I started in February of 2023 walking. I started 10 minutes a day and increased it by 5 minutes each week until I was able to go 5 miles and I just tried to keep my calories under 2000 and as of today I went from 278 down to 212 and me and my 19 year old daughter hike in our state park in southern ohio which is some pretty big hills. We are in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains . You are an inspiration to a lot of people. Never doubt yourself
Good luck to you Laura! That's a positive way to look at it. I think you'll find there is lots of people who have the same problem and you're not alone. Just stay as active as you can. Just walking itself can help you trim down as you've already experienced. You're helping people just by sharing your journey. Best wishes to you! 🙏 and thanks for sharing your journey.
You mentioned the scales only showed a weight loss of 10 pounds but your clothes were looser. Many people forget that, especially for people with a bit of weight, gain muscle as they lose weight which offsets the scales. As the weight continues to drop, like the last 10-20 pounds, it will be longer before seeing a change in the scale. So, I don’t weigh myself on a scale. I pay attention to how my clothing fits. When it becomes super baggy, I see what my new size is based on trying clothes on. I don’t care what the scales indicate. I care how I feel and that I’m able to maintain the smaller clothing size. I don’t change clothing sizes until my clothes have been baggy for a year. I wish you all the best. I know you’ll reach your goals. Enjoy the journey because I feel that’s how the weight loss is maintained. 💞
I do the same! If my clothes are getting tight I need to do some workouts and stop eating ice cream for dinner. If my clothes are loose fitting, then I feel better. Not because I look smaller, but because the added flaws are not putting stress on my joints. And the poor diet isn't causing inflammation. I haven't owned a scale for decades.
I’ve recently lost to a little over 40 lbs and honestly that was exactly my goal process. I tackled 10 lbs at a time and it didn’t seem so overwhelming. I still have a little to go, but it doesn’t consume my life! God Bless you in your journey. Stay strong you have this!!
I think you handled a complicated topic well. Your health journey is yours and yours alone. I also do not subscribe to the whole diet trap. We don’t fail on diets, diets fail us. I aim to nourish my body through intuitive eating and gentle nutrition. I wish you every success with your goals!
Laura, you are so inspiring and a magnificent motivational speaker. I’m not sure what your career is, but if you’re looking, being a speaker or personal coach is right up your alley. So happy going “anywhere” with you Laura. 😊
I like it.."The next stump" method. 👍 Your mind is strong, focused, and optimistic Peaks. That's how you survive, strive, and eventually thrive. You remind me to not become complacent in my own efforts. You are a blessing to so many! Take care 😊
Hi Laura. Carnivore diet!!!! I’ve been on it Since January 1st. I’ve lost 35 lbs and several inches. I’m wearing 31 inch waist 501 Levis that I haven’t worn since high school. I am 61 years old. I live in TN and I hike often and couldn’t stand carrying all that extra fat. So, I made a lifestyle change. I eat only Meat, mostly beef, butter, bacon and eggs. Lots of water and black coffee to drink. No carbs, no sugar, no junk. I am also healthier now than I’ve ever been. No longer on medication of any kind. Pain is gone that I lived with daily. Headaches and Migraines are gone that almost made me kill myself just to get them stop. Mostly, it’s what I DON’T eat vs what I do eat. Research Research Research. The truth is out there. Too be healthy, gotta quit eating crap. You can get healthy and hike and thru hike the AT one day. That’s my goal. You can do it.
Hi Peaks, Nickels here! I'm currently on the "thru hiker diet" for about 1 more months, which as you know is basically junk food. When I'm off trail, I only eat whole foods. It's not really a diet in my eyes, I just don't eat empty calories/ultra processed foods. It gives my body the most nutrients possible & I always feel really healthy!
