View Full Version : Suggestions - Getting Fit?
sylzpace
07-20-2016, 17:04
Hi everyone :) I am re-posting this on General board, edited a bit..
New member, new goal.
First things first I am overweight and working to get fitter this next year, so my goal for the Appalachian is for 2018, potentially 2019.
Long term goal, but something I really want to do, for spiritual and inner healing reasons, as well as being a nature lover and being at one with the outdoors. I grew up with a father who was an outdoorsman, and feel more comfortable out there than anywhere. I am realistic in that I will do as much as I can - even if I don't finish. My body will know what it wants to do and can do.
That said, I know that a thru-hike is an incredible amount of preparation (as is doing portions), which is why I am here now.
Realistically, I have weight to lose and I have already begun that journey which a lot more to go, but here are my questions.
While working out to lose weight, I would also like to incorporate strengthening, proper physical activity that would be beneficial as well as mental preparation. I have lots of time, and am super goal oriented, so when I put my mind to something I roll with it. Having this goal is something I am excited about and really looking forward to.
I will have lots of the needed equipment within the next year to do smaller hikes and overnights too, to get a feel for it and get lots of practice in. I will build myself and my strength up.
Any suggestions on things I could do, or that you found beneficial for workouts ? (squats, some upper body, and walking I am doing now). But if there is anything specific I could and should be doing while losing weight ?
Also, I am starting the reading & research process now, and educating myself lots!
Thank you in advance :bananaand thank you for accepting my membership!!
MtDoraDave
07-20-2016, 17:33
Hike!
I started with day hikes and overnighters, then when I had enough equipment and a week off, I did a 7 day hike on the AT.
After completing a week long hike, I dropped 10 lbs. It does something to my metabolism, because I weighed about the same before / after the hike - the weight came off the next week or two.
I can elaborate later...gotta go.
I started puking on 500 ft "mountains" and 4 months later I climbed Katahdin. I gradually progressed during that four months from 500 footers to 4000 footers. I had a hill near me that was 1700 feet high, pretty steep, too. The first time it took me an hour, the last time my gf and I hiked it, was about 20 minutes and not really trying that hard. I would hike that one hill two or three times a week and hike larger hills/mountains every weekend. I didnt really try to lose weight until recently, and I did that by logging what I ate and made sure I was at a daily calorie deficit. My GF bought a fitbit HR. Its a fairly good tool to use, but its not perfect. I went from 215 to 195 and my goal weight is 185 before Summer ends. Too much hiking food in my house now. Its almost all hiking food, actually :-)
CamelMan
07-20-2016, 18:40
I used to weigh 250. Now I hover around the 180s and am looking forward to the 170s. My cholesterol is 166 w/o medication and BP recently was something like 105/75, at the dentist no less. I eat as much as I want, cheaply. It's the last "diet" you'll ever need: www.drmcdougall.com (http://www.drmcdougall.com) (I would recommend starting and getting used to the "Maximum Weight Loss" version and/or R.D. Jeff Novick's (http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Home.html) guidelines.) Of course I try to get plenty of exercise.
I find that running is good preparation for long hikes, especially running on hills. Running will improve your cardiopulmonary fitness in a hurry, and general fitness is a better goal than weight loss. If you are starting from scratch you will want to start out with very short distances and only increase those distances very gradually and intersperse with walking.
sylzpace
07-20-2016, 19:42
So much excellent information already, thank you all!
map man, I am definitely working myself up to running! I am walking with short intervals of running right now.
It's tough, but I'll keep at it until I can run with relative ease and push for more.
Running was one of the main ways I lost weight previously, and it's such an accomplishment when you at one time had a hard time walking.
I appreciate the tips very much, thank you!! It helps getting all this in advance so i know i am on the right track.
CamelMan, congratulations! That's amazing! I've been there myself, and will achieve that again, I believe in myself. It's no easy journey, but so very worthwhile. I am going to check out those links right now, thank you!
egilbe - Funny you mention a fitbit, I was just searching online and pricing them. Thinking I will go with a simple Fitbit flex, I just want to track my steps each day. Good luck with the last 10 lbs!! And congrats on the loss. Thank you so much for the hills info.. I have a plan (with my walking/running) to add hills in the next while once I can run a longer distance. So good to know that it will be helpful!
