Steve Moses, OCHBC

WW101′ers,

Check out the newest editions to our Education section and our YouTube Channel, Hiking 101 videos. Steve Moses from Orange County Hiking and Backpacking Club was nice enough to come out and discuss how to get started on a hiking program. Steve’s group has almost 2500 members and they hike all over the western United States. Steve talks about finding a hiking group, safety, equipment, and his experiences leading a large group of hikers with varying skill and fitness levels. OCHBC caters to a wide range of fitness levels from the beginner to the very advanced hiker. To check out OCHBC go to http://www.meetup.com/ochbc-org

Steve and I also discuss the health benefits of hiking. We all know exercise can help relieve the symptoms of depression and stress and hiking is one of the best examples of this benefit. When you hike your body releases chemicals that make you feel better . Hiking is the natural anti-depressant. Hiking is also a great aid in helping to manage high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol and all these benefits help reduce heart disease, the number one killer of Americans. Weight management is also a great benefit of hiking. Steve talks about his and other members of the OCHBC weight loss . Hiking is considered a weight bearing exercise and as such can help strengthen bones to reduce Osteoporosis. We know how much I like to talk about increasing your RMR (resting metabolic rate) and because hiking is weight bearing it can also help increase lean muscle mass and lean muscle mass helps us look better and makes weight management much easier. Lastly, my favorite benefit of hiking is that it can slow the aging process. Yippee! All those benefits can add up to a longer, happier, healthier life.

So go hike.. or walk..move!

Debbie

http://www.youtube.com/teamworkout101