Motivated fat guy looking for help

[Carroll0331]

Hi everyone,

So I've committed to do the AT thru hike starting in the last week of Feburary 2017. I am far from in shape, currently I weigh 280( down from 298 since the end of September). My plan is to lose another 40-50 pounds by the time I hit the trail. My eating habits have changed and are on point with the exception of a cheat day every week. My question is what kind of work outs should I be focusing on to get me as close as to where I need to be? Currently I am going to the gym 4-5 days a week. While I'm there I do 45 minutes on the elliptical or stair climber. I also do some free weights when I'm not burned out afterwards. I forgot to mention forgot to mention I'm 29, male, 6 ft tall. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great. Thanks!

[soumodeler]

Everything I've seen lately says that high intensity interval training, HIIT, is the way to go. Combine that with weight lifting and you should have a good routine.

Also read where the elliptical is near useless for any real workout.

In the end, however, nothing prepares you for hiking the AT like hiking the AT. Get out and do some overnights and long weekends with all your gear. It will get you in better shape, and at the same time, make sure you know what you are getting into.

Good luck!

*Not a trainer or a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last week.

[RockDoc]

First of all, you need to work on diet, not so much exercise, to lose weight. You can work on getting more fit after you lose weight.
You need to come to grips with your insulin resistance, which is the main source of your weight/health problems. (and it will get worse as you get older).

Here is some key info:

marks daily apple (http://marksdailyapple.com)- look around there, there's lots of depth and excellent info

Dr Ted Naiman, exercise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlYXb1xs86U)- blunt info from my doctor in Seattle

[MuddyWaters]

Keep it up with the wts and cardio
Keeping your metabolism high is a prerequistite for effective dieting
Cardio should be done intensely, not sedately. After 20-30 minutes you want to be dripping wet with sweat.
Do it on empty stomach in morning when your body is low on glycogen
dont eat for an hour afterwards

[Carroll0331]

Awesome thanks guys, yea I've been eating right(I think) for the last few weeks, this is my average day if anyone has input:

Breakfast:
2 egg whites
1 serving of oatmeal
30g protein shake
Fruit

Snack:
wheat thins/carrots and hummus

Lunch:
Grilled chicken breast or turkey sandwich( no mayo, just mustard or avacado)
Piece of fruit( Apple, orange)

Snack:
30g protein shake
Kind bar or wheat thins and hummus

Dinner:
Chicken spinach salad with vegetables.

Before bed/late:
30g protein shake



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Maineiac64]

Look up tim ferris slow carb, it works great. In addition to cardio during week, I would add in a multi hour hike or bike at least once per week.

[booney_1]

The elliptical is often used by runners who are injured, and can provide a great workout. It's especially good for not stressing joints, which would be important in your case.

I would add long day hikes...make them longer as you get in better shape...

Your first 10 miler will leave you sore...everywhere...

You are starting this effort at a good time. Congrats on weight loss you've already gotten...


Everything I've seen lately says that high intensity interval training, HIIT, is the way to go. Combine that with weight lifting and you should have a good routine.

Also read where the elliptical is near useless for any real workout.

In the end, however, nothing prepares you for hiking the AT like hiking the AT. Get out and do some overnights and long weekends with all your gear. It will get you in better shape, and at the same time, make sure you know what you are getting into.

Good luck!

*Not a trainer or a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last week.

[Carroll0331]

Thanks guys, yea I figured I would start on the elliptical to save my joints, my weight and 8 years in the infantry aren't doing me any favors lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oslohiker]

The truth of the matter is that different food and training have different effect on different people. But here are some pointers:
- What you drink is very important. Go all water, maybe with the exception of black coffee (no sugar). No Juice.
- Bread in America is horrible. Often very low on fiber, to much salt, and to much processed wheat. GG Scandinavian Bran Crispbread is full of fiber. You can't eat enough of that stuff. You should feel that you crap bricks.
- Also, you can't overdo vegetables. Eat some with every meal.
- What are in that hummus? Any sugar?
- Don't worry to much about eating fat.
- You should also supplement with D-3. D vitamin is not a vitamin, but a pre-hormone. Take between 5000 and 10 000 IU for your size every day. Take it together with K-2.

- Do some real weight training and some real cardio (i.e. hard bicycling). Some people also loose the same amount (percentage) of muscle when doing hiit training. Then it is easier to put on weight again. Do those really long walks in the weekend, with a backpack. Elliptical machine? I am very sceptical.

[Oslohiker]

Also, have a look at this (I sleep in temperatures between 10 and 12 C):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2701058/How-cold-bed-help-lose-weight-Body-burns-fat-help-warm-sleep.html

[cmoulder]

Cut out the "cheat" day! Too tempting to slide back into old habits by rationalizing once you've lost some weight. If the weight is going to stay off it will require a total lifestyle change going forward, something completely different from what went before that created the current dilemma.

The key word here is "motivated," and most of us don't appreciate what a serious word that is. When we are truly motivated, nothing can stop us; if we are not truly motivated, any little excuse will do. And it's the little excuses that doom many a plan.

[MuddyWaters]

Cut out the "cheat" day! Too tempting to slide back into old habits by rationalizing once you've lost some weight.

Actually, a free day where you eat anything and everything you want is beneficial.

It helps keeps metabolism from slowing down and adjusting to reduced caloric intake.
Its also psychologically easier to stick to reduced calories rest of week.

