To gain or not to gain - post hike weight reality

[@Jo-AnnCraze]

I look forward to your vlogs Great content Thank you!

[@chasingblazes2022]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@jeffanderson2759]

If I remember, you were having dietary problems at the end, and losing muscle. Use the old Boy Scout pace when starting out running, walk 50, run 50, etc. the first couple of days Increase accordingly. You won't have shin splints. I did this in 1983 when I started running. In less than a month, I was running 3 miles in the am, and 3 miles in the pm. Completing my 3's in 18 mins. At one point, I did a mile in 5:10. However, since then, I can't run anymore due my knees. NO CARTILAGE!!! Bone on Bone. Oh well, those were the days.... we thought they'd never end......

[@chasingblazes2022]

Great point! I agree. I'm taking it slow and yes I did have issues with my body burning muscle to keep me going. I'm currently only running a couple days each week and walking 3-5 miles per day. It's good enough for now and I need to stop eating EVERYTHING in sight ha ha ha. Congrats on the 5:10 mile...DAMN!

[@jeffanderson2759]

@@chasingblazes2022 I made a bet with a good friend at the time I could run a six-minute mile. He bet me I couldn't run a five-minute mile. After 30 days of "training", I went up to him and said, "Give me your damn watch!" (It had a timer) I ran a mile in 5:15. The next night, I did 5:10. I won the bet. I had lost 14 lbs. during training. The prize was a gallon of Cookies and Cream Blue Bell ice cream. LOL!!!

[@HubbardsJourney]

I'm with you!!!! You are amazing!!! Keep trucking :)

[@chasingblazes2022]

Ha ha you know it!! Gotta keep getting 10,000 steps every day!!

[@flowerpower1980]

Thanks so much for sharing this. I feel like it’s something everyone wants to know about and realize every thru hikers experience is different. As more than a middle aged section hiker, I feel like I come home after every smaller section 3 lbs heavier. 😂🤷‍♀️🥾

[@chasingblazes2022]

Glad you enjoyed it! I know it's a struggle for many hikers - section and thru. I though it could be helpful to share my own experience and how things are going 3+ months later.

[@lisahoffman8801]

You have the best exercise partner!!! Katahdin is beautiful!!!!

[@chasingblazes2022]

I think so too! Thank you!

[@jeffanderson2759]

You'se got lucky. I found a SOBO on the trail in northern NC. It snowed the other night while she, Summit Sam, was on the trail.

[@chasingblazes2022]

Yikes!!! Snow is coming!!

[@tomellis3218]

I so enjoy your vlogs, you are so humble & open about your subject . You look very fit to my eyes & I me that respectfully. I’m 71 & aches and pains or something I’m having to get used to don’t like it but they’re going to be with me so I like your comment you can sit around and hurt and be in pain or you can get up and move around still be in pain the ladder is better. I would appreciate your thoughts on how much time to allow yourself on the At to complete it. I see some people doing it in four months or or six. And I see some people starting in mid February and other starting in late March or April who are NoBos. What’s your feeling? ❤😊

[@sheilahenry7279]

Following for answer

[@Jo-AnnCraze]

Following

[@chasingblazes2022]

Thank you so much. I choose to be transparent about my entire experience...really everything, because if it can help anyone...even just one person then I'm happy about that. I originally wanted to complete my thru hike in 4 months. On day #1, I realized that wasn't an option. I learned fast that I needed to listen to my body and rest when I needed to rest. Although, I will also add that I still pushed myself through a lot of pain. I started on 2/14 - so mid February and I did that knowing there would be fewer hikers and more cold. I am very happy with when I started and it took me 154 days including my zeros. I wanted to get home and that was something that pushed me to move on days when I would have possibly wanted to chill. I also didn't want to lose my tramily. That was important to me. I believe there are several considerations to take into account when determining how much time to allow for a thru hike. 1) your physical condition...do you do any hiking/running training or are you jumping from the couch to the trail 2) how much time do you have...are you returning to a job or is that open ended 3) do you want to be around lots of people or fewer people 4) how will you manage cold weather These are just a few considerations and I highly recommend you do extensive research on EVERYTHING. It's overwhelming for sure and there's NOT a one size fits all list of gear or stuff. We are all so different and what worked for me may or may not work for you. I recommend watching multiple thru hike vlogs to determine what appeals to you from every aspect. I even took notes when I did that. Don't forget mental prep. HUGE - Appalachian Trials and Pushing North are two books that are a must read. Then buy and test all your gear, or as much of it as you are able. Please reach out if you have any additional questions and I hope this answered you and the others.

[@jamesbonner5989]

I read an article from a Dr, he said as we age things hurt that he can't help with and if we want to continue doing the things we love, how much pain tolerance do you have. Keep doing what you enjoy.

[@chasingblazes2022]

Yep - Gotta keep pushing forward right!?!?

[@colleenhikes]

Im 5'2, was in the 160's when I started. 10 of that i gained right before trail. Lost 50 lbs on trail. When done I gained it all back plus 10 lbs. Back down to pretrail weight but have been trying to lose it in the 2yrs since... the struggle is real lol.

[@chasingblazes2022]

Ah yes the struggle is definitely real my friend! Hang in there!!

[@barondavis5692]

Running puts a lot of wear and tear on the body. Walking with a weighted pack, not so much.

[@chasingblazes2022]

I hear ya!

[@RobertKuchta-d7r]

and you love to cook too, which you didn't have a chance to do while on the AT. think about the length of time it takes to heal your body, so don't push yourself too hard when you are hurting while excercising. Modify your routine from day to day, to alternate the strain on certain muscles groups. The body needs to rest in order to heal. You are still young and you don't want to do damage which might keep you from doing the activities that you really love... like walking

[@chasingblazes2022]

I do LOVE to cook (and eat) ha ha ha. You're right! Thank you!!

[@walterweinstein1612]

Hey there FRIZZLE ....... maybe you want to try hula-hooping with a weighted, 4 to 6.5 lb knobby hula-hoop made by Health Hoop - S. Korea ........ ten different design models ..... price about $65 ...... ten minutes/day hula hooping with a weighted hula-hoop, indoors or outside to music or while watching tv ....... strengthens the stomach abdominal muscles, lower back, and both hips and seems to keep the body weight down. I am age-72, 6'2"-tall, weight 200-lbs and use a 6.5-lb weighted hula-hoop just about every day for ten minutes with music and it helps with movement for walking, hiking, bicycling, pickelball, tennis, stand-up paddle boarding and swimming plus is fun to do. Is somewhat like hula-hooping with a motorcycle tire as a 6.5-lb knobby hula-hoop is much wider and heavier than the small, thin, light weight hula-hoops sold at Walmart. Hula-hula-hula ....... happy hula-hooping ...... no pain-no gain ....... and sometimes people will get a solid black and blue bruise ring of sore bruised skin all around their waist, at first, but this usually heals and disappears after the first month of hula-hooping. So, just keep on hula-hooping and don't be too concerned about black and blue bruises around the waist from the knobby hula-hoop. It will heal up and disappear over a month's time.

[@sheilahenry7279]

Lol I use to hoolahoop when I was young & several yrs ago, about 11, I bought a weighted one for exercise. I couldn’t do it at all! I felt so uncoordinated

[@chasingblazes2022]

Well maybe I will give that a try! Thanks for sharing this suggestion with everyone!!

[@robertdesrosiers4743]

kid in the candy store frizzle moderate

[@chasingblazes2022]

Ha ha easier said than done!