Weight loss occurs when you take in fewer calories than you burn. Mountain climbing helps you burn calories, but a combined approach of diet and exercise burns fat most effectively. Controlling your calories and engaging in regular vigorous physical activity forms the foundation of a successful weight-loss program. Before starting any diet or exercise program, consult a physician.
Caloric Deficit
The Mayo Clinic says losing weight at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week is reasonable and safe. To do this, you would need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories a day through a combination of diet and exercise. Keep process goals and outcome goals in mind. Process goals are habit-based, while outcome goals focus on specific objectives like exercising for a set amount of time each day or losing an exact amount of weight.
Hiking or Climbing Hills
The intensity of the exercise and your body weight are factors in how many calories you burn when mountain climbing. Diet and Fitness Today says hiking or climbing hills while carrying zero to 9 pounds burns approximately 603 calories per hour for a male weighing 190 pounds. If carrying a backpack or climbing gear, you can burn up to 646 calories an hour hiking or climbing hills.
Rock Climbing
A 190-pound male burns approximately 948 calories per hour during the intense activity of rock climbing. The same person burns 689 calories during a controlled descent down the face of the rock. Some fitness facilities offer indoor rock-climbing walls to provide you with a challenging but safe environment to scale an incline. If new to climbing, many of these centers offer instruction and training.
Alternatives
If you don't live near a mountainous region, walking up a flight of stairs burns about 689 calories per hour. Use the bleachers at your local high school football field to burn calories and increase your heart health while climbing an incline.
Diet
Eat a balanced, nutritious diet rich with complex carbohydrates, lean protein sources and healthy fats to fuel your mountain climbing workouts and promote weight loss. Consume carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains to provide your body with a steady source of energy. Eat lean protein sources such as chicken and fish to provide your muscles with critical amino acids. Take in healthy fats like olive oil and natural peanut butter as a secondary source of fuel for your aerobic activities. Avoid fatty foods such as doughnuts and sugary beverages like soda to cut out empty calories and power up your workouts.
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