Your plan is definitely doable. Your results will be gradual but healthy and consistent that way. Your body will be able to get the nutrition it needs and will adjust without being shocked and going into starvation mode (storing fat as a reserve). It will build muscle, which helps burn fat faster. The more muscle you build the better. Wishing you good health. Best of luck on your new journey Next Stump… 🤗
I know this sounds ridiculous but I had the most success when I didn’t really try that hard. Just made some lifestyle changes (by eating real, unprocessed foods & swimming laps which I enjoyed anyway). Lost about 50 pounds in 18 months. It worked because I didn’t overthink or stress about it & the focus was on getting healthier. The fact that you enjoy hiking will undoubtedly contribute to your success. Good luck, I know you’ll get there & we’ll all be here cheering you on 😊
Growing up Food equaled love which become a crutch for whatever was going on in my life, be it a fun occasion and especially when I was stressed or sad. I thought Food made me happy. At 5'2" I was 237 pounds. I am 66, 8 years ago I seen this garmin viva step counter watch and thought what the hell and went for it. I started out on Jan 1st and did 2550 step. 1 mile. I kept a journal and every single day I wrote down my steps and every day I pledge to walk one more than the day before. I started drinking tons of water and automatically started eating healthier. Salads and meat with one cheat day a week. I got addicted to walking and by the end of one year I had walked 3233 miles. For the next 3 years as well as walking I did 3 half unsupported marathons on a trail. That "thing" hit in 2020 and I fell off the wagon, so to speak. After dropping to 150 which was a great weight for me, I went back up to 185 and started hating myself for letting his happen. Happily, I am now back on course, walking, eating healthy and the scale is happy. 168 day and going on. Keeping a journal is very helpful, it makes me stay honest to myself. I wish you the best, love yourself, you know what the right path is for you, be true to yourself and you got this.
Heck yeah! I'm right there with you. I did 10 days on the Camino de Santiago last year (carrying a little more weight comparatively) and learned that I can do it, but I could also make doing it a whole lot easier on my body with some work on myself before my next big adventure. SMART goals to "next stump" on to the next adventure is my exact plan. Here's to getting fitter so we can enjoy these big adventures. Rooting for you, from OK. You've got this! On to your next one....
proud of you! you are setting realistic goals to better your health. for me it is about making memories as that is all we will have left at the end and we don't know what tomorrow brings. Wishing you an enjoyable journey to somewhere.
Years ago "Fat is a Feminist Issue " helped me enormously improve my relationship with food and fat. More recently, Jason Fungs videos have added another element of understanding. Best wishes for finding a pathway to your adventures
Working on your dream goals, one day at a time, will create a higher sense of accomplishment and self esteem than ever imagined. That is reinforcing. PM me if you want to hear my experience with weight loss.
I started the middle of February 2024 walking a mile each in the morning and evening, now up to 3-4 miles a day. I've cut out most sugars and am eating fewer carbs along with intermittent fasting (eating 8 hours: 11am to 7pm)! I've weighed about 215# for at least 20 years; I am down to 195 with at least the same amount of energy! As a 75 year old male, I'm training for the AT-2025; hopefully averaging 12-15 or so miles a day (300 a month with several days of rest)!! Seven months + or - ! See you on the Trail!!!!! HY OH Silver aka Final Quarter aka The Big Bad Wolf (Huff & Puff)
You are definitely inspiring me! Love this video and hearing your thought process! I am feeling the same way of i felt my physical abilities at that time held me back a lot on trail. I watching your videos are keeping my inspired to keep building up my abilities so next time I hop on trail I can be more successful 😊
Best of luck Laura. I would continue to section hike the trail and you can do aerobics with your fully loaded backpack. That will continue the weight loss with a calorie deficit diet of course. God Bless and thanks for sharing your journey! You can do anything you put your mind to!
Just watched a video today that talked about a study that showed that walking 5800 steps a day equated to a 40% decrease in all cause mortality. As I’m sure you know, walking at a Zone 2 level (still able to talk) is also very effective for weight loss. Add in 2-3 days a week of resistance (strength) training, and you’ll build muscle as well. I also found that tracking calories (the Lose It app is one way to do that) kept me honest about my nutrition. I started at 220 lbs. I’m now 148. Cycling is my jam, and I can definitely notice a difference hauling less weight uphill makes on my speed and effort. Changing to an unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy one is just about the hardest thing to do. However, the benefits are so worth it!
