Hiking benefits: “Ditching the gym for thru-hiking has improved my body image more than anything else”

How tru-hiking has improved my body image

Credit: Anna Richards

Strong Women


Hiking benefits: “Ditching the gym for thru-hiking has improved my body image more than anything else”

By Anna Richards

Updated 3 years ago

2 min read

Days on end spent unwashed, living off a carb-laden diet of dehydrated meals – there’s nothing glamorous about long-distance hiking, but it does wonders for your body image, argues hiker Anna Richards.

There’s a delicious irony in feeling your best when looking your worst. In my case, that tends to happen after thru-hiking (long-distance trail walking). Sometimes I’ll go for a couple of days, sometimes a couple of weeks. 

When I emerge from the wild, I look like a cavewoman: bruised, hairy, grubby and with blistered feet that look like a half-popped roll of bubble wrap. I’m not likely to win any beauty contests. So, why do I feel so damn great about myself?

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