Do you struggle when exercising?

[rocketsocks]

As we get older it's often harder to exercise, and our time on trails can leave us winded and wondering why am I struggling so much, I use to do this no problem, does it warrant a trip to the doctor? Maybe! Caught early enough many of these issues aging hikers may have can be fully corrected.

http://catamounttrail.org/2014/04/16/am-i-just-getting-old-or-is-exercise-intolerance-a-sign-of-something-bad/

[TrippLite]

[QUOTE] Diets with large amounts of fat and protein, animal-derived in particular, promote inflammation damaging arterial linings and impairing recovery of muscles, joints, and ligaments from the regular micro-trauma of exercise/QUOTE]

Interesting...
If this is a valid statement from the article you posted RocketSocks, I got it all wrong as I drink blended protein drinks before and after my weight lifting workouts as do thousands of others.

[rgarling]

Diets with large amounts of fat and protein, animal-derived in particular, promote inflammation damaging arterial linings and impairing recovery of muscles, joints, and ligaments ...

Interesting...
If this is a valid statement from the article you posted RocketSocks, I got it all wrong....


I suppose you are just being polite, but that statement is off-base. Fat is innocuous. Excessive protein intake is unnecessary, but generally won't hurt. Neither cause significant inflammation.

Inflammation is caused by consumption of vegetable oils, excessive carbohydrate, and processed foods (containing grains and sugars).

[Wise Old Owl]

Joint inflammation is really caused by very excessive hiking.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Scary stuff, RS. I just received the possible angina diagnosis today.

[rocketsocks]

Yep, I was struggling to shovel snow this year...huffin' and a puffin' and the up hills kill me when hikin' I'm a flat lander.;)

[rocketsocks]

[QUOTE] Diets with large amounts of fat and protein, animal-derived in particular, promote inflammation damaging arterial linings and impairing recovery of muscles, joints, and ligaments from the regular micro-trauma of exercise/QUOTE]

Interesting...
If this is a valid statement from the article you posted RocketSocks, I got it all wrong as I drink blended protein drinks before and after my weight lifting workouts as do thousands of others.I know that's a big part of reparing for weight lifter, something I'm don't know much about. I know Pedaling Fool way into that, maybe he can offer an alternative opinion.

[Deer Hunter]

Scary stuff, RS. I just received the possible angina diagnosis today.

Sorry to hear that, Teacher.

[Wise Old Owl]

Scary stuff, RS. I just received the possible angina diagnosis today.

I hear ya hope its mild.... do your best.

[Another Kevin]

Scary stuff, RS. I just received the possible angina diagnosis today.

Gadzooks! All the best to you. At least if they're talking "possible angina" they've caught things pretty early, and there's a lot they can do nowadays to mend a broken heart (says a man married to a lady with a five-way bypass).

[Teacher & Snacktime]

My world is a little rocked, but I'm trying to keep a positive outlook. So much of Rocketsock's article hit home though. It's easy to chalk it all up to aging and a few extra pounds, since we all hope it's only that.

I hope your wife is faring well after her ordeal, Kevin. I hope we can do that slackpack suggestion you had!

[Pedaling Fool]

[QUOTE=TrippLite;1885699] I know Pedaling Fool way into that, maybe he can offer an alternative opinion.No opinion, more like guesses from observations:confused:

This issue of exercise, diet and health is a mangled mess. I have no idea what causes these issues of heart disease, but it seems like no one does, including the most esteemed medical institutions.

It seems the warnings we were given on saturated fat and cholesterol were all based on junk science.

It also seems like heart disease is not so much of a 20th century disease as we’ve been led to believe, you can see this in a recent study of mummies and clogged arteries.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/10/mummies-heart-disease/1974215/

Excerpt:<O:p</O:p

Finding plaques in the arteries of ancient peoples suggests that it is "either a basic component of aging, or that we are missing something very important that is a cause of atherosclerosis," says co-author Gregory Thomas, medical director of MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute in Long Beach, Calif.

More than one-third of 137 mummies sent through a CT scanner had calcification in their arteries, suggesting hardening of the arteries.

Mummies came from around the world: ancient Egypt, where people deliberately preserved the bodies of kings; as well as Peru, the southwestern United States and the Aleutian Islands, near Alaska, where the corpses were naturally mummified by dry air and other conditions. In earlier studies, researchers also have found hardened arteries and arthritis in the famous "Ice Man," a 5,300-year-old mummy found in the Alps in 1991.




