physical health for a thru hike

[loosejuice]

Hi i am new to the backpacking world when i came across the appalachian trail in a youtube video , homemade wanderlust to be exact and it lit this fire in me to try it. I've always had an interest in camping and bushcrafting and and am seriously considering this journey. To give a brief run down of my situation Id like to know your guys opinions. Prior to covid I ran a business for family and usually did my 10k steps before noon ( Id be running around the store non stop 16-18 hour a day) I was never a athletic person but I stayed in decent shape , absolutely hate cardio but lifted weights here and there. Once covid hit and shut down our business Ive been in a depression and rotting at home for a few years trying to figure out what to do. I had a heart attack about a year ago and had a quintuple bypass. My legs have atrophied to the point where i cant even run ,I started going for walks to try to get some conditioning in but id go maybe 4-5 blocks and the burn would turn me around mainly in my calves and hamstrings from what i noticed( not out of breath ). So one thing i was wondering, is it possible to hike the AT being out of shape and slowly working my way up to getting my hiking legs and completing the AT although i guess that aspect is more mental than anything. So would it be possible with me starting out a few miles a day and my body will adapt to pushing up to 20+ miles eventually?(yes im aware about HYOH but I want to know if it's physically possible as i can be determined as a mule) I Will confirm with my cardiologist prior to going and in the meantime doing my research and study to be prepared for the hike. I am 43 btw and does my prior conditioning have any effect? So is it possible to finish the AT being really out of shape but only with the determination to finish it? Ive been seeing stories of blind people and the elderly finishing a thru hike but i guess this situation is a bit different where im so out of shape I can't even run. I'm more than willing to push through the pain if need be but i dont want it to have permanent damage. I am also a smoker and was looking at the thru hike as my time to quit. Thank you for taking the time out to read this and i appreciate the feedback.

[peakbagger]

Wow 43 and already a bypass and still a smoker. Anything is possible but the odds are stacked against you. The first few weeks will decide if you are going to make it. It takes several weeks to really get "trail legs" There really is no option of being an out of shape hiker by the end of the AT, you may have starved yourself (some AT hikers do) but physically you are inherently forced into shape, obviously, some short term issue like stress fractures in the feet can you take you out early and for most its something out of their control.

[gpburdelljr]

Quit smoking NOW! Start walking longer and longer distances every day, until 5 miles is not a problem. Then start going on some short backpacking trips. After doing that, and talking to your doctor, you’ll be in a better position to decide if you want to hike the AT.

[CalebJ]

Agreed with all the above. Use the thru hike goal as a reason to make changes now - not a way to make them in the future. Do what you have to do to eliminate the smoking and start incrementally increasing your fitness. Now is the time.

[One Half]

you had a quintuple bypass at 43? despite walking a LOT while at work.
I am guessing there is something here we don't know. How much do you weigh? or how much did you weigh when you had your heart attack?

[JNI64]

Yes ANYTHING is possible if you're willing to put the work into it!

[loosejuice]

you had a quintuple bypass at 43? despite walking a LOT while at work.
I am guessing there is something here we don't know. How much do you weigh? or how much did you weigh when you had your heart attack?

It's not like I'm trying to hide anything i am 6' and 170 lbs roughly the same as before the heart attack. from what I was told it was my diabetes and smoking that were the biggest factors. Also, heart disease runs in my family all of my uncles and my father had open heart surgery as well. I was also on keto for about 2 years before it although I'm not sure how much of an effect that it had on it. It's not that I'm undecided on doing an AT thru hike I AM going to do it as long as my doctor gives me the green light. I appreciate the feedback and fully acknowledge I should quit smoking but I won't make any excuses, I'm well and thoroughly addicted to cigarettes. my main concern is if it's something I can physically do without permanent damage as long as I have the mental fortitude to push through it. I have been slowly trying to get back into shape and started walking with a backpack loaded with 20 pounds. I have been lifting weights again for the past few months but my cardio capacity is terrible. Another thing I was wondering is, I follow an omad diet where I eat only once a day in the evening and I fast every so often. would that be detrimental on a thru-hike? tbh, I don't listen to the nutritionist assigned to me by my doctor when she walked in and had kankles. Nothing against overweight people mind you but I can't listen to someone giving me health advice who was out of breath just standing there speaking to me. I was surprised to see when I woke up post-op, teenagers in the hospital wing I was in for open heart surgeries, and a few of them were actually in there just a few years prior after having stints put in.

[chknfngrs]

You can. You should. Don’t wait.

[chknfngrs]

Go slow at first, it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Get it on the calendar and do it. Aim. Set. Ready!

[gpburdelljr]

With diabetes it would be very difficult to do a thru hike.

[lucky luke]

... I AM going to do it ... as long as my doctor gives me the green light. ....

my personal opinion. the first part is the way to go.

my doctors told me that after a skiing accident with a torn apart knee i will never do any sports again. looking back for 40 years now i have a nice list of accomplishments going for my decision not to believe a word the doctors said in this respect. 2 years later i did a winter hike from bear mtn to harpersferry, followed by a climb of denali another year and a half later. i carried a 80 pound backpack and pulled a 40 pound sled with my no-more-sports-knee. 15 years later i finished the AT, again mostly in fall and winter.

i have not always been that fit over the years, but whenever my knee bothered me (and my back, and my hips and my neck and...) a good book came to my rescue.
pete egoscue, painfree through motion. getting my body straight with those simple practices, with an investment of about 30 minutes a day it took only a few weeks to get me walking well again.

smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body. why do you think every non smoker coughs his lungs out when trying? there is a good reason for this incredibly strong reaction of your body. quit hurting yourself now is about the best advice anyone can give you about smoke and nicotine. which is one of the strongest nerve-poisons available by the way.

dont start your exercises with a load. start straightening your body out, so it can function correctly. then start working out with weight. its important to get all the muscles to do the work they are supposed to do. if something hurts something is wrong. if you train the wrong muscles you will increase the pain, or at best only shift it to someplace else. you need the right ones to do their job again and keep the "cheaters" from doing it.

i would not worry too much about your diet. if it feels right keep it up. make sure its giving your body all the things it needs. if you do that once a day or 3x a day does not matter. why eat when you are not hungry? just because its noon and all the others eat? eat because a whistle is blown by somebody else? i am sure though you will change your eating habits on the trail. you´ll eat a lot more and you´ll be hungry a lot more if you dont feed yourself during the day. do what feels right. i dont eat a lot the first week, but after that i eat like a hog, portions that usually would last 2 days for me.

now, dont get me wrong. i am not saying your doc doesn´t know a bit. he certainly does know a bit. the cardiologist knows about your heart, and little about your hurting calves. so listen to him when he talks. but dont believe everything he says is the right thing for you. be careful and do what feels good, as long as it feels good. keep your eyes open and look around. every input is worth a look. after a while you´ll know what works for you and what does not.

and dont forget that the way you were living in the past has gotten to exactly where you are now. find out for yourself if you need a change or want to go on like before.

happy trails on your way back into a healthy body! take the first step and your other leg will follow.
good luck!

you will find the book easily used for only a few dollars. it is worth every cent.