MtDoraDave - Thank you! I do plan short trips to start, probably 2 day excursions, and then I will work my way up. I'm not too far from the Shenandoahs, so most likely that's going to be my first trip. I am hoping to get a weekend in for the fall.
MtDoraDave
07-20-2016, 21:34
Sorry I couldn't elaborate earlier...
I have discovered, for me anyways, that the best way to get in shape for hiking is to hike. I have a mountain bike and a road bike - different muscles are used for each, and different ones are used hiking. That, and hiking is more of an endurance activity, whereas biking or running are relatively short workouts.
I can't run; knees won't tolerate it. As a guy who spends a lot of time painting, which involves lots of kneeling - my knees were always paining me... until I started hiking. It actually helped build the strength back in them, and they are rarely sore like they used to be.
When I haven't hiked in a while (like now) I find my core (abs and lower back) really get sore after the next hike. They subconsciously work non-stop to stabilize the weight of the backpack. If I hike at least once a month, (in the cooler months) those muscles stay "fit" and I have no problems.
Good luck.
...and the best advice I can think of: Don't overdo it! Start with short hikes and moderate speeds. Don't try to push yourself before you get a base fitness built up - and it's not necessarily about getting to a certain body weight. Remember, it's not a race or a contest. Enjoy yourself and the journey.
I answered over on the ladies' forum too, but I found this: http://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Just-For-Fun/
Might be fun to go with some other like-minded folks in your area.
Gambit McCrae
07-21-2016, 10:46
I personally am not a runner, wish I was, but my body just wasn't made for any kind of long distance running. But I love to walk, up steep roads, thru the country etc...
When I am on the trail and find myself upset at my performance, ie last trip in VA, I get motivated to improve myself. So started Monday after work I walk 10 miles with a 20lbs pack on, the hotter it is the better for me. takes me about 2.5 hours and I am really trying to move when I do. I supplement this with strenuous hikes on the weekends and when AT time comes around, my hard work has always paid off.
Puddlefish
07-21-2016, 10:56
I lost a lot of weight day hiking over three years, then rewarded that with a thru hike attempt. Initially, I was sucking wind after walking 300 feet from my front door. I had to stop seven times to catch on a 500 foot climb. Then I only stopped six times, then five...
All I can recommend is to start slowly, and do the same amount or even a little more every day. If you really push too hard one day, don't be afraid to take a single day off. If you find you hit a plateau after months of work, take a week off from the grind, the reset period will let you come back stronger and do more when you resume. Just be certain you do resume.
I found that bike riding was far easier on my knees than hiking, so I like to mix in rides to strengthen my knees. Learn to tell the difference between a standard muscle ache from exercise, and an injury. Don't train through injuries. At your age, it's just starting to take a little longer to recover.
Focus on having fun, and feeling healthy, rather than how many pounds you are at any given moment. That said, give your body useful food to grow muscle, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins, etc. Unless you're hiking a long stretch, you don't need the high calorie/low weight diet you'll see in other threads. Just human sized portions is all you need.
Good luck.
Beyond being more active, one specific and easily done exercise I'd recommend is doing planks (both regular and side) It is truly easy (in a I don't need gear and it takes 2 minutes sense) and will strengthen your core, which you don't realize how much you use... but your back will definitely thank you every single day afterwards.
FreeGoldRush
07-21-2016, 11:21
I had a hill near me that was 1700 feet high, pretty steep, too. The first time it took me an hour, the last time my gf and I hiked it, was about 20 minutes and not really trying that hard.
You knock out 1,700 feet of elevation in 20 minutes? That's impressive.
Mike
cmoulder
07-21-2016, 12:46
You knock out 1,700 feet of elevation in 20 minutes? That's impressive.
Mike
The world record for the vertical kilometer (https://iancorless.org/tag/vertical-kilometer/) (3274 feet) is 30min 26sec for men and 36min 48sec for women. 1700/3274 is .519 of the record vertical in about .67 the time (20/30.5), which is indeed impressive, especially for the lady... really not far off world record pace!
