The Score So Far (Health & Fitness)

[_Jersey Girl]

Just a couple comments on the blog and links I read--don't have much time right now for anything else. I was actually going to take one of the replies from the link and debunk it, but chose not to.

The one woman was complaining about having to have a second set of knee replacements (don't know her age) and the doctor made it a condition of surgery that she lose weight beforehand. She cited some kind of research that says people usually gain back their weight within 5 years as a reason NOT to try to lose weight prior to surgery.

My gosh what is wrong with these folks? She's on her second set of knee replacements, I believe she stated she had diabetes and she uses some research that cites a 5 year regain of weight NOT to even try? People like that could easily end up in a wheel chair or experience premature death.

Anyway, I know I'm not in their league, but I did want to say that as a young mother (of one), my weight shot up to 156 post partum. That's quite a lot for my small frame. I eventually started an exercise class (combo cardio/weights) and after 3 years, I had not only lost weight, I was the poster child for lean muscle mass. Second child, weight at term was 162, I continued the full cardio work out (with weights strapped on my wrists and ankles) right up to 8 months. We'd stop at intervals to check our HR while walking around and ladies when they caught sight of me, would come up to me and say "You're PREGNANT? HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS????" After the baby was born, I could fit into my jeans again.

I have never gained that much weight again in my life. Yes, I know that each of us is different and the statistics come from somewhere but it's simply not true that everyone will regain their weight loss in 5 years.

I can't imagine using that as an excuse to not even try and stay where you are weight-wise. I think one of the key factors in weight loss (particularly if one has a history of obesity) is lifestyle change. I think the change can't happen overnight and that it's dangerous to do so. I believe it has to be baby steps, one thing at a time. Back then when I lost all that weight and became so fit, I started with the dance/cardio workout. That grew to be weights (free weights and Velcro strapped/and I used my husbands 20 pound weights for bicep curls at home), and then the book "Fit or Fat" and I believe, "The Target Diet" came into play where I started changing up my diet.

So, I've known for quite some years how to lose weight and become more fit. I have, in the past couple of years, used more current knowledge about health and fitness to meet my goals and my goals have changed due to age, but overall, it's still been baby steps. I could have lost 12 pounds in 3 stinking months if I wanted to. But I was after a lifestyle change, not just weight loss.

My point is that I think you have to change your head before you try to change anything else.

[_Always Changing]

This week I don't have many events scheduled, and the weather is expected to be nice (relatively speaking). So I can walk around the building; it is boring, but I can stop in and see neighbors. Also nice to do around time the mailman gets here, so I can watch for him/her. I have some mid-calf boots (as well as some lower-calf boots, both laceup and treaded) and hiking poles, so hope to be able to get to the point where I can walk the .8 mile to the library and back when temp is in mid-twenties and above. Supposed to be a four minute walk, but I am a slow walker. Don't know how to figure the equivalent to trips around the building, to calculate when I am ready, so I don't overdo it. I will probably have to calibrate my steps. Again, sometimes the earth's gravitational field is stronger than others, so I have to be mindful of that.

I need to work my exercise bike, because my goal is to build up those muscles to cruise around downtown regularly on my bicycle, and dispense with rides to church, just a few blocks further. Last summer, my doctor and PT OK'd me for some orthotics to partially compensate for my weak ankles. My sciatic nerves have been damaged by being pinched between muscles in my lower back and butt. Wintertime is fine, because of boots-- but summer, no. I need to get into my prescribed exercises again.

Week before last I decided to dispense with peeling butternut squash for soup, by grinding it before cooking it (I also don't have a food processor). The peels cooked up fine. The more fiber in my diet, the better. And-- it was a great core exercise. I could feel the effects in my upper back and arms. Grinding bacon ends and pieces was not as great an exercise, and bound up my grinder, I used WD40 and the freezer to get it apart. Next time, I will partially freeze it before using the grinder. I have much more bacon grease than I will use for a looong time. Also in the freezer.