Limiting it to about 3 mo at time before taking a break for a few weeks is beneficial too.

[cmoulder]

Totally disagree.

For long-term success what is needed is a total lifestyle change that incorporates aerobic exercise and good eating habits for the duration. One must develop a new self image as an always healthy and active person and not one who is yoyo-ing back and forth, struggling between workouts/dieting and slothful bingeing. That is a horrible way to live.

There was a recent thread here on WB about people who completed a thru and then fell back into their old eating habits, decreased or stopped exercising and put weight right back on. Very common even for successful contestants on The Biggest Loser who quickly fall back into their old habits once their temporary external motivation is gone..... and it starts with the "little cheating" rationalization.

[perrymk]

I've posted this so often that I've saved it and now just do a copy-and-paste. Here you go:

Regarding losing fat, I can share what works for me. I hope it helps others. I'll try to keep it brief (smile).

1. Count calories. This is one of those things that no one likes to do, but for me it is essential.
1a. It is easy enough to use an internet search engine to find the calorie content of just about any food, including restaurant food.
1b. One can also use the internet to get estimates of the calories burned by various activities. For example, walking burns about 100 calories per mile for men, about 80 for women.

2. For calorie counting to be useful, one also has to know how many calories are needed to maintain and then eat fewer calories than required for maintenance.
2a. My experience is that most people (depending on activity levels) need between 12 and 15 calories per pound of bodyweight for maintenance.
2b. For weight loss I usually aim for 10 calories per pound of desired bodyweight. I adjust up or down depending on how the weight loss is going. 10 calories per pound usually works OK for me.

3, Aim for a healthy, balanced diet. That is, don't eliminate any food groups. I didn't count grams fat or carbs but did be sure to have at least 1 gram of protein per 2 to 3 pounds of bodyweight. For me this was 60-90 grams protein per day.

My quick example. When I weighed 224 I decided I wanted to weight 185. So my target for daily calories was 1850. I decided I would eat 2000 calories per day and walk at least 2 miles per day (each mile burns about 100 calories for me) for a net of 1800 calories per day. I was also weightlifting 2 to 3 times per week. It took several months (6-8 as I recall; this was in 2008) but I reached my target weight. I was past 40 years old at the time.

This can be as healthy or as unhealthy as one chooses to make it. I find healthy foods generally more filling. I used diet sodas for those times when I needed a sweets fix. I agree diet soda, or any sodas, are not healthy. Neither is being overweight. Everyone has to decide for themselves which is worse, the extra weight or the chemicals in a soda.

Building muscle helps raise the metabolism, but not by much. I see muscle and the resulting metabolic boost more for weight maintenance than weight loss. I've always enjoyed working out with weights and I continue to do so. I also enjoy walking and hiking which are great low impact ways to maintain weight.

The biggest mistake I see people making is underestimating calories consumed and overestimating calories burned.

My eating was more out of habit and boredom, and a genuine enjoyment of food. I had to find a way to stay occupied to stave off boredom eating. For me it was building and restoring old camp stoves. I probably have around 30 stoves in my garage of various types, some dating back to the 1800s. The homemade ones are simple alcohol burning stoves. It may be that finding a hobby, one that requires keeping the hands and mind busy but isn't so challenging that it wears you out, could help you too.

That's the essence.

My biggest claim to fame is that it is now 2016 and I have usually maintained my weight in the 180-185 range. Some days are a struggle not to eat, but most days it is merely an effort and I suspect it always will be. Seldom does a day go by in which I haven't kept a mental tally of the calories I have consumed. According to my Tanita bodyfat scale, I am a healthy 17-18% bodyfat. Not skinny, not fat. According to the Tanita pamphlets the healthy range is generally 10-20% bodyfat for young men, 13-23% for men past 35 or so. Women can generally add 3-5% to the ranges.

In the end, diet and exercise are important, but its not terribly important which particular protocol is followed. as long as calories burned exceed calories consumed.

Good luck with your weight management

[Christoph]

I'd say continue doing what you're already doing. Lost 18 pounds since Sept and still keeping at it is an awesome feat! Combining weights and cardio is the way to go. HIIT training seems to very popular but like I said, I'd continue on the path you're already on. As for the trail, it'll help keep the weight off but realize the food you eat is probably not going to be as great on a thru as what you're used to. Coming off the trail at that point is going to be tough (it was for me). Stay committed, you're doing better than 90% out thee who start a lifestyle change (me included). And I agree, cut the cheat day.

[skylark]

I would add walking with a loaded backpack to your routine, one to two hours a day if you have that much time. Look for hilly terrain to walk through.

I am doing something similar to you at the moment.

[PilotB]

Go to crossfit box that has structured classes and can scale workouts to your ability for your HIIT. Walk.

Lifestyle change.

losing weight is 20% exercise and 80% what you put in your mouth.

[MuddyWaters]

Totally disagree.

For long-term success what is needed is a total lifestyle change that incorporates aerobic exercise and good eating habits for the duration. One must develop a new self image as an always healthy and active person and not one who is yoyo-ing back and forth, struggling between workouts/dieting and slothful bingeing. That is a horrible way to live.

There was a recent thread here on WB about people who completed a thru and then fell back into their old eating habits, decreased or stopped exercising and put weight right back on. Very common even for successful contestants on The Biggest Loser who quickly fall back into their old habits once their temporary external motivation is gone..... and it starts with the "little cheating" rationalization.