[Dan Roper]

If in your shoes, I don't think I'd decide now whether to thru hike and wait until the AT to get into shape. Do it this way:
1. Immediately begin regular conditioning. You live in the city, but you'll find ways.
2. As regularly as possible, doe some real hikes and/or short backpacking trips. Gradually work in some real climbs on the AT in NJ/NY/CT.
3. As the time for your trip approaches, you should know much more about your health and if you really want to undertake a thru hike. If so, consult with your doctor about the advisibility given your health at that point.

I think you can do it, but you can't transition abruptly from a sedate lifestyle with serious health concerns to handling mountains beneath a pack. Getting ready is going to be a real grind, but backpacking is too. Good luck!

[chknfngrs]

good words of encouragement! Instead of an immediate 180° turn, ease into it like others are saying.

The fact that you’re even thinking about it is the best.

[Traveler]

There are some excellent suggestions above on how to start on the road to Katahdin, however you have some medical concerns that fall well outside the advice campfire and are genuinely medical questions. Many have done what you are thinking of, some having to make several attempts at it before reaching the other end of the Trail. It's a worthy goal which demands a worthy effort.

Get medical advice on how to go about this and listen to what your doctor/s tell you about your heart condition and general health. I can predict they will tell you to start slowly and work up, which you should follow up with outlining what you feel is a decent start up program of walking miles, etc. and sharing it with your medical people. Most importantly, find out how you can effectively deal with insulin needs on a long distance trail. Likely you will have to stop for medical provisions you will need an Rx for to renew at local pharmacies along the way.

So, first things first. You should tackle the smoking addiction, which many here including me have done. I tried a number of things to quit but no success at the time. What ended up working well was a procrastination approach. I related the urge to smoke with exercise, when I felt the urge I would go out for a quick 1-mile walk (half mile would do) and return absent the urge. Next urge, same thing. At first I barely got my jacket off before the next urge arrived, so back out I would go. So to avoid constantly being outside walking, the next step was to use the procrastination approach telling myself when the urge struck if after the next 10-minutes I still want a smoke, I will have one. The trick here being the urge to smoke only lasts a few seconds, I'd look at the watch and pin-point the time and wait. By the time 10-minutes went by I was into something else and the urge was all but forgotten. Next urge, same thing. It's a minute by minute thing with breaking that habit. Staying away from places that encourage smoking or endorses the habit should be considered. Using exercise as a response also will work well to highlight your strength and endurance limitations and improvements. I think if you walked a quick half mile when getting the urge, you will probably be startled at how many miles you walk during the process and how much easier those miles become with the effort.

Start slowly is the common advice, which is sound. Walk as much as you can routinely do every day. It really does not matter how many miles, what matters more is the issue of bad weather and alternative things on your plate that dampen the exercise decision. Don't worry about the daily mileage of hikers in the prime of life at 20 something and their hiking rate of 20-miles per day, unless you want to be self discouraging. If you walk, regardless how fast or slow, you will get where you are headed. Time your routes against mileage to establish your current miles per hour rate of travel. I know several people who hike at a low pace of about 1.2 miles per hour, which means if they rise early, even with breaks, they can make 10-miles a day. Distance is not how fast one walks, but how long one walks.

As far as initial thoughts go, I would avoid getting new trail gear like tent, sleep system, stove and fuel, clothing, etc. just yet. That can be figured out once you have passed the "this is too hard" phase of your progress, which may happen a few times before it dissipates. Exercise is the key to the entire process that will help smoking cessation, improve diet and its impact on your body, increase walking endurance , and possibly improve insulin needs. While the challenge may be calling you loudly to do the AT in 2024, your body may need more time to prepare for a journey of this type to harden your physical, mental, and emotional endurance.

Only you and your doctors can assess when you are ready for long distance trekking like the AT. However, getting to that point starting now will be beneficial regardless if you end up doing the AT in a series of LASH (long-ass section hikes), flip flop hikes, or south bound thru hike that provides a few additional months to prepare.

Please do keep us posted on your progress. Regardless of outcome there are people who will see your posts and take optimism from your experience. Good luck!

[JNI64]

Some very smart folks here for sure with great advice :)
First and foremost please quit smoking it really is a disgusting habit that wreks your body,makes your clothes stink,fingers stink etc.... I smoked cigarettes for years when I was younger. As soon as you stop your lungs will start to repair themselves.
As far as diet I always recommend the Mediterranean diet ,look into it. As far as exercise I would recommend doing your own body weight exercises like jumping pull-ups, push-ups, dips,body squats etc set a number of reps and go through them like rounds with no to little rest between exercises rest a minute and do another round. This routine will strengthen plus give you cardiovascular workout at the same time. And don't forget to stretch very important.
Good luck and remember we got 1 life to live:)

[One Half]

It's not like I'm trying to hide anything i am 6' and 170 lbs roughly the same as before the heart attack. from what I was told it was my diabetes and smoking that were the biggest factors. Also, heart disease runs in my family all of my uncles and my father had open heart surgery as well. I was also on keto for about 2 years before it although I'm not sure how much of an effect that it had on it. It's not that I'm undecided on doing an AT thru hike I AM going to do it as long as my doctor gives me the green light. I appreciate the feedback and fully acknowledge I should quit smoking but I won't make any excuses, I'm well and thoroughly addicted to cigarettes. my main concern is if it's something I can physically do without permanent damage as long as I have the mental fortitude to push through it. I have been slowly trying to get back into shape and started walking with a backpack loaded with 20 pounds. I have been lifting weights again for the past few months but my cardio capacity is terrible. Another thing I was wondering is, I follow an omad diet where I eat only once a day in the evening and I fast every so often. would that be detrimental on a thru-hike? tbh, I don't listen to the nutritionist assigned to me by my doctor when she walked in and had kankles. Nothing against overweight people mind you but I can't listen to someone giving me health advice who was out of breath just standing there speaking to me. I was surprised to see when I woke up post-op, teenagers in the hospital wing I was in for open heart surgeries, and a few of them were actually in there just a few years prior after having stints put in.

I also follow mostly keto (currently carnivore but not by choice) and often do OMAD or just a 4 hour eating window.
as for "cardio" what you really need is long slow distance with your heart rate in your AEROBIC zone. This means you can breathe with your mouth closed while walking. As for the aches and pains you are feeling getting back onto your feet after surgery and being sedentary I would suggest you do just what you can today keeping in mind you need to be able to repeat it tomorrow and the next day and the next... SLOWLY increase your weekly time/distance by 5%-10% MAX. Don't be afraid to start out just every other day as your body adjusts, especially if you are sore or "exhausted" from the day before. I started working as a personal trainer in the early 90s. It's hard to give "complete" advice on a forum but the slow increase in exercise is good info for everyone.

