Eastmans' "Big Man Challenge!"

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Feb 3, 2014
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Let’s be honest here, every one of us has a very busy schedule. At Eastmans’ we are as busy as the next guy, maybe even busier than the next guy at some points of the year! All of us want to be in shape for hunting season but it is tough to find the time. We don’t have three or six hours a day to spend at the gym and we aren’t willing to sacrifice time with our families to win the “fittest man on the mountain” award.

However, we see the value in taking care of ourselves. It makes a difference in the quality of life that we live and can make a difference on our hunts. It also makes a difference in how long we will be around to take care of our families.

Which leads us to the Eastmans’ “Big Man Challenge.” This spring and summer four of us from the Eastmans’ staff are going to work together to get in shape and then, stay in shape. We will be starting on Thursday with a weigh-in and then follow a training schedule set up by Rinda Eastman, Guy’s wife. She is a certified trainer who teaches exercise courses on a regular basis.

Physical training always goes better when training for a goal and you have friends to push you along the way. Our goal is to compete in a 5k at the end of July, or the beginning of August. Some of our race options haven’t hit the net yet.

Ike Eastman, Brandon Mason, Dan Turvey, Jr. and myself will all be letting you follow along as we document our progress over the spring and summer. We are all big guys, every one of us over six feet tall. We will each have our own challenges to work through as we get in shape. Ike is the only one who is working out on a regular basis. It has been about eight months for me, Brandon is coming off of hip surgery with four little ones at home and Dan has 10 years of a sedentary lifestyle and two little ones at home that demand his free time.

If you feel like posting about your workouts feel free. Remember, none of us are trying to run a marathon, or win a power lifting competition. This is all about getting in shape for hunting and staying there! Welcome to the “Big Man Challenge!”
 
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BrandonM

Active Member
Nov 9, 2011
193
215
Hey guys, this is Brandon Mason here at Eastmans'. Following up on Scott's post above I thought I'd give you a quick run-down on where I'm at with this and where I hope to be. As Scott mentioned, none of us are Iron Men. This is to do a simple routine that will get us in better shape and make it be something we can do each day in our busy lives. As noted, I had hip surgery recently. In fact, this month will be two years since the arthroscopy. I've had moments of feeling like I'm back to 100% and others where I feel like I'm not even close...a constant roller coaster ride.

My ideal "fighting" weight is around 205 lbs. Right now I'm hovering just below 220 lbs. Which sucks for me! With the bulk of my job keeping me tied to a desk since I'm the advertising manager here at Eastmans', it is too easy to get in the rut of eating junk food and being inactive. Well, that's about to change and I'm excited to see how well this little program trims me up. Come August the mountains should look maybe a little smaller :) and fatigue will be diminished if all goes well.

You don't have to be a super athlete to hunt hard, but getting in decent shape for your body type should help the fall experiences be much more enjoyable and maybe even more successful from a harvest standpoint.

Stay tuned for more info and details on this coming soon...
 

Ikeepitcold

Administrator
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Feb 22, 2011
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Reno Nv
Sounds great to me guys! I would like to be apart of this challenge.

We just did this at my. Co. Myself and 3 others did a two month challenge for the highest weight loss percentage. We put in $100 each and for me my Vaca to Hawaii with the family was my motivation.

During this I also realized that I'm 42 and how much my family and business relies on me. So I chose to make this a lifestyle change not just a two month challenge.

Here's my biggest issue with my weight.

I have 300 customers and they are all restaurants. We do not ever pay for food at most of them. You see my dilemma? Sure there are good choices but who wants that?

Also my worst time to eat crap is at night when I get home and want to relax and watch some hunting shows. While I'm sitting there I want to snack before bed. Sooooo bad.

These things I feel if I can keep out of my routine I can loose weight and keep it off.

I think I can relate to the challenge in this way. I will never commit myself to a running race or running at all. I've had knee surgery that has made my knee painfull enough that the content pounding on it while running just isn't gonna happen for me. I prefer to hike, ride my Mt bike and walk.

I'm down 17lbs and weigh less then I have in awhile. I would really like to continue with that loss till I get to about 200lbs.