Your confusing a person on caloric deficit to lose weight, with persons wanting to maintain, but have no willpower.
Yeah, the average person has mush for brains.
Or...despite whatever they claim....they simply dont care. They would rather eat whatever and however much they want.

Ive never understood how people can keep buying larger clothes when their clothes dont fit, instead of controlling their weight. One size, OK. But its not like it sneaks up on them size after size...they obviously simply dont care.

Extended caloric deficit results in less muscle being added, and lower metabolism and lower weight loss. Cycling the deficit to keep the body from reducing metabolism is beneficial.

[pesphoto]

eat less, walk more...

[pesphoto]

...and eat more veggies, less sugar

[freys]

For hiking the stair climber is going to be your best/worst friend. I highly recommend the sit down bike for cardio. You are bending your knees to get them use to moving with no impact while you're keeping your heart rate at a steady pace for a sustained period of time. 20 minutes minimum. I watched a guy do just this at the rehab VA rehab facility over the past 4 years don't know him personally but this dude had jowels no neck. He now rides a bike 30 miles every morning weather permitting and on hikes that we do he went from almost dieing (I seriously thought he was going to die one time at the start) to staying in the front pack on 6-8 miles what i consider strenuous hikes.

You can do it. Most likely see you out there at some point. March 9th start

[dudeijuststarted]

You're working out and you're posting to here. Sounds like a success in the making.

I'd say don't overexert yourself preparing for the trail, and stick to the gym routine that allows your body to gradually hit your fitness goals and recover safely. The body has a way of adjusting to the trail, and the only thing that is going to do that is hiking the AT's specific terrain. I'd say that a healthy lungs and heart (don't smoke!,) as well as some flexibility in your joints from your shoulders through your ankles (primarily the back, hips, and hamstrings) are more important than hitting the trail with badass cardio. You'll build cardio out there, trust me. A good way to do this is yoga or a stretching coach. I used yoga as prep and as morning warmup/evening cooldown and didn't have one single injury. Weightlifting is great for your health, glad you're doing it and you should keep doing it, but prepare to lose muscle mass everywhere but your legs over your journey! You might also want to spend the money on a visit to a GP to get your bloodwork done and identify any deficiencies as well as visit a nutritionist prior to your hike. If you have any abnormalities in your bloodwork now, believe me it will be worse out there and when you come back. Thru hiking is extreme, this prepwork is worth the $200 or whatever.

If you are thru hiking, take a look at your schedule and try to give yourself adequate time to finish. If NOBO, the general last-minute date to summit Katahdin is around October 10. Point is, gradually increase your overall well being vs. allowing yourself to stress over specifics. Finishing this thing is about attitude and thinking critically.

[Suzzz]

First of all : CONGRATULATIONS !!! It's not easy to do a complete 180. Changing life long habits is hard and you should be proud of what you've accomplished so far.

Second - Diet : Find what works FOR YOU. For some, a cheat day works. Waiting all week for that day can be quite the incentive. For others, it's the first step into the abyss and they can never recover (like expecting a compulsive gambler to only gamble on Sundays). It all depends on why you over eat or make the wrong food choices. If you're just a lazy eater, chances are that with the right kind of motivation (which you seem to have) a cheat day will work. If you're a compulsive eater, chances are it will only make things worst. Knowing why you eat will help put things in perspective and will help you make the appropriate adjustments FOR YOU. Also, in this day and age of miracle cures and miracle diets, remember that the best way to go about it is to keep in mind, as mentioned before, that it's important not to omit any of the food groups as they all have their importance. If you haven't already done so, talking to a dietitian might be beneficial.

Third - Fitness : Physical training and preparation is imperative but in my experience there's no training like the real thing. The only way that you can really prepare for walking in the woods with a XXlbs pack on your back for 4-6 months is to walk in the woods with a XXlbs pack on your back for 4-6 months! That being said, don't stop going to the gym. Physical training is never a waist of time. The better shape you are in, the easier things will be for you. And always remember that there's no right or wrong speed on the trail. Just walk at a pace that is comfortable FOR YOU. If you can walk all day without taking breaks, that's great, but if you need five breaks a day to keep going, or even 10 breaks a day, so be it. Pushing yourself can yield a great sense of accomplishment but can also be very hard on your body. Also, I strongly believe that 90% of your potential for success resides between your ears. If you're in the right frame of mind, you'll go much farther than you ever thought you could (provided you aren't injured or encounter unforeseen situations such as inclement weather or forest fires). A good balance of physical and psychological fitness is your best bet to cross the finish line (wherever that may be). If you don't finish on your first attempt, you can always come back and finish later.

And by the way, I have a friend who can climb Katahdin in 2 hours less than it takes me. Her ONLY training is an elliptical machine placed in front of a TV in her basement! Like I was saying before... do what works FOR YOU.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS. Regardless of whether or not you ever set foot on the AT, you will reap the benefits of all that hard work!