To further muddy the waters, there are also counterintuitive things out there, such as the Milk-drinking African tribe – Maasai http://www.wired.com/2012/09/milk-meat-and-blood-how-diet-drives-natural-selection-in-the-maasai/

Excerpt:

The Maasai are a pastoralist tribe living in Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Their traditional diet consists almost entirely of milk, meat, and blood. Two thirds of their calories come from fat, and they consume 600 – 2000 mg of cholesterol a day. To put that number in perspective, the American Heart Association recommends consuming under 300 mg of cholesterol a day. In spite of a high fat, high cholesterol diet, the Maasai have low rates of diseases typically associated with such diets. They tend to have low blood pressure, their overall cholesterol levels are low, they have low incidences of cholesterol gallstones, as well as low rates of coronary artery diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Even more remarkable are the results of a 1971 study by Taylor and Ho. Two groups of Maasai were fed a controlled diet for 8 weeks. One group – the control group – was given food rich in calories. The other group had the same diet, but with an additional 2 grams of cholesterol per day. Both diets contained small amounts of a radioactive tracer (carbon 14). (You’d never get approval for a study like this today, and for good reason.) By monitoring blood and fecal samples, the scientists discovered that the two groups had basically identical levels of total cholesterol in their blood. In spite of consuming a large dose of cholesterol, these individuals had the same cholesterol levels as the control group.



So in that light, I’ve developed my own exercise and diet regimen, which is primarily based on my observations of people, especially the old and lessons learned on the trail. Old people fall apart, weightlifting fights that and not just the simple weightlifting, such as benchpressing and curling…, but things that work the total body, such as dips on gymnastic rings… and probably most important is not maintaining a routine; routines make you very strong in certain areas and very weak in others. And I carry this anti-routine mindset in all other areas of exercise. I know a lot of people think this takes a lot of time, but it doesn’t, you can get in and get out very quickly if you don’t sit and mope around, like a lot of people do and really you don’t even need a gym.

Like I said I take this methodology into all other areas because if you get into a routine, you set yourself up for failure; you should always be testing and pushing yourself and evaluating/listening to your body.

One of the most important things in exercise is consistency, more so than pushing yourself, but consistency without routine. That’s where I’m kind of lucky, because I’ve been riding a bike for over 25 years, at one point my commute to work was a 50-mile roundtrip; therefore I was getting a workout at the same time as doing something I had to do anyway. And surprisingly (thanks to rush hour traffic) I really didn’t take much longer than riding a car to work. If you find the difference between riding my bike and driving than that worked out to less than an hour workout, the rest was commute that I had to do anyway.

My post is getting too long, so I’ll just close with diet. I don’t believe all the crap out there condemning Processed Foods and such as being the reason behind heart disease as the number one killer. I believe it’s mostly a combination of quantity of foods, lack of exercise and then the issue of genetics.

As I’ve said before, the most valuable lesson I learned on the trail was just how efficient our bodies are on such little amounts of food. People eat too much – everyone hears that, but they don’t realize just how much they must cut out of their diet to keep from falling in this category.

I have a basic rule of thumb. If I eat a large baked potato, with all the fixin’s and then can NOT go for a run or do crunches than I’ve been eaten too much. Eating too much is not something you just do in one sitting where you feel bloated. It’s an accumulative thing. If you eat (this is based on my personal experience – YMMV) 3 meals per day where you feel full, but not close to bloated, then you’re probably eating too much, especially if you are not as active as you should be. I don’t eat that much and I’m very active.

That's why there is a rule of not eating 1-hour (or whatever it is) before you go swimming, but this rule is only a rule because we all eat too much. Like I said before, I can eat a large potato and go for a run or a swim and not worry about cramps and if I do get cramps, it’s not because I ate the potato, rather because I was eating too much before that, hence, it’s accumulative. Going hungry sometimes is a good thing, but in our society that seems to be a bad thing – that’s wrong.

[rocketsocks]

PF, I knew you would come up with some good articles...you have a knack for ferreting out such jewels. Like Occams Razor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor)says "Often the simplest answer is the correct one" I agree we can eat to much food for our inactive life styles. I think the hardest, leanest, and strongest I've ever been was when I was digging ditches for days on end for an under ground plumbing installation...give me a shovel, pocket level, some string lines and bring my check around on Fridays...loved it, so simple, not a lot of thinkin involved, head down blowin and goin. The act of digging worked all though stabilizing muscles, and at the end of the day you knew you did some work. I gotta think some of the more primitive peoples of the world with less modern destraction so many of us enjoy may have a similar life style of constant work or chores to maintain a more active life style.

Is food a poison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison)? we need the nutrients, and get rid of the rest. When we expel what is not needed are our bodys not getting sick so to speak? and telling us I don't want this. Of coarse this is a normal function and by design, but perhaps limiting the amount of poisons we put in is best. I'm using these terms very loosely, but thinking of food intake in this way I think illustrates the point to it's the lowest common denominator quite nicely. Eating less food and limiting the amount of additives (dyes, flavor enhancers, monohydrohomblablablah) is probably not a bad idea.

[Old Hiker]

Hey, RS !!

Yep - getting older means less exercise (for me), so even a 2 mile trip around the neighborhood with 20 pounds in my backpack is leading to aching legs and ankles. The huffing and puffing, not so much. Getting ready for 2016 - evidently none too soon.

My biggest problems are the heat and humidity, and I still don't believe my second try will take place. Of course, I didn't think my FIRST try would take place. I gotta have more faith, I guess.

Too much sitting, not enough doing. Still, I look at my peers at my job and think: YIKES !! I'm MUCH better than that 30-40 year old.

