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DuckDuckGoose Cruelly Bouyant
Joined: 22 Jul 2002 Posts: 39 | TRs | Pics Location: Magical land between the lakes |
I guess this is all pretty much common sense but I'd appreciate any feedback all the "Pros From Dover" can give me.
I was a pretty good long distance Trekker (AT Thru-Hiker '88 & '96; Nepal Trek in '93-94) who was in good shape thanks to my prior Military Service and then leading hikes and stuff throughout the East Coast and Wyoming- Montana over the years. I was never much of a gym-monkey as my outdoors activities kept me pretty fit. At my strongest I was about 230- 240#, 6'4" (Yes , I'm a naturally Big Bubba!).
Unfortuanately an injury took me out of the circuit for the last 4 years. So here I am older, bigger (330#) and sucking wind like crazy! Fortuanately, my legs and back are sound as the injury affected my abdomen. So off to the gym I go and on many a strange torture device left over from previous inquisitions. Naturally, I'm working on the aerobics pretty heavily on the low-impact machines as I'm a litle paranoid about stressing my legs and hips with my newer bulkier body. I hope that can be whittled down with my exercise and diet. I have hit some of the simpler trails and walk 2-3 miles every other day.
Any advice/ tips/ warnings would be appreciated so I can quit basting in butter and can hike the trails like the mighty wild goose!!!
Thanks Much!
DDG
Why are people always trying to stop themselves from doing what they really want to do?
Why are people always trying to stop themselves from doing what they really want to do?
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Fit as a fiddle Guest
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Fit as a fiddle
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Tue Jul 23, 2002 11:25 am
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You need lots of aerobic exercise, with variety. This time of year bicycling is great. You get out for a long time and it's very low impact. You need at least 1/2 hour 4 days a week to maintain good fitness. In your case maybe 1 hour 6 days a week. Walk 4-5 miles instead of 2-3 miles if it's ok on your joints. Go to the gym if that works for you. Ride the bike for 90 minutes (get a good saddle, it'll make all the difference).
I'm convinced for hiking, it doesn't matter what kind of exercise it is. Just do something and do it a lot. The heart/lungs are what need the exercise the most. Legs will be fine.
Also try to eat differently (not less, it hurts the stomach!). Raw veggie snacks will fill up the gut.
Neither of the above is gonna be all that much fun compared to eating whatever you want and exercising less. But nothing else really works.
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Bushwacker Comfortable
Joined: 28 Jun 2002 Posts: 834 | TRs | Pics Location: Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand |
I'm not in the class that a lot of the group is in. My technical prowess is limited at the moment. I'm presently working on distance and elevation improvement along with my partner. As you said it is pretty much common sense, but what works for me is.....take it slow. Elevation gain, at least for me, is the toughest thing to get used to. Give yourself enough time to reach your goal on each individual hike. Take it from me...try to get an early start. I recently got a late start from a trailhead heading for Malachite Lake. Two major things happened...we didn't make it to the lake and due to pushing for the goal of making it to the lake, I toasted my hamstring. Find a routine that works for you and pace yourself...you'll do great. A year ago a 1 mile kiddie hike killed me. In no time you'll see an improvement.
Good luck.
BW
"Wait by the river long enough and the bodies of your enemies will float by"...Sun Tsu
"Wait by the river long enough and the bodies of your enemies will float by"...Sun Tsu
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janders Member
Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Posts: 86 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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janders
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Tue Jul 23, 2002 10:55 pm
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My excercise routine has to be catered around my knees battered from years of playing volleyball at a much heavier weight (thank you, microbrews! ). I've found that eliptical trainers seem to work the best for me. Very low impact, similiar movement to hiking and does a pretty good job working heart/lungs and legs.
"Oh dang!" - Captain Amazing
"Oh dang!" - Captain Amazing
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MounTAIN Woman Guest
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MounTAIN Woman
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Tue Jul 30, 2002 4:26 pm
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I have found that the best way to get in shape for hiking is to go hiking. I agree with the other posters on this subject that you will need to adjust your expectation for each hike, gradually working up to what you "used to do". Until you lose some weight, it will be a struggle. Right now your body is carrying a 60 pound pack 24/7. It seems like you already know that 330 pounds is too much, so I'll just say that it is also important that you follow a sensible diet as you reduce your weight. Just think how much faster you will be able to hike when you get down to your "fighting weight". Don't get involved in any of those fad diets like Atkins. Eat a good, balanced diet along the food pyramid guidelines, but just restrict calories. It's still about calories in versus calories expended.
Lifting weights makes a great supplement to aerobic activity for losing weight and keeping supporting muscles strong. In particular I find that I need to do leg extensions and hamstring curls to keep from having sore knees when descending a trail. It's easy to have muscle imbalances from just doing one activity.