[jefals]

I haven't read all replies. I'm sure someone has already mentioned , first thing, consult with your doctor!
Then - regarding exercise: I like stair climbing and elliptical. I have a knee which gives me problems and a few times has caused me to stop my working out - especially stairs - for a month or two, so then when I'm ready I have to start from scratch.
I find, what works for me is to remember at first it's all about consistency. It's not about how many calories I burn at first, but building up the discipline.
While my goal is 70 flights of stairs - about 25 minutes, I might just do 7 flights a day at first, for the first two weeks. Then, depending how I feel, I might do 7 the next week and maybe the week after that. in other words, I do not impose any psychological pressure on myself.
But, in reality, after 2 weeks, I'm generally ready to increase. And, while I've been telling myself that, "ok, Jeff, when you increase, let's try moving from 7 to 10", normally I find that it's no problem to go to 14 or even 21.
So, the idea of not setting goals that I have to meet - seems to help me meet them anyway, if that makes sense. After 2 or 3 - or 4 - months, I'll be doing my 70.
And I approach the elliptical the same way.
Well, on a personal note, 20 minutes of stairs followed by 40 minutes on an elliptical, 4 or 5 days a week, with a sensible diet will get me in pretty good shape. I'm not sure it's good enough for hiking, tho. When I'm climbing those mountains, it's not 20 minutes - it's ALL DAY LONG.! 😢😭

[Deadeye]

Get Body for Life by Bill Phillips. Read it, do it, live it.

[Spirit Walker]

Despite your weight, you can and should be walking every day. Start easy, but build up.

You drink a lot of protein drinks. You might find real food more satisfying.

A cheat day can work, or just a cheat meal. It depends on how many calories you eat on that day.

Tracking calories in calories out is a bit of a pain, but it really helps you to know how much you are eating. myfitnesspal or fitday both have good food and exercise tracking.

Finally, congratulations on working now to get your eating under control. As others have said, it's easy to lose weight on a long hike. It's much harder to keep it off afterwards. One problem for many hikers is they eat a lot of junk food while hiking and continue to do it after they finish the trail. Having some idea of how to eat more healthy will benefit you after your hike.

[Hikingjim]

I get bored of the stairmaster fast but seem to be able to tolerate incline treadmill for a lot longer.
Along with everything else, I would say long sessions of incline treadmill (10-15 degree incline) are extremely beneficial.
My heart rate doing 4 mph incline treadmill is very similar to 6.5 mph jogging without the incline

[yaduck9]

Awesome thanks guys, yea I've been eating right(I think) for the last few weeks, this is my average day if anyone has input:

Breakfast:
2 egg whites
1 serving of oatmeal
30g protein shake
Fruit

Snack:
wheat thins/carrots and hummus

Lunch:
Grilled chicken breast or turkey sandwich( no mayo, just mustard or avacado)
Piece of fruit( Apple, orange)

Snack:
30g protein shake
Kind bar or wheat thins and hummus

Dinner:
Chicken spinach salad with vegetables.

Before bed/late:
30g protein shake



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In respect to your protein shake, if you are using milk, I would suggest changing to unsweetened almond milk.

Breakfast; cut out the oatmeal and the fruit ( in other works 1 serve of carbs from 2 servings )


On your vegtables, avoid starches ( potatoe, rice ), go with raw veggies. Raw cauliflower, broccoli, leafy greens, ( carrots are good but watch the amount, hi sugar. )

Sandwich; Try to avoid bread........

Snacks; almonds, walnuts, string cheese.

On exercising.............rotate....hike ( w/ and w/o a 20 lbs pack ( 3 gallons of water )), treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine,, stair climber, bicycle works different muscles, keeps your body guessing and avoids the repetition burnout.

Spreadsheet; keep a spreadsheet on what you eat and your activity, it will keep you honest...

Get a book on the Paleo diet.....and consider steering toward it.

I find that making small continual changes is much easier than trying to make an abrupt major change.

just my 2 cents

[egilbe]

If any high rise buildings in your area, make it a habit to climb the stairs to the top floor a few times a day.

[Carroll0331]

Wow guys thank you so much. I didn't expect this kind of response, and so quickly. I've got some work ahead of me and couldn't be more excited!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carroll0331]

In respect to your protein shake, if you are using milk, I would suggest changing to unsweetened almond milk.

Breakfast; cut out the oatmeal and the fruit ( in other works 1 serve of carbs from 2 servings )


On your vegtables, avoid starches ( potatoe, rice ), go with raw veggies. Raw cauliflower, broccoli, leafy greens, ( carrots are good but watch the amount, hi sugar. )

Sandwich; Try to avoid bread........

Snacks; almonds, walnuts, string cheese.

On exercising.............rotate....hike ( w/ and w/o a 20 lbs pack ( 3 gallons of water )), treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine,, stair climber, bicycle works different muscles, keeps your body guessing and avoids the repetition burnout.

Spreadsheet; keep a spreadsheet on what you eat and your activity, it will keep you honest...

Get a book on the Paleo diet.....and consider steering toward it.

I find that making small continual changes is much easier than trying to make an abrupt major change.

just my 2 cents

Yea I'm using silk milk, I think its almond, not sure is if unsweetened though. Otherwise if I'm at work I just use water. The protein shakes I'm using right now bc I'm crap at cooking and still trying to get the meal prep thing down. If I cook chicken for 5 days meal prep will it still be ok to eat?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[egilbe]

Chicken is fine after five days, even if it is a bit chewy. Dont like fish or beef? Eat half as much as you think you should when it comes to beef. 4 to 6 ounces is more than enough.

Do you have a kitchen scale to weigh your food?

[yaduck9]

Yea I'm using silk milk, I think its almond, not sure is if unsweetened though. Otherwise if I'm at work I just use water. The protein shakes I'm using right now bc I'm crap at cooking and still trying to get the meal prep thing down. If I cook chicken for 5 days meal prep will it still be ok to eat?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have found that 5 days, for chicken, is near the borderline. Most of the time you will get away with it but then there is that 1 day :eek:. A can of tuna , hard boiled eggs can get you over the hump. Hamburger or turkey burger can fill in for those 1-2 days.