I had been thin most of my life till I hit my late thirties early forties. Then I put on a sagnificate amount of weight. The first time I lost weight it was just with a crazy amount of exercise. But then I stopped exercising I put the weight back on again plus more. For me it was a complete lifestyle change that caused me to lose the weight and keep it off. Hiking alone was not taking off the pounds. I had a huge sweet tooth I had decided to give up the sweets and also started to go to the gym. Between hiking, the gym, and changing what I eat and how much I eat. Portion control is huge. All three of those things together is what worked for me. If you can't afford a gym membership buy some small dumbbells and use RU-vid videos. I've done that already as well. I'm 59 today and have maintained my weight loss for about 10 years now. And last year I did climb Katahdin. I didn't through hike, me and my husband are section hikers. I didn't even finish the whole 100 mile wilderness like I planned. But I did climb Katahdin. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I'm also only 5 ft tall which makes climbing and mountain like that even harder. I wish you the best of luck. You can do this you just have to want it bad enough. And when It comes to the sweets I gave up. I now eat them in moderation.
Thanks for allowing yourself to be vulnerable…I know the struggle. several of the things you talked about, I can relate to…and we all have our different struggles and they are all unique. I think your goals and plans for the future are awesome..and realistic…The Camino and doing it with someone special is a great goal…The health problems that I have are not caused by my weight (i had the problems before i had the weight),but the weight makes the issues much harder to deal with…and Actually the health issues caused much of the wight gain (medications, inability to get out of bed for weeks at a time..etc, stress causes high cortisol levels…) Im also trying to take care of 2elderly parents, whom I love, which causes me not to be able to focus on my own self…but i keep getting myself “stump to stump”, so to speak. If we keep plugging away, and never give up on the goals and dreams we have, I think thats the best we all can do…and i think we will get there…this video i think will resonate with many, because you really shared a part of yourself…and that motivates me/us, and hopefully together we can all help each other. My short term goal is to row on my concept 2 machine every day for 30 days, even if it is 10 minutes, 3 times per day…for 30 minutes (or however long my body will let me do on a bad day) and spend 30 minutes a day focusing on myself so i dont get lost in everyone else and forget about my own health…I think I can meet that goal, and I think you can meet yours too…and until we meet out ultimate goal, or if we never quite get there, we need to still love ourselves and others, simply for the effort that life takes just to get by sometimes…look forward to your next video..see ya on the blue blaze! 😊
I started the AT at 230, after 850 miles I dropped 30lbs.. now that I'm off trail (for a moment) I'm making sure I'm just eating healthy and getting miles in daily. I went from 8 miles a day to 15-17. My body is stronger and I don't need my inhaler anymore.
Routine walking and proper nutrition will make a big difference. When I lost weight, I set short-term goals-makes you feel good to accomplish them. And then I would set a new goal and lost 50 pounds in the process. You can do this! 😊
You got this! I look at it for myself and say it's not about losing weight to look good. Its about feeding my body what it needs in a healthy way ans focus on eating whole foods and less processed foods. Proud of what you are doing! Keep it up
Your video really hit home for me today. My friend and I were planning on doing the Camino likely in 2020 or 2021. As we know, the pandemic happened, and then she passed away. We had plans, but like you said, some day might not come. I really like your 5% plan - I'm rooting for you!
You have been an inspiration and ai look forward to working out and losing weight right along side you. Everybody is different and every body is different. no one day will fix or ruin your progress.
i just got back from hiking NOBO the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway trail. it was a 50 mile hike that took me 6 days. It was the hardest thing I've ever attempted. I almost quit after the first night. I was thinking of you with your next stump method and that really helped me. Okay let's go another 15 minutes and find another stump or a nice size rock to sit. Carrying a full weighted backpack was hard and I wasn't prepared for that.
I'm just trying to maintain my weight which I have been successful at for 5 months now. Previously I was either gaining weight or losing weight. And every time I gained it wouldn't end until i weighed more than i did before and i would in a panic go on the next diet. I am 233 now. I know I can hike at that weight. Hiking has been a huge motivator for me. The only one that has worked. I love how you equated the lost weight with your backpack weight. That's been my thinking as well. If my pack weight was 10 lbs less i could hike so much further. With hiking as my motivator i know i'll be healthier tomorrow than i am today. I can do hard things! Including losing weight and keeping it off! Thanks for the video. I have no doubt you'll make it to Katahdin.