So in my long drawn out post here I would really like to see and hear about you guys and your progression in the challenge.

It will help me do the same.
 

D.Turvey Jr

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Feb 11, 2014
171
1
Powell, WY
All right guys, here we go. I am not going to make excuses as to how I got to the physical level I am at, as I know where I went wrong over the last 13 years. I am going to explain a little bit about who I am, where I am at physically and what I plan to do to get back into hunting shape. Note I said hunting shape. I am not looking to run marathons, bench press 400 pounds or do long treks with a 100-pound pack. No doubt there are guys out there that can do that and I applaud their efforts. For me, it’s about getting more enjoyment from what I love most and second to family, it’s western big game hunting.

In a former life, I was a dedicated baseball player with Big10 aspirations that nearly came to pass until I had my left shoulder completely reconstructed my senior year of high school. The recruiters vanished as quickly as they came and I was headed into college with or without a scholarship. That said I was also in my peak physical prime. Competitive weight lifting, running five-minute miles for seven miles, benching 400 pounds and having a 4.5 second forty at 6’1”, 265 pounds was my baseline – oh to be 19 again. The reason I am sharing this with you is because it serves as my fuel. I want to get as close to that again as I can at age 31. I’ll admit, knowing where I was and where I am at now, is depressing but find what fuels you and use it!

Fast-forward 13 years of a sedentary “eastern” lifestyle where my farthest walk was to my treestand 100 yards from the truck, getting married, having two kids that require all my free time, holding a desk job for the last eight years and it’s easy to see why my numbers are the way they are now. Pile onto to that severe shin splints from years of running and a stress fractured lower back from an old injury – well you get the picture.

I have a feeling there are a lot of guys out there like me, so if you’re in my camp, take this opportunity to get into hunting shape with me. As hunters we already share a common bond so let’s encourage and push each other to accomplish our fitness/hunting goals. Find the drive, no excuses – just results.

After this mornings weigh-in with Rinda Eastman (Guy’s wife who is also a professional trainer) here’s my current baseline:

Age: 31
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 303 lbs.
Body Fat %: 38.4
Body water %: 45.7
Muscle mass: 177.8 lbs.
Basal Metabolic Rate (rate of energy expended at rest): 2650 calories
Bone mass: 9.2 lbs.
Visceral fat (read that as most detrimental fat): 19

I’ll admit, her process is new to me but I am going to break down some of the key areas I am going to focus on during the challenge.

As would be guessed, weight is the first thing though surprisingly not the most important. During this challenge I am going to try and cut as much weight as possible and I have a feeling that will be a byproduct of working out and diet change but my starting goal is to drop 33 pounds, taking me to 270 pounds.

Second is body fat percentage. This is the percent of your total make-up that’s fat. For my age range, the upper end of the healthy range is 20%. I don’t want to set unrealistic goals so that’s where I am going to set my goal; drop my percent body fat by at least 18.4%.

Third is body water percent, which is the water content of your body. I am sitting at 45.7% and the healthy range for men is 50-65%. My goal here is to hydrate more often and get to 50% or more (there’s a word you don’t read often in a fitness challenge).

Fourth is visceral fat. This is the fat that exists in your abdomen, surrounds your internal organs and is the most detrimental to your health. High-blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes are some of the diseases that have been linked to excess amounts of visceral fat. The healthy range for this type of fat is 1-12 and excess levels are considered 13-59, I am at 19. My goal here is to drop my visceral fat rating 7 points to at least 12.

Now for the current workout plan and diet challenge. It’s nothing crazy but will serve you well in the long run.

Workout – three times a week minimum for the first two weeks:

Push-ups (3 sets of 15-20 reps)
Squats (3 sets of 10 reps)
Back Extension/Supermans (3 sets of 15 reps)
Lunges (3 sets of 10 reps per leg)
Planks (10-30 sec.)
Side Planks (10-30 sec.)
Crunches (50 reps)
Bicycle Crunches (50 reps)
Single-leg Toe Touch (20 reps each leg)
Hip Rotations (3 sets of 10 reps each side. Foot flexed, knee at 90°)

You may have to search for these exercises on the Internet for proper form and execution – I know I did. YouTube is a good place to start.

