Suggestions - Getting Fit?

[sylzpace]

Hi everyone I am re-posting this on General board, edited a bit..

New member, new goal.
First things first I am overweight and working to get fitter this next year, so my goal for the Appalachian is for 2018, potentially 2019.

Long term goal, but something I really want to do, for spiritual and inner healing reasons, as well as being a nature lover and being at one with the outdoors. I grew up with a father who was an outdoorsman, and feel more comfortable out there than anywhere. I am realistic in that I will do as much as I can - even if I don't finish. My body will know what it wants to do and can do.

That said, I know that a thru-hike is an incredible amount of preparation (as is doing portions), which is why I am here now.
Realistically, I have weight to lose and I have already begun that journey which a lot more to go, but here are my questions.

While working out to lose weight, I would also like to incorporate strengthening, proper physical activity that would be beneficial as well as mental preparation. I have lots of time, and am super goal oriented, so when I put my mind to something I roll with it. Having this goal is something I am excited about and really looking forward to.

I will have lots of the needed equipment within the next year to do smaller hikes and overnights too, to get a feel for it and get lots of practice in. I will build myself and my strength up.

Any suggestions on things I could do, or that you found beneficial for workouts ? (squats, some upper body, and walking I am doing now). But if there is anything specific I could and should be doing while losing weight ?
Also, I am starting the reading & research process now, and educating myself lots!

Thank you in advance and thank you for accepting my membership!!

[MtDoraDave]

Hike!
I started with day hikes and overnighters, then when I had enough equipment and a week off, I did a 7 day hike on the AT.
After completing a week long hike, I dropped 10 lbs. It does something to my metabolism, because I weighed about the same before / after the hike - the weight came off the next week or two.
I can elaborate later...gotta go.

[egilbe]

I started puking on 500 ft "mountains" and 4 months later I climbed Katahdin. I gradually progressed during that four months from 500 footers to 4000 footers. I had a hill near me that was 1700 feet high, pretty steep, too. The first time it took me an hour, the last time my gf and I hiked it, was about 20 minutes and not really trying that hard. I would hike that one hill two or three times a week and hike larger hills/mountains every weekend. I didnt really try to lose weight until recently, and I did that by logging what I ate and made sure I was at a daily calorie deficit. My GF bought a fitbit HR. Its a fairly good tool to use, but its not perfect. I went from 215 to 195 and my goal weight is 185 before Summer ends. Too much hiking food in my house now. Its almost all hiking food, actually :-)

[CamelMan]

I used to weigh 250. Now I hover around the 180s and am looking forward to the 170s. My cholesterol is 166 w/o medication and BP recently was something like 105/75, at the dentist no less. I eat as much as I want, cheaply. It's the last "diet" you'll ever need: www.drmcdougall.com (I would recommend starting and getting used to the "Maximum Weight Loss" version and/or R.D. Jeff Novick's guidelines.) Of course I try to get plenty of exercise.

[map man]

I find that running is good preparation for long hikes, especially running on hills. Running will improve your cardiopulmonary fitness in a hurry, and general fitness is a better goal than weight loss. If you are starting from scratch you will want to start out with very short distances and only increase those distances very gradually and intersperse with walking.

[sylzpace]

So much excellent information already, thank you all!

map man, I am definitely working myself up to running! I am walking with short intervals of running right now.
It's tough, but I'll keep at it until I can run with relative ease and push for more.
Running was one of the main ways I lost weight previously, and it's such an accomplishment when you at one time had a hard time walking.
I appreciate the tips very much, thank you!! It helps getting all this in advance so i know i am on the right track.

CamelMan, congratulations! That's amazing! I've been there myself, and will achieve that again, I believe in myself. It's no easy journey, but so very worthwhile. I am going to check out those links right now, thank you!

egilbe - Funny you mention a fitbit, I was just searching online and pricing them. Thinking I will go with a simple Fitbit flex, I just want to track my steps each day. Good luck with the last 10 lbs!! And congrats on the loss. Thank you so much for the hills info.. I have a plan (with my walking/running) to add hills in the next while once I can run a longer distance. So good to know that it will be helpful!

MtDoraDave - Thank you! I do plan short trips to start, probably 2 day excursions, and then I will work my way up. I'm not too far from the Shenandoahs, so most likely that's going to be my first trip. I am hoping to get a weekend in for the fall.

[MtDoraDave]

Sorry I couldn't elaborate earlier...
I have discovered, for me anyways, that the best way to get in shape for hiking is to hike. I have a mountain bike and a road bike - different muscles are used for each, and different ones are used hiking. That, and hiking is more of an endurance activity, whereas biking or running are relatively short workouts.
I can't run; knees won't tolerate it. As a guy who spends a lot of time painting, which involves lots of kneeling - my knees were always paining me... until I started hiking. It actually helped build the strength back in them, and they are rarely sore like they used to be.
When I haven't hiked in a while (like now) I find my core (abs and lower back) really get sore after the next hike. They subconsciously work non-stop to stabilize the weight of the backpack. If I hike at least once a month, (in the cooler months) those muscles stay "fit" and I have no problems.

Good luck.

...and the best advice I can think of: Don't overdo it! Start with short hikes and moderate speeds. Don't try to push yourself before you get a base fitness built up - and it's not necessarily about getting to a certain body weight. Remember, it's not a race or a contest. Enjoy yourself and the journey.