[One Half]

With diabetes it would be very difficult to do a thru hike.
depends on Type 1 or 2 but not impossible with either.

[RockDoc]

First of all, thru hiking is overrated IMO. Most thru hikers loose the magic and end up marching with their head down, "just to finish", often grumbling and miserable.
Secondly, it would be wise to take a stepwise approach and do small, then medium, then long hikes to see how you do. Thousands of people have done the trail one little step at a time, often with great enthusiasm and pleasure, because you're unlikely to get sick and tired of shorter hikes.
Thirdly, if you are limited physically but still want to hike, do the most rewarding sections first, or don't even do the less rewarding sections at all. I've done favorite sections two or three times. Other sections I would never set foot on again, they did not float my boat.
Finally, remember that nobody else really cares how much you hiked, or even how you hiked. Make your own standards and do the best you can with your limitations.

[Odd Man Out]

There is an old adage that says the only way to prepare for a long distance hike is to take a long distance hike. The point is that no matter how much you train, it won't prepare you for hiking over mountains with full pack for 10 hours a day. But once you start, the trail will get you in shape. That being said, those who are fit in advance will be better off on day 1 than the couch potato with no experience, but after a few weeks, that distinction will fade assuming the couch potato can work through their early challenges. If you look at surveys of long distance AT hikers you will find that the majority started off with little or no backpacking experience. On my first AT section hike in central VA I met a very nice thru-hiking couple who were both very overweight when they started in GS. By the time I met them in central VA, they had both lost over 100 lbs. Of course it took them until mid summer to get that far, so there was no way they were going to complete a thru hike, but this is just a good example of why finishing the trail may not be the best objective to focus on.

[tiptoe]

loosejuice, you are young, and I admire your spirit. I would like to suggest section hiking as an alternative to a thru hike, at least for now. From nyc you have easy access by bus or train to the AT in CT, NY, NJ, and PA. Start with day hikes (you can do this in nyc), and when you feel ready you can move on to short overnights, then longer sections.

For the record, I section-hiked the AT, starting in 2005 at the age of 60 and finishing at Katahdin in 2018, with a couple of years spent recovering from a broken ankle. Section hiking fit my lifestyle much better (I had a job for the first several years, own pets, and am an avid gardner), and I enjoyed it more than I would have enjoyed a thru.

[petedelisio]

I would not wait for the "Greenlight," from a doctor...

Ask doc how to mitigate around your problems for your hike, then take it with a grain of salt and ask another doc the same for their opinion as well.
And visit the health section of WB.net and others.
Lots of info you need there.
Don't ask if, but how.
Of course there are some problems that may only allow you to do a section at a time.

And if smoking is that hard, vaping has helped many quit smoking and get their breathback, and a majority of the bad they say about vaping just isn't true.
Not a doc. I don't even pretend to be a Dr. on the twebs.

[loosejuice]

my personal opinion. the first part is the way to go.

my doctors told me that after a skiing accident with a torn apart knee i will never do any sports again. looking back for 40 years now i have a nice list of accomplishments going for my decision not to believe a word the doctors said in this respect. 2 years later i did a winter hike from bear mtn to harpersferry, followed by a climb of denali another year and a half later. i carried a 80 pound backpack and pulled a 40 pound sled with my no-more-sports-knee. 15 years later i finished the AT, again mostly in fall and winter.

i have not always been that fit over the years, but whenever my knee bothered me (and my back, and my hips and my neck and...) a good book came to my rescue.
pete egoscue, painfree through motion. getting my body straight with those simple practices, with an investment of about 30 minutes a day it took only a few weeks to get me walking well again.

smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body. why do you think every non smoker coughs his lungs out when trying? there is a good reason for this incredibly strong reaction of your body. quit hurting yourself now is about the best advice anyone can give you about smoke and nicotine. which is one of the strongest nerve-poisons available by the way.

dont start your exercises with a load. start straightening your body out, so it can function correctly. then start working out with weight. its important to get all the muscles to do the work they are supposed to do. if something hurts something is wrong. if you train the wrong muscles you will increase the pain, or at best only shift it to someplace else. you need the right ones to do their job again and keep the "cheaters" from doing it.

i would not worry too much about your diet. if it feels right keep it up. make sure its giving your body all the things it needs. if you do that once a day or 3x a day does not matter. why eat when you are not hungry? just because its noon and all the others eat? eat because a whistle is blown by somebody else? i am sure though you will change your eating habits on the trail. you´ll eat a lot more and you´ll be hungry a lot more if you dont feed yourself during the day. do what feels right. i dont eat a lot the first week, but after that i eat like a hog, portions that usually would last 2 days for me.

now, dont get me wrong. i am not saying your doc doesn´t know a bit. he certainly does know a bit. the cardiologist knows about your heart, and little about your hurting calves. so listen to him when he talks. but dont believe everything he says is the right thing for you. be careful and do what feels good, as long as it feels good. keep your eyes open and look around. every input is worth a look. after a while you´ll know what works for you and what does not.

and dont forget that the way you were living in the past has gotten to exactly where you are now. find out for yourself if you need a change or want to go on like before.

happy trails on your way back into a healthy body! take the first step and your other leg will follow.
good luck!

you will find the book easily used for only a few dollars. it is worth every cent.

Thank you all for all the advice given I really appreciate it. And I do agree, with the resources of the internet and constant new medical findings every day it would be foolish to listen to the doc like a blind sheep imho. While sites like webmd may be some of the most hated sites in the medical profession and some of the most hated words doctors hear from their patients ive noticed are "from what I researched on the internet". After all the reading I've done I swore to myself never to get heart stints and to never take cholesterol-lowering meds but hey it is what it is and I had a heart attack , how can I argue? I also learned that cholesterol isn't the main culprit in clogging your arteries but the inflammation from other sources. To be honest I never felt better than when I was on my keto/carnivore diet but now I am a bit afraid to go back to it after my heart attack even though I had amazing test results while on carnivore such as non-existant inflammation in my system and being taken off diabetes meds. However, after a quintuple bypass at the age of 43 and heart disease running in my family has me a bit wary.

They don't like their authority challenged and, to be honest a lot of them never bother to update their knowledge with the daily medical findings after they get their degrees. My main reason is to hopefully hear the words "You won't have another heart attack" and I'm gone.

