How do I get in shape for a 9 day hike?

Question:

I am 32 years old, about 30 pounds overweight, and pretty darn out of shape. I've got 1 year and 3 months to get into shape for a 9 day hike in Nepal that I've already signed up for. What's the best way for me to get ready for this? I have recently purchased a very nice elliptical machine and a hybrid bike that I enjoy doing, but I need to know times, levels of intensity, etc. Thanks in advance for your serious answer.

Answers:
Please check out these sites for help.

Bodyforlife.com
Bodybuilding.com
Fitnessonline.com

I think that the best way to figure out what speed is good for you and will help you in shape is to try different speeds and levels of intensity, it may also help if you seek a personal trainer at your local gym. I hope this helps.

I'd say work out for about 20 minutes a day. I'm not expert but I've heard that's a good amount of time- and at an intensity that is not impossible but not super easy. Just average.

Keep being out of shape and die of heart disease ol'chap.

Find hiking clubs in your area and find some short day hikes. Then - increase to weekend hikes, etc... This will help your hiking skills.

As for Nepal, you may want to find someone who has already went through the hike to give you more specific advice.

Practice makes perfect.

take long walks and runs to build up lungs eat proper foods

ok so the best time of day to do cardio is in the morning right after u wake up, before u have breakfast, itll kick start ur metabolism too

I like Body for Life to jump start an exercise routine. But you do need access to weights.

Your other option, and I guarantee you WILL lose weight, is walking 1 hour per day. Add squats about 2x per week for the actual hiking. You might want to do push ups for carrying the pack.

You are smart to start your routine now. You will be in fine shape by next year.

Have a great time!

Regardless of what type of exercise you do, you need to make sure you are exercising w/in the fat burning zone. The best way to do this is to determine your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) in order to figure out what your target heart rate during exercise should be. Check out wikipedia.com; it'll have plenty of information for you. Also, you should try to switch up your forms of exercise, like weight training one day, cardio the next, ect.

A really really really good book is Body for Life by Bill Philips. It's geared toward body building, but there's a good plan in there for cardio fitness. It explains times, levels, etc.

How do I get in shape for a 9 day hike?

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