Silk is almond milk, so your ahead of me on that.

You might check with your dr and see if your insurance will pay for a visit with a nutritionist. Worth the time and effort.

[kayak karl]

great read https://www.amazon.com/Heft-Wheels-Field-Guide-Doing/dp/1400052416

[jefals]

I get bored of the stairmaster fast
Amen to that! I do too - but, I really think it's probably the best thing, short of actual hiking, one can do to prepare for this activity. So, I slug thru it anyway. For one thing, while I'm climbing the stairs, I keep telling myself, "boredom is not an excuse to quit"!
Then, I'll tell myself to "just do 3 more". Once I've done those 3, I'll repeat. Just little psychological tricks I guess, to keep my mind active while I'm working thru those stairs...

[FreeGoldRush]

I get bored of the stairmaster fast but seem to be able to tolerate incline treadmill for a lot longer.
Along with everything else, I would say long sessions of incline treadmill (10-15 degree incline) are extremely beneficial.
My heart rate doing 4 mph incline treadmill is very similar to 6.5 mph jogging without the incline

I do this with a YouTube thru hike playlist while walking. In fact, I don't allow myself to watch thru hikers unless I am on the treadmill. When you see a guy walking 20 miles in a cold rain and describing his experience you will have no problem walking 5 miles on the treadmill at an 8% incline. :)

[rockyiss]

Heres an idea ,after eight years in the infantry just do what you did in boot camp. They have a good track record for getting people in shape ! lol

[shelb]

Carroll0331,

Awesome job on the weight loss so far!!!I strongly suggest that you stick with the High Protein diet... aim for between 60-90 grams per day. (Note: others stated that you focus on certain types, I think it is enough that you hit those grams (*Note: I lost 65 pounds in the last 2 years, and my husband lost over 100#.

Training: I am not a thru-hiker. I have hiked on the A.T. 6 different times, with mileage ranging from 55miles-201 miles each time. Personally, I have noticed that my friend and I train best when we do stairs. Walking is not enough for me. I need to have a balance of cardio with an emphasis on stairs - probably because the mountains on the A.T. require WAY MORE climbing that anything in Michigan!

BTW: After I lost my last major poundage.... I felt like a gazelle on the trail! Able to leap tall buildings (or mountains!) in a single bound! I can't describe how much better this last year's hike was for me!

Enjoy the journey and the hike!

Shelb

[capehiker]

Sounds like you're doing well already. I started at Springer a husky 245lbs but I was cardiovascularly fit and that is my advice to you. Get your lungs tuned up (I was walking 6-8 miles a day before starting). Your legs will come as you hike. GA is either straight up or straight down. Keep your miles low the first few weeks and you will be fine. Don't over think it.

[q-tip]

Best climbing/training program I have ever used, "CLIMBING:TRAINING FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE"by Clyde Soles. Strongly encourage getting and using heart rate monitor. Send PM if interested in further info.

[ScareBear]

Its hard, but doable.

First, stop all alcohol intake. Seriously. Wasted carbs, liver-toxic, dehydrator, de-motivator. Plus, its a metabolic interference.

Second, eliminate all processed foods that contain sugars, in any form. Fruit, in moderation, is OK.

Third, you need a combination of high-output short duration and medium-output long duration exercise. Try the Stairmaster at the gym for the former and a fully incline adjustable treadmill for the latter. The Stairmaster for 30 minutes 3x a week and the treadmill for the other four. You will need some core exercises for your pack, but your legs are the only things that will get you through the trail...just sayin...

Good luck. You are going to need dedication and resolve to reach your goal.

[ScareBear]

Sorry, I left out that the treadmill should be set on random hill mode or put the incline at at least 10 degrees for at least 1.5 hours....

[Wiki]

Sounds like you already have a diet that is working for you, keep going on that and maybe apply some of the suggestions you've found here.


Flat Treadmills and elliptical are your worst enemy, you legs aren't doing any real work. You are basically just lifting them up and putting them down, which doesn't burn many calories and doesn't help your trail legs. Stair climbers are great and if your gym will let you do them with weight that's even better. They do get boring quick, I suggest books on tape to stay invested. A sit-down bicycle is a better option for bad knees (8 years Army myself) in my opinion it works your legs more than the elliptical and treadmill and it is easier to get your heart rate up. Same story here, books on tape is better than music to keep your ass in seat.


Final word of advice, as obvious as it maybe, listen to your body, don't over exert, this goes for working out and on the trail. It would be worse to hurt yourself than miss out on the last 5 minutes on the bike.

[yaduck9]

great read https://www.amazon.com/Heft-Wheels-Field-Guide-Doing/dp/1400052416


yes_i_agree

[Bronk]

Walk 10 miles every day. With a pack on. That's what you'll be doing on the AT.

[H I T C H]

The best advice I can give you is to not take advice from random strangers on an internet forum when your health is the topic at hand.

You need to seek out the opinion of a medical doctor and /or nutritionist.

What is best for one person may not be what is best for you.

