Overweight Hikers

[S'more]

I was so bummed to find that there wasn't one terribly close to me I would love to start a chapter but I just don't have the time right now, but I would love to be a part of a group like this!

Check out meetup.com there may be a woman's hiking group near you. there is one near me that is a spin-off, sort of, of trail dames.

[ArtificialSunshine]

Check out meetup.com there may be a woman's hiking group near you. there is one near me that is a spin-off, sort of, of trail dames.

Good thinkin'

[RJ Lewis]

I think there is great advice all around here... I agree...go slow...and look for the small changes at first in your body. I remember a gal I used to live near...SWORE she couldn't hike more than a mile...soooo I took her out just walking around the area....when we got back, I showed her on the GPS that she had walked over 3 miles!! She was amazed and every day after that, would get out and hike a local trail we lived on.

Just keep on keepin on, and soon you will be there. =)

[katypaty]

Don’t worry. I have my own experiences. Hiking is a good way of losing your weight. But please do for a limit. Don’t work harder in hiking. If you feel uncomfortable don’t continue. Give some rest and start again. The people who’s going to hike with you should understand your situation.

[Butterfly58]

Wow, this was soooo encouraging and helpful for me to read tonight. I've been dreaming of hiking the AT all my life and I've finally decided to do it next year. I'm really overweight though and just this week I finally decided to start training. I live in Florida, so no mountains near me! But I know I need to toughen my feet and start walking so the beach is the most logical and beautiful place. So I've been going to the beach every morning and walking barefoot on the shells (ouch!) for an hour as a start. Thanks for all the helpful posts. I'm also planning on going to the Trail Dames Summit in July. We don't have a chapter down here but the Summit looks like a great place to learn some stuff to help me prepare for my hike. Anyone else going?

[Wise Old Owl]

OK Girls the Bumpjumper has not been here since January

[Butterfly58]

Doesn't matter, sometimes reading old threads is still very helpful

[shelb]

Wow, this was soooo encouraging and helpful for me to read tonight. ...I finally decided to start training. I live in Florida, so no mountains near me! But I know I need to toughen my feet a...

It is flat in my area too, so I have found a state park that has a lot of steps (1/4 mile up a sand dune). I hike up and down those suckers over and over and over and over...lol....

As another overweight hiker, I can say that each year I have taken off a few pounds, I have noticed a difference. I still have many pounds to take off, but every little bit helps!

[Armywife]

I am obese, as in morbidly obese according to the numbers. I can also run 3 miles at a time or hike 12 miles. After trying everything under the sun to try to lose the flab I went to my doctor. He said that it would take something as drastic as hiking a couple thousand miles at a time to knock my body off its flabby butt. Good thing I had been planning a hike for a few years! I am going to be training over the next few months to make sure I don't hurt myself though! According to Justin Lichter I want to hike with an empty pack until I hit my base milage (11 miles a day) then start adding weight until I can manage the 11 with my full pack on. That's what I am doing. (his book Trail Tested is quickly becoming my bible). I am planning on hitting the end of the trail on my 40th birthday. OH! Make sure your pack will shrink with you! I got fitted for my pack (Quest 65L) today and it small enough (medium) that I can wear it comfortably now and it should have no trouble shrinking as I shrink. You also want to find out how many calories you need to eat to maintain the weight you want to be at. So, I would be perfectly fine at 170 pounds, so I need to eat 4K calories a day while hiking to maintain that weight, which will allow those pesky 60+ to find new homes along the trail. In order to maintain my current weight I would need to eat closer to 6K. I hope this helps!

[Lemni Skate]

Yep, I'm really heavy myself. Just don't push for miles. Hike until you're tired and stop. After a month you'll be hiking as many miles as anyone.

[Granwalker]

One of the great Hiking books is Following Atticus. The author is a very heavy journalist who did all the 4000 footers with his Schnauzer name of Atticus. One of the funniest moments happens when a group of hyper fit, extravagantly geared up group makes it to a halt near the top of Mt. Washington, and encounters their worst nightmare---a fat man with a small dog. Book is definitely worth everyone's while.

[ugggggggh]

i am sooo fat. " how fat are you?" i am sooo fat when i typed this reply i wanted to eat the key board! any way i am fat and i am convinced that i will hike a good part of the at cause it means so much to me to do it! any more questions? you go for it!

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

40 years ago I waited for them(those OLD people) at the top of every hill. Life has a way of coming full circle. I always make sure that I'm carrying dinner or the stove - that way they CAN'T leave me behind!

Should be like facebook, where we can "like" something. Like your stradegy 4eyed

[Butterfly58]

Who cares if you're fat? Doesn't really matter. A lot of fat people hike. Have you looked at anybody's pictures here or on trailjournals? Do what you can do and be proud that you did it, whatever it is. What a fun way to get in shape, right?

[AngelEyez]

don’t know if its been said but its not about how fast one get to there destination it about the fun and the memories one makes getting there.

[kayak karl]

i like when this thread pops up and remembering all the people that posted in the beginning

[Wise Old Owl]

Uh me too missed BJ' posts for a while... shame really...

[Rebelgirluk]

Hun, take it slow, travel light, walk your own walk, try lighter weight walking shoes, carry safe minimum with a little extra. Use hiking poles, take knees supports, enjoy zero days, it will work out... Just be gentle on yourself. I'm not a little bitty thing either...

[Mama]

Ok, I am new to this hiking thing. Trailtalker got me into it. I want to know how hard this is going to be for an overweight woman to do.
No fat jokes ok.....
I aint morbidly obese but I carry alot of extra weight.

Hi BumpJumper,

I am living proof that you don't have to be thin to enjoy hiking and backpacking.

When I was younger I was considered obese according to the charts, weighing in at 173 pounds. I worked out on the stair climber 5 days a week, and took as many walks and day hikes as I could squeeze into my schedule to stay in shape for backpacking trips. Despite my weight i was able to keep up with and sometimes out hike thinner friends on backpacking trips, probably because I exercised so much. Based on that experience I learned that if you exercise in a way that prepares you for your hikes you will do well.

Now I'm 48 and I weigh about 150 pounds, still overweight according to the charts. I go to the gym and do cardio 5 days a week along with strength training twice a week. I also day hike once a week to stay in shape for backpacking and canoe tripping. I still attribute my ability to do well on hikes to the exercise. I don't think my "overweight" on the chart is hampering my ability to hike.

If you're truly new to this, my advice is start out with easy and then work into moderate hikes before working up to higher miles and strenuous terrain. if you are truly new to this, for exercise I'd start out walking at 4 or 5 days a and work my way up in speed and distance before tackling more strenuous excercise. Of course I'm not a doctor and you should use your own good judgment and self knowledge, and seek a doctors opinion regarding your state of health and exercise recommendations.

Happy Hiking!

[Connie]

I saw an "obese" man "set" a woman back on her feet, with one hand.

The woman fell backward to the floor. The instant before she hit the floor, he got one hand under her back, setting her back upright on her feet.

It was on the city bus.

I know him. I walked with him all over San Francisco, CA to help "me" get "in shape".

This shows me, "obese" or not, you can be strong, you can be "in shape" athletically. You only have to do what is involved with achieving strength, and, getting "in shape".

It became apparent, to me, overall size in height, or, volume is not the determining factor.