I'm looking at this opportunity as kind of a soft reset to my situation. I just want to get away for a while to take my mind off things and reassess myself while tackling and overcoming a challenge. My situation is pretty crappy atm but nothing people don't go through on a daily basis however at my age, all the time and effort I put in went out the window when covid hit doesn't negate the struggles I'm personally having. I'm not looking for some mind-altering experience where I'll find religion but returning with a fresh mind and hopefully the zeal I had when I was younger.

From what I've noticed throughout my life my body adapts to things amazingly fast(yes even when older) the only slow thing is when I had leg days my legs take a while to recover for some reason compared to my other body parts. My diabetes is type 2 and not totally out of control, not a huge concern for me to manage it on the hike. It would probably be all the other meds after post-op heart surgery that has me more concerned. (One thing on my mind is how my insurance will cover me on this trip).

I'm one of those lifelong city kids who is getting sick of the city(NYC to be clear) and hope to retire to a modern homesteading lifestyle with all my animals, however, covid put a major dent on those plans and I have to start all over. Boo Hoo I know a lot of people have it worse but I sacrificed my early years working so I can retire early, all for naught. Just gotta roll with the punches and move on but I'm having a hard time with it and it has affected me physically more than I realized.

Once again thank you everybody for the advice and whiteblaze has been an amazing resource to my hiking adventure and being able to tap into the minds of experienced people is invaluable imo.

I was curious about something, I've read condensation is an issue with tents, how do you manage the condensation if possible and what do you do with your wet tent when it is time to pack up and leave do you just shove it in your sack or actually attempt to dry it out somewhere. A personal pet peeve of mine is being damp I'd rather be full blown drenched and soaking instead of clammy and damp. I'm sure people have tried those silica gels that soak up moisture before, do those work? or perhaps a candle or two in the tent (inside a fire safe container of course,maybe a simple tin?). I've seen portable dehumidifiers on amazon and was thinking that would be one of my luxury items/ Thank you once again for all your feedback.

[peakbagger]

From a section hiker perspective, who has done the entire trail, you are going to get wet and everything you own is going to get damp. If you do a conventional thruhike, you may go weeks where it rains everyday (talk to this years class about New England rain this year). It means working out the staying warm while wet (or at least not freezing to death) and that means you will sleep clammy and damp on occasion. Some folks just try to reserve one dry set of sleeping clothes and put on wet ones in the AM but once the sleeping bag starts to get damp, its going to be unpleasant. If you do it right, you can wear some synthetics dry overnight. Merino wool and synthetics are your friends, down not so much. Condensation is just par for the course, bring a sponge to wipe out the tent. IMHO a candle may have a psychological impact but it really will not do much for the damp. Many folks try to have town day on almost a weekly basis and that is the time to dry out. Hard on the budget but sometimes you need a break.
One hint is if you are going to go to a laundry mat dont just use the dryer on wet dirty clothes, wash them and then dry them. If you dont wash them first, the dirt and oil tends to bake into the fabrics making them stink even worse.
Eventually the rains will stop and then the heat will move in and water becomes the challenge.

[RangerZ]

depends on Type 1 or 2 but not impossible with either.
Entirely doable with either. Many others have done it. Talk it over with your doctor.
It takes some additional logistical planning. My thru has now turned into section hiking but the planning that I started 10 years ago was valid on the trail and is still valid for me.

Diabetic thru hiking logistics (whiteblaze.net) (https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/93725-Diabetic-thru-hiking-logistics?highlight=)

[loosejuice]

From a section hiker perspective, who has done the entire trail, you are going to get wet and everything you own is going to get damp. If you do a conventional thruhike, you may go weeks where it rains everyday (talk to this years class about New England rain this year). It means working out the staying warm while wet (or at least not freezing to death) and that means you will sleep clammy and damp on occasion. Some folks just try to reserve one dry set of sleeping clothes and put on wet ones in the AM but once the sleeping bag starts to get damp, its going to be unpleasant. If you do it right, you can wear some synthetics dry overnight. Merino wool and synthetics are your friends, down not so much. Condensation is just par for the course, bring a sponge to wipe out the tent. IMHO a candle may have a psychological impact but it really will not do much for the damp. Many folks try to have town day on almost a weekly basis and that is the time to dry out. Hard on the budget but sometimes you need a break.
One hint is if you are going to go to a laundry mat dont just use the dryer on wet dirty clothes, wash them and then dry them. If you dont wash them first, the dirt and oil tends to bake into the fabrics making them stink even worse.
Eventually the rains will stop and then the heat will move in and water becomes the challenge.
Yes after the research i did rain is not a stranger on the AT and im just trying to prepare for it. I can't make myself waterproof but i can manage it as much as i can and i've been reading that alpacca hair is a much better alternative than merrino or synthetics, dries quickly , anti microbial , and doesnt hold as much water 10% as merrino 30%. I'm not rich by any means but i do have the means to pamper myself with town trips when needed( i didn't work my whole life for absolutely nothing). Is a sponge really my best choice to manage the condensation? I was planning on getting a double wall tent to help with this but after careful consideration i decided to go with the durston x mid 2 person which has flaps for condensation but from what ive seen isn't as good as a double wall for condensation. Here is a small list of the gear i plan on purchasing for the trip , any recommendations/suggestions are welcome.
tent - durston x mid pro 2 person ( debating whether i need a ground cover and probably will go with some form of tyvek, maybe whats called kite tyvek?)
have seen numerous times people mentioning cheap tent spikes that comes with the tent so i guess ill be picking up the mrs ground hogs?sleep system - zenbivvy light with big agnes rapide sleeping pad. (still looking into the pillows but i figured id get something where i can use my down jacket as a pillow)
clothes - will be mostly alpacca gear from appalachian gear co with the outter shell being mountain hard ware ghost whisperer, yes i watch dan becker but i cross checked his recommendations with other reviews first
shoes - altras? (been a lifelong timberland wearer, NYC QUEENS WHOOP WHOOP)
gps - have been seeing alternatives to the garmin inreach, a motorola to be exact which is like half the price up front as well as membership
have been reminded that doing the AT is hiking NOT camping and decided to ditch the axe and folding saw but stick with my esee4 knife (not a huge rambo knife)
a portable mini inflator
deciding between either a brs stove or pocket rocket deluxe for the wind, more than likely some sort of toaks setup for the cookware or something similar
Bag - i wanted a backpack with a trampoline system but ive been seeing too many good things about the kakwa 55 and decided on that one.
im still deciding on my rain gear whether it be a poncho to protect both myself and my bag or just go the frogg togg route and cover my bag in a trash bag as well as using it as a bag liner. would prefer to find a better alternative with the ability to breathe if there is such a thing for rain gear.
Has anybody heard of a tick repellant called duration? it supposedly protects you for up to 6 months when sprayed on the clothes. Im scared to death of lyme disease being a huge meat lover.
ill probably just do bear hangs instead of a canister unless instructed to do as it seems too cumbersome to carry.
In the process of putting together some kind of strap system so i can use an umbrella hands free when hiking. Ill probably strap it to one of the backpack straps.
I'm also aware plans are thrown out the window once the hike starts but i can prepare as much as i can.
I am horrible with directions so i guess AWOL's guide and farout will be my buds on the trail. And no i wont complain about there not being instructions as i have common sense which doesnt seem to be so common anymore. Do you realize whenever you make some kind of customer service call for a technical problem they annoyingly always go through some power cycling or checking if your plug is plugged into the wall are all because of people like that? Their fear or trying things out for themselves and expecting a nanny to hold their hands every step of the way makes it harder for the rest of us. (sorry got off topic there for a second i couldnt help rant about self entitled spoiled shmucks who can do nothing but complain, another reason im sick of the city)
headlamp - probably a nitecore nu25
trekking poles - to be decided , all i know is i want a latch system as opposed to the ones you turn to lock , just more reliable from my experience with similar systemsI love fishing and plan on bringing a small spinner rod for the hike are there any recommendations on that front? I have already swapped out the lead weights for tungsten and looking into biodegradable fishing line. I have a lifetime freshwater license , does that apply in other states?
One thing i am considering is maybe purchasing a camping non stick frying pan as i figured id like a hot tasty meal every once in a while instead of the dehydrated rations day in and day out. thoughts? While i understand the whole ounces equals pounds pounds equal pain concept i really dont think enjoying the minor creature comforts is such a bad thing as being absolutely miserable for 6 months doesnt seem so appealling. This might be a Korean thing but in their culture food eaten outside tastes 1000% times better, an example being the simple ramen compared to eating it at home to eating it outside when fishing or camping is a night and day difference. You might have noticed i said "their" I was born in Korea and came to america when i was 4 i consider myself a full fledged american. I love this country with all my heart and refuse to be called otherwise.I'm American and i have the papers to prove it.
Now i'm not talking about some lodge cast iron skillet but a light weight version. I understand that results in more weight because of fresh food to cook but i think i can make those small sacrifices in between supplies and trek with a couple pounds which will be consumed anyway after a town resupply.
You've probably noticed by now i won't hesitate splurging on gear but my mindset on things like this is, buy good gear not the most expensive but practical and good quality that will last, better to buy once than 2-3 times if it doesnt suit your taste or fails. I don't care about branding or recognition i want reliability and durability for years to come as well as ease of use.
Just got back from my walk with a 20 pound sack and strangely felt more strength in my legs than without the weight , walked 1.5 miles round trip and had energy to probably do another mile or two. says i managed 2.6mph? although i was taking my time and pacing myself.