I'm blessed with a nagging wife as well. She's gotten me to go to the doctor on several occasions where I might have ignored the problems until they were much more serious.

[rocketsocks]

Cool, I remember when you got pulled away off the trail with the leg injury, here's to a better and safer passage this time around....hey and on the note of sittin around...I'm off to take a long walk today...I'm getting way to freaking soft and have been tryin to make some changes.

[Pedaling Fool]

Interesting new study, which seems to indicate that there is something to the old saying: “Calm down or you’re going to have a heart attack.”

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/06/how-stress-can-clog-your-arteries

[AggieAl]

IMHO you need more exercise as you get older, not less. However, we need to reduce the intensity in order to avoid getting injured. So lower weights, reduce the speed work etc, but increase the time. Otherwise you get injured and it takes a lot more time to heal.

An example of dumb: I ran a marathon in February despite a nagging low back pain. I could barely walk about 2/3 of the way in. It turned out to be a pinched nerve. Thanks to exercise and physical therapy I am much better, but can't run much. I should have checked that out first. Dumb.

Do you need annual exams?

Yes, in March my doctor pointed out a hernia which needed surgery. This could have been a real problem on the trail!

Then in May I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which will require surgery. However, your prognosis is excellent if you catch it before it spreads. Once it spreads there is no cure.

I am 71 and start my fifth and last section of the AT at Crawford Notch next Monday. The surgery has to wait until I finish!

Getting old is a pain.

Planning on the CT for 2015 and the PCT for 2016.

[rocketsocks]

Interesting new study, which seems to indicate that there is something to the old saying: “Calm down or you’re going to have a heart attack.”

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/06/how-stress-can-clog-your-arteriesNow o'coarse I'm gonna read this article, and I agree, people can get way stressed out chasing phantom ailments, especially with the availability of information through the internet...just don't ignore warning signs (meaning tell your doctor about your concerns and don't you yourself make the call).

[rocketsocks]

IMHO you need more exercise as you get older, not less. However, we need to reduce the intensity in order to avoid getting injured. So lower weights, reduce the speed work etc, but increase the time. Otherwise you get injured and it takes a lot more time to heal.

An example of dumb: I ran a marathon in February despite a nagging low back pain. I could barely walk about 2/3 of the way in. It turned out to be a pinched nerve. Thanks to exercise and physical therapy I am much better, but can't run much. I should have checked that out first. Dumb.

Do you need annual exams?

Yes, in March my doctor pointed out a hernia which needed surgery. This could have been a real problem on the trail!

Then in May I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which will require surgery. However, your prognosis is excellent if you catch it before it spreads. Once it spreads there is no cure.

I am 71 and start my fifth and last section of the AT at Crawford Notch next Monday. The surgery has to wait until I finish!

Getting old is a pain.

Planning on the CT for 2015 and the PCT for 2016.
Glad to hear your being proactive about your decease, and that it was caught early enough to be corrected, had a friend that didn't, and a family member that...well, were just not sure yet :( Most of this stuff can be fixed if a person gets to the doctors soon enough. I hiked with a hernia this past Winter, and am having repaired next week, I don't recommend this for folks, but mine was pretty minor, it's letting it go that would be the big no no and having it get worse at an inopportune time. Great luck with your hike Al.

[rocketsocks]

Interesting new study, which seems to indicate that there is something to the old saying: “Calm down or you’re going to have a heart attack.”

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/06/how-stress-can-clog-your-arteries
Well now that is interesting. First let me say that, yes stress kills, I whole heartedly believe that, pun intended.

...and secondly...Small damn world...Dr. Alan Tall is a Doctor at Columbia university hospital Assoc. with Presbyterian hospital in New York City, and while he wasn't my fathers primary Doctor, he was on the team of Cardiologist that made rounds when my Pop had his heart attack while we were in the City attending a wedding. For about a week I'd set off into the city and walk up to 69th Steet from 34th and the train station to go see him. One thing I remember his doctor said/did was show us a pie chart of factors that can cause a heart attack...Stress was about 2/3 of that pie. Good article Pedalin Fool, thanks for postin.

[Tipi Walter]

Gadzooks! All the best to you. At least if they're talking "possible angina" they've caught things pretty early, and there's a lot they can do nowadays to mend a broken heart (says a man married to a lady with a five-way bypass).

It's funny but on my last several backpacking trips I ran into several middle-aged guys who told me they all had recent stents put in for their hearts. I asked them about their diets before and they chimed in unison---too much bacon, cheese, animal fat, gravy and biscuits. So, after the surgery they detailed a diet very low in animal fat. I got to thinking about Pres Clinton's heart problems and how he is now on a vegan diet. This sounds excellent to me, but then again at nearly 64 years of age I could stroke out at any moment.

As far as exercise goes---I hate to exercise. UNLESS it's part of my lifestyle, i.e. bicycle commuting, backpacking, etc. One good thing about backpacking is that once you're dropped off for 2 or 3 weeks you have no choice but to "pump nylon" and hump the ruck (unless you collapse in a heap right in the parking lot and stay there for the rest of the trip). After several days hiking with weight I reach an equilibrium of mvt and rest---all muscles get rock solid and the beat goes on.