FreeGoldRush
07-21-2016, 12:54
The world record for the vertical kilometer (https://iancorless.org/tag/vertical-kilometer/) (3274 feet) is 30min 26sec for men and 36min 48sec for women. 1700/3274 is .519 of the record vertical in about .67 the time (20/30.5), which is indeed impressive, especially for the lady... really not far off world record pace!Hence my skepticism.However, about four weeks ago while hiking with the ponies in Grayson Highlands I met a guy that does 80 mile days in those insane competitions. He said they are sometimes on ESPN. I'm not familiar with those ultra endurance competitions he referred to. Needless to say, he was strolling with the ponies while my wife and I were hiking.
cmoulder
07-21-2016, 13:14
I agree it seems a bit of a stretch, therefore the injection of some logic. :)
A few years ago when training for a GC hike, I did the Devil's Path from Devil's Tombstone up toward Devil's Acre (there's a pattern there, lol) in the Catskills, 3 times consecutively up and down. (I say 'toward' because I turned around at the top where the trail flattens out and went back down.) I had a Suunto Vector and Garmin Vista to check elevation change 3 times, and it is really close to 1493 ft vertical, over a distance of a little less than a mile. I wasn't timing it but I'm sure it took me waaayyy over 20 minutes to go up, and even down was way over 20 minutes. Great place to break a leg... literally. And that's when I were a young-ish lad in my 40s.
You knock out 1,700 feet of elevation in 20 minutes? That's impressive.
Mike
What? You think I start at sea level or something? 900' of elevation gain. Mountains are like icebergs. Most of its hidden.
Best Training book, Climbing: Training For Peak Performance - Clyde Soles. . Been using the 3-month program for years,
Q
rocketsocks
07-21-2016, 20:07
I used to weigh 250. Now I hover around the 180s and am looking forward to the 170s. My cholesterol is 166 w/o medication and BP recently was something like 105/75, at the dentist no less. I eat as much as I want, cheaply. It's the last "diet" you'll ever need: www.drmcdougall.com (http://www.drmcdougall.com) (I would recommend starting and getting used to the "Maximum Weight Loss" version and/or R.D. Jeff Novick's (http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Home.html) guidelines.) Of course I try to get plenty of exercise.okay, this goes against what I was taught...thanks for the link, I'll mull it over.
A lot of workout information here but your first priority is your diet. And NOT a diet plan, diet as in what you eat. Get rid of sugars and lower your carbs. Get away from processed foods and work towards a vegetable and fat heavy diet. After you lose the weight physical fitness will be easy. You can't exercise off a bad diet. Track everything you eat with myfitnesspal for starters. Good luck!
Fitbit has a food tracking program with it, too. It works pretty good.
gracebowen
07-21-2016, 21:31
Ive read many journals and im worried about upper body strength so im working on that a bit extra.
AfterParty
07-21-2016, 22:29
Practice putting on a loaded pack. It will make it much easier too
While physical conditioning is important, most people agree that long hikes are more a mental game than a physical one. I think solo walking, running, and hiking help with both the physical and the mental preparation. You breathe heavily, burn calories, and get your heart beating, but you also get used to being outdoors in all weather, and listening to the voice in your head for hours on end.
In practice, for me, that was hiking as close to all day as possible on my days off work, and daily one-hour/four-mile walks in the neighborhood on working days.
One thing I read several years ago estimated that your hard tissues take at least six months to increase in strength--much longer than it takes to build up muscle. Take care of your feet, ankles, and knees. They will get stronger eventually--pushing them too hard too fast will set you back more than it will hasten your progress.
Practice putting on a loaded pack. It will make it much easier too
That is a brilliant suggestion!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH0-4rNyBEA
Body for Life by Bill Phillips. Read it, do it.
Secondmouse
07-22-2016, 14:15
While physical conditioning is important, most people agree that long hikes are more a mental game than a physical one. I think solo walking, running, and hiking help with both the physical and the mental preparation. You breathe heavily, burn calories, and get your heart beating, but you also get used to being outdoors in all weather, and listening to the voice in your head for hours on end.
In practice, for me, that was hiking as close to all day as possible on my days off work, and daily one-hour/four-mile walks in the neighborhood on working days.
One thing I read several years ago estimated that your hard tissues take at least six months to increase in strength--much longer than it takes to build up muscle. Take care of your feet, ankles, and knees. They will get stronger eventually--pushing them too hard too fast will set you back more than it will hasten your progress.