Amen to that opening, and yes its a personal journey, different for everyone, but you make it so we are part of a team, a community, and noone is going through this alone, so thankful for your chats and your channel, you are such an amazing person and you give us faith that we can do anything
Great talk! I'm about 75 pounds overweight and love getting out and doing things like you're describing. BUT...the REALITY is...even though it's doable, it's much better without the extra weight. And it's also a lot healthier. Anyone of any shape, size, etc. should get out and do whatever. Because (you're absolutely correct), tomorrow might never come. You're rocking this, Laura. I don't think this is necessarily what you're meaning to do but...don't apologize for being healthier. We want you to be happy. And in all honesty (this is true for ALL of us) life is more enjoyable in some ways when we're healthy. Really loving the "Blue Blaze to Health" series! Think you're awesome! 🤟😎
"Make a new plan, Sam...." I'm in a similar situation to you at this moment except I'm older. Life has dealt many challenges but wanting to lose weight for me is not to be twenty again nor a number on the scale but to feel my best so I can go out and enjoy hiking and biking again without the breathlessness and strain of the effort. Primarily, I am not weighing because that number can be discouraging, I'm doing an 8/16 fast, and gradually getting more physically active. Movement is only good and my goal is to feel better and have more energy. You are doing so well and are so encouraging. Take care.
Way to go! Knowing your "why" is going to be a big help to you, so I'm glad you've got that down. As you know, it's a long journey, so weighing yourself daily isn’t necessary. Eat healthy, exercise, and you will know by how your clothes fit and how you feel. Check in with the scale occasionally.
I wear my fitbit and have it synched to Myfitnesspal. I input everything I eat on myfitnesspal and it tells me how many calories I can eat based on the exercise my fitbit shows me getting. I put into the myfitnesspal settings that I want to lose a pound a week and it has my weight in there and figures out the calories I can eat each day. When I stick to the recommended calories, I lose weight. If I want to eat more, I need to move more. I've also been using my fitbit to achieve the 'active goal' and getting my heart rate above 120. I have exercise induced high blood pressure and getting my heart rate higher with exercise is what will help with that. Small Steps. You will do this.
We're with ya on your goals. You can do it. I'm on a health trek myself of sorts. I need to get healthy and I'd like to one day hike the Appalachian trail. I did 4.5 miles of a hike uphill this year and at the top I was done. took me 6 hours to go that far. Back down my feet were killing me. Questioned my life choices. People flying past me like it was nothing. I'm just looking for the next resting tree. But I'm watching how/what I eat (whole foods & low carb) and doing all the walking I can. It is slowly but surely working and I'm hoping those hills get easier. :D
There are probably as many opinions about weight loss as their are about how a person should hike the AT. Lol. My experience with weight loss....my goal was to get healthy. I only changed from the crap I was eating to organic everything, and no white bread. (I would have sold my grandmother for a buttered roll.) I switched to pumpernickel. I still ate cookies...just organic ones. I ate whatever treats I wanted, as long as they were organic. I lost 40 pounds which was 25% of my weight. Then life happened, and now I'm 20 pounds heavier than when I did that organic thing. I feel like I know the path back there, but the stress of life has me telling myself all the reasons I can't focus on health right now....i will get there again....thank you for your inspiration.....
I just want to feel good and be strong enough to adventure. Recently tried rowing crew. Loved it!! Think hydration and nutrition. Rest, stretch, strengthen & center. Keep adventuring and take us along ❤
That's the way to do it! Focus on health and weight loss will come on its own. You have a great plan set for yourself ! I'm here to support you all the way😊❤starting the same journey with you.