[loosejuice]

oh and almost forgot my water filter will be a sawyer with smart bottles and maybe a few of those collapsing plastic bags for backup as well as a bottle for pee in the middle of the night

[lucky luke]

... rain ...
tent - ... ... tent spikes ...
clothes - ...
shoes - ...
gps - ...
have been reminded that doing the AT is hiking NOT camping and decided to ditch the axe and folding saw but stick with my esee4 knife (not a huge rambo knife)
a portable mini inflator
deciding between either a brs stove or pocket rocket deluxe for the wind, more than likely some sort of toaks setup for the cookware or something similar
Bag - i wanted a backpack . ...
... rain gear ...
... tick repellant ...
... bear hangs ...
... umbrella ...
...AWOL's guide ...
headlamp - ...
trekking poles - to be decided ...

...hot tasty meal every once in a while ...

I'm American and i have the papers to prove it.
... ... splurging on gear ...

....

cutting your text short, trying to keep my answers short too.

there will be days where you get wet to the bones. you simply can not avoid it unless you go in freezing temperatures. for hiking i would prefer a poncho, as a mtneer i do jacket and pants most the time. a skirt has proven to be nice for hiking also. but again. if it rains long enough you will be soaked. period. umbrella does not work for me because of the wind. some love it.

there is no way to keep condensation out of your tent unless you are dead. its a lot easier to handle in a double walled tent as this will keep most of it outside and from dripping onto you and your gear. i use both. singlewall in summer and for overnighters where wet gear does not matter. in 3 season and winter i go with a doublewall with very little mesh to keep the wind out (for me thats around freezing or lower). for a long hike i would go double wall. singlewall for me is only for summer use. in california my summer probably will be called 3-seasons.

tent stakes. get good ones and plenty. and make sure you have a mixture as you will experience different grounds.
packing up: knock the ice of the fly, haha...:banana! i do wipe the water off with a cloth. inside and outside. the microfiber things work well, and weigh a lot less than the water you would carry. if you are single wall there will be many nights when you will wipe the condensation off 3 or 4 times and have to get out of your sleeping bag if you want it dry. the tent stays outside the pack or get its own trashbag to avoid water in the pack. the rest of the gear is also in a trashbag. and the tent goes on top because its the first item i will need at camp.

groundcloth? never used one, never will.

pad? i use a inflatable with a 4mm evazote underneath. helps for sliding around and is a lightweight backup if your inflatable gets a hole or pregnant (which mine do regularly after 180 nights on them).

sleepingbag: my way is down only. if wet i heat up water, fill my nalgene bottle and dry off whatever is wet. socks as well as the moist sleepingbag. i use a plastic bag to make sure it stays dry in my backpack, in addition to a trashbag as a liner and another trashbag as a packvcover.

backpack. make sure it fits and carries well. dont by because of a utube recommendation. go to a shop, tell about your intended use, get it set to your body, load it and then walk around in the shop. at the same time you can try shoes. they will have to fit as well. otherwise you will hurt on the trail. try more than one pack, even if you think the first one is perfect.

clothes: again. try things. i hate wool, i am all polyester. this is not for everyone, most like some wool or mixes. going high priice tag in my eyes is nothing but a waste of money. the 500$ jacket is not magic. as mentioned before you will be soaking wet, no matter how much money you spend. unless you spend it in a hotel on rainy days.

ticks. ahahhh, be very careful. check your body frequently. if sth feels ticklish (pun intended!) check it. now, not in 5 minutes. pull up the pants right then and check. wearing long pants, leggins, tucked into the socks does a great job. check all of your body at night. i recommend washing yourself with a cup af water and a washcloth every night. you´ll find unwanted bumps easily and you´ll sleep warmer when clean. i have never used repellents but supposedly some work better than others. if you are worried about lyme desease. yes. you´ld better be worrying. i have had it for 20 years, it can be hell. you dont want to go there.

being a meat lover? does that indicate you want to eat the ticks?:D they wont care much about what you eat. they want to eat you!

gps. never used one. you can hike the AT even without a map if you know what you´re doing. you´ll always see a blaze, if you dont -->turn around, and if you dont see one backtrack until you find a blaze. theres more experienced folk to give advice in this point.

