Tomorrow marks the first day of December and the start of the outdoor exercise series we’ll be focusing on this month. We’re getting much cooler temps at night here in San Diego, and while this makes for great sleeping, it also makes for great hiking with the cooler weather. And San Diego offers some excellent hikes!
If you don’t own it, pick up a copy of Afoot & Afield San Diego County – A comprehensive hiking guide by Jerry Schad. This is like the bible of hiking books. There are also others for different areas throughout the country, depending on where you live. Fresh air is almost therapeutic, especially this time of year, and it’s a lot nicer than doing cardio in a stuffy gym. You can hike with friends, family, or your dog, and even get creative and turn it into a picnic. If you have kids, it’s an awesome way to instill the importance of staying fit while making it fun at the same time. You’ll see wildlife, waterfalls, and beautiful views, so what’s not to like? Here’s a cool tool I came across that gives you an idea of how many calories you burn when hiking. You can also input other sports for calorie expenditure based on your body weight. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calories_burned.asp?exercise=208. Have some fun outside!
Melissa Allen, BS, CPT, CES. Please visit my website at OptimumCondition.org.