I have been a “bountiful” woman my entire life. I fell in love with hiking in my late fifties. Better late than never, right? I had gradually lost weight over the years. In 1993 weighing a little over 400 lbs I had bariatric weight loss surgery. I would never recommend this unless needed to save your life. Why, lots of side effects plus for the most part the weight loss effect for most is temporary. I lost most of my excess weight only to gain most of it back after my marriage broke up. After that through the years I have managed to very slowly lose several hundred pounds. But the easiest and largest portion of this weight loss happened after I retired in fall of 2020. In spring of 2022 I went to work in the non profit of Yellowstone national park. And I have spent two summers in Yellowstone and one winter in Grand Canyon. Living in my campervan with my little yorkipoo. And hiking the trails in the national parks. I also had step goals of a minimum of 20 thousand steps per day. And restaurant food is very limited within the parks. Very unhealthy and very expensive. Due to the expense of it I just did not eat it. A couple of times monthly I drove the two hour drive into the nearest city, and went to a grocery store. because in both parks I worked in remote areas. I became good friends with my crock pot and my camper and fridge. And even a fair amount of canned food. My weight just started falling down and I left Yellowstone last October 10 at 166 lbs. I was in the mid 250’s 1.5 years before that. I left Oct 12 for Spain to hike the Camino. About 120 miles in sustained Achilles tendon issues on both my ankles from not stretching properly. Even after rest days it just got worse and worse to the point I had to be wheel haired through airports on my way home. So, I was pretty inactive when I got home. Treatments and surgery to both ankles and stress fractures to one of my lower legs , I quickly gained forty pounds. Then the 28th of May I had major abdominal surgery. My doctor released me yesterday to go to gym and work out to my tolerance on the elyptical machine. That’s all he is letting me do for now. And honestly here in the panhandle of Texas you almost have to travel elsewhere in the summer to hike. I live on the rim of Palo duro canyon which is flooded right now. But it is so hot. The other day the ground temp was measured at 129 degrees. I think the ambient temp was around 100. So, the gym is fine for now. I have also seen a podiatrist and sports medicine dr and have a physical action plan to keep this from happening again. I turn 66 in a few weeks. On Aug 23 I will head to North Carolina to meet a friend and we will do the last segment, the outer banks area of the mountains to sea trail. Then on April 10 I will return to Spain and starting over again in st Jean pied de port get that Camino done. Injury free. But I plan on doing it slowly even if flying back home on the last day of my visa. Then I will also be doing the 4 day Inca trail to machu picu, the lone star trail, and considering the Mount Everest base camp. Since I am turning 66 I need to get things going. Still considering if I want to take the time for a full 6 months devoted to one trail or not. And if so, do I want to do pct or at? But I am trying my best right now to eat in a balanced and portion controlled way. No finicky weight loss programs. And I know I will not have the entire fifty pound weight loss goal off by the time I am back on trail. So I have already decided. I know how far I have come even if no one else does. So if I am slow. I am slow. I don’t care. So I hope to see you out there and I will be joining you on this health quest. You have really inspired me to keep at it!! So therefore I know you can indeed do this. If I am, and I am not a strong willed person when it comes to diet. But if I can do it, with your will and fortitude I absolutely know you will succeed.
The best thing I ever did was hire a Sports Nutritionist. My goal was to gain muscle and lose fat. The plan she gave me (macros based) was incredibly successful in changing my body composition & I was eating more than I ever ate in my life. Guess what though-I didn’t lose weight. I gained muscle and dropped body fat, but the scale read the same. I recommend that you know your body composition and go by those metrics. It’s too easy to lose muscle when the goal is to lose weight. Nutrition is the best way to make sure you are saving and even building your muscle while trying to lose fat.
Thanks for your video today, it was real. I feel you, I have the same troubles. I've battled weight my whole life. I agree with you about doing it for health and wellness. And not for looks.
Such an awesome plan. Love it! I struggle with my weight and I love backpacking. You go and do it! Can't wait to see you getting to go to do these hikes to health. Congratulations to looking to the future!
Sounds like a solid goal, you got this. I gained 40 lbs because I was so goal focused and emotionally flailing during the pandemic. Making having fun be my main goal in getting back on trail (instead of focusing on weight loss and suffering through workouts that I didn’t enjoy) has been a new and way more successful approach that I wish I had thought of in the past. Idk if that’s at all helpful to you, I wish you best of luck!