Kudos to you for deciding to make positive changes in your life ! :sun

[jgillam]

Walk 10 miles every day. With a pack on. That's what you'll be doing on the AT.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161031/0c70ca8435e8b02ef25b3dba0f9a6932.jpg

[Carroll0331]

@rocky, yea I don't feel like hazing myself for 16 hours a day, doesn't fit in my schedule lol. But I get what you mean :)
@shelb, thank you. Is their a difference between doing stairs or using a stair machine?I'm trying to think of places to actually go run stairs around me but I live in the middle of nowhere.
@cape hiker, good to hear, I'm hoping to be below 240 when I go.
@qtip, yea I started using a Fitbit HR2 last month it's been helping a lot it think(keeping me motivated and all that). Pm sent :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carroll0331]

@scarebear, yea the alcohol won't be an issue(God willing :) I'm 2 1/2 years into recovery and plan to keep it that way haha. Good to know about the elliptical and treadmill, my gym has a few stair machines I'll have to start using instead. Thank you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jim Adams]

OK......here we go. I am not going to argue with the advice already given because it certainly is good however, I am going to drop a bomb here. 1. you are young and will be able to cope with your weight and conditioning much easier than an older person can. Don't worry too much about your weight or conditioning......like those 20 mile days, it will come. I started my first thru hike over weight and not in any type of good physical conditioning however I had spent the previous 6 months camping almost every night. I did nothing to train or improve my conditioning other than the said camping. My first day I got to Springer. My second day I went 7.1 miles to Hawk Mt. and thought I was going to die! I met a guy @ Hawk that after talking to him we became friends and hiked together a lot. He had worked out in the gym until he was able to stay on a stair climber for 6-7 hours per day. He was 14 years younger than me and he was totally bummed out because I could out climb him everywhere. 2. You will find that the trail is far more mental than physical. You will find that most people who hit the trail "in shape" will brag about their trail speed and distances from the start and go way too fast before they are "conditioned" for the trail. They will usually be gone or attempting to be hiking injured by the Smokies or Damascus. Go slow, take your time and let your body adapt without injury. I made my first of many 20 mile days in Tn. and lost 42 pounds on that thru hike @ 37 years old. My second thru hike I did the same @ 49 years old and again thought I was going to die @ Hawk Mt. I ended up losing 55 pounds on that hike. I completed both of those hikes. You will get into hiking conditioning and you will lose weight.....the key is in your head not the gym. Go slow, meet tons of new friends and have fun. No worries dude.

[firesign]

If you are serious about losing weight: stop eating and just drink filtered water for 21 days.
You will lose most of your body fat and detox your body at the same time. After 3 days your body will switch over to fueling itself using your body fat (ketosis) and you will stop feeling hungry. There are 7,500 calories in 1kg of fat, so do the maths. I dont expect much support for such extreme measures because we are all programmed to 'consume' and to finish our plates.

So how serious are you?

[Greenlight]

Read Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman. Do what he says, with this caveat (and this worked for me as I dumped 40 pounds over five months following it): Get a good blender and start doing smoothies, they make breakfast in particular much easier. Eat to Live's first six weeks is primarily vegan, but don't let that scare you. It is only six weeks, and you can do it. Not only will the weight slide off of you, you'll start feeling better and your energy level will increase. Your mental clarity will increase. Your body will go through a couple of rounds of "WTH dude?" but once that passes, you'll find yourself craving the things you've become accustomed to eating. Fuhrman's work is based on sound science, re: the China Study and there are testimonials out there for you to read. He has a lot of haters, too, because "it's too hard" but I haven't seen many that said it didn't work. It was all that they just couldn't do it. Couldn't do not eating meat, dairy, processed foods, added salt, etc. After six weeks, Fuhrman lets you reintroduce meat and some dairy into your diet, but he cautions you to treat them like condiments. Even the USRDA says we only need four to six ounces of meat per day. That's per day, not per meal. That's six one-ounce cubes of meat. There are a lot of cheese lovers out there, too. My advice for you is to read the book and see if it is for you. It may not be, but if it is, you'll be one trim, healthy hiker by the time you hit the trail.


Hi everyone,

So I've committed to do the AT thru hike starting in the last week of Feburary 2017. I am far from in shape, currently I weigh 280( down from 298 since the end of September). My plan is to lose another 40-50 pounds by the time I hit the trail. My eating habits have changed and are on point with the exception of a cheat day every week. My question is what kind of work outs should I be focusing on to get me as close as to where I need to be? Currently I am going to the gym 4-5 days a week. While I'm there I do 45 minutes on the elliptical or stair climber. I also do some free weights when I'm not burned out afterwards. I forgot to mention forgot to mention I'm 29, male, 6 ft tall. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great. Thanks!

[nsherry61]

. . .Dr Ted Naiman, exercise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlYXb1xs86U)- blunt info from my doctor in Seattle
This guy is not so much blunt as obnoxious and poor at editing!

[Puddlefish]

Sounds like you already have a diet that is working for you, keep going on that and maybe apply some of the suggestions you've found here.


Flat Treadmills and elliptical are your worst enemy, you legs aren't doing any real work. You are basically just lifting them up and putting them down, which doesn't burn many calories and doesn't help your trail legs. Stair climbers are great and if your gym will let you do them with weight that's even better. They do get boring quick, I suggest books on tape to stay invested. A sit-down bicycle is a better option for bad knees (8 years Army myself) in my opinion it works your legs more than the elliptical and treadmill and it is easier to get your heart rate up. Same story here, books on tape is better than music to keep your ass in seat.


Final word of advice, as obvious as it maybe, listen to your body, don't over exert, this goes for working out and on the trail. It would be worse to hurt yourself than miss out on the last 5 minutes on the bike.