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salish Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 2322 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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salish
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Wed Jul 31, 2002 12:55 pm
Great Advice
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Great advice from Mountain Woman and others. I quit smoking a little over three years ago and gained 30 pounds. It's just like carrying a 30 pound pack, so when I go lite with a 20 pound pack I'm actually carrying a 50 pound pack. Sounds goofy but that's how I look at it. I can't wait to get down to my fighting weight because I know hiking will be so much easier, and my knee and back will really appreciate it, too. Good luck.
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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#19 Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 2197 | TRs | Pics
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#19
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Wed Jul 31, 2002 2:26 pm
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Could not agree more with MounTain Woman's comment about diet. Losing weight is still absolutely about calories. If the people on Adkins actually counted the calories they eat on their protein diet, they'd see it is a reduced caloric diet.
Nothing like hiking to get in shape for hiking. But if you only are on the trail 2 - 3 days out of 14 - its not enough IMO. Most important thing is to find an activty (running, cycling, stairclimbing with a pack, etc) and be consistent with it.
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Erik the Nav Member
Joined: 07 Jan 2002 Posts: 197 | TRs | Pics
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Salish wrote: | . . . and gained 30 pounds. It's just like carrying a 30 pound pack, so when I go lite with a 20 pound pack I'm actually carrying a 50 pound pack. Sounds goofy but that's how I look at it. . . |
doesn't sound goofy to me, Salish. I try to keep myself motivated to carve a bit more off by taking your perspective on it one step further: keep the pack weight down and get my own weight down, and my net load will be zero! or less!
And then next spring I can volunteer to carry Damian's kitchen for him 'cause my load is so light and then I'll balloon back up again and start the cycle over...
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Backpacker Joe Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics Location: Cle Elum |
I like to RUN regularly. Stretch a bunch. That way you keep in A-row-bic shape for when the season approaches, and all you have to do is get your legs used to the abuse by going on some hikes!
TB
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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elkendo Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2002 Posts: 44 | TRs | Pics Location: Federal Way |
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elkendo
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Sun Aug 11, 2002 9:33 pm
Interesting Site
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DuckDuckGoose Cruelly Bouyant
Joined: 22 Jul 2002 Posts: 39 | TRs | Pics Location: Magical land between the lakes |
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DuckDuckGoose
Cruelly Bouyant
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Mon Aug 12, 2002 1:20 pm
Thanks one and all......
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All the responses are much appreciated and I'm whittling away as fast as I can to lose some of my tonnage. I'm hiking Cougar, Tiger and Squak Mtns. and looking forward to Rattlesnake Ridge as a reward for myself by the end of the month. I've found out that I love elliptical machines over standard treadmills. They seem to be a bit kinder on my knees. I'm going to get down a bit in weight before I try bicycling, as no seat is comfortable when you're heavy. Right now even a gel seat attempts to geld me!!! Also, if I took a fall right now, I'd leave a crater!!!
Woo Hoo!
DDG
Why are people always trying to stop themselves from doing what they really want to do?
Why are people always trying to stop themselves from doing what they really want to do?
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salish Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 2322 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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salish
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Tue Aug 13, 2002 7:48 am
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Duck-Duck: Your response makes me laugh. I see my body getting pudgy and I wheeze with every ridge and once in a while I get a little depressed about it, but the ability to laugh at yourself and see beauty in your surroundings - even if it's while gasping for air halfway up some ridge, makes everything worthwhile. Good luck on your training routine, and wish me luck on mine.
Take care.
Cliff
DuckDuckGoose wrote: | All the responses are much appreciated and I'm whittling away as fast as I can to lose some of my tonnage. I'm hiking Cougar, Tiger and Squak Mtns. and looking forward to Rattlesnake Ridge as a reward for myself by the end of the month. I've found out that I love elliptical machines over standard treadmills. They seem to be a bit kinder on my knees. I'm going to get down a bit in weight before I try bicycling, as no seat is comfortable when you're heavy. Right now even a gel seat attempts to geld me!!! Also, if I took a fall right now, I'd leave a crater!!!
Woo Hoo!
DDG |
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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polarbear Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 3680 | TRs | Pics Location: Snow Lake hide-away |
Another bit of advice, hike with someone else that's in just a little better shape than you. Hiking with someone else always makes the miles fly by faster and takes the worst part out of the hills. Plus you have someone you can whine and complain to about how tought the hike is.
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elkendo Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2002 Posts: 44 | TRs | Pics Location: Federal Way |
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elkendo
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Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:34 pm
Bike riding
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Hey Duck-Duck,
Just a thought about bicycle riding. The seat can be a real problem but I learned something prior to doing the Seattle to Portland bike ride two years ago.
The key is to pull you butt off the seat for short periods of time, even for a few seconds, whenever you think about it and esspecially when you are going over bumps. If you just sit on the seat all the time you will have a serious problem by the time you are done riding for any period of time.
I was in the saddle the first day of that ride for thirteen hours and wasn't sore by using that technique.
Just a thought. You might give it a try and be sure to wear a helmet.
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