One step at a time. You’re doing it. I feel you. As a 60+ year old plus size backpacker I can tell you that the older you get the harder it is to get the weight off. Women’s metabolism slows big time as we age. My approach, and I’m stuck at 20 pounds down right now, is to exercise, track with WW (it’s what works for me) and every once in a while treat myself to a high calorie treat. I think believing I’ll never eat a cheeseburger again is a ridiculous thought for me. Thank you for sharing your journey. ❤🎉
With my experience, upping up my physical activities was not enough, eating healthy and exercise go hand in hand, I climbed a mountain but came home binge eating bad food for a couple of days, at the age of 51 June 10th, in a few days. Binge eating and hiking don't work, in my 20s, yes. What works for someone else may not work for you. The last four years have been trials and error,
It's norah. you got this laura! im in the opposite camp. i need to gain weight to be able to do the things I want to do. you know I've always been small but there's no way I could do all the running around I used to do at the bnb. i don't have any strength or stamina. when I graduated in December I was worried I was gonna pass out walking the stage. i have also decided enough is enough and I have to change. we are in this together. doing the hard stuff so we can live the life we want!
Hey Norah! I think it's all about finding the right balance that works for us individually. No two people are the same. Proper vitamins and minerals are also important as well. Beet root, magnesium and an iron supplement have really helped me. You are one of the toughest people I know! We can do this girl. 🥾💙🤗
I didn’t know you weighed over 300. I guess I never really noticed, just knew you were overweight. Like me and millions of other Americans. Last month, I backpacked 28 days in the Alabama and Georgia heat and only lost 5 lbs. Got kind of discouraged. But, I’m watching and trying to achieve weight loss myself in preparation for Te Araroa in New Zealand. And then in a few years, The Camino. I’m a lot older than you and my long trail backpacking days are coming to a (perfect) end soon. 5 % is a great figure for me and my goals. Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been thinking about getting started and now I’m going to get to it!
I like to do daily cardio to burn calories while increasing endurance and stamina. I use peloton, with the bike I can do climbs and push it hard and do 700 to 1100 calorie burns daily. I use a treadmill and a tablet on it to stream the peloton app and it allows me to do the classes with hikes, runs and walks (the peloton treadmill is expensive). I also use my Peloton app on my Roku tv for strength, yoda, and many more classes. I set goals and keep them, even when I don’t want to work out that day. I can work out at home and don’t have to be around others and can focus on me, that’s what I love about working out at home on my time. Live and on demand classes that help me reach my health and fitness goals.
I am an active homemaker/teacher/grandma/farm wife. I found that I need to work on my mindset first. Lots of negative comments about my size ran free in my head. I started meditating every day (but need to get back to it) I used the calm a or headspace. I managed to go fro 200 to 170ish pounds. Would I like to lose a bit more 10 -20 lbs sure, but I am able to do the things I want to do at the age I am (57)
I am hiking, hitting the gym, or doing other activities pretty much daily. It's a commitment, but I'm in it for the long haul! Thanks for following along! 🥾💙
i hear you, weight loss is almost impossible for us at our age. not impossible Tho. i hardly eat anything and can gain weight. no sugar based anything, in the last year biked the length of US1 from key west to fort Kent Maine. over 2200 miles mostly commuting to and from work and gained weight. need a new hip now, ive known this for a couple years now. can't wait to get back on the bike again and start bikepacking around. i am also 300 pounds too. we can do this Russell in Miami
I am very proud of you! I work in cardiology, and I can tell you that obesity is a killer. I recommend Zepbound , which is a newer generation of GLP-1. It’s better than Ozempic. There are very few side effects to this medication. It will help you drop the weight and get you on track. Of course you need to eat high protein with it, but it works. Talk to your doctor about Zepbound….God bless you, sweetie!
Huge congratulations on explicitly identifying this important goal of weight loss. I didn't hear you mention SMART goals in this video and I'd like to see how you will incorporate specific actions that will result in a 5% weight loss by - yes - a certain date. A SMART goal structure is useful for this. What *specific* things do you actually need to do *daily* to make this happen? All best wishes for super success on this important 5% goal!!!