I'll second this. if you're overweight and out of shape, start slow and build up some distance and elevation baselines before you even begin to think about adding weight. muscles develop much much quicker than supporting structures like tendons, ligaments and cartilage.
also, taking a page from my personal book, make sure you have adequate foot and arch support for the weight you'll be carrying. I got a new pair of shoes and they felt fantastic in the store and light training hikes but day after day with a heavy pack left me with plantar fasciitis that I'm still dealing with today.
Hangfire
07-22-2016, 14:21
Walk, walk, walk and more walk. Don't feel that you have to be doing some sort of mountaineering conditioning to get in shape, there is nothing as easy and simple to do than go for a walk. Start easy, 20 minutes around the neighborhood, try and get in the habit of walking several times a week and go from there. By the time you are walking 7 days a week your mind begins to crave the exercise. Don't worry about hiking mountains or anything like that until you are comfortable with just being able to walk on a regular basis then you can make the easy transition into hiking trails.
Violent Green
07-22-2016, 22:41
Agree with Map Man. Running is one of the best ways to prepare for hiking. Endurance, mental toughness, climbing hills, etc - running does an excellent job at making you better at all of those.
Ryan
I am over 50, but still consider myself an athlete. While I am significantly over my "fightin' weight" and not close to my peak conditioning, I am still bout ready. Take from below what works for you and discard what does not.
>> You move, you get fit. Find activities you enjoy and you're more likely to succeed. Create activity in your day where you are currently sedentary. Get up 15 minutes earlier and walk around block ect.
>> I'd disagree that running is one of the best ways to get fit for one who is Over-Weight and Over-Forty. Start low impact, incorporate running later. Biking, rollerbladding, cross country skiing ect. Alternatively, lots of elliptical type machines available. Running is one of the most hazardous activities that exists for an aging heavy dude.
>> If you really want to incorporate "the gym". Avoid the progressive overload workouts of your youth. There is no good reason to lift anything near your max. Lift modest weights at 20+ reps. 3- 5 sets. Getting the biggest muscles toned (Quads and glutes) will help increase resting metabolic rate and help with weight loss
>> Finally, don't stress about the weight. Ideal body weight is a myth. Many skinny folks with cardiovascular disease. Fitness is not weight dependent.
Good Luck
Shutterbug
07-23-2016, 13:11
Hi everyone :) I am re-posting this on General board, edited a bit..
New member, new goal.
First things first I am overweight and working to get fitter this next year, so my goal for the Appalachian is for 2018, potentially 2019.
Long term goal, but something I really want to do, for spiritual and inner healing reasons, as well as being a nature lover and being at one with the outdoors. I grew up with a father who was an outdoorsman, and feel more comfortable out there than anywhere. I am realistic in that I will do as much as I can - even if I don't finish. My body will know what it wants to do and can do.
That said, I know that a thru-hike is an incredible amount of preparation (as is doing portions), which is why I am here now.
Realistically, I have weight to lose and I have already begun that journey which a lot more to go, but here are my questions.
While working out to lose weight, I would also like to incorporate strengthening, proper physical activity that would be beneficial as well as mental preparation. I have lots of time, and am super goal oriented, so when I put my mind to something I roll with it. Having this goal is something I am excited about and really looking forward to.
I will have lots of the needed equipment within the next year to do smaller hikes and overnights too, to get a feel for it and get lots of practice in. I will build myself and my strength up.
Any suggestions on things I could do, or that you found beneficial for workouts ? (squats, some upper body, and walking I am doing now). But if there is anything specific I could and should be doing while losing weight ?
Also, I am starting the reading & research process now, and educating myself lots!
Thank you in advance :bananaand thank you for accepting my membership!!
I agree with those who suggest hiking as the best way to get fit, but my cardiologist says that I need to add some High Intensity Interval Training because hiking alone does not get ones heart rate high enough. There are several versions of HIIT, but the one I use is on a recumbent bike. I warm up for 4 min, then I do 8 intervals. Each interval is 30 seconds of maximum effort followed by 90 seconds of slightly less effort. The entire HIIT takes 20 minutes three times a week.
I agree with those who suggest hiking as the best way to get fit, but my cardiologist says that I need to add some High Intensity Interval Training because hiking alone does not get ones heart rate high enough. There are several versions of HIIT, but the one I use is on a recumbent bike. I warm up for 4 min, then I do 8 intervals. Each interval is 30 seconds of maximum effort followed by 90 seconds of slightly less effort. The entire HIIT takes 20 minutes three times a week.
