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Poll: Trail fitness: How's your weight?

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  1. #1
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    Default Trail fitness: How's your weight?

    Couch potato to lean, mean hiking machine? Are you ideal weight, underweight, or overweight?

    http://www.intmed.mcw.edu/clincalc/body.html

    http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

  2. #2
    Registered User Ramble~On's Avatar
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    I am in shape and happy with myself
    BUT. I've noticed my "winter layer" hasn't left yet.
    I'd have to say that I'm in perfect shape to start at Springer though.
    I'd be a lean mean mile crunching machine in about two weeks on the trail.

  3. #3
    Registered User Streamweaver's Avatar
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    Ideal weight is a fantasy!! Theres no such thing!! The idea of ideal weight overlooks to many factors. Metabolism(sp) bone density etc . I looked at one of those exersize books once and it said my ideal weight was about 164lbs. At 6'4" I dont think sooo!!! I get below 240-250 and I feel like crap! I actually feel like Im getting out of shape again at that point. Im right around that weight now so its more of a conditioning thing than loosing weight.I just wish the weight I have was more evenly distributed over my body and legs!LOL I could be dead for 6 months and still have a gut! Streamweaver
    "Theres is no real hope of traveling perfectly light in the mountains.It is good to try,as long as you realize that,like proving a unified field theory,mastering Kanji,or routinely brewing the perfect cup of coffee,the game can never be won." Smoke Blanchard

  4. #4
    Addicted Hiker and Donating Member Hammock Hanger's Avatar
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    I am at a good weight for a bear ready to go into hibernation... unfortunately winter is over and I am about ready to leave my den. Looks like I'll be carrying some extra pounds up the mountains, probably a whole packs worth!! Damn! Hope it comes off quickly on the trail. SUe/HH
    Last edited by Hammock Hanger; 07-06-2004 at 22:29.
    Hammock Hanger -- Life is my journey and I'm surely not rushing to the "summit"...:D

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  5. #5
    Section Hiker 500 miles smokymtnsteve's Avatar
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    "I'm in my prime"
    "I'd rather kill a man than a snake. Not because I love snakes or hate men. It is a question, rather, of proportion." Edward Abbey

  6. #6
    Registered User Jaybird's Avatar
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    Default trail fitness...

    WOW...trail fitness...ideal weight...this could be a LOOOOONNNNGGG Forum!


    I just turned the BIG 5-0...& getting off the winter weight is getting harder to do as the years pass....i have to really work hard to get a pound or two off now...where, just a few years ago...i could....lose 10 lbs in a week to get ready for an activity (like hiking/bicycling, etc).

    i just have to cut back on my meal portions, more protein than bread & maybe bicycle & lift some weights more often.


    i wuz born a "COUCH POTATO"...but have been in recovery with help from my 12-Step-C.A. program for over 5 years now...with SUCCESS!

    (i wuz 20 lbs lighter this past May than i wuz a year ago for my previous section-hike!)
    see ya'll UP the trail!

    "Jaybird"

    GA-ME...
    "on-the-20-year-plan"

    www.trailjournals.com/Jaybird2013

  7. #7
    692 miles tribes's Avatar
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    Default Fitness

    I think ideal weight is all relative. I am 6"0 and 195 lbs. I run 4 times a week and have a low body fat % (10-12%) The links provided below say I am overweight. I have a large frame and if I lost any more weight would probably look sickly. As far as conditioning, I know I can hold my own on the trail and do big miles if I want to.
    without love in the dream it will never come true...

  8. #8
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    120 views, and only 23 have voted? Cmon couch potatos, the poll is anonymous.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by tribes
    I think ideal weight is all relative.
    Agreed. As long as you feel good and are healthy, it's all relative. I, for one, refuse to get on a scale because it's too easy to get wrapped up in "the number" which doesn't reflect anything. The scale may say I've gained weight, when I've really gained muscle mass. As a woman...I don't need that kind of stress....

    Besides, I have a few friends that are "ideal" and while by the numbers I may or may not be, I leave them in the dust when I hike.
    "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matter compared to what lies within us.":jump

  10. #10
    American Idiot
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    Quote Originally Posted by Noggin
    120 views, and only 23 have voted? Cmon couch potatos, the poll is anonymous.
    I don't agree with the poll, 'anonymous' has nothing to do with it. Don't want to rain on the parade, just giving my opinion.