I found that an elliptical machine helped me a lot with the range of motion, and joint health considering I was overweight with chewed up meniscus in my knees. Far more low impact than even a treadmill, or even walking. It allowed me to build up some strength and generally firm up the muscles and ligaments surrounding the knee joint. The machine I used varied the resistance randomly, or in patterns. Was also a good cardio workout, which I needed at the time as well.

[Wiki]

I found that an elliptical machine helped me a lot with the range of motion, and joint health considering I was overweight with chewed up meniscus in my knees. Far more low impact than even a treadmill, or even walking. It allowed me to build up some strength and generally firm up the muscles and ligaments surrounding the knee joint. The machine I used varied the resistance randomly, or in patterns. Was also a good cardio workout, which I needed at the time as well.

I know a lot of people that swear by ellipticals, and I can definitely see how they can be good to train range of motion and rebuild muscles from injury. I'm 76 inches tall and I find that the 'range of motion' ellipicals are set to moves my humorously long legs in just the right way that my knees are totally trashed afterwards, more so than they are after a 20+ mile day. So that particular complaint may just be specific to my body

But the resistance and incline on treadmills is really important because without it you are really getting no value. Also Ellipicals with the arm bars can get bad results if you generate too much of the motion with your arms. OP should definitely read more into exercising on ellipitcals properly if they wanna go that route.

[Puddlefish]

I know a lot of people that swear by ellipticals, and I can definitely see how they can be good to train range of motion and rebuild muscles from injury. I'm 76 inches tall and I find that the 'range of motion' ellipicals are set to moves my humorously long legs in just the right way that my knees are totally trashed afterwards, more so than they are after a 20+ mile day. So that particular complaint may just be specific to my body

But the resistance and incline on treadmills is really important because without it you are really getting no value. Also Ellipicals with the arm bars can get bad results if you generate too much of the motion with your arms. OP should definitely read more into exercising on ellipitcals properly if they wanna go that route.

Probably depends on the machine as well. My gym has one that essentially swings your feet back and forth horizontally, and another machine with a lot more vertical motion that varies the resistance as well as the rise. The gym also allowed me to wear a 30 pound pack on the machines.

I also wore a pair of new boots so I could kind of break them in, but they reminded me to never wear used trail boots on the machines as the grit will destroy them.

[Maineiac64]

Read Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman. Do what he says, with this caveat (and this worked for me as I dumped 40 pounds over five months following it): Get a good blender and start doing smoothies, they make breakfast in particular much easier. Eat to Live's first six weeks is primarily vegan, but don't let that scare you. It is only six weeks, and you can do it. Not only will the weight slide off of you, you'll start feeling better and your energy level will increase. Your mental clarity will increase. Your body will go through a couple of rounds of "WTH dude?" but once that passes, you'll find yourself craving the things you've become accustomed to eating. Fuhrman's work is based on sound science, re: the China Study and there are testimonials out there for you to read. He has a lot of haters, too, because "it's too hard" but I haven't seen many that said it didn't work. It was all that they just couldn't do it. Couldn't do not eating meat, dairy, processed foods, added salt, etc. After six weeks, Fuhrman lets you reintroduce meat and some dairy into your diet, but he cautions you to treat them like condiments. Even the USRDA says we only need four to six ounces of meat per day. That's per day, not per meal. That's six one-ounce cubes of meat. There are a lot of cheese lovers out there, too. My advice for you is to read the book and see if it is for you. It may not be, but if it is, you'll be one trim, healthy hiker by the time you hit the trail.
I tried this and got very sick in first week and I had to stop. The slow carb approach works great for me, lost 37 lbs in 5 months and am maintaing easily. Plan to drop another 20 in next few months. Long term compliance is key for me.

[Lnj]

I too am very overweight and trying to trim down. I am trying the calorie counting method, but I just started yesterday so... I figured at 12 x my current weight = X calories per day to maintain my current weight. So anything short of X will be a calorie deficit and should cause me to lose, if logic plays any part. This way I don't actually "Diet" per say. I eat whatever I want as long as I stay well under the X. I also log all of my food on this spreadsheet and it calculates my total for the day and at the end of the week. I just started yesterday and I had a 1358 calorie deficit yesterday. If I can keep this up, surely it will result in a weight loss, right? I am also trying to make much healthier choices and drinking nothing but water and my one cup of coffee per day.

[soumodeler]

I too am very overweight and trying to trim down. I am trying the calorie counting method, but I just started yesterday so... I figured at 12 x my current weight = X calories per day to maintain my current weight. So anything short of X will be a calorie deficit and should cause me to lose, if logic plays any part. This way I don't actually "Diet" per say. I eat whatever I want as long as I stay well under the X. I also log all of my food on this spreadsheet and it calculates my total for the day and at the end of the week. I just started yesterday and I had a 1358 calorie deficit yesterday. If I can keep this up, surely it will result in a weight loss, right? I am also trying to make much healthier choices and drinking nothing but water and my one cup of coffee per day.

Forget the spreadsheet and get the my fitness pal app for your phone if you have a smartphone. Way more accurate and very helpful.

And eating whatever ever you want but staying under a certain number of calories is probably not the most effective way, or the healthiest.

[Lnj]

Forget the spreadsheet and get the my fitness pal app for your phone if you have a smartphone. Way more accurate and very helpful.

And eating whatever ever you want but staying under a certain number of calories is probably not the most effective way, or the healthiest.