headlamp. in summer you´ll do just fine with a small one. if you need to hike at night get a bigger one. its really hard to find a flat campspot in the dark with little light.

poles. flicklock is very convenient, but twistlock works just fine. i never had one fail at me, but use flicklocks only now. and i love my pacerpoles.

cooking: i was raw for 3 years and went without cooking even in winter. however if you cook i´ld recommend getting noodles and sauces rather than freezdried bags. they are really expensive for no added value. throw in some cheese or sausage with your noodles, condensed tomatoe, etc. find herbs to spice up on the trail. some like rice, i am always hungry after a rice meal. find your way before you hit the trail. its easy to cook and eat well with very little effort. carry fresh stuff when leaving town and the dry stuff for the later days.

stove. find out if you like alcohol. i do alc in summer for weight reasons, but if its colder i go with either gasoline or canister gas stoves. i hate being all packed up and ready to go and then my tea is only lukewarm because alc takes way too long in the cold.

nobody gives sh** about being american or russian or ... on the trail. there is absolutely nothing you will have to proove. leave your paperwork at home and start seeing yourself as a valuable part of the hiking community. and you will be treated just like that. nothing else matters on the trail. i know, i am german. and i have never been treated bad because of it. all we ever experienced was: oh, you must be the german couple! we´ve been waiting for you to show up. and yes, one time: you are late! we were worried! which both of us found very kind and nice. the trail community is simply fantastic, in town as well as on trail!

gear: in general go step by step. find out what works best for you and replace step by step. you can do overnighters/weekends with cheap or borrowed gear to find out what you like. and your backpack will the last item to buy. what good is a superdooper lightweight 40 liter backpack if you need to fit 50l of gear plus food into it? you´ll certainly buy a second one ...

general recommendation: get outside as much as possible. most of your worries now are wasted time and energy. put that into trying things and getting some experience. every outing will show you that you hauled things you did not use simply because you dont need them. like a big knife. i go with a medical scalpel in a foldable aluminum handle. weight: 9 grams, cuts all i need and more.:-?fingers as well as throats.

back in 1984 5$ got me from downtown nyc to bear mtn state park. what a cheap escape from the city. theres a train taking you right onto the AT as well.

[Slugg]

Yes after the research i did rain is not a stranger on the AT and im just trying to prepare for it. I can't make myself waterproof but i can manage it as much as i can and i've been reading that alpacca hair is a much better alternative than merrino or synthetics, dries quickly , anti microbial , and doesnt hold as much water 10% as merrino 30%. I'm not rich by any means but i do have the means to pamper myself with town trips when needed( i didn't work my whole life for absolutely nothing). Is a sponge really my best choice to manage the condensation? I was planning on getting a double wall tent to help with this but after careful consideration i decided to go with the durston x mid 2 person which has flaps for condensation but from what ive seen isn't as good as a double wall for condensation. Here is a small list of the gear i plan on purchasing for the trip , any recommendations/suggestions are welcome.

The Xmid is considered a doublewall, FYI. The standard model has a mesh inner, but there is a model with a solid inner. For the AT and the majority of use cases I would recommend the mesh inner. The 1P is my primary shelter, great tent for east coastin.

[Time Zone]

They don't like their authority challenged and, to be honest a lot of them never bother to update their knowledge with the daily medical findings after they get their degrees.
How do you know this? And how do you square this with the fact that almost all states have continuing medical education requirements for physicians to be licensed?

I'd also opine that when someone says "a doctor told me I'd never _____ again", it's not likely to be an accurate recall of the discussion. IME physicians simply don't talk about a prognosis that way, they talk in terms of likelihoods, not absolutes.

[Traveler]

Agreed with Time Zone, most all MDs, regardless of specialty have to have a certain number of professional development hours or CEUs to keep up with their field. While this may not translate into a conversation one has with a doctor, it is a very real part of their service commitment. Of course it is up to the patient what physician advice they follow, or seek another opinion, but to suggest medical doctors do not have a professional requirement and obligation of continuing education ignores the facts.

[One Half]

I've never had a doctor who was "in shape" and active in any pursuits. They also have about ZERO nutritional training and they certainly don't keep up with the latest studies about nutrition. As a "whole" they really cannot fathom people being strong enough or committed enough to reverse their health. That's why their answers are always drugs and surgery.

[TwoSpirits]

I have the good fortune of having a doctor who is herself a long-distance hiker, with the PCT & CDT under her belt (among others overseas.) Needless to say, she is very attentive to and knowledgeable about various physical ailments, risks, and nutritional needs specific to hikers, especially those of us of a certain age. So there are physicians who are "in shape" and knowledgeable of various physically demanding activities, and no need for blanket statements and assumptions that "they" know nothing about our special breed.

That being said, I also had a doctor some years ago who suggested that I "find another hobby", as I was dealing with some medical issues that he felt were inconsistent with hiking. I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on the internet, but I fo know that I am my own best health advocate and decided that his advice was not really well informed or in my best interests.

[gpburdelljr]

Doctors spend 4 years in an undergraduate program, 4 years in medical school, and 3 to 7 years in residency. We can’t expect to do a little Googling and know more than they do. There are certainly incompetent doctors, but if you don’t like a diagnosis you can get another opinion from a different doctor.

[johnnybgood]

Doctors spend 4 years in an undergraduate program, 4 years in medical school, and 3 to 7 years in residency. We can’t expect to do a little Googling and know more than they do. There are certainly incompetent doctors, but if you don’t like a diagnosis you can get another opinion from a different doctor.

This is my advice also, do your research on the front end before ever stepping through their doors. Know how to articulate your symptoms with clarity so they see you're not a lame duck patient.

Even though I have insider knowledge of physicians, surgeons in my city I am still vigilant in researching doctors in specialties'
that I need to make an appointment with.

Just today I saw a 4th Orthopedic Specialist in the past 4 years about my arthritic shoulder to get yet another expert diagnosis.

In 3 months I will have a Total Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty.

[futureatwalker]

Just to come back on some of your thoughts.

Physical condition for the AT: I think you know what you have to do. You've got to build up your walking. You've got to cut down on smoking or find an alternative. I don't think the one-meal-a-day thing will serve you well on the trail; you need calories in your body in the morning to have enough energy to hike.

Shoes: I'm going against the grain slightly here and suggest Hokas. Speedgoats. Try them on a walk if you don't believe me. They also have the advantage of lasting much longer than Altras.

Ground-cloth: Yes. Reflective foil blanket. It weighs nothing and will keep your tent clean.

Tick repellant: You can spray your clothes with permethrin. Deet on your legs will keep off ticks. Try not to sit in long grass much.

[hddeuce03]

Just to come back on some of your thoughts.
Shoes: I'm going against the grain slightly here and suggest Hokas. Speedgoats. Try them on a walk if you don't believe me. They also have the advantage of lasting much longer than Altras.


