Hi there MBN. Wow that is a lot of hiking. I wonder if I will ever be in shape enough to think hiking was fun. You and Laurie are really into the outdoors. I am afraid the gym is the thing for me. I have to admit that though I do have a small garden it is not really my thing either.

Jay are you there. Help me out here. Maybe you are a hiker as well. I used to walk miles but the extra weight has made my back hurt. Once I get into onederland it should come back I hope. Lots of walking to do out here. And hiking as well. I live at the base of the mountains. If you are watching the winter olympics this February that is my back yard.

Missed the gym this morning. Was all dressed to go and the time just slipped away. At some point I have to re focus and get ready for work.

I will go tomorrow.....

Laurie you will miss your mom. Such a nice visit. Sounds like lots of good memories.....Jude

I am LOL at loosing "one cat". I am gonna have to figure out how many cats I need to find homes for.

I'm liking the "losing a cat" measurement! I've lost 4+ Diggers

Jude, hiking is my biggest NSV. DS1 and his wife are very "outdoorsy" (probably was all that hiking and camping we did when I was his scout leader). They love hiking the mountains in California. It became very apparent to me 2-3 years ago that I could not particpate in family outings when I visited them. DH and the kids had a lot of fun, while I waited at the bottom/top/parking lot etc. It was my wake-up call. I finally had to admit that my weight WAS interfering with my quality of life. Up to that point, I was blissfully denying that I was anything more than "pleasingly plump" - a few lbs overweight - which comes with age and menopause anyway.

Seriously, I was in major denial.

So, hiking puts a huge smile on my face every single time I do it.

All this was a long way of saying - absolutely - you CAN do it again. If you look at my progress pics (linked below) you will see a picture of me hiking in Yosemite in January 08 (which was around 165 lbs)

Before I started this journey, the stairs to my office were a major exercise routine for me. I had trouble doing dishes without leaning on the sink. My back and my knees and my hips were causing me a lot of problems. My solution was to move less. And less. And less.

I actually enjoy physical activity more now than I did in my 30s and 40s. While I still need to baby the knees a bit (hiking poles are a blessing), I can walk/hike all day without any back pain at all.

Keep at it, losing the weight really does make that much of a difference.

Off

Sorry about that chickies, sometimes I get on a roll!

Thanks Laurie that is what I need to hear. Sometimes it seem like to big a job but when I remember the benefits it helps. We have a climb here up Grouse mountain called the Grouse grind that lots of people do in the summer. Then you take the tram back down. My son does it and I am looking forward to the day when I can call him and invite him to come with me. Would blow his socks off!!

Jude

Hey!

MBN! Glad to see you here, and nice to read your report! I always like looking at your pictures, btw. I'd like retirement too--but there is a little problem called my retirement savings...

Hey gailr42! Has it cooled off at all?

Well, on the topic of hiking--I did lots when I was younger and slimmer, and now that I'm somewhat slimmer again, I take walks a lot. My back used to hurt from being overweight too, Jude. Everything was hard. I found out that working on strengthening my abs and stretching out my hamstrings and lower back (which get tight from sitting) helped. So did core exercises. But mainly, not carrying those extra pounds is what made a big difference! I put most of my fat on my belly, and so weight gain stressed my lower back.

Making sure I have good shoes is also really important.

Now my back is bothering me again, but it's a different issue. It doesn't affect walking, though! In fact, walking helps.

I guess I'd better get with it here...

Jay

I totally agree!! I was reasonably active in my younger years, but never really "athletic", it just wasn't something that was encouraged or modeled for girls in my family. When my children were younger, I was so wrapped up work, parenting, etc - I didn't do much that was "physical". Unless you count laundry and vacuuming, I did a lot of that!

It wasn't until I hit my 40's that I realized that I needed to change. I started an exercise routine, gradually built on it over time, started running, branched into distance event racing .. and discovered this "inner athlete" that I never knew existed before!

Being lighter makes a HUGE difference, I couldn't run when I was heavier and doing any kind of uphill hiking was a significant effort. It was just hard! A few years ago, I couldn't have imagined doing the kind of hiking we just did. I simply couldn't have physically done it. Now, being lighter AND stronger makes it SO much easier and more enjoyable. Being able to be out there hiking on the trails .. or kayaking .. or running -- for me is the ultimate payoff for all of the effort. So yes, it is possible! It just takes time.

CountingDown -- I've thought about getting hiking poles, especially for slippery stream crossings and the steep downhill sections, but wondered if they weren't more of a hassle than they're worth - just something else to have to hold onto and get in your way. It sounds as though you do like them? What has your experience been?

MBN - I fly in the face of conventional wisdom on poles. I like the collapsible ones! I bought very light women's poles (Sierra Trading Post has really good prices). That way, if I choose not to use them, I can put them in my day pack, which I always carry when we hike. They stick out the top a bit, but are very stable. You can also strap them to a pack if needed.

The adjustable poles are GREAT for hills because you can make them longer and shorter with just a twist. I prefer double pole walking, it is a much more natural process.

Honestly, once you get used to using them (and there are some really good tutorials on youtube), they just become part of the hike. We use our poles even on flat ground if we are doing trail hiking. They have saved me from a fall (tripping over a root and the like) on more than one occasion.

For mountain/hill climbing they take a lot of pressure off the knees (particularly on the downs which are harder than the ups on my knees).

In Yosemite, we laughed because the kids didn't take their poles. Yet, in several slippery spots loaned the poles to the kids.

We have rubber tips for the bottoms and we even use them when we do urban hiking in San Francisco and Oakland. We have had a lot of folk comment on what a great idea that is (as they are huffing and puffing up the hills).

Nordic walking (with poles) is very common here in northern MI. On any given day, you will see people of all ages walking with poles on the trails/paths around here (even the paved ones).

I think places like REI and Cabellas sell poles, so you can always give them a whirl at the store. Nordic walkers around here use a cross country ski pole, and you can often find those at second hand stores.

Laurie do your poles have the rubber tips for walking in the city? and is the tip sort of slanted on the bottom. What brand are yours?

Yes, I have both the slanted and the plain rubber tips for my poles. I ordered them separately so that I would have them for paved surfaces.

Here is a link to my poles.

I also found a great pair for about $30 on ebay which I started with and now use as "spares".

Do you use the wrist sling. I notice some poles come without it.

Yes, I like the wrist strap.

Like cross country skiing, it supports your hand/wrist so that you don't have to grip the pole so hard. In fact, like skiing - you can actually release the pole for a bit during the movement. The strap keeps it "attached" and allows you to reconnect with the hand grip as you complete the stroke.

If you walk on level ground, several pros recommend the two-fingered swing method of holding the grip. You pivot the pole while holding the grip with only two fingers - very lightly. Then, if you suddenly need more support the pole is right there in your hand (because the strap keeps it from straying) and you can grip as hard as you need to stabilize yourself.

flowingair!

I'm glad to hear the wedding was fantastic! And I'm keeping fingers crossed about your job... Hope you get called back or find something even better!

If you get back on your plan now, those few extra pounds will melt away!

Jay

I am new to 3FC..well a week. I love life, and want to encourage others to do the same. I would like advice on how to "behave" when in this forum. Sometimes my exuberance may be frownd on
About a month ago I began a blog, which I am very proud of. it's called weight wise man. I would love your comments

Hey Alan! Welcome!

You might read this post from one of the admins--it should tell you the ground rules for 3FC in general.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...-disagree.html

Tell us more about your weight loss journey--and also, your active life! We're big on that in this thread.

Jay