I have mostly soups in my freezer, in meal-size containers, but I plan on spaghetti today. I am going to start adding milled flax seed to my bread recipes, and it looks like it would be good to mix into my soups.

How is that for a beginning?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Welp. I just gave notice to my employer that my wife and I are headed back to the Appalachian trail May 1st. We're going to attempt to finish the trail, which I believe is a bit over 1300 miles from the VA/WV border. We're giving ourselves four months, and we're going to try to enjoy it this time around rather than push for miles every day.

Since I can't be bothered to watch my calories I'm throwing myself into the Great Wilderness Fat Camp again. I'm fairly certain I'll drop my 30 lbs hiking through the Summer. We'll see. In 2015 I was certain I was going to hike the whole thing, but only managed 736 miles and then canoeing another ~150. This time, however, I'm much more prepared regarding gear, timelines, water preparation, and packing.

Anyway. To everyone trying to keep their weight in check and their fitness levels up I have a lot of respect for you. I see SO many younger types, peers, and older types just give up. I don't know how anyone gets comfortable with being significantly overweight and out of shape. It's an awful feeling, and I, for one, look forward to my pre-hike preparation, hike, and hopefully keeping my act together when I get off the trail. Here's to 2018!

- Doc

[_Always Changing]

I took my three rounds around the building. Although the blocks of the sidewalk vary a bit, most of them are the same length. I can count steps, count blocks, and come to an answer through ratios.

[_Jersey Girl]

I'm happy to see that you landed on the thread! :-)

This week I don't have many events scheduled, and the weather is expected to be nice (relatively speaking). So I can walk around the building; it is boring, but I can stop in and see neighbors. Also nice to do around time the mailman gets here, so I can watch for him/her. I have some mid-calf boots (as well as some lower-calf boots, both laceup and treaded) and hiking poles, so hope to be able to get to the point where I can walk the .8 mile to the library and back when temp is in mid-twenties and above. Supposed to be a four minute walk, but I am a slow walker. Don't know how to figure the equivalent to trips around the building, to calculate when I am ready, so I don't overdo it. I will probably have to calibrate my steps. Again, sometimes the earth's gravitational field is stronger than others, so I have to be mindful of that.

It sounds like with trips around the building, that you just have to work with that as a measurement of your progress. I suppose you could get a pedometer if you wanted to. My husband gave me one but I've never used it. I, like you, tend to go my own way and do things the way I want or need to do them. For example, I clocked my long driveway using the car. So, when I use that for walking, once I've gone down and back, I pick up a stone (gravel) and put it on the parking pad. Then I just count the stones until I get to the distance I want to. If I wasn't able to use a car to clock it, I'd still do the same thing with the stones and use that as a measurement. Sometimes I just get out there and don't measure a darn thing.

I guess you have to wing it and use your imagination on matching the distance to the library?

Good on you for using the hiking poles particularly in winter! That's such a great idea to help you stay balanced, sure footed and prevent falls. I'm now thinking it'd be fun to use something like that to navigate the driveway in winter because it turns into an ice rink! There are plenty of folks in my area who walk the country roads using ski poles.

I need to work my exercise bike, because my goal is to build up those muscles to cruise around downtown regularly on my bicycle, and dispense with rides to church, just a few blocks further. Last summer, my doctor and PT OK'd me for some orthotics to partially compensate for my weak ankles. My sciatic nerves have been damaged by being pinched between muscles in my lower back and butt. Wintertime is fine, because of boots-- but summer, no. I need to get into my prescribed exercises again.

My mantra has and always will be, "start wherever you're at". There are times when I've neglected exercise for a period of time and have to start all over again. I think the important thing is that at some point, you get back on the horse and do it.

Week before last I decided to dispense with peeling butternut squash for soup, by grinding it before cooking it (I also don't have a food processor). The peels cooked up fine. The more fiber in my diet, the better. And-- it was a great core exercise. I could feel the effects in my upper back and arms. Grinding bacon ends and pieces was not as great an exercise, and bound up my grinder, I used WD40 and the freezer to get it apart. Next time, I will partially freeze it before using the grinder. I have much more bacon grease than I will use for a looong time. Also in the freezer.