  11. #11
    Just Passin' Thru.... Kozmic Zian's Avatar
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    Yea.....Dum Poll. Dum Post. What's the point? Somebody else wanna say they's bettern' somebody else? Sorry if I misunderstand this one, but, um, err. Look's like the object of this one is to belittle those who are 'weight challenged' to me. Why not take a poll on who can hike the most miles or who can do this or that, or who's the strongest.... or the smartest (beginning to sound a bit like 'Somebody' on another net). These kind o' post rankle my rankor. What's the point? Couchpotatoes vs. the ultra-lightweight, speed hikin, 3 month doin, physically fit, healthy, no-fat chewin', go so fast you can't see anything whiteblazer purists? Give me a break....KZ@
    Kozmic Zian@ :cool: ' My father considered a walk in the woods as equivalent to churchgoing'. ALDOUS HUXLEY

  12. #12

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    I know a grossly overweight, not flabby "obese", man that consistently out hikes me, for both speed and distance. I saw a woman fall over backwards, before I could react, and I am fast, he is so strong he actually put his hand under the woman's back between the hard rocky ground and her back and set her back up on her feet, all with one hand. He was sitting down, and he just reached over and down then set her up on her feet, himself kinda standing up, using his huge legs and huge arms. He sat again, smiling and saying, "You're welcome, mam.

    From him, I learned to get to and maintain my "fighting weight". I have endurance, but now I have strength, real strength.

    I never liked charts.

  13. #13
    Registered User Speer Carrier's Avatar
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    Default Trail fitness

    I agree that everyone's ideal wight varys, and being fit is probably more important than weight. But for what its worth, I lost 30+ pounds from a probably 45 pounds over ideal weight condition and found that I had more energy, could hike faster, and further as a result.

    Skink

  14. #14

    Default BMI is probably best indicator

    "While several accepted classifications and definitions exist for degrees of obesity, the most widely accepted is the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria based on BMI. Under this convention for adults, grade 1 overweight (commonly and simply called overweight) is a BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2. Grade 2 overweight (commonly called obesity) is a BMI of 30-39.9 kg/m2. Grade 3 overweight (commonly called severe or morbid obesity) is a BMI greater than or equal to 40 kg/m2."

    http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1653.htm

  15. #15
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    Default

    297 views, and only 40 votes in the poll? That's barely 1 in 10 fessing up. Cmon people, belly up to the bar and be counted!

    Really folks, I'm not trying to make anyone miserable with this poll. Just wondering how the Whiteblaze community compares to the general population. And it's no big deal if you're a little over ideal, since most Americans are. Including me. I eat too much, shamelessly chow down too much ice cream and other sweets, and me belly bulges under my shirt. And as we speak, I'm killing a 10 oz. bag of Fritos @ 1600 calories, just for the hell of it.

    So take the test and weigh in (heehee, couldn't resist that one ). After all, the poll is totally anonymous.

  16. #16

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    Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey....ay yi yi....
    "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matter compared to what lies within us.":jump

  17. #17
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    Well, 3 months ago I weighed 185 or so, and I'm only 5'4" (roughly). That would put me at around a BMI of 31. I was starting to feel disgusted with myself. I've since stopped drinking soda, and I've been exercising more, and trying to eat better. So far I've lost over 10lbs, and I hope to be in a lot better shape by the time I start my hike. Supposedly my ideal weight is around 125 or 130, but I'm aiming at about 150, to account for muscle and frame size. If I don't get to 150 before the hike, I know I will sometime after I start.

  18. #18

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    I've got no problem telling everybody I'm overweight and for me excess weight does decrease my hiking ability. As to the charts, I agree that there are too many variables and that % body fat is what I am comfortable with as an indicator of ideal weight. Also despite the higher weight I do feel that I can still cover miles and move at a good pace, but I know I could do this more easily and likely knock out additional mileage if I was around 10% body fat. I have a fairly good basis for direct comparison as about a year ago I was around 7%, for me that was about 202 pounds which is still a tad high on some charts, but I was nearly as thin as I could get. Then due to an injury/condition and ensuing depressions I gained a bunch of weight, which now I have to lose AGAIN!!!

    My main concern about the excess weight is stress to the joints. I'm quit sure that even at 260 I can cover 20 miles a day, but I don't think my ankles would handle it. If I were closer to 200-210 I don't think I would have those problems. Cardio-wise I still have a fair bit of conditioning, but again I do seem to pull those hills a bit slower, kind of like a tractor trailer... I can however keep up with others 100 pounds lighter than me... At this weight I'm just not sure for how many days I could do that.

    Weight is a BIG issue for me and frankly one of the biggest struggles of my life. I'm hoping to get the upper hand again soon... it gets harder each time.

  19. #19
    Addicted Hiker and Donating Member Hammock Hanger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stuart
    I'm hoping to get the upper hand again soon... it gets harder each time.
    Isn't that the truth!!! Sue/HH
    Hammock Hanger -- Life is my journey and I'm surely not rushing to the "summit"...:D

    http://www.gcast.com/u/hammockhanger/main

  20. #20

    Default ..when the hiking stops and the eating continues

    I intentionally put on 20lbs in 7 months before a 30day hike in Jasper NP in Canada. Things went wrong and I didn't get my hike, but I did get to keep my excess baggage. It took me 14 months to get back to my original weight. I now wish I had hiked the AT for the 30 days I had off. My all time weight variation was on thru-hiking the AT. Started out at 202lbs ended up at 172lbs (bmi says this is my upper ideal weight). The BIG problem: is when the hiking stops and the "eating everything in site" continues!!! Big BIG problem.

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