At 56 it is tough

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Yell Co AR Hunter

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Dec 10, 2015
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I started with a goal in February to lose 50 pounds and get in better shape for my August 18th - 29th caribou hunt in Alaska.
To date I have lost 32 pounds and walked 220 miles. It is looking like I may not make the targeted weight loss. It has been very hard
to take off the pounds. I am not giving up as less weight the better. I was hoping to lose most of my pack weight. I am trying to step up the walk in difficulty. This is the walk I will do on the weekend days. I just don't have the time during the week. I will still do the 3 miles but on much flatter ground. The down hill is really tough and would rather go up. Anyway here is the OnX trip log of up and down.
Screenshot_20220717-111645_onX Hunt.jpgScreenshot_20220717-112033_onX Hunt.jpg
 
mallardsx2

mallardsx2

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Looks good to me! Keep up the good work. A lot of people don't realize how hard it is to loose that kind of weight.
 
Shane13

Shane13

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Aug 8, 2012
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Good work. I just turned 56 last week myself. What type of nutrition/eating plan are you doing? I started a keto diet 3 years ago. For the last year and a half or so, I've been less strict but still very low carb, high fat with good amount of protein - all natural foods, nothing processed, no sugar at all, etc.... I wasn't trying to lose weight, as I didn't think I had much weight to lose when I started. I weighed 215 (6' tall) when I started. Within a couple months, I'd lost 25 pounds. I was eating as much as I could stand and doing my same workout program. I've gained 5-7 pounds back since then, but it's muscle. I've been eating more protein lately and stepped up my workout intensity over the last 3 months.

Sounds like you've made great progress already. You will likely be close to your weight goal, but even if you don't hit it you'll be in way better shape for the hunt, after all the training you're doing. Good work!
 
Y

Yell Co AR Hunter

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Shane, I have been on low carb as well. I do plan to consume quite a few carbs while on the hunt. Is there any worry when increasing carbs on a hunt like this? Just seems hard to plan meals on a remote trip like this and be limited to low carb meals.

Jim, I can only imagine. My hunting buddy is 62. I am wondering how ready he will be. I call him the human goat, but he has had some nagging health issues, and not done a lot of prep for the hunt.
 
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Colorado Cowboy

Colorado Cowboy

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I'll be 81 this fall, so you have a ways to go. I went on a diet 18 months ago. I have lost #60, still looking to lose a little more. It is difficult to lose much more than a pound or 2 a week. I cut down on the carbs and a lot smaller portions. I eat lots of fresh fruit, melon and green salads. Cut my alcohol down to a beer or 2 a week. I too have some health issues. I am having back surgery next week and my ortho Dr. says I need a new knee. The knee can wait until this winter.

Keep plugging away, everything helps.
 
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mallardsx2

mallardsx2

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I went to Colorado elk hunting one year and lost 15 pounds. Learned a lot about eating on that trip. We were there for 14 days and pretty much ran out of food on day 10. My friend lost 30 pounds and had to use some string to hold his pants up. haha
When we left the mountain and got to town we bought 2 large meatlovers pizzas, 2 dozen wings and 2-6 packs of beer. An hour later there was nothing left but cardboard. lol

First day we were there we hiked 14 miles trying to find the elk. Didn't even see a grouse...
 
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tim

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you will have to figure out how to exercise daily. It is that simple, coupled with a good diet you can do it. It won't be easy and it will take a long time, but it can be done. I discovered i had to get up an hour earlier than i want to, to get everything done in a day. It all comes down to how you prioritize. on remote hunt, you won't have much choice in food. either boil water and pour into a bag,, or put a bag in boiling water.
 
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bdan68

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Nov 13, 2013
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Rochester, Washington
You don't need exercise at all to lose weight. Try doing a very strict ketogenic diet, along with some longer periods of fasting. Exercise does help a little, but is not necessary. Try to work up to 36 hour fasts, and then when that amount of time without food is easy, do a 72 hour fast. You'll see the weight start coming off quickly. I'm 5-8 and went from 215 pounds to 155 pounds in 4 months. This was with very little exercise.
 
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Yell Co AR Hunter

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Dec 10, 2015
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Yell County Arkansas
You don't have to eat those expensive dried meals in a bag. I found plenty of normal items in the grocery store. Reason I looked was I kept hearing the same thing over and over. Don't taste very good and bind up your system after a couple of days. There is a lot of information on You Tube how to make pack in meals.
 
Shane13

Shane13

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Aug 8, 2012
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Yell Co AR Hunter said:
Shane, I have been on low carb as well. I do plan to consume quite a few carbs while on the hunt. Is there any worry when increasing carbs on a hunt like this? Just seems hard to plan meals on a remote trip like this and be limited to low carb meals.

Jim, I can only imagine. My hunting buddy is 62. I am wondering how ready he will be. I call him the human goat, but he has had some nagging health issues, and not done a lot of prep for the hunt.
Click to expand...
Eat a lot of fat for fuel. I wouldn't worry about it if you eat more carbs than normal too. It's just a few days on your hunt. It won't ruin your life. But fat is more calorie dense than carbs. Fat bombs, olive oil, macadamia and/or pili nuts or nut butter, regular ol' butter.... Whatever you like and can pack easily. You'll need protein too. Jerky, protein powder (mix with water after you filter some on the mountain to save weight in your pack), catch some fish.....

You'll only be as good as your weakest link, which sounds like it will be your buddy. If he's out of shape, it'll be tough on him. Plan your hike accordingly.
 
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Naturebob

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Feb 28, 2016
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Once your at 50-55 You should let yourself get over weight . Its unhealthy for you and you turn Slugish. I am 66 in 2 months 5-10 177lbs. 3miles on the treadmill 3-4 days a week is all . Just don't eat so danm much. I was a trucker my last 10 years of work till 64 and got up to 203 . When retired I quit eating and it goes away with out working out. Living with Girlfriend now and almost living off the Garden, except I gotta have some Meat. She eats very healthy. and 66 also. Good Luck all and stay in shape!......................BOB!
 
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tim

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I am sure you probably have a weight limit on what you can bring with you. You will probably or should weighed it all before you get there.
If you are running heavy, food is where you can drop weight. If it is a fly out trip, plan on 3 days extra of food. Been at a strip for 5 days waiting for the plane before. Also, 2 pounds of food per person per day seems to be a good way of going. With that, look at 100 calories per ounce. I have done a lot of fly out trips in alaska. Just remeber, it is not done up there the way it is done down here. Some one else mentioned it. high fat stuff. I love nuts and dried fruit to get me through stuff.
 
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tim

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on a more serious note, for the guys who don't have time to work out. Check out SeanT's T25 workout dvds.
25 minute workouts that don't need much room. I do them in the living room before work. They have a modifer in there so you can work up to the routine in the dvds. I have been that guy, that has worked out all my life and been in really good shape all my life . I found these dvds allow me to keep going with an extremely busy life.
 
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