As Eric Ryback used to say (and he was a youngster)---The legs get like pistons and you just keep moving. I find this to be true even on the hardest hills and with the heaviest packs.

[Another Kevin]

As far as exercise goes---I hate to exercise. UNLESS it's part of my lifestyle, i.e. bicycle commuting, backpacking, etc. One good thing about backpacking is that once you're dropped off for 2 or 3 weeks you have no choice but to "pump nylon" and hump the ruck (unless you collapse in a heap right in the parking lot and stay there for the rest of the trip).
I also hate exercise for its own sake.

Taking up hiking again (and walking to work) after too long away may be the best thing I ever did for myself. I lost about 40 lbs in a couple of years - effortlessly, and it's stayed off. BP, blood glucose and lipid profile all squarely in the normal range. I've even got a deal with my doctor that on any day that I'm toting a backpack over mountains for at least six hours, I can eat whatever I damned well please.

And it doesn't take a two- or three - week outing for it to work, which is good, since clueless weekending is all I have time for.

But coronary heart disease is disease, not just a complication of an unhealthful lifestyle. In fact, when the doctors blame disease on lifestyle, it's a sure indication that they don't understand the mechanism. When's the last time you heard stomach ulcers ascribed to stress? Now the docs understand that stress doesn't cause ulcers, bacteria do... and their ulcer patients actually get better. That isn't to say that you can't improve your odds by living better, but there are significant other effects going on.

[Pedaling Fool]

I hate to exercise also, but that's mother nature's rules for us physical beings; you don't use it you lose it. I try and make it as interesting/fun experience as possible by mixiing it up always setting new goals. However there are things I can't do, such as walking; the most boring thing ever, running is really more interesting because you can feel the improvements -- once you get over the initial feeling like you're going to die, which can take a while. (Walking thru the mountains is fun and you get to wear a heavy backpack:)).

Weightlifting can be boring if you get into a routine, but I'm always setting new goals, such as the iron cross and other things. I don't simply go there and do routine stuff like curls and bench pressing...I do that stuff, but a whole lot more.

Weightlifting is one of those things that you can ask yourself: "Why am I doing this?" And when I ask myself that question, I just look at old people that have a hard time just standing up. Weightlifting is as much about the future as it is about now. Sort of like putting money into a retirement account.

And then cycling. I don't know what to say about that, other than I'm just addicted.

[rocketsocks]

I agree that walking can be mundane if not kept fresh, even a hamster needs a new toy in his cage every now and again. Couple ways I combat this, audio books, music, basically just zone out. Walking to a distant coffee shop 7 miles away, and be gone all day, I have the time to do this, but many don't. I change my routes all the time, guessing at the distances and then getting home to confirm on the computer...(this is pre-GPS...new toy :)) gotta keep it fresh, but yes, there are times I'm just tired of walkin, I rest

Born to Walk :D

[rocketsocks]

duplicate post ugh! :o

[Pedaling Fool]

Very true, it's all in the mind and you can always find a way to do any activity and make it interesting. My only real thing is the Time Factor. I can get an hour's run and feel like I did something, but an hour walking around here in florida...well not so much.

When you think about it though, whether it's running or walking or whatever, it's exercising for its own sake. Or at least it can be seen that way, depending on one's outlook. I know so many people that think it's crazy to ride a bike everywhere, simply because of the physical exertion factor. However, what they don't know is that you really don't feel like you're "exercising" after a point. And that's true with any form of activity.

Fact is, the body (entire body) needs to be worked or else it falls a part; and certain things fall apart at differnet time spans. A depressing thought. One of the burdens placed on us humans by mother nature, so sad :)

Thoughts of doing stuff like this really depresses me; will never ever even try and train my brain to like it :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmHVGgrunyU

[rocketsocks]

Thoughts of doing stuff like this really depresses me; will never ever even try and train my brain to like it :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmHVGgrunyU
Wish I had the cardio so I could do this...kinda like "Nobody sleeps in shelters, they're to crowded" :D

[Another Kevin]

Thoughts of doing stuff like this really depresses me; will never ever even try and train my brain to like it :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmHVGgrunyU

I steer clear of such things. Even with the lovely scenery in that video. There is something in my reptilian brain that will always think of a gym as "the place where the big kids beat you up, and the grownups are only looking when you hit back." Probably one of the reasons I took up hiking in the first place.

But let's also acknowledge: Compared with the general public, just about everyone here gets an unbelievable amount of physical activity. I'm horribly out of shape by hiker standards... but how many of the people that you see at XYZ-Mart would manage to put in a ten-mile day with 3500 feet of elevation gain? Or, for that matter, walk 20 minutes each way to work carrying a pack (with a laptop, a few books and a couple of water bottles for weight)? Both of those are pitifully little exercise for a hiker. But quite a lot for most of the population.

