put on weight

And I don't mean the kind that comes from eating a milkshake every day (tempting as that is now that it's summer)!.

If you are training for a trip, athletic event, or just want to increase your exercise output try adding weight to your session. Hike with a 20 pound pack or ride your bike while pulling a cart with 20 pounds of weight. Could be a child, or some rocks, camping gear or your dog. The extra weight will up the ante - so to speak - of the workout. Adding weight raises your heart rate faster, burns more calories, additionally strengthens the muscles you regularly use and also builds some lesser used ones. If you are pressed for time, hiking/biking with weight can allow you to work harder in less time (see Marian's previous blog on interval training).

Head for the hills: Hiking or biking up hills adds to any workout - carrying weight up those hills increases that physical challenge. If you want to increase the workout even more on a hike - use trekking poles. They will also help your knees feel better if hiking with a 20 pound pack. Biking up hill and/or into the wind is difficult, and adding 20 pounds will make it even harder. Make sure you use your gears to assist the riding. If you aren't up to carrying 20 pounds, try 10 - any increase is better than none.

This morning I rode my bike to a nearby hiking trail, pulling my 20lb. dog in a trailer. While I only rode 6, relatively flat miles, I definitely noticed the different muscles and extra stengthening of my legs and heart. Plus, it was wonderful to not have to drive. Hmmm...maybe I even burned enough calories from it to have my daily milkshake! -- Deb