The Weekend Hiker

Profile: By taking challenging hikes on weekends, up and down hills, you get a workout as well as the mental benefits of being in nature.

Payoff: Walking on varied terrain builds strength, stamina, and balance (which helps prevent falls as you get older). You’ll develop tight glutes and toned thighs, even more than you would from the average walking workout. Also, when you walk uphill, your energy expenditure is greater than when you’re on a flat surface.

Next Steps: Be active during the week. If you are getting out only on sunny weekends and aren’t doing any other exercise, come up with ways to work out midweek and on foul-weather days. On busy, pleasant weekdays, try squeezing in several short walks, aiming for a total of at least 30 minutes. In the winter months, try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. When you’re marooned inside, consider a walking video, like Kathy Smith’s Power Walk for Weight Loss Matrix ($15, www.collagevideo.com) or Leslie Sansone’s Advanced 5-Mile Walk ($25, www.collagevideo.com). Or go to a gym and hop on a treadmill. Your weekday workouts will improve your performance when you hit the trail, making your hikes more pleasurable.

Wear a weighted backpack or vest to get a more intense workout. “Studies show that when people carry 10 percent of their weight, they burn about 5 to 7 percent more calories,” says Fenton. If you weigh 130 pounds, for instance, wear a 13-pound pack.

Tips: Hiking on uneven terrain can be hard on the ankles, so be sure to wear hiking boots, which are stiffer and taller than sneakers and have better traction. Going downhill can be hard on the knees, so if yours are sensitive, invest in a walking stick or hiking poles to take the pressure off. To find new trails across the country, go to www.traillink.com.