Hit the Trails: Why Hiking Is the Go-To Workout This Season, Plus the Best Tricks for Starting Out

Hollywood beauties like Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Andie MacDowell may have access to the best trainers in the world, but you won’t find them sweating it out at the gym. A-listers have uncovered an easier way to get slim and sculpted: trail walking. “When I was a little girl, my mother would say, ‘We’re going on a nature walk.’ And I would recoil because I hated doing that kind of thing. Now I love it,” Julia has said. “What’s great about hiking is that it’s physically challenging and there’s something meditative about it. There’s something about the ritual of moving forward along a trail. It’s a physical escape as well as a mental one.”

Top doctors hit the trails to shed pounds

Take George-Washington University–trained weight-loss specialist Jamé Heskett, M.D ., for example: After gaining 60 pounds during her third pregnancy, the 42-year-old physician needed a fast way to lose the weight while juggling childcare and her flourishing practice. “We had just moved, and there was a small trail along the river by my new house,” shares Dr. Heskett. “I started walking on that trail with the baby in a BabyBjörn and I loved it. Every weekend, the kids and I would spend the day hiking. Before my littlest was a year old, most of the weight had fallen off.”

Hiking works double duty to amp up the calorie burn.

“On the trails, you’re going to encounter small and big rocks and large and small changes in elevation that you have to navigate,” explains Dr. Heskett. “These subtle changes recruit small, stabilizing muscles that you don’t use as much as you get older, but that can have a major effect on fat burning.” Studies show this extra muscle activity can help hikers burn 82 percent more calories compared with strolling on flat ground. Even better: As effective as hitting the trails is, Dr. Heskett points out that hiking feels easier than walking on asphalt or concrete. That’s because the softness of the dirt cushions joints, lessening the impact that causes pain.

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Hiking triggers biochemical changes

Japanese researchers found that exposure to greenery has a calming effect that can dial down the output of the stress hormone cortisol by 16 percent in 15 minutes. Why that’s key for slimming: When cortisol levels are high (as they are in 90 percent of women over 40), it shifts the body into distress mode, signaling cells to start storing fat—especially in the belly. “But when you lower cortisol, your body knows that it doesn’t need to hold on to fat as a survival mechanism,” says Dr. Heskett. “So it begins to melt away, starting with your midsection.” Indeed, researchers at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City found this stress-reducing effect helped trail walkers lose 9 times more weight and 30 percent more belly fat than those who opted for traditional cardio.

Hit the trails: Hiking benefits

“Being in nature tells the brain that we are in our natural state, so mood will improve and energy will increase,” promises Dr. Heskett. Women FIRST spoke to report melting up to 8 pounds a week, plus experiencing perks like deeper sleep and improved confidence!

Trail walking fires up fat burning and dials down stress to melt up to 8 pounds every week, plus delivers a wide range of health benefits like reduced blood pressure, strengthened immunity and fewer aches and pains. And it couldn’t be easier to get the perks! “Walking in nature for even 30 minutes has trickle-down effects that will have more of an impact on weight loss than spending 30 minutes at the gym,” asserts Dr. Heskett who recommends getting in three to four nature strolls per week for best results . “It doesn’t have to be strenuous. You can go at a nice slow and steady pace with no sweating, so you can change right back into your clothes for the day.”

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A-list trainers like Michelle Lovitt agree. She found that her over-40 clients, including Julianne Moore and Courteney Cox, were only able to release stubborn belly fat when they traded high-intensity workouts for calming nature trails. “Hiking ups calorie burn and fat loss without increasing cortisol, which is already elevated for women in their 40s and 50s,” explains Lovitt. “Plus, it’s so much more enjoyable than being bored on a treadmill. My favorite thing to do is to get outside and take clients for a hike.”