And I predict: When we understand metabolic syndrome, we'll discover that the sedentary lifestyle is a symptom, not a cause. We'll find out that people aren't ill because they spend too much time on the couch; they spend too much time on the couch because they're ill. That some people have a problem where exercise causes them more pain and less gain than other people. Then we'll learn to fix that problem and move on. Nobody does psychsocial interventions for peptic ulcer or typhoid any more, yet in their time, both were considered lifestyle-related diseases.

Moreover ... the body falls apart sooner or later anyway. We can improve the odds, but it's postponing the inevitable. For me, hiking is one way possibly to improve the odds, but it's much more about having some fun along the way. It seems to be working so far. I think that in the last year, I've had three different parties of 20-somethings tell me, "I think it's great, how you're still doing this at your age." Sure, they blow past me on the trail, and at my age I'm never going to be in that kind of condition, but who cares? I'm having fun at my own pace.

[Traffic Jam]

Very true, it's all in the mind and you can always find a way to do any activity and make it interesting. My only real thing is the Time Factor. I can get an hour's run and feel like I did something, but an hour walking around here in florida...well not so much.

When you think about it though, whether it's running or walking or whatever, it's exercising for its own sake. Or at least it can be seen that way, depending on one's outlook. I know so many people that think it's crazy to ride a bike everywhere, simply because of the physical exertion factor. However, what they don't know is that you really don't feel like you're "exercising" after a point. And that's true with any form of activity.

Fact is, the body (entire body) needs to be worked or else it falls a part; and certain things fall apart at differnet time spans. A depressing thought. One of the burdens placed on us humans by mother nature, so sad :)

Thoughts of doing stuff like this really depresses me; will never ever even try and train my brain to like it :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmHVGgrunyU

Time Factor...I sacrifice some things to maintain an active lifestyle. Some would call me selfish but I always put hiking, biking, and running before house cleaning, cooking, working extra shifts, etc.

It surprises me how many negative comments I get about riding my bike and hiking. Instead of encouraging a healthy lifestyle, many people attempt to undermine it. We should be motivating and encouraging each other.

The people who inspire me the most are the ones finishing their first race, bike ride, or triathalon and finishing in last place. It takes a lot of guts to swallow your pride and stink at something but do it anyway.

[rocketsocks]

It takes a lot of guts to swallow your pride and stink at something but do it anyway.
I like that...so true. :sun

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Back in the mid 90's, by hubby, brother and I embarked on organized "150" mile bike trips for a series of consecutive years. Our first attempt was cut short by a heat exhaustion episode (not mine, as it happened). In preparation for our second attempt, I trained and trained to the extent that my busy-working-four-kids-needing-constant-attention-lifestyle would allow. Rain or shine, or snow, I'd ride my bike 14-20 miles daily - to and from work with a little extra distance for fun - and tossed the 40lb toddler on the back of the bike to tackle hills whenever I could. I was determined the hills of northeastern CT would not defeat me. I had always been active and athletic; I would be active and athletic; I would meet and succeed in this challenge.

After 48hrs of grueling uphills in unrelenting heat and sun-exposure, my trio pulled into the finish area with the sag wagon impatiently pushing us up the final hill. I took the dead-last position in the queue, and was ridiculously proud to do so. (This was my final trek, thought hub and bro continued for a few more years).

Why is this a big deal? Two years prior I'd been diagnosed with Lupus, and had suffered through almost a full year incapable of walking or doing anything for myself that involved the use of my hands. The remission I was experiencing gave me a reminder of how wonderful an active life could be, how I had always taken my physicality for granted, and I fully intended to make the most of it while I could. Yes, perhaps the " *alls-out" approach was foolhardy, but there seems to be this stubborn streak....:)

[Old Grouse]

Tipi Walter's post reminds me: I had a stress test a few months ago which I (happily) passed. The cardiologist then said, "Don't forget, Clinton passed his stress test just before he needed heart bypass surgery.". Sure made me feel good to hear that!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Tipi Walter's post reminds me: I had a stress test a few months ago which I (happily) passed. The cardiologist then said, "Don't forget, Clinton passed his stress test just before he needed heart bypass surgery.". Sure made me feel good to hear that!

And George Burns lived to be over 100 smoking cigars daily.....life's a crap-shoot sometimes. Congrats on passing the test though.....any chance I could borrow the answer sheet?

[rocketsocks]

Back in the mid 90's, by hubby, brother and I embarked on organized "150" mile bike trips for a series of consecutive years. Our first attempt was cut short by a heat exhaustion episode (not mine, as it happened). In preparation for our second attempt, I trained and trained to the extent that my busy-working-four-kids-needing-constant-attention-lifestyle would allow. Rain or shine, or snow, I'd ride my bike 14-20 miles daily - to and from work with a little extra distance for fun - and tossed the 40lb toddler on the back of the bike to tackle hills whenever I could. I was determined the hills of northeastern CT would not defeat me. I had always been active and athletic; I would be active and athletic; I would meet and succeed in this challenge.

After 48hrs of grueling uphills in unrelenting heat and sun-exposure, my trio pulled into the finish area with the sag wagon impatiently pushing us up the final hill. I took the dead-last position in the queue, and was ridiculously proud to do so. (This was my final trek, thought hub and bro continued for a few more years).