My heart rate maxes out while hiking, some hills, anyway. Hiking is not walking. Hiking up.and down hills is probably the best HIIT going. I say ofooey on your 20 minutes. Try 8 hours a day, five days a week ��
MuddyWaters
07-23-2016, 22:37
Lift weights, whole body.
Dont neglect any parts. But go extra hard on legs.
Legs /butt is your largest muscle groups. When you stumulare them, the whole body sees results.
Do intense cardio of some kind. First thing in morning. On empty stomach.
Intense. Sweating , gasping for air. Only need 20-25 min.
Research high intensity interval training. You only need to peak 4 or 5 times.
Not an hour of slow easy cardio.
Will take a few weeks to get used to it.
Gets your metabolism up. You burn cal at increased rate for several hours.
You burn more AFTER excercise, than during.
Dont eat for at least an hour after
Eat balanced sub-maintenance calorie diet by a few hundred.
Easy to run a deficit of ~500-750+ cal per day, or 1-1.5 lb fat per week.
In a year, thats 52 +lbs fat gone. And in shape.
When able, run.
Work into it slowly
The impacts toughen your tendons on knees and legs , as well as thicken bones
This helps avoid overuse injuries , if you dont create them by too much too fast
Hike when can, its more fun. But wts and cardio is fine substitute.
Pat yourself on back for doing something good for yourself.
Climb 5 mountain passes in 1 day between 9 and 13 K. That'll get your heart going all day long. I wonder though if that's too much?
cmoulder
07-26-2016, 16:54
Climb 5 mountain passes in 1 day between 9 and 13 K. That'll get your heart going all day long. I wonder though if that's too much?
+100!
Someone once said something similar to me about cycling (not getting the heart rate up) and I just had to stare in wonderment. Uh... pick up your speed, do hills? Put more effort into it and the heart rate will go up, slam-bang guaranteed, every single time!
The thing about doing actual hiking is that it also builds up those tiny stabilizer muscles that don't get used for running on paved roads or treadmills, or for the eccentric muscle use going downhill, and that's a biggie. You can train all you want running and still be quite sore for the first few days of hiking.
"Easy to run a deficit of ~500-750+ cal per day, or 1-1.5 lb fat per week.
In a year, thats 52 +lbs fat gone. And in shape."
I wish it was a simple math problem, but a calorie is not a calorie, and 3500 calories does not equal a pound of fat loss.
It's not like withdrawing money from the bank. Witness the millions of failed diets that use these principles. Read "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Taubes and listen to Zoe Harcombe's lectures on youtube if you want to learn about this.
If you want to lose weight, you need to think about how your diet affects your hormones.
MuddyWaters
07-26-2016, 23:01
I wish it was a simple math problem, but a calorie is not a calorie, and 3500 calories does not equal a pound of fat loss.
It's not like withdrawing money from the bank. Witness the millions of failed diets that use these principles. Read "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Taubes and listen to Zoe Harcombe's lectures on youtube if you want to learn about this.
If you want to lose weight, you need to think about how your diet affects your hormones.
Nope.
The law of conservation of energy cannot be overcome.
Diets fail, because people dont know *** they are doing, and are lazy.
Dont listen to anyone that doesnt look like 35575
Listen to the people that repeatedly demonstrate ability to take their bodyfat to very low levels. This is Clarence Bass, he was measured at 2.2 % bodyfat in his prime. Impressive, even with use of drugs ., if involved.
Diet, cardio, resistance training is the key.
You need to maintain high metabolism, create a demand for muscle to be retained, and do brief intense cardio. Too much and your body becomes catabolic.
I used to track my wt, bodyfat %, and calories when cutting up. Very careful to lose only 1-2 lb per month to minimize muscle loss. If I lost 1+ lb per week I lost 2/3 fat, 1/3 muscle. Giving up 10 lbs muscle isn something a gym rat likes to do. Which is why most are sloppy fat if they dont use drugs. They know they will lose strength if try to lose fat.
Limiting carb intake is a good thing for several reasons. People should understand why as well. But this is about getting fit, not being a fitness model.
Less of a problem when not carrying excess muscle to start with.