I have mostly soups in my freezer, in meal-size containers, but I plan on spaghetti today. I am going to start adding milled flax seed to my bread recipes, and it looks like it would be good to mix into my soups.

How is that for a beginning?

That was a great beginning! The people who post on this thread (there's not a ton of us) are typically going in and out of a exercise and/or healthy eating routine. If I'm in a slump, sometimes just reading the posts of others fires me up again.

I don't think that any of us has been 100% faithful with either healthy eating or exercise. We're more like "phasers".

[_Jersey Girl]

Welp. I just gave notice to my employer that my wife and I are headed back to the Appalachian trail May 1st. We're going to attempt to finish the trail, which I believe is a bit over 1300 miles from the VA/WV border. We're giving ourselves four months, and we're going to try to enjoy it this time around rather than push for miles every day.

Since I can't be bothered to watch my calories I'm throwing myself into the Great Wilderness Fat Camp again. I'm fairly certain I'll drop my 30 lbs hiking through the Summer. We'll see. In 2015 I was certain I was going to hike the whole thing, but only managed 736 miles and then canoeing another ~150. This time, however, I'm much more prepared regarding gear, timelines, water preparation, and packing.

Anyway. To everyone trying to keep their weight in check and their fitness levels up I have a lot of respect for you. I see SO many younger types, peers, and older types just give up. I don't know how anyone gets comfortable with being significantly overweight and out of shape. It's an awful feeling, and I, for one, look forward to my pre-hike preparation, hike, and hopefully keeping my act together when I get off the trail. Here's to 2018!

- Doc

You're DOING IT!!! I'm so excited for you! What is the Great Wilderness Fat Camp? Is that a real thing or your own self torture program?

So when you're hiking the trail, are you tent camping? How and what do you eat? Do you cook on the trail?

[_Jersey Girl]

I took my three rounds around the building. Although the blocks of the sidewalk vary a bit, most of them are the same length. I can count steps, count blocks, and come to an answer through ratios.

Yeah, there you go with the distance calculating! Smart!

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

You're DOING IT!!! I'm so excited for you! What is the Great Wilderness Fat Camp? Is that a real thing or your own self torture program?

So when you're hiking the trail, are you tent camping? How and what do you eat? Do you cook on the trail?

Yeah, in 2015 we were attempting a through-hike. We started in GA, but I came off the trail with some micro-fractures in my feet after 700 miles. We canoed the Shenandoah river and then called it a day.

The GWFC is my solution to being lazy. Basically I'm going to out-hike my diet for a nice reset, and also my wife and I were planning to come back to the trail anyway. We're pretty excited. In 2014 I ran the Army 10-miler, then gained a bunch of weight since I was retiring and didn't need to do another physical fitness test. Did the 2015 hike. Lost all the weight, more or less. And then have been slowly gaining it back. Imma lose that crap. I can't take it. My big plan is to lose some weight over the next four months, do the hike, and then come back dedicated to tracking my calories. Fingers crossed!

- Doc

eta: If anyone reads this and they're going to go for a megahike make sure you get your shoes right and your pack light. Huge mistakes were made on my first attempt. HUGE.

[_canpakes]

Waitaminute, Doc - who’s going to watch the chickens?

Need a house sitter? Lol. I’m headed that way in a few months and I know how to maintain a garden. I’ll box up your veggies and send them to you at predetermined points along the trail.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Waitaminute, Doc - who’s going to watch the chickens?

Need a house sitter? Lol. I’m headed that way in a few months and I know how to maintain a garden. I’ll box up your veggies and send them to you at predetermined points along the trail.

Ah, man. I wish I would've read your note. My wife got some kid and his wife who're living with his mom to watch the place. They were looking to move out and this will be a good babystep for them.

- Doc