If you’re like many Americans this time of year, you have resolved to lose weight, be healthier or get into shape. Your current disappointing physical condition and rejuvenated mental resolve result from the calorie-laden holiday parties you’ve attended and a good look in the mirror.

Not to worry. Help is as close as your local LCRA park along the Colorado River.

Getting into nature and walking and hiking around out of doors is a great way to keep your New Years fitness resolutions. From the Highland Lakes to Matagorda Bay, you’ll find LCRA parks with welcoming hiking and walking trails just waiting for your outdoor enjoyment.

Walking and hiking improves health in many ways. Having a walking trail available encourages people to walk the 30 to 60 minutes per day recommended by health experts. Walking can reduce risks of heart disease, stroke, Type II diabetes and breast and colon cancer by 20 to 50 percent.

According to the American Hiking Society, hiking is the easiest and least expensive outdoor recreation activity. You’ll definitely get your heart pounding if the trail has some elevation gain. And even at a casual pace of two miles per hour, a 150-pound person will burn 240 calories in an hour. As with most sports, you can hike or walk at different intensities to raise or lower your workout level.

Hiking can help you lose weight, improve your physical well-being, reduce tension and enhance your mental health. The mental health benefits of hiking are just as bountiful as the physical. Exposure to natural bright light, which you certainly can't get in a gym, increases levels of serotonin (a mood-lifting chemical) in the brain.

Where to go to find a walking or hiking trail? Here are some of the nice spots LCRA has to offer. Go here for more information and maps to individual parks.