Military bases often have trails like that also. I know CFB Gagetown does.
Three options, all good:
Body for Life, by Bill Phillips, basic exersize & simple nutrition information in a book, with a bit of inspiration thrown in.
P90x, as seen on TV! Kick-your-butt exersize DVDs and spelled out nutrition plan. Don't laugh, it's hard work.
Crossfit.com - 3 day on, one day off exersize regimen, also serious kick-your-butt stuff. You'll need to use your imagination to adapt the program to your situation, but it can be done.
Congrats on quitting!
During a distressful time when one is attempting to quit smoking (tobacco products), etc...I believe and have read that exercise is good and even necessary. However quitting smoking and tobacco for some can be a massive undertaking (sort of like attempting a thru-hike). During a distressful time like this, I believe one needs to exercise, but , and contrary to what one would think, and in my opinion, exercise needs to be kept simple, short, and sweet. The reason for this is to not interject too much more stress into your life at the time of your tobacco quit attempt. Your odds of quitting may worsen if you attempt to push yourself too much, too fast. Keep it simple and stick with walking and light hiking for now. This will help keep the weight gain in check (if you are successful at quitting, food will taste way better and you will want and eat way more of it) and it will not exhaust your body. This will allow you the ability to quit tobacco products forever successfully, which, compared to a little weight gain, is a much greater accomplishment for your health, your loved ones, and the quality of your life.
I almost have my ideas written down of what I want to do and how I want to do it. I will share it once I get it organized to see what else I need to work on.
I do have alot of hills in my area and plan on using them as much as possible and even plan on working with my gear and trying new ideas. My boy has even taken interest in hiking and Yes, he can do an 8 miler pretty good.
One thing I am concerned about. Is a 20 miler too much for a 10 year old on a 2-3 day hike. I don't want to make it too hard on him, where he thinks its a death march.
Another reason to get out in the woods
Your 10 year old son will do fine on a 20 mile two day hike. In 1960 I did all of the AT in the Smokies (72 miles) with my dad and 10 year old brother. We did one 16 mile day from Spense Field to Clingmans Dome. Your son will never forget his days with you on the trail. My dad has been gone for 35 years but my brother and I still hike together and talk about those days on the trail with him. Happy trails to you!Originally Posted by crazyonelost
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Start running, even if it's run for 5 minutes, walk for 1. Trying to run was the thing that made me quit smoking, and any time I have a few cigs now, I regret it strongly enough the next day when I'm freaking dying on my run to make me not want to do it anymore.
Just do it
All great suggestions above. I have some experience with Crossfit and have seen some people do very well with it. I like it because it can be adapted to stuff around the house and yard and doesn't take any money.
I believe the only thing that really matters, as others have said above, is that you do what you enjoy. That way you'll do it every day. If you enjoy hiking, biking, or running, and you notice that cigarettes and excess food or alcohol take away from that enjoyment, you'll no longer smoke, drink, or overeat. On the other hand, if exercise is a chore, it probably won't get done.
Some examples:
A pudgy friend of mine from the office lost major weight and re-sculpted his body when he decided to clear his land of rocks and build a wall out of them. He got bids from contractors but decided to save money and do it himself. He lifted and carried thousands of 25-pound rocks, a couple a day to start with, over several months. That literally made a new man out of him and he got a nice retaining wall out of the deal. His wife really liked the hardbody look, and he liked that, so he kept in shape. I didn't recognize him when I ran into him a few months after the project started. Now he's a cool buff dude with a shaved head and earring.
My older brother, a smoker for over 30 years, quit a few years ago and started walking. Now he's walking (suburban Chicago) over 50 miles per week and has never felt better. He walks to work, stores, meetings, and just for fun. He sold his car and bought a bicycle (he can borrow his wife's car on the weekends). Walking has shown him a completely different town and people that he never knew existed and he loves it, so he keeps doing it. Health is a side benefit for him.
"Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning
Just quitting smoking will immensely improve, not only your health but your hiking ability, even if you do gain some weight. The American society is geared around food. Your kid gets a good report card, you go eat. Have a birthday, eat. Church social, eat. Family get-togethers, eat. What I have tried to do, and it is very difficult, is to not make food the center of my life. It is a constant battle, and you receive nothing but disdain from everyone. The specificity of sports is that if you want to do somehting well, then you have to practice it over and over. You not only build stamina, but you develop neurological pathways. You have the perfect setting on your land to hike or just walk or run to your heart's content. Congratulations on quitting smoking!! This, in itself, is a monumental achievement. Don't be too critical of yourself, and enjoy your new lifestyle.
I knew a lot of people in my younger years who didn't drive a car but would just walk everywhere they wanted to go. The end result was these people were always thin and in excellent condition. They say walking is the best exercise because it is a very natural human movement, and is easy on the joints and the body.
This is true what you say about smoking. I quit smoking after being a heavy smoker in my earlier years and it has vastly improved my health and allowed me to begin exercising and enjoying life and the quality of it so much more. They say that for a person who only smokes 1 pack of cigarettes a day that if they were to quit they could gain 100 pounds of bodyweight and still not be doing the damage to their body that just that 1 pack of cigarettes a day was doing.
Thanks for the ideas.
First of all,kicking myself in the butt. I slipped on my quitting,but am doing it again.
Now, This plan is still in the early stages,but here it goes
Monday,I am usually working all day then time at Fire House, so its my day off.
Tues. Working on stretching,leg squats,lunges,leg raises,crunches,push ups 2 or 3 sets of 20 reps
Weds. planning on using dumbbells for my arms. I forgotten the names of the arm curls and other lifts but,do 2-3 sets of 20 reps for each side
Thurs-stretching the whole Bod and walk/hike for an hour,if raining I guess jog in the house or garage.
Friday work the tues schedule
Sat work the wed schedule
Sun out hiking as long as I can
I know it very vague, but any help or ideas will help. I am looking into the new program P 90X and getting info on that.
I still planning on making my own hiking trail in the woods and once I get my extrex topo map working again. I am going to set up the trail on paper and of course the trail itself.
Thanks and keep those ideas coming
Ron
Hang in there Ron. Quitting smoking was the easiest thing I ever did, after failing at least two dozen times over the years. When you're really ready, it'll be a breeze. If you're not really ready, it's still doable, but it's work.
As for the exercise plan, I'd do some stretching every day.
Good luck!
Here is a method that has helped many people when, like you said, they were truly ready to quit for life:http://www.healthchecksystems.com/smoking.htm
Amen
Great Advice - Thanks
Ditto Bob the Builder. I am always working that last few weeks to get in better shape. The best I have found is to load up the pack and walk the steps at the local staduim, and the ten flights to my office at work since we don't have town hills. With hilly land, you can do this everyday.
Congratulations on quitting smoking!
With that much woodland there must be a number of deadfalls laying around. Buy a chainsaw, cut them up, split them by hand with a maul, and sell it by the pickup load. Or install a wood stove and burn it yourself.
Is any of the property you have questionable access to part of a farm? No better way gain access than to help a farmer during his busy season. Putting hay away is great exercise. Many hunters gain access this way.
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