Good luck Peaks! If you follow the heart healthy/Mediterranean/LDL lowering diet, you are bound to drop pounds. And you will notice a HUGE difference in your stamina and speed. But, my experience here....drop the white carbs....your body doesnt need or want them. Oatmeal and blueberries for the win!!
Stress eating and just loving good foods is my issues. But even cutting back to serving sizes and still eating carbs but unless I exercise almost daily, it does nothing for me. I am vegetarian and that don't leave much if one don't eat carbs.. But I feel so much better after losing a few pounds. I think a couple, or a family has to eat basically the same thing or one gets sabataged.
Well…you asked for comments so here it is. I am a sugar addict (which includes carbs). Carbs are NOT your friend nor are they necessary for humans. I was 256 pounds one year ago. So much inflammation and pain in my feet led me to a deep dive into wellness. HUNDREDS of hours worth of videos later I cut the carbs, cut the sugar, cut the starch and now I’m 82 pounds lighter, no more pain in my feet and hiked to Mt. LeConte just a few weeks ago. Dr Berry, Ben Bikman, Sten Ekberg, Dr. Cywes and so many others on youtube gave me my life back. I’m off all meds and have so much energy. I walk 4-5 miles everyday, on pavement, and my feet never bother me. My why was I wanted to walk without pain and I found that by dropping the excess weight and reducing the inflammation in my body. Life changing…
i think that is a good goal, its reasonable, but its a challenge, but its doable and i think you can do it. losing weigth for me was weird, it was like it was easy first, then it stagnated for weeks while i was eating healthy and did activities, then i lost some weigth again, than it stagnated for weeks or even months before it went down again. i think you should be aware that losing weight is easiest with changing food and eating less, but if you train your body you transform your calories and bodyfat into muscles and thats not weight loss at first i think, but the more muscles you have the faster you burn your food in the future and the easier it is to lift your own weight.
OK - random internet opinion here, so take it for what it is worth... Don't set a weight loss goal. You mentioned how trying to lose weight (for whatever reason and by whatever method) has not worked for you in the past. That being the case, putting any of the focus of your new journey on that same sort of destination will bring with it a certain baggage and history that can get in the way of what you are trying to achieve. I am not saying don't lose weight. Just do not set that as a goal. Instead, I would suggest that you use your weight loss (and you will achieve it) as simply one of many metrics by which you measure your overall goal of getting healthier enough to achieve those dream experiences you want to undertake. A combination of different things, which are measurable and trackable, and can be looked at in a comprehensive way, can give you a better picture of where you are on this blue blaze journey to health. Along with pounds lost, you can measure things like distance you can reasonably hike, pack weight you can comfortably carry, calorie intake, flights of stairs you can climb, etc. You are less dependent on your success following a single measurement by taking the comprehensive approach, and thus protected from seeing one of the measurements plateau or backslide because you may still be making progress with the others. Also, as others have mentioned - while doing these things to increase your health you will likely be replacing fat with muscle, and muscle is denser and weighs more for same volume. So physical measurements like waist or thigh circumference could also be added to your metrics to keep that comprehensive mindset in play. Just some thoughts...
Camino de Santiago is much easier than Appalachain Trail - you can probably even do it now! I "slack-packed" the whole thing, sent my backpack ahead every day. Here's a great video about doing the Camino overweight: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wtaeNOUWRgs.html
Laura- I wish you the very best in your drive to do the things you want to do. Having watched your AT experience, I saw how much you wanted all of this. You are brave, inspiring and strong. Love your stump to stump mentality, that’s how I tend to look at things too. I agree with many responses here. A focus on doing the active things you want and eating real, non processed foods will improve your health and give you more ability to do more. Maybe the focus is less on the pounds and more on the peaks for the time. Building muscle is the aim that will give you better life quality and eventually weight loss over time. Having said all that- you know your body needs best. Just know we are cheering you on to meet your life goals! 🏔️🎉👏🙌