I have never hiked in anything but boots, most of which was my military combat boots. However, I finally caved to the advice of many people and got the Hoka Speedgoat 5. I must say, they are without a doubt the most comfortable footwear I have ever worn! I haven't done any major/long hikes in them yet, but I did do a 7-mile training hike last week with them and all I can say is WOW! Prior to that, I used my Merril MOAB 3s on my training/checkout hikes and loved them. For my 2024 thru-hike, since I'm starting in February, my current plan is to start in the MOABs until I get to Damascus, then switch to the Speedgoats for the remainder of the way (yes, I know I'll have to replace them multiple times on the way).

[hddeuce03]

Oh and I have to say that even though I've never worn wide shoes/boots, I had to return my 1st pair of Speedgoats because they just felt a tad too tight. I got the wides and they are fantastic!

[loosejuice]

I apologize if i ruffled a few feathers with my doctor rant but from my personal experience what i say still stands. Maybe there is some program for continuing education for doctors but nobody here can argue with the fact that as a high paying profession like being a doctor there are plenty of people who are in it just for the money. If you think otherwise you are naive and I'd say its more than a few rotten apples in a barrel. Im not here to argue, just stating my personal experience. I have gone through 7 doctors before finally settling on this one simply because of the fact that i got sick of looking for another. All 6 before HATED when i questioned something and 1 actually refused to see me when i questioned her about cholesterol and keto, telling me im an idiot for even considering it after a quintuple bypass. I do apologize for the blanket statement, maybe i just had rotten luck as i know there are actual good doctors out there who care about their jobs and helping people but the ones i had so far have been absolutely garbage. You dont get the gratitude, respect, and acknowledgement simply because youre in a medical field you earn it like everyone else. I am by no means saying i am more knowledgable than a Dr in health but with the internet out there im not completely clueleless either. After alot of research done on cholesterol i agree with some things like cholesterol is not the main cause in clogging arteries but a symptom. Mine would probably be the diabetes thats causing inflammation in my body for the buildup , am i sure? No but can't i ask questions? I also know MANY people who have had run ins with garbage doctors. I have heard some good ones as well but unfortunately the bad seem to outweigh the good in this particular case.
Well anyway i was wondering if carrying a pair of sandals like chacos would be a good option when having to cross rivers to keep my shoes reasonably dry. Still plugging away and am up to 2 mile walks no problem.

[gpburdelljr]

Rather than research your medical conditions, research the doctor. You’re alive today because of doctors, so obviously they are not all bad.

[One Half]

Rather than research your medical conditions, research the doctor. You’re alive today because of doctors, so obviously they are not all bad.
https://mymedicalscore.com/medical-error-statistics/



Medical errors cause an estimated 250,000 deaths in the United States annually.

[hobby]

Quitting smoking will do more to improve your health than anything. Nicotine gum, lozenges or patches will help relieve the cravings while you deal with the habits and rituals of smoking.
Yes, you are still putting nicotine in your body, but not the carcinogens and carbon monoxide from smoke. You can cut down and eliminate the nicotine once you are out of the habit of smoking. Quitting smoking is easy--I did it thousands of times! lol I stayed quit by using the nicotine lozenges, then stopped those later by decreasing over time.
Keep increasing your walks to improve strength and endurance (this will really improve once you stop smoking)
Speedgoats <------yes!

[Traveler]

I apologize if i ruffled a few feathers with my doctor rant but from my personal experience what i say still stands. Maybe there is some program for continuing education for doctors but nobody here can argue with the fact that as a high paying profession like being a doctor there are plenty of people who are in it just for the money. If you think otherwise you are naive and I'd say its more than a few rotten apples in a barrel.
No maybe's about it, here is a break down by State of Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements for medical doctors: https://www.boardvitals.com/blog/cme-requirements-by-state/. Many professions require continuing education, which does not completely safeguard the profession of having it's share of malpractice issues, but is a means to keep the field educated in new and established therapies and help disqualification if these requirements are not met.

I had a GP for years who finally was so upset with my continued smoking and complaints of smoking related health issues that he threatened to shoo me out of his practice unless I stopped smoking and changed my diet that was building cholesterol. Sometimes its the patient who is the problem when things don't work out. Stop smoking, get a better diet plan going to lose weight, start walking more hills, you'll get there. Don't do those thins and you won't.

To answer your question, sandals can be nice to have for water crossings and used as camp shoes if you want the extra weight. Small weight as they are, enough of those kinds of things will weigh you down as evidenced by contents of hiker boxes of gear abandoned by hikers along the way. There are few things one can control relative to endurance like weather conditions and terrain, weight is the only thing we have that is adjustable. When you have gone through everything with a scale (electronic scales are cheap at Amazon), you may be surprised how much weight you are carrying with your preferred gear and items that are nice to have at times, but not used daily. When you start cutting the handle off the tooth brush you know you are in the "sweet spot" of weight reduction. My rule to follow is if I don't use an item much when I am camping, out it goes.

Be well.

[gpburdelljr]

https://mymedicalscore.com/medical-error-statistics/



Medical errors cause an estimated 250,000 deaths in the United States annually.



How many lives are saved every year by modern medicine? Life expectancy in the US was 47 years in 1900, now it is 79 years. A lot of the increase is attributable to better medical care.

[Astro]

Healthspan much more important than lifespan.
Unfortunately much of our medical approach is reactive (just trying to prolong your death) instead of proactive (preventive to live better until death).

[JNI64]

That's how they keep the pharmaceutical and ozempic companies rolling in the $ :(

[Slugg]

Well anyway i was wondering if carrying a pair of sandals like chacos would be a good option when having to cross rivers to keep my shoes reasonably dry. Still plugging away and am up to 2 mile walks no problem.

Feet-wet water crossings are rare on the AT. If you want to carry another pair of shoes there are lighter options than Chacos (knockoff brand “Crocs” are popular but there are lots of options). Personally I don’t take extra footwear.

[One Half]

How many lives are saved every year by modern medicine? Life expectancy in the US was 47 years in 1900, now it is 79 years. A lot of the increase is attributable to better medical care.
the life expectancy was NOT 47 in 1900.

46% of people died before the age of 5. Women had a 10% chance of dying in child birth. But if someone lived past 20 they were as likely to live to 75 as anyone today

The first recorded heart attack was in 1921 - President Warren G Harding. https://naomedical.com/blog/first-recorded-heart-attack-history-and-prevention-tips/

I believe the first heart attack was around 1910 through autopsy. I was actually listening to a new (to me) podcast where they were going over this stuff.
I think this was the episode I was listening to: https://youtu.be/pEMjLMCObdg?feature=shared

[jefals]

You may have heard of a dude with trail name "2nd chance". Weighing in at 400 pounds, he decided to thru-hike the PCT to lose some of that weight. So, substantial health-improvement is a goal you both share.
You might search him out on YouTube, and study his progress - and pitfalls. You might be able to learn something not only from what ge did right but also from what he did wrong...