Diet Challenge:

Don’t eat any foods with processed sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

Sorry but Easter may lose its luster this year.

With that said, I will post as frequently as I can between getting the magazines out to you guys and other obligations. Now, let’s get to work!
 
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Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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Good luck guys. Let me tell you that you can do it. I am 72 years old. I played college football at a major west coast university where I was a linebacker. Big is better ....right. Sure when you are young, but as you get older big gets bigger, you get the picture. At one time I was 330 @ 6' tall. I now weigh 240, up from a low of 230 2years ago.

I started working out 5 days a week at a local gym and dropped 60# in a year. No special diet, just portion control. I had surgery on my rt ankle 5 weeks ago and just got the Dr approval to go back to the gym this week.....it's been tough after 4 months off. The Dr says I need a replacement ankle. I am going to see if I can get below 200 for the first time since I got out of basic training 50 years ago. I am hoping the weight loss will help the ankle.

Keep everyone up to date on your progress and i'll do the same.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Feb 3, 2014
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Good luck guys. Let me tell you that you can do it. I am 72 years old. I played college football at a major west coast university where I was a linebacker. Big is better ....right. Sure when you are young, but as you get older big gets bigger, you get the picture. At one time I was 330 @ 6' tall. I now weigh 240, up from a low of 230 2years ago.

I started working out 5 days a week at a local gym and dropped 60# in a year. No special diet, just portion control. I had surgery on my rt ankle 5 weeks ago and just got the Dr approval to go back to the gym this week.....it's been tough after 4 months off. The Dr says I need a replacement ankle. I am going to see if I can get below 200 for the first time since I got out of basic training 50 years ago. I am hoping the weight loss will help the ankle.

Keep everyone up to date on your progress and i'll do the same.
Good stuff CC, thanks!
 

Fink

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Apr 7, 2011
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West Side, MoMo
Good luck guys. Working out is always much more fun when competing against/working with friends.

I think it's about time for me to get back into fighting shape for this fall.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Feb 3, 2014
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Good luck guys. Working out is always much more fun when competing against/working with friends.

I think it's about time for me to get back into fighting shape for this fall.
We would love to have you post your progress here. We want people to get involved and keep us posted!
 

Ikeepitcold

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Feb 22, 2011
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By the way I did not win the $300 at our challenge. A 19 year old kid that works for me won. He lost 18% to my 16%. Dang young kids can loose weight like no other.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Feb 3, 2014
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By the way I did not win the $300 at our challenge. A 19 year old kid that works for me won. He lost 18% to my 16%. Dang young kids can loose weight like no other.
Can be frustrating. We are talking about hosting our own 5k for this, anyone in the region interested in running?
 

Againstthewind

Very Active Member
Mar 25, 2014
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Upton, WY
This is a good idea. I have been trying unsuccessfully for a couple of years to trim down. This could be some motivation to get going. I will be following along. My 78 years old grandpa was a little frustrated with how out of shape I was last year hunting. He is part mountain goat, so I have never been able to keep up with him. This year though, maybe.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Glad you will be following along! We really hope that with our four body types and unique goals and challenges we should be able to help a lot of Hunters!
 

25contender

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Mar 20, 2013
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Good going guys!! Motivation is the key and lucky you have each other to push you. When I tuned 50 almost 3 years ago I felt the worst I had in years. I put on 25lbs had Moderate Hypertension and a few other assorted things due to the above. At that time I made a concerted effort to make a change. i changed the way I ate had a few medical issues addressed and started working out three days a week. In fact this morning I had my yearly physical and everything just like last summer checked out just fine. My blood pressure has come down from a very high 3 years ago to almost perfect now. I have lost that 25 lbs and I am within my high school weight.I cant tell you how good I feel. So if I can do it I know anyone else can. go for it and dont look at the process but look at the goal and the light at the end of the tunnel!! Mark
 
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jjenness

Very Active Member
Sep 30, 2011
666
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Lewistown, MT
Count me in. I started to work out like crazy for a New Years resolution, and once I lost 20lbs I kind of fell off the band wagon and haven't done squat the past month and have put probably half that back on. I think I will be on the Turvey team based on our similarities. I am 31, weight 210, height 5 ft 11 in, body fat(um way to much), married with 3 children. During my time in the army I hurt my back while deployed and spent a little bit of time not being able to move my legs, so with nagging back problems working out comes at a price. I consulted with a neuro-surgeon just after the first of the year and he said to go ahead and do whatever I could handle as far as working out, so now it is all up to me to get it done. My wife signed us up for the annual 5k ice breaker on April 27th so I guess I better get going. End goal is to be able to continue to back country hunt as pain free as possible.
 