Today Clarence is 78
His everyday condition.
35576
Nope.
The law of conservation of energy cannot be overcome.
Diets fail, because people dont know *** they are doing, and are lazy.
Dont listen to anyone that doesnt look like 35575
Listen to the people that repeatedly demonstrate ability to take their bodyfat to very low levels. This is Clarence Bass, he was measured at 2.2 % bodyfat in his prime. Impressive, even with use of drugs ., if involved.
Diet, cardio, resistance training is the key.
You need to maintain high metabolism, create a demand for muscle to be retained, and do brief intense cardio. Too much and your body becomes catabolic.
I used to track my wt, bodyfat %, and calories when cutting up. Very careful to lose only 1-2 lb per month to minimize muscle loss. If I lost 1+ lb per week I lost 2/3 fat, 1/3 muscle. Giving up 10 lbs muscle isn something a gym rat likes to do. Which is why most are sloppy fat if they dont use drugs. They know they will lose strength if try to lose fat.
Limiting carb intake is a good thing for several reasons. People should understand why as well. But this is about getting fit, not being a fitness model.
Less of a problem when not carrying excess muscle to start with.
Today Clarence is 78
His everyday condition.
35576
I agree.
long distance runners look emaciated, starved. Sprinters, on the other hand, are well muscled. The difference is the type of training they do. Both are runners. Your body adapts to the stresses placed on it. In distance running muscle is detrimental. Its extra weight. Its a useless burden. Your body gets rid of it. Sprinters need the muscle to be more powerful and stronger, hence faster. Since their cardio is in brief spurts, the muscle is retained.
A calorie is a calorie when you burn them all.
colorado_rob
07-27-2016, 07:42
... While working out to lose weight, I would also like to incorporate strengthening, proper physical activity that would be beneficial as well as mental preparation. I have lots of time, and am super goal oriented, so when I put my mind to something I roll with it. Having this goal is something I am excited about and really looking forward to.
I will have lots of the needed equipment within the next year to do smaller hikes and overnights too, to get a feel for it and get lots of practice in. I will build myself and my strength up.
Any suggestions on things I could do, or that you found beneficial for workouts ? (squats, some upper body, and walking I am doing now). But if there is anything specific I could and should be doing while losing weight Just my thoughts... It's all about lifestyle changes, less about particular workouts. If you can create a lifestyle that you actually, really enjoy, that involves burning copious amounts of calories, you have a real shot at getting fairly fit and eventually, very fit.
Gym workouts might have their place, but I really don't think someone who is overweight can benefit much, other than building up a few muscles; this really won't help much in a long distance hike. And for a mid-40's overweight person, diving into intense gym workouts is going to get you injured, or at best, burned out quickly.
Get out and hike! A lot. Walk to dinner or the grocery store, if that's practical, vs. drive. Make it a life-habit to walk, A LOT. Mix in some other aerobic activity, like biking or swimming, whatever, just to add variety.
Basically, I'm a closet over-eater (and bad-food lover), but I stay fit without any real effort because many years ago I learned to really love walking and hiking. When my kids were born (over 30 years ago), I gained 30-40 pounds in a year or so, simply because I got distracted from my regular active lifestyle for a couple years, but after adjusting finally to fatherhood, I managed to get the fitness level back by managing priorities and getting back into walking/biking/running on a regular basis.
A word about running: I was a runner for 35 years or so. Somewhere around 50 I found myself getting more and more sore after shorter and shorter runs, and finally realized that I was going to give myself some real long-term problems if I kept it up, so I quit. what I'm saying is that I do NOT recommend running to 40-something folks as a method of getting fit, unless you are already a runner.
I also agree that you do have to add in some higher intensity stuff, once you reach a modest level of overall fitness. You live in VA; IIRC, there are some nice BIG hills not that far away. We have a 1900' vertical hill close to our house that is our primary intense-workout hill. (Some of our friends can do this hill in an intense 25-30 minutes, takes me over an hour though!)
Again, think Lifestyle. Find physical activities that you actually look forward to doing. Gym workouts are a chore for me, at least. I do drag myself to a gym once or twice a week for a bit of upper body work, but really, it's all about walking. Get out and hike!
colorado_rob
07-27-2016, 07:53
I meant to add: there's and old saying about jobs/working: "find something you really like to do (in a job), and you'll never have to work another day in your life".