And to get the most fat-blasting perks from your strolls, follow these easy success secrets:

Locate new trails

Since trails come in varying lengths, difficulties and terrains, it’s smart to start with paths that are right for your level to avoid getting discouraged with a hike that is too challenging. To find flatter paths perfect for beginners, visit TrailLink.com for a list of trails run by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which has converted more than 30,000 miles of unused rail corridors into public parks. And to find more trails, head to AllTrails.com (or download their free app in the App Store or Google Play) and sign up for a free membership that will allow you to search for trails by qualifiers like difficulty and length and read reviews from other hikers.

No matter which trail you choose, Dr. Heskett notes you should always print out the trail map or take a screen capture with your phone before heading out. That way, you’ll have access to the map even if you lose cell service.

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Opt for these pants

Trading your sweats for compression tights can help you melt even more fat. Dr. Heskett explains that the tight-fitting fabric creates pressure in blood vessels that improves circulation and increases the flow of blood to the muscles. The payoff: Studies show that compression clothing revs calorie burn by 30 percent. And even as temperatures climb, Dr. Heskett suggests sticking to pants over shorts: You’ll reap the metabolism-boosting benefits, plus protect your legs from hazards like ticks, sharp sticks and poison ivy. A brand to try: CompressionZ Women’s Compression Pants ($45, sizes XS through XL, CompressionZ.com ). Reviewers rave about the softness of the material and the comfortable yet supportive fit.

Pack for success

If you’re hiking in a remote location or trekking farther than 3 miles, you’ll want to bring along snacks like nuts to keep you fueled. Water is also key for speedier slimming. “As long as you’re hydrated, your kidneys are going to be the primary organ taking care of flushing toxins and waste from the body—and that’s going to free up the liver to burn fat,” notes Dr. Heskett, who suggests drinking a large bottle of water the morning of your hike, then taking a small one with you out on the trail. A lightweight backpack makes easy work of carrying gear on the trails—and toting the extra weight comes with an added benefit: Studies show that for every extra pound you carry, you burn 10 more calories per hour! Get a helping hand from hiking poles

For women just getting started, Dr. Heskett recommends bringing along a pair of hiking poles. “They help support the body’s weight, which can keep you stable on the trail,” she explains. In fact, studies show poles can reduce pressure on the joints by 25 percent, making hikes feel easier while actually boosting calorie burn by 40 percent, according to researchers at The Cooper Institute in Dallas. “Poles will really work out your arms—­especially the biceps and triceps,” explains Dr. Heskett. And that’s going to eliminate pesky bat wings and sculpt sexy definition. Hikers swear by BAFX Products Hiking Poles ($19 for a pair, BAFXpro.com ), which extend from 26 inches to 52 inches and are super lightweight. But Dr. Heskett notes, “You could even use two large sticks about the same size, and reap the same benefits!”

Tune into nature’s beauty

Quieting your mind will help you get the most cortisol-reducing benefits from your nature strolls, but Dr. Heskett acknowledges that it can be difficult to get centered with so many to-do’s racing through your head. Her secret: “The very first thing I do when I get out on the trail is take a big breath and try to listen to the sounds around me,” she says. “Tuning into the subtle sights, smells and sounds is going to expand your sensory experience by a hundredfold. And then the mental noise starts to flatten out and your thoughts feel a lot clearer and more organized.”

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Hit the trails success story: Kayla Rusch, 28

Kayla Rusch watched her two-year-old son toddle around the floor and was suddenly filled with a new parenting fear: I won’t be able to keep up with him before too long, she realized. Or worse, he’ll be too embarrassed to go anywhere with me.

Kayla, who was a single mother, knew the weight that filled her size 4X shirts was slowing her down from being her best parenting self. “I didn’t enjoy doing anything,” she reveals. “I wasn’t happy.” So as her son worked on walking and potty training, Kayla began working on herself—improving her habits with the help of ShapeFit.com and walking on a treadmill for a few minutes at a time. “It got easier and easier,” says Kayla, who built up stamina to hike on nearby hills. “The trail was really pretty. There’s a river and a small waterfall.”