Hilltop

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Feb 25, 2014
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Eastern Nebraska
Count me in the team Turvey also... I'm 6'2" and 260 pounds. Ex college baseball player, 38 years old, blah blah.... basically really out of shape. My motivation is my family and my elk hunt this fall. I was 195 pounds at my peak physical condition. I know that is unrealistic by this fall so I have my goal set at 220 pounds by September 1st. This means I need to lose about 2 pounds a week between now and then.

Any help you guys can provide for someone that sits in an office all day will be greatly appreciated!
 

D.Turvey Jr

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Feb 11, 2014
171
1
Powell, WY
Count me in. I started to work out like crazy for a New Years resolution, and once I lost 20lbs I kind of fell off the band wagon and haven't done squat the past month and have put probably half that back on. I think I will be on the Turvey team based on our similarities. I am 31, weight 210, height 5 ft 11 in, body fat(um way to much), married with 3 children. During my time in the army I hurt my back while deployed and spent a little bit of time not being able to move my legs, so with nagging back problems working out comes at a price. I consulted with a neuro-surgeon just after the first of the year and he said to go ahead and do whatever I could handle as far as working out, so now it is all up to me to get it done. My wife signed us up for the annual 5k ice breaker on April 27th so I guess I better get going. End goal is to be able to continue to back country hunt as pain free as possible.
Old injuries suck! Just do what you can to your limit and that's it. Don't risk re-injuring as your whole fall could be in jeopardy. I know I am going to reignite a few old injuries during this process and I am not looking forward to it. For example, when doing push-ups I have to go to my knees because the pressure on my reconstructed shoulder is to much. So to make up for the less stressful style, I do more reps. Simple solutions and not cutting corners.
 

D.Turvey Jr

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Feb 11, 2014
171
1
Powell, WY
Count me in the team Turvey also... I'm 6'2" and 260 pounds. Ex college baseball player, 38 years old, blah blah.... basically really out of shape. My motivation is my family and my elk hunt this fall. I was 195 pounds at my peak physical condition. I know that is unrealistic by this fall so I have my goal set at 220 pounds by September 1st. This means I need to lose about 2 pounds a week between now and then.

Any help you guys can provide for someone that sits in an office all day will be greatly appreciated!
Welcome to the team! Just remember, don't do to much at once. Small steps as trivial as they are will add up in the end. I am at this desk over 40 hours a week, I feel your pain there. It's hard to get home and find the motivation to workout when you have kids tugging on your legs, so start small. Do a few sets of push-ups or crunches and build on that.
 

D.Turvey Jr

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Feb 11, 2014
171
1
Powell, WY
Apparently "Team Turvey" is building a little momentum here. I've got a veteran soldier and former college athlete so far. Ike, Brandon and Scott better watch out ;)

If any of you find the time later this summer, I'd love to see you all at the 5k, wherever we find one. If we get enough interest, it might be worth exploring doing our own Eastmans' 5k with a bunch of dedicated western hunters – how fun does that sound?
 

Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,796
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Eastern Nebraska
Apparently "Team Turvey" is building a little momentum here. I've got a veteran soldier and former college athlete so far. Ike, Brandon and Scott better watch out ;)

If any of you find the time later this summer, I'd love to see you all at the 5k, wherever we find one. If we get enough interest, it might be worth exploring doing our own Eastmans' 5k with a bunch of dedicated western hunters – how fun does that sound?
I am going to be in the Laramie area on the 4th of July using that free fishing permit that the state graciously gives out with an elk permit. Maybe if the 5K is close to the 4th, I could make it? Keep us posted...