I think this applies to being fit: "find a workout that you really like to do, and you'll never have to workout another day in your life".
Basically, for me, this is hiking! If you can learn to really love hiking, you're home free.
While ahead of a trip with heavy backpack I like to do some pushups/pullups to teach my traditionally weak upper-body that soon there will be more work to do, IMHO the very best training for hiking is hiking.
Regarding calories and weight, I hardly can put in as many calories as I'm loosing daily. So I'm loosing weight, kind of 1/2 kg per week. Have to try hard to fill up during town days.
There is a huge difference between a diet done in civilisation, and hiking.
Making a diet is a constant mental struggle against all the alluring goodies, and most likely you feel weak and will not work too hard, move to much and such shell out not too many calories.
Hiking means, being out in the weather day&night working very hard full-time. Just regulating the body temp alone is quite a consuming task - which has to be done 24hrs and to a much bigger extent than sitting back home.
Its inevitable to loose weight on LD hiking.
Some heavy-built people will not loose weight for some time, as the body tends to store water to fill the "gaps" the gone fat will leave.
After 2-3 weeks the truth will come out for sure - weight is lost and strength is gained.
carouselambra
07-27-2016, 12:33
I use a combination of strength and conditioning at the fitness facility and walking with a fully loaded pack (most weight from a 3-gallon jug of water) on trails. The walking gets my body conditioned to walking across rocks and roots, toughening my feet, and carrying a load that is hard to emulate within a fitness facility. For me personally, an early mistake I made was not including a stretching component to my program.
Loose does not equal lose. Loose is the opposite of tight, while lose means something is lost. Your pants feel loose when you lose weight. Two different words, two different meanings.
...
Dont listen to anyone that doesnt look like 35575
Getting fit doesn't require getting ripped. Infact, guys like above live an unsustainable lifestyle targeting one day every six months they PEAK for competition or photographs. Real fitness is quite different. I would suggest DON"T listen to anyone that looks like that.
Hangfire
07-27-2016, 13:51
While ahead of a trip with heavy backpack I like to do some pushups/pullups to teach my traditionally weak upper-body that soon there will be more work to do, IMHO the very best training for hiking is hiking.
Regarding calories and weight, I hardly can put in as many calories as I'm loosing daily. So I'm loosing weight, kind of 1/2 kg per week. Have to try hard to fill up during town days.
There is a huge difference between a diet done in civilisation, and hiking.
Making a diet is a constant mental struggle against all the alluring goodies, and most likely you feel weak and will not work too hard, move to much and such shell out not too many calories.
Hiking means, being out in the weather day&night working very hard full-time. Just regulating the body temp alone is quite a consuming task - which has to be done 24hrs and to a much bigger extent than sitting back home.
Its inevitable to loose weight on LD hiking.
Some heavy-built people will not loose weight for some time, as the body tends to store water to fill the "gaps" the gone fat will leave.
After 2-3 weeks the truth will come out for sure - weight is lost and strength is gained.
That's an important point, if you can survive the first month on the trail you most probably will start to see big changes as pounds start to melt away. I had a couple of guys in my bubble, mid 50's, well built I'd call them but not big heavy set guys by any means, both of them had lost over 50 pounds by PA. The only drawback you may encounter is that you will have to buy new pants/shorts and possibly a new backpack as your hip belt will be at the end of it's adjust-ability. I guess that's something you will have to proudly tackle when you get there.
sylzpace
07-27-2016, 14:02
Thank you so, so much everyone.
So much information to take into account. I have read all of your comments, and am really, really grateful for the advice and help.
Off to amend my workout program a bit, and look around the forum some more.
Thank you again!!!
Loose does not equal lose. Loose is the opposite of tight, while lose means something is lost. Your pants feel loose when you lose weight. Two different words, two different meanings.
Sorry for this one, usually I take more care about my English.
Was sitting on edge while waiting for a package to arrive, to complete my rain equipment and get outdoors ASAP.
Long distance runners look emaciated, starved. Sprinters, on the other hand, are well muscled. The difference is the type of training they do. Both are runners. Your body adapts to the stresses placed on it. In distance running muscle is detrimental. Its extra weight. Its a useless burden. Your body gets rid of it. Sprinters need the muscle to be more powerful and stronger, hence faster. Since their cardio is in brief spurts, the muscle is retained.