Why is this a big deal? Two years prior I'd been diagnosed with Lupus, and had suffered through almost a full year incapable of walking or doing anything for myself that involved the use of my hands. The remission I was experiencing gave me a reminder of how wonderful an active life could be, how I had always taken my physicality for granted, and I fully intended to make the most of it while I could. Yes, perhaps the " *alls-out" approach was foolhardy, but there seems to be this stubborn streak....:)It's the human condition, were programmed to push our selves forward physically and mentally, least that's what I think. I like to win just like everyone, but never really had a problem comin' in lug nut last. I can usually glean some small jewel outta a check mark in the Lose column.

[Another Kevin]

It's the human condition, were programmed to push our selves forward physically and mentally, least that's what I think. I like to win just like everyone, but never really had a problem comin' in lug nut last. I can usually glean some small jewel outta a check mark in the Lose column.

Another reason I like hiking. It's not a race. (When I'm trying to plan a trip with an unfamiliar hiking partner, and it comes to, "where are you up to going?" I answer, "I go just about anywhere, if I can go there very slowly.") I'd much rather reflect on the cool places I've been than on how quickly I got to them.

[rocketsocks]

Another reason I like hiking. It's not a race. (When I'm trying to plan a trip with an unfamiliar hiking partner, and it comes to, "where are you up to going?" I answer, "I go just about anywhere, if I can go there very slowly.") I'd much rather reflect on the cool places I've been than on how quickly I got to them.Here Here! or is it Hear Hear? either way, they're there, I mean I'm here...oh never mind! :D

[MuddyWaters]

Do you struggle when exercising? (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?104584-Do-you-struggle-when-exercising/page2)



If Im doing it right, yes.

Dont confuse excercise with activity. Excercise, should be vigoruous.

[rocketsocks]

Do you struggle when exercising? (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?104584-Do-you-struggle-when-exercising/page2)



If Im doing it right, yes.

Dont confuse excercise with activity. Excercise, should be vigoruous.
I lost my vinegar a long time ago, along with the piss and fire.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

do you struggle when exercising? (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?104584-do-you-struggle-when-exercising/page2)



if im doing it right, yes.

Dont confuse excercise with activity. Excercise, should be vigoruous.


E Y O E !!! :p

[Ewker]

Thoughts of doing stuff like this really depresses me; will never ever even try and train my brain to like it :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmHVGgrunyU

why isn't anyone in that video overweight? they always show folks in good shape doing the routine

[Old Hiker]

Gonna bump this, asking a question.

I've been walking 2.5 - 3.5 miles, 4-5 times per week, for over 30 days now. Started with 15 pounds in my backpack, now up to 25-35, depending on if I buy milk and dog food on the way out. I've also incorporated a steepish, 45 step retention pond down and back up 3 times per walk. I've quit using my sticks going up and down, simply to get more exercise into my legs.

I start walking about 8:00 PM, just before the sun goes down. Weather is ALWAYS over 80*, 45-65% humidity. I drink 32 ounces of water or so while walking.

Avg speed is 3.5 mph per GPSr. Remember, this is flat FL !! :)

It seems to be getting easier, BUT: my legs are always aching. They don't seem to be adjusting for some reason. I'm using the same boots and same type of boots to walk, rotating through 3 pairs to keep the wear down. They are all well-broken in.

Not taking any meds for the aches. Don't see the need right now. Drs tell me no problems with the legs, circulatory system, etc. Of course, everything ELSE is going downhill.

Ideas? Continue to ignore? Push it out more?

[rocketsocks]

Gonna bump this, asking a question.

I've been walking 2.5 - 3.5 miles, 4-5 times per week, for over 30 days now. Started with 15 pounds in my backpack, now up to 25-35, depending on if I buy milk and dog food on the way out. I've also incorporated a steepish, 45 step retention pond down and back up 3 times per walk. I've quit using my sticks going up and down, simply to get more exercise into my legs.

I start walking about 8:00 PM, just before the sun goes down. Weather is ALWAYS over 80*, 45-65% humidity. I drink 32 ounces of water or so while walking.

Avg speed is 3.5 mph per GPSr. Remember, this is flat FL !! :)

It seems to be getting easier, BUT: my legs are always aching. They don't seem to be adjusting for some reason. I'm using the same boots and same type of boots to walk, rotating through 3 pairs to keep the wear down. They are all well-broken in.

Not taking any meds for the aches. Don't see the need right now. Drs tell me no problems with the legs, circulatory system, etc. Of course, everything ELSE is going downhill.

Ideas? Continue to ignore? Push it out more?Hmm, maybe a longer period between walks, some proteins after a walk to aid in repair, and plenty of rest for the repair to take place, very important rest is i'm learning...just guessin' here Old Hiker, hell gettin' old. I'm trying to remember back when I first started my regime of walking about 8 years ago, as I recall it was hard at first and my progress slow. One of the things I notice now is that walking allows me transition easier to a hike, with a little extre push/workout before hand like your doing, if I wasn't walking regularly I don't think this transition would be as smooth for me, jm2c hang in there, perhaps it will come. :) all the best.

