Hiking healthy is about my story of changing my life through hiking. I used trails to lose weight, find and keep my sanity and help me to make some changes in my life. Anyone can do this. You start on easier trails that are short in time so if you get tired you can rest. You do that a few times and then want to see a little bit bigger challenge. The scenery is usually beautiful and the quiet is not something that happens very often in today's world. It also is an opportunity to think through things when alone or catch up with a friend if together. If you do it often enough somewhere along the line it changes your life.

You will need to invest in some good equipment. Hiking shoes are first, closely followed by a good back pack that fits your need. A good water bottle and the special needs of the area you are hiking. If it is in the mountains you may need bear spray. Here is a good list to look over.

Plan a trip to different parts of the country or even a different country. It doesn't have to be expensive. There are so many public choices of trails that are free and with varying degrees of difficulty. Whether you are doing it Solo, one friend or with a group plan your trip. Make sure you get along with the people you are going to be hiking with. There is nothing worse than being on a difficult several day hike with someone you find you don't care for. Try and set some rules going in of who is doing what and strongly encourage everyone to be hiking in the same shoes they will be taking.

If you are looking for places to hike outside of where you live you might try Montana. Public trails are abundant in Montana all over the state and the scenery is usually magnificent. Try Montanatrails.org to get some ideas.

Just a few thoughts from someone that has had to go through the learning experiences. Now get out there and enjoy the great outdoors, turn your phone off and enjoy what God created.