark chocolate while climbing. Unhealthy beverages can also interfere with your weight loss process.
Water can accelerate the fat-burning process. However, ask an experienced person for the proper amount of water to consume to avoid any issues like hypothermia.