[jefals]

All the talk about doctors reminded me of a time in my life when I was in my 30s living in Phoenix, and I started climbing something called Squaw Peak every day. I'd go up at a snail's pace.
One day I noticed what appeared to be a very fit young man whooshing past me - running down as I was 'crawling" up. It wasn't long before he flew past again, now going back up.
I would see this guy running up and down this thing twice on an almost daily basis, and it wasn't long before I noticed that tho he had the body of a fit young man, his face revealed he was probably in his 50s or 60s.
We sometimes met and sat and talked at the top. Turns out he was a heart surgeon and, according to him, climbing was the best exercise you could do for your heart.
Since then I've never stopped climbing.

[gpburdelljr]

“46% of people died before the age of 5. Women had a 10% chance of dying in child birth. But if someone lived past 20 they were as likely to live to 75 as anyone today”

And with modern medicine those deaths would have been much lower. Also many people that lived past 20 in 1900 died of diabetes, heart disease, pneumonia, TB, various cancers, etc., which are all treatable in varying degrees today.

[Mother Natures Son]

I agree with others, start slow. Maybe a easy section hike. (The Cumberland Valley comes to mine.) :banana:banana:banana:banana

[One Half]

“46% of people died before the age of 5. Women had a 10% chance of dying in child birth. But if someone lived past 20 they were as likely to live to 75 as anyone today”

And with modern medicine those deaths would have been much lower. Also many people that lived past 20 in 1900 died of diabetes, heart disease, pneumonia, TB, various cancers, etc., which are all treatable in varying degrees today.
diabetes, heart disease and cancers were virtually unheard of in 1900. it's the crap food in the standard american diet that causes these diseases to a very large part

[Time Zone]

diabetes, heart disease and cancers were virtually unheard of in 1900. it's the crap food in the standard american diet that causes these diseases to a very large part


Your first claim is false in each case.

But it's true, I and my fellow Americans can and should eat healthier, and that would likely reduce the incidence and severity of the first two diseases you mention.

[Mfturner]

i wonder how common heart disease was in 1900? When I just did a Google search of the string “heart disease in 1900”, the first hit on Google was from the National library of medicine on the NIH, and the first two sentences in the abstract were “Heart disease was an uncommon cause of death in the US at the beginning of the 20th century. By mid-century it had become the commonest cause.”.

but I cannot get past the abstract without an account to get details.

IMO “virtually unheard of” isn’t terribly different in meaning to “uncommon”, but that’s just my opinion.

[Deadeye]

Quit smoking first, then go for a hike. I ruined a lot of hikes by thinking I could just go into the woods without smokes.

[futureatwalker]

...I had a heart attack about a year ago and had a quintuple bypass. My legs have atrophied to the point where i cant even run ,I started going for walks to try to get some conditioning in but id go maybe 4-5 blocks and the burn would turn me around mainly in my calves and hamstrings from what i noticed( not out of breath ). So one thing i was wondering, is it possible to hike the AT being out of shape and slowly working my way up to getting my hiking legs....

To return to your initial query - is it possible to hike yourself into shape on the AT? Yes.

But the real question is: is it probable? The answer is 'No'.

But the good news is that you can increase your odds by getting stronger before you start. Assuming that you wish to start in April, you can get a couple months of walking under your belt by then.

So it depends on how much you want it. If you are serious about hiking the AT then get serious about your physical preparations.

[FTK]

I agree with others that said quit smoking first. I quit back in 2002 and if I can do it anyone can.

[Tallpine]

To return to your initial query - is it possible to hike yourself into shape on the AT? Yes.

But the real question is: is it probable? The answer is 'No'.

But the good news is that you can increase your odds by getting stronger before you start. Assuming that you wish to start in April, you can get a couple months of walking under your belt by then.

So it depends on how much you want it. If you are serious about hiking the AT then get serious about your physical preparations.
The motivation to increase fitness prior to starting the AT is, I tell myself,” you’re not going unless you get moving” I am dropping weight and walking as I can. I know that, at 63 years old, I won’t go fast and I won’t go far everyday and I couldn’t care less. I plan on walking to water rather than specific mileage. I will rest before I get tired, never exerting to a point of open mouth breathing and enjoy the adventure. I think it’s better to go slow, rest a lot and produce low mileage rather than being forced off the trail due to exertion related injuries.

[Deadeye]

I spent lots of bucks and time trying to quit smoking - hypnosis, cold turkey, therapy, etc.. I was eventually able to do it with nicotine patches, starting with the full patch, and gradually going smaller and even cutting the smaller patches in half then in quarters. It was not easy, and I had many false starts, but once you can go a few days without smoke, you start to get more confident and willful that you will make it.

And after 20+ years, I still get the occasional urge. It's a powerful addiction.

Don't use the AT to quit - that will ruin your hike. Quit or don't quit, but go ahead and hike.

[Leo L.]

The benefits of quitting smoking has been pointed out by most people here. In addition, it propably helps to know that the human body is able to recover over the years to the state of a non-smokers body:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2811807

Decades ago, I was a heavy smoker for about ten years.
As soon as I started to do rock climbing in a more serious manner, I well understood that smoking was a big hindrance against some serious improvement in sport.
It took me several attempts to stop smoking.
There was one book that gave me the right mental tools to finally succeed:
Maxwell Maltz "Psycho Cybernetics".
Maltz explaines that the biggest part of all our life, especially the daily habits, were defined by our subconsiousness. Then he describes a way how we can re-program the pattern defined there.
He starts with easy little experiments, like, to tie the shoe laces intentionally in a different order than we normally would (defined in our subconsiousness), and after bigger and deeper going experiments of such kind you finally have the whole toolbox of methods and ways to simply quit smoking almost effortlessly.

[Patrickjd9]

The motivation to increase fitness prior to starting the AT is, I tell myself,” you’re not going unless you get moving” I am dropping weight and walking as I can. I know that, at 63 years old, I won’t go fast and I won’t go far everyday and I couldn’t care less.
I'm about your age and planning to complete an AT section hike this summer. I have about 250 miles to go in New Hampshire and Maine. As difficult as this region is, I feel like it is unwise to head out there without improving my endurance. Even with a resupply, there appears to be a certain minimum of conditioning to go through the Hundred Mile Wilderness in a single trip--being able to average 10 miles a day with a pack for 10 days. If I had to start the trip today, I'm probably just above that minimum.

My guess is that, if they have sound muscles and bones, and aren't severely obese, a lot of people do hike themselves into shape on the Northbound AT from Georgia. The chances of doing that Southbound are slim to none.