Take an Adventure on Thanksgiving -- Let's Call it a Fitsgiving

Most people gain 1-3 pounds of fat every year at Thanksgiving. And guess what? Most of those folks make it a permanent weight gain. Thanksgiving used to be a meal with friends and family, but now it's a overstuffing of the body with unhealthy sides, mains, and desserts.

This year, we challenge you to go against this American tradition of Thursday football and 3500-6500 calorie meals. What should you do instead? Have a Fitsgiving!

A Fitsgiving is an active way to celebrate Thanksgiving. You can still have your roasted turkey, potatoes, salad, and pumpkin pie, but we invite you to take an adventure this year and have it to-go. Make your dinner table around a campfire. Yep! You heard us -- turning your Thanksgiving into a backpacking trip. Since you get Thursday (and for some of you Friday) off, you could make a hell-of-a-trip out of four days. You could fly to a hike that you've been dying to do, or hike something near home that you've been meaning to complete.

Where could you go? Here are some ideas for backpacking trips.

West Coast and Inner PNW:

• Oregon: Rogue River Trail
• Montana: Rattlesnake Wilderness near Missoula
• Washington: South Fork Skokomish River
• California: Skyline to Sea -- Santa Cruz

East Coast:

• ​Presidential Traverse, White Mountains, New Hampshire

Midwest:

• ​Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI

The South:

• Ozark Highlands Trail, Arkansas

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The Food

You can have Thanksgiving dinner on your backpacking trip. Here are a few resources to help you plan your meals:

• Perfect for Camping + Multiple Day Hikes
• Perfect for Backpacking In to Camp
• More Delicious Recipes​

The Gear

Strong headlamp
Warm Gloves
Puffy insulated jacket
Lithium batteries
Insulated Sleeping Pad
Dry layers/stove/extra insulation
Blaze orange hat, buff, or vest
Insulated boots


And use this LIST.