[Pedaling Fool]

I never heard of the Tomato Effect, so I opened the link http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/08/18/does-physical-activity-show-signs-of-a-tomato-effect


Exceprts:

"Does physical activity show signs of a tomato effect? You might rightly ask: “What’s a tomato effect?” The tomato effect is a term used to describe a phenomenon whereby highly efficacious therapies are either ignored or rejected. Generally, the reason for this is that the therapies don't seem to make sense in light of popular beliefs or common understandings. A tomato effect, however, can also occur if people simply ignore the evidence available. .... >>>>>>


So the answer to the question “does participation in physical activity show signs of a tomato effect?” seems to be a qualified yes, because we have answered yes the following three issues:


Yes, physical activity is an efficacious therapy.



Yes, people either ignore or reject physical activity.
Yes, people know the benefits of physical activity.


The next important question is: How do we overcome the tomato effect toward physical activity? This is a much tougher question and one with no simple answer. One useful approach is through science – science that focuses on the psychology of physical activity and sedentary behavior. This emerging science reveals the complexities of changing people’s attitudes and behaviors toward exercising too little and sitting too much."

[kayak karl]

just today i left my hammer on the roof. sent my helper up to get it. :) years ago i would of just run up the 40'er, but then years ago i wouldn't of forgot it :)

[July]

Gonna bump this, asking a question.

I've been walking 2.5 - 3.5 miles, 4-5 times per week, for over 30 days now. Started with 15 pounds in my backpack, now up to 25-35, depending on if I buy milk and dog food on the way out. I've also incorporated a steepish, 45 step retention pond down and back up 3 times per walk. I've quit using my sticks going up and down, simply to get more exercise into my legs.

I start walking about 8:00 PM, just before the sun goes down. Weather is ALWAYS over 80*, 45-65% humidity. I drink 32 ounces of water or so while walking.

Avg speed is 3.5 mph per GPSr. Remember, this is flat FL !! :)

It seems to be getting easier, BUT: my legs are always aching. They don't seem to be adjusting for some reason. I'm using the same boots and same type of boots to walk, rotating through 3 pairs to keep the wear down. They are all well-broken in.

Not taking any meds for the aches. Don't see the need right now. Drs tell me no problems with the legs, circulatory system, etc. Of course, everything ELSE is going downhill.

Ideas? Continue to ignore? Push it out more?

Old Hiker, what surface are you walking on, trail or road? Hard surfaces ie asphalt/concrete can be very hard on feet/joints. Just asking.

[Pedaling Fool]

This article pretty much says what I believe, that strength training is a foundational exercise and improves everything else one does. I don't think I could have come out of my last bike accident so well without the robust frame developed during my strength training.

Cardio gets a lot of attention when it comes to fitness, but no matter how much you do cardio, the rest of you body will start deteriorating without strength training and you'll start walking around with that typical hump on your back...Not to mention you'll start feeling pains resulting from joints/bones deteriorating.

http://oakbrook.suntimes.com/2014/09/02/from-the-community-weekly-wellness-hard-work-on-basic-exercises-darien-mfc-sports-performance/


Excerpt:

"It is imperative to understand that physical strength above all else is the single greatest fitness parameter that affects all other fitness markers: power, speed, quickness, conditioning, agility, balance, etc. For example, if I can help a woman who is 60 years old triple her deadlift strength in one year (which I did: this woman can deadlift over her bodyweight for 10 repetitions) while keeping her bodyweight the exact same, do you realize how much more potential she has to be faster, run longer distances, have more balance, have less joint pain (more muscle means less impact on joints during cardiovascular work), have improved posture, and have a more dense skeleton? Improving all of these fitness markers will help her to drastically improve her quality of life.


There is no other fitness parameter that compares to good old-fashioned strength training on basic exercises to improve quality of life. I don’t care if you’re 13 years old, and growing physically, or 75 years old, and retired, – everyone should strength train. And it takes less total time than you may think – the most important factor in strength training progress is not total time spent, but rather intensity. Or, said another way, hard work."

[Kerosene]

Constant pain or general soreness is no fun, at any age. However, overuse can lead to pain even if everything else seems to be in order. Also, as you age, your body needs more time between exertion to recover -- the muscle fibers of a 50-something take about 4 times longer to heal than those for an 18-year old! I've tested this on myself in various ways and believe it to be true, for me at least. When I was 30-something I would work out the same muscle group every other day; now I wait 4 days between weightlifting workouts on a muscle group (including legs, even though my legs are abnormally strong relative to others).

I suggest that you take a few days off from your walks, or perhaps simply drop the weight for a few days. The pounding by itself can put a strain on connective tissue and joints. With your break, start taking 200mg of naproxen sodium (aka, Aleve) twice a day and see if that helps when you return to walking with your backpack in 3-4 days. You don't want to be on the Aleve for more than a few weeks, but see if that helps and it will at least give you a sense for what is going on. You might also start icing your sore muscles/joints after workouts (although if you do you are more disciplined than I am).