For what it's worth, this seems to be less true in the really long events. While those winning world class marathons have trained themselves to be hyperefficient at running for 2 hours, you see a very different body type in 50-100 mile ultra events. Runners do have fat on their bodies (albeit in small percentages) because they need to be able to sustain a run for 10-30 hours. These athletes tend to have a body that looks more like a traditional all around fit person, but with very toned legs.
It seems fashionable to knock long distance running these days, but a new study suggests (https://elifesciences.org/content/5/e15092) that endurance running grows new brain neurons. Get them while you can. This is an essential biomarker.
Hangfire
07-28-2016, 00:07
It seems fashionable to knock long distance running these days, but a new study suggests (https://elifesciences.org/content/5/e15092) that endurance running grows new brain neurons. Get them while you can. This is an essential biomarker.
I sure wish I could still run but my knees won't let me. I can walk 2200 miles with no knee problems but if I have to run 200 yards to my car my knees hurt for weeks. Everywhere I walk I see runners cruising along and I'm so damn jealous of them, nothing like it really. I still remember when I was on my thru seeing the Virginia Tech cross country team training near the dragons tooth, I spent the rest of the day day-dreaming about all of my races from highschool through college...I guess i should be thankful that I can still walk, though with walking it takes a lot longer to get the endorphins to kick:-)
colorado_rob
07-28-2016, 08:06
I sure wish I could still run but my knees won't let me. I can walk 2200 miles with no knee problems but if I have to run 200 yards to my car my knees hurt for weeks. Everywhere I walk I see runners cruising along and I'm so damn jealous of them, nothing like it really. I still remember when I was on my thru seeing the Virginia Tech cross country team training near the dragons tooth, I spent the rest of the day day-dreaming about all of my races from highschool through college...I guess i should be thankful that I can still walk, though with walking it takes a lot longer to get the endorphins to kick:-)I hear ya! Same situation here, exactly. I miss my running days (HS and college x-country), big time, and get this longing feeling seeing others running, and it's so hard to get those endorphins flowing doing anything else. The only way I can do it now is a big, fast swim. Cest la vie!
But: since stopping running pretty much cold turkey about a decade ago, my hiking endurance hasn't faltered a bit, hence why I don't think running-training is necessary for strong hiking.
I have not seen the shape the OP is in, and the starting shape defines how quickly one can get a desired fit. But for everybody who is generally healthy, do not have a hormonal or cardio disease, regardless of gender or age, getting in shape is the matter of changing the life style, personal discipline and determination. ( The last two are the most fun, if a person is self disciplined and determined, how the hell he has got out of shape?)
Anyway, the shape and fitness are the functions of every day life, I mean every singe day. The less one devours and guzzles, sits and lays, the more one moves the better shape one is in.
Keep out of restaurants, consume only self cooked food, check out and follow Atkinson's diet for a year.
As for exercises matter it is generally know the longevity and endurance sports work the best, run, walk, ski, swim, whatever. Twice a day, about 40 minutes at a time, up to 70 - 80% of your personal maximum pulse rate, whatever it is.
What I "discovered" a year ago, and I have known that all my life, the power/force oriented sports do mean a great deal in running, skiing, cycling etc. For my it is kettlebell sport, but YMMV.
Just try a day of run, and the next day gym with lifting weights etc, the progress WILL speed up.
It seems fashionable to knock long distance running these days, but a new study suggests (https://elifesciences.org/content/5/e15092) that endurance running grows new brain neurons. Get them while you can. This is an essential biomarker.
RockDoc,
You seem to be reading a LOT into the linked study. Given your "knock long distance running" reference the "new study" is a non sequitur.
Perhaps I am over vigilant against bad science or the improper use of good science.
Good Day
Sir-Packs-Alot
07-31-2016, 12:32
Hiking on progressively harder trails to build yourself up - and accompanying that with a solid baseline of cardio fitness that you can establish in a gym is great. If you do not have real trail available always - training in an old school "Rocky" type manner (loading your pack up with progressively more weight until it equals what you will carry on the trail) going up and down REAL STAIRCASES (ie hospital or parking structure stairwells or bleacher seats in your local high school football field - or more boring - up and down your own home's stairs) is VERY effective.