Maybe not the MOST effective way, but if at all effective, that is a plus, and if it is something I can stick with and maintain indefinitely, then it is a HUGE plus. Denying oneself everything you love to eat only works until you get to that perfect weight, which I have done a few times already. problem is, once I got there, I went back to "normal" eating because never in a million years will I commit to NEVER eating something I love EVER AGAIN because it isn't healthy. I have to find the thing I might be able to do forever. Otherwise its a total waste of time. Yo-yoing with your weight is worse for your body and health than just being fat and staying fat. I am trying to make healthier choices though, as I do also love healthy food. I do not discriminate. I love very nearly ALL food. Some people smoke, others drink alcohol, some do drugs, and some love to over-analyze every single thing. I love to EAT. It isn't even a stress thing or a depression thing or an emotional thing. Its simply because food taste so dang good!

[Maineiac64]

I too am very overweight and trying to trim down. I am trying the calorie counting method, but I just started yesterday so... I figured at 12 x my current weight = X calories per day to maintain my current weight. So anything short of X will be a calorie deficit and should cause me to lose, if logic plays any part. This way I don't actually "Diet" per say. I eat whatever I want as long as I stay well under the X. I also log all of my food on this spreadsheet and it calculates my total for the day and at the end of the week. I just started yesterday and I had a 1358 calorie deficit yesterday. If I can keep this up, surely it will result in a weight loss, right? I am also trying to make much healthier choices and drinking nothing but water and my one cup of coffee per day.

Not a fan of calorie counting, Slow carb is very easy, very effective, and excellent for long term compliance. Basically eat lean protein, vegetables, and legumes, no sugar, fruits, or carbs. it works.

[gracebowen]

Somewhere near the middle of 2014 I decided 205 lbs was too heavy. I went online and got my basic metabolic rate then decided to eat 500 calories less than that. I also joined a gym.

I continued eating what I wanted but found myself decidig to make healthier choices so I could eat more. Meaning I decided not to waste 300 calories on a candy bar when I could eat a whole sandwich.

I switched from soda to tea. Long story short my tea is half regular half decaf. Half sugar half splenda.

I only really stuck with the tea and eating less junk food. I lost 30 lbs.

[Lnj]

Somewhere near the middle of 2014 I decided 205 lbs was too heavy. I went online and got my basic metabolic rate then decided to eat 500 calories less than that. I also joined a gym.

I continued eating what I wanted but found myself decidig to make healthier choices so I could eat more. Meaning I decided not to waste 300 calories on a candy bar when I could eat a whole sandwich.

I switched from soda to tea. Long story short my tea is half regular half decaf. Half sugar half splenda.

I only really stuck with the tea and eating less junk food. I lost 30 lbs.

Exactly what I am talking about...minus the gym :) I would rather just do pilates or taebo or whatever other livingroom type exercises than join a gym. I'll be much more likely to stick to that than a gym. But weight loss is more about eating than exercising, at least to start with. I have been doing the calorie counting just a few days and I have already lost a pound. You do automatically look for healthier options just so you can get enough food to get/feel relatively full, so its a win/win.

[Raid]

I dont have weight loss advice but my physical therapist said people get IT band issues due to weak gluts and hips. It might help to strengthen those areas before you hit the trail to prevent possible injury or pain.

[shelb]

[QUOTE=Wiki;2101621

Flat Treadmills and elliptical are your worst enemy, you legs aren't doing any real work. .[/QUOTE]

AGREED! 25 miles on flat treadmill or on flat terrain will not come close to equalling 8 miles of mountainous terrain on the A.T.!!!!!!! Get those stairs in! I have found that 2 hours of stairs 4 times a week is a great preparation!

[Lnj]

Started calorie counting on Monday... I'm down 2 pounds right now.

[futureatwalker]

What I'd recommend is walking. Lots, and lots of walking.

Perhaps you can get a Fitbit and keep track of your steps. Basically, you want to strengthen your legs by getting miles into them. Start easy, and then build every week. Later, you might want to carry a few pounds on your back as you walk. The great affair is to move.

There are lots of advantages to walking. It will let you start sorting out your footwear, and also give you a sense of what works and what doesn't for different types of weather.

If you hit the trail with miles in your legs, you'll lessen your chance of an early injury, and make the start much more enjoyable. And this is supposed to be fun, right?

[Lnj]

I'm down 5 pounds in a week. :)

[shelb]

,,, get a Fitbit and keep track of your steps. [/QUOTE]

I have the Fitbit that counts elevations. I plan on doing 10 sets of stairs each day as my regular goal. When A.T. training, I go for 50-70 in one session. Last year, I think I was hitting over 250 sets in a day in parts of Georgia.

[gracebowen]

I'm down 5 pounds in a week. :)

LNJ good work. I dont know how much it helps but i dint eat bread crust anymore.

I also watch what i buy at the store. Fot example
Generic hot chocolate. 140 caliries
Nestle. 80 calories
Swiss miss. 90

I will drink nestle.

[Lnj]

LNJ good work. I dont know how much it helps but i dint eat bread crust anymore.

I also watch what i buy at the store. Fot example
Generic hot chocolate. 140 caliries
Nestle. 80 calories
Swiss miss. 90

I will drink nestle.

I am doing the same thing. Checking labels on everything. Making decent progress so far, but Thanksgiving is coming so.... there could possibly be a stall in my future. :) I'll get back at it after the big day is done.