On the Trail, you may need to walk fewer miles in a day than those young-uns and take more zero days at the start if you want to finish at some point. Easier said than done, but you do want to finish, don't you?

I will be doing the Rangeley-Katahdin section later this month, bad knees and all. Believe me, I will not be trying to keep up with the NOBOs who have been out on the trail for months, even though I'm a fit 57-year old and just a wee bit competitive!

[Bear Cables]

For what it's worth as a former PE teacher for 35 years with a background kinesiology, I hold to the addage" use it or lose it". At 60 I have been an exerciser since childhood. I have changed what I do for work outs as high impact and over training didn't work for me after a certain age but there Is no reason one can't continue On with low impact and Pilates or yoga. I can hike as well as I could 15 years ago, if not better.it's about keeping one's weight at a healthy number a and being consistent in strength And aerobic training. My routine at 60 is an hour vigorous bike ride 4 days a week with reformer Pilates 2 days. On Sundays I watch football.

[Pedaling Fool]

A kind of interesting article on listening to one's body. In my experience, it takes practice, because in the beginning you're too quick to stop (because you're listening to the body -- much like a slave:)); however, after you get your groove on, then you don't listen to your body, partly because of the endorphins, but also you get a little too fixated on a particular goal.

I think I've got to the point where I'm pretty good at listening to my body, but I do still ignore it a little too much;)

P.S. It's true -- Pain is weakness leaving the body.

https://www.yahoo.com/health/what-it-really-means-to-listen-to-your-body-97541385058.html

Excerpt:

"Pain is weakness leaving the body.”


Ah, yes, this statement and similar (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/445223113132061546/) motivational(ish) quotes (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/445223113132033702/) are go-to stock phrases of drill sargents, tough guys, and, unfortunately, coaches and workout buddies everywhere.

We get it: When it comes to working out, pushing ourselves is a tried and true way to make progress (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23372145) toward fitness goals. But what about when we push too hard in the face of pain, putting ourselves in danger of injury? Hello, rehab! It’s about this time when the physical therapist asks us things like, “Did you feel this coming on?” “When did the problem start?” Their parting advice is often, you guessed it: “Next time, listen to your body.”

It’s all just a jumble of mixed messages. First, do we ignore the pain or push past it? And second, what the heck does “listen to your body” mean anyway? If we actually listened to our bodies, would we ever willingly participate in activities that make us tired, sweaty, and sore in the first place? OK let’s not get carried away.

RELATED: Should Your Workout Crush You? (http://greatist.com/move/benefits-of-low-intensity-workouts)

One thing we know for sure: Exercise is good. Well, the right amount of exercise at the right intensity is good. The challenge is figuring out when enough is enough and when it’s just too much. The good news is that our bodies already know the answer. We just need to train our brains to recognize the signs for when to put the pedal to the metal and when to pump the brakes—and actually do it.

I Saw the Sign (But Did It Open Up My Eyes?)

It’s understandable to think that exercise- or sports-related injuries are just plain bad luck. But freak accidents notwithstanding, there’s a good chance that before that ACL tore or that hammie popped, your body tried to warn you that injury was a-comin’ for you.

It might come as a surprise, but our bodies are incredibly smart. If we take the time to listen to them,”some very serious injuries or conditions could often be avoided,” says Dr. Doug Andrews, PT, director of sports medicine for Optim Healthcare. “When we experience pain, our body is definitely telling us that something is not right. It is up to each person to figure out what the signal means,” Dr. Andrews says.

Think of pain like the “check engine” light in a car. Turning a blind eye to this blinking light will inevitably result in a breakdown, granted the body’s warning signs can be more subtle than a car’s. (If only our knees came with a “Check ACL” light.) But when it comes to preventing small problems from turning into lasting injuries, there are symptoms and signals that act as the first line of defense . Sure, soreness and fatigue accompany many exercise routines, but being able to identify more serious aches and pains is more important than many endorphin-seeking, active folks might think.

Tune In to Common Warning Signs

It’s easier to hear the alarms our bodies are sounding when we know what to listen for. Get familiar with the warning signs of three common conditions that could be compromising performance in the gym or in everyday life.


1. Overtraining

Caused by too many intense workouts (http://running.competitor.com/2014/01/training/overtraining-why-it-happens-how-to-spot-it-how-to-dig-yourself-out_39479/2) and not enough time recovering from them, overtraining (http://greatist.com/fitness/can-you-exercise-too-much) feels, well, terrible. If you’ve ever experienced some combo of prolonged periods of fatigue, soreness that won’t go away, insomnia, a cold you can’t seem to kick, and heart rate fluctuations, chances are you’ve been overtrained.


Read More: https://www.yahoo.com/health/what-it-really-means-to-listen-to-your-body-97541385058.html

[rocketsocks]

...when I listen to my body, all I hear is Crepitus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepitus)

[rocketsocks]

but yes, it's that sound I don't hear...the silent killer, like narrowing of the arteries that'll kill ya...stuff like that.