[Maydog]

I answered over on the ladies' forum too, but I found this: http://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Just-For-Fun/

Might be fun to go with some other like-minded folks in your area.

[Gambit McCrae]

I personally am not a runner, wish I was, but my body just wasn't made for any kind of long distance running. But I love to walk, up steep roads, thru the country etc...
When I am on the trail and find myself upset at my performance, ie last trip in VA, I get motivated to improve myself. So started Monday after work I walk 10 miles with a 20lbs pack on, the hotter it is the better for me. takes me about 2.5 hours and I am really trying to move when I do. I supplement this with strenuous hikes on the weekends and when AT time comes around, my hard work has always paid off.

[Puddlefish]

I lost a lot of weight day hiking over three years, then rewarded that with a thru hike attempt. Initially, I was sucking wind after walking 300 feet from my front door. I had to stop seven times to catch on a 500 foot climb. Then I only stopped six times, then five...

All I can recommend is to start slowly, and do the same amount or even a little more every day. If you really push too hard one day, don't be afraid to take a single day off. If you find you hit a plateau after months of work, take a week off from the grind, the reset period will let you come back stronger and do more when you resume. Just be certain you do resume.

I found that bike riding was far easier on my knees than hiking, so I like to mix in rides to strengthen my knees. Learn to tell the difference between a standard muscle ache from exercise, and an injury. Don't train through injuries. At your age, it's just starting to take a little longer to recover.

Focus on having fun, and feeling healthy, rather than how many pounds you are at any given moment. That said, give your body useful food to grow muscle, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins, etc. Unless you're hiking a long stretch, you don't need the high calorie/low weight diet you'll see in other threads. Just human sized portions is all you need.

Good luck.

[KidA24]

Beyond being more active, one specific and easily done exercise I'd recommend is doing planks (both regular and side) It is truly easy (in a I don't need gear and it takes 2 minutes sense) and will strengthen your core, which you don't realize how much you use... but your back will definitely thank you every single day afterwards.

[FreeGoldRush]

I had a hill near me that was 1700 feet high, pretty steep, too. The first time it took me an hour, the last time my gf and I hiked it, was about 20 minutes and not really trying that hard.

You knock out 1,700 feet of elevation in 20 minutes? That's impressive.

Mike

[cmoulder]

You knock out 1,700 feet of elevation in 20 minutes? That's impressive.

Mike

The world record for the vertical kilometer (3274 feet) is 30min 26sec for men and 36min 48sec for women. 1700/3274 is .519 of the record vertical in about .67 the time (20/30.5), which is indeed impressive, especially for the lady... really not far off world record pace!

[FreeGoldRush]

The world record for the vertical kilometer (3274 feet) is 30min 26sec for men and 36min 48sec for women. 1700/3274 is .519 of the record vertical in about .67 the time (20/30.5), which is indeed impressive, especially for the lady... really not far off world record pace!

Hence my skepticism.However, about four weeks ago while hiking with the ponies in Grayson Highlands I met a guy that does 80 mile days in those insane competitions. He said they are sometimes on ESPN. I'm not familiar with those ultra endurance competitions he referred to. Needless to say, he was strolling with the ponies while my wife and I were hiking.

[cmoulder]

I agree it seems a bit of a stretch, therefore the injection of some logic.

A few years ago when training for a GC hike, I did the Devil's Path from Devil's Tombstone up toward Devil's Acre (there's a pattern there, lol) in the Catskills, 3 times consecutively up and down. (I say 'toward' because I turned around at the top where the trail flattens out and went back down.) I had a Suunto Vector and Garmin Vista to check elevation change 3 times, and it is really close to 1493 ft vertical, over a distance of a little less than a mile. I wasn't timing it but I'm sure it took me waaayyy over 20 minutes to go up, and even down was way over 20 minutes. Great place to break a leg... literally. And that's when I were a young-ish lad in my 40s.

[egilbe]

You knock out 1,700 feet of elevation in 20 minutes? That's impressive.

Mike

What? You think I start at sea level or something? 900' of elevation gain. Mountains are like icebergs. Most of its hidden.

[q-tip]

Best Training book, Climbing: Training For Peak Performance - Clyde Soles. . Been using the 3-month program for years,

Q

[rocketsocks]

I used to weigh 250. Now I hover around the 180s and am looking forward to the 170s. My cholesterol is 166 w/o medication and BP recently was something like 105/75, at the dentist no less. I eat as much as I want, cheaply. It's the last "diet" you'll ever need: www.drmcdougall.com (I would recommend starting and getting used to the "Maximum Weight Loss" version and/or R.D. Jeff Novick's guidelines.) Of course I try to get plenty of exercise.

okay, this goes against what I was taught...thanks for the link, I'll mull it over.

[ralph23]

A lot of workout information here but your first priority is your diet. And NOT a diet plan, diet as in what you eat. Get rid of sugars and lower your carbs. Get away from processed foods and work towards a vegetable and fat heavy diet. After you lose the weight physical fitness will be easy. You can't exercise off a bad diet. Track everything you eat with myfitnesspal for starters. Good luck!

[egilbe]

Fitbit has a food tracking program with it, too. It works pretty good.