Those steps paid off! Kayla walked off two to three pounds per week for the first 2 months and traded her size 22 pants for size 6s. Though her goal was simply to dip below 180 on the scale, Kayla is now 30 pounds under her dream weight! “There are times when I don’t believe it myself,” she raves. “Losing 100 pounds seemed impossible.”

Along the way, Kayla reaped other rewards. Her energy level and mood soared and she no longer needs her asthma inhaler. She even became a personal trainer. She beams, “If I am capable of losing the weight I have, I feel like I am capable of anything.”

Safety tips for trail hikers

Charting a course on unfamiliar trails can seem daunting—especially if you’re on your own. But these savvy tricks will ensure you’re prepared for anything you might encounter!

Plan for the worst

Dr. Heskett suggests carrying a small basic first-aid kit with bandages and antiseptic ointment in case of slips or run-ins with prickly branches. And for instructions on how to treat common injuries, download the First Aid by American Red Cross app (free in the App Store and Google Play).

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Give a pal your location

“It’s always smart to alert someone who isn’t hiking with you to where you’ll be and when you expect to be back,” says Dr. Heskett. Don’t want to trouble your pals? Try the app Bugle (free in the App Store), which lets you enter emergency contact to be automatically notified if you don’t check in at a specified time.

Carry a whistle

A long-range whistle can signal to others in the area that you need help should you roll your ankle or encounter other issues. Hikers recommend the Fox 40 Classic Whistle ($9, Fox40shop.com ), which can be heard up to a mile away.

Find a group

If hiking alone seems too intimidating (we’ve been there!), there are thousands of groups that meet up to hike together. To find one locally, visit Meetup.com/topics/hiking .

High altitudes spur slimming effortlessly

Women looking to shed pounds even faster may want to head for the hills—literally. New science in the International Journal of Obesity found that Americans living well above sea level in places like Colorado or West Virginia were four to five times less likely to be overweight than those living closest to sea level. That’s because high altitudes trigger a surge in leptin, a hormone that improves satiety and fuels metabolism. And previous research suggests that you can get the perks of the mountain air in as little as one week: In a German study, overweight subjects who spent seven days at 8,700 feet eating whatever they wanted and avoiding exercise unconsciously consumed 734 fewer calories per day and lost an average of 3 1 ⁄ 2 pounds—and they kept the weight off even after returning to their normal lives. Popular high-elevation places in the United States that can deliver the perks include the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky and West Virginia, the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee and the Rocky Mountains in Utah and Wyoming.

Your walking plan at a glance

It’s so easy! You don’t need to climb a mountain or drive hours to the nearest state park to jump-start your slimdown, notes Dr. Heskett. Walking in any natural environment will do. That can mean exploring the woods in your backyard, strolling in a tree-lined park near your house or roaming through a local field looking for wildflowers. Just put on a pair of sneakers or trail running shoes and head for the nearest path.

3 trail snacks that rev results

Hiking can rev fat burn and balance slimming hormones—and packing these munchies delivers more slim-quick perks

Almonds melt belly fat The monounsaturated fats in these nuts prod muscle cells to preferentially burn visceral fat (the dangerous fat that surrounds the organs), helping to shrink belly inches 56 percent faster.

Dark chocolate blocks fat storage Powerful polyphenols in this sweet treat prevent carbs and fat from being absorbed into the bloodstream and stored as fat—an effect that reduces weight gain by 72 percent.

Raisins boost energy The resveratrol in these sweet bites switches on an enzyme that revs the activity of cells’ energy production engines, increasing pep by as much as 180 percent.

The snack mix that delivers all three. In a bag, combine 1 ⁄ 4 cup of almonds, 1 ⁄ 8 cup of dark chocolate chunks and 1 ⁄ 8 cup of raisins.

For more ways to lose weight while walking:

Ready to Burn More Calories While Walking? Make These Tiny Tweaks

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This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan .