From unfit to (not quite) hike fit

If you ever walk past my house … don’t be surprised if you spot me lunging my way to the kitchen

Obviously I need to walk, that much is clear – you can’t get hike fit without hiking. Speed doesn’t interest me, and I’m happy to plod to my destination with regular breaks to admire the view. But is that enough for overall fitness, or for carrying a pack? And what about the days when I can’t head out for a walk because of other commitments, or it’s pouring down, or I just can’t be bothered?

“Siri, how do I get fit for hiking?”

How fit I am has never really interested me, and getting fit is something I’ve never really done. I’m not sporty, I’ve never set foot in a gym, I couldn’t run if you paid me, and I’ll be a willing first victim in any kind of zombie apocalypse. As with anything I don’t know, I started with an internet search. What I learnt, from a million different and often conflicting bits of information, was that exercise doesn’t sound like my idea of fun

I said in my first post that I’m weight restored from a restrictive eating disorder, and that involved not just eating more but also moving less. Add the covid lockdowns to that, and I find I’m now the owner of a larger and lazier – but overall healthier, everything is working pretty much as it should be – body. I no longer know what my body can and can’t do, and am figuring it out as I go

Always check with your doctor before you start doing something new, just to be on the safe side. i recently had a full MOT, so I know I’m good to go

What I do

I’m not a workout person, I much prefer to drop things into my day as and when. If you ever walk past my house, and I appreciate this is highly unlikely, don’t be surprised if you spot me lunging my way to the kitchen or doing wall push ups while the kettle boils – I’ve even started doing a few sit ups, which is something I definitely never thought I’d say! You might find me doing a few squats before I sit down, or calf raises and upper body twists while I supervise whatever is cooking for tea (I’m a northerner, our evening meal is called tea) and I’m always stretching just because it feels so good. You won’t, however, find me doing any form of structured exercise because, quite simply, I cant be bothered

All of the moves I’m doing make sense to me in terms of getting hike fit – they should strengthen my legs, torso, and arms. A bit of yoga, which I used to enjoy and am getting back in to, will help with flexibility. I also bought RingFit Adventure to hopefully get me motivated and distract me with the gameplay – it looks good so far. My main exercise though, and the one I enjoy, is walking

Am I getting fitter? If fitter means I can walk further and for longer, or go up hills with a bit less effort than before, or lunge across the front room easier, then yes I’m getting fitter. Am I getting hike fit? We’ll find out together, when I do my first full day hike with a heavy pack

If I can give you one tip for getting (not quite) hike fit, it’s just to do it, The hardest part is often persuading myself to start – once I’ve laced up my boots and got out there I wonder why it was such an effort