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Quote:

Originally Posted by 7.62NATO (Post 3549120)

Regardless, I really, really want to get in better shape. For my familiy's sake, if nothing else.

Well, for starters and a tip to everyone, including ol' 7.62NATO...

...You have to change the way you talk to yourself.

"I really, really want to get in better shape."

Most all of us "want" to get in shape!... but WILL we?

It should be said:

"I really, really WILL get in better shape."

We all "want to", "like to", "should", "might", etc, etc, but when you say "Will", then it changes the whole meaning completely and actually now requires ACTION to produce results!

iSnipe

How 'bout "I AM getting in better shape"? LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLBandit (Post 3549115)

I'm in terrible shape. I got serious about cycling about 4 years ago and lost 45 lbs. Unfortunately, since then I've gained back 60. I have lots of excuses, some valid (Back pain and shoulder replacement) but most just being lazy. I'm determined during the off-season to lose at least 30 lbs. Just being out walking in the woods doesn't really bother me and I can go pretty far. However, add a climbing tree stand, a rifle, and the rest of the gear I need and I'm about to die! I have a new bike now, and I've also started walking with my wife every day. I need to get the routine started and stick with it. I'm 49 and should really be in better shape than I am.

FlBandit,

At least you're being honest, the first step to recovery is realizing you have a problem, and admitting it. Glad to hear you are taking steps to improve your life:happy0001:

Best of Luck
Jeff

I'm 35 years old so I'm still fairly young but I'm not a spring chicken anymore. I just decided enough was enough and after 10+ years of procrastination and a lack of motivation, got off my arse and started to do something about it.

And its tough, sometimes. You kinda get the feeling that you're 'too out of shape to do the things you need to do to get into shape'

I spend alot of time during the day on other forum communities including ones dedicated to health and fitness and one thing that is critically important to realize is that diet plays a massive role in fitness and specifically weight loss. Meaning, the idea that you're over weight and a little older and can't easily go run or lift weights doesn't mean you cannot lose weight. In fact, it doesn't matter much at all. There are certainly significant benefits to those activites and they absolutely will enhance and encourage weight loss but they are not essential......watching you calorie intake is.

As I said before, its not essential to be in shape to participate in hunting but it sure helps and it will enhance your experience.

A quick story: My dad is overweight and out of shape. He's actually been a negative influence on me but ultimately, I am responsible for my own issues. Anyhow, he went on a mule deer hunt in Jackson Hole WY probably 20 years ago and one of the guides video taped the hunt. It was funny at the time but in reality, a little sad now that I think about it. At the time, Earl was in his late 40s, not the 64 he is today.

They are high up on a mountain side and in the distance, up the side of another mountain about 400ish yds away you can see a group of mulies and barely make out two really nice trophy bucks. You can hear the guide whispering instructions (wait for him to give you a shot...the bigger of the two is the buck in the front, etc) and you can hear Earl gasping for breath....because he's terribly out of shape.

As I've mentioned before, I'm still pretty athletic and active despite being overweight even before I started working on it in August. Even so, being forced to limit my hunting to sitting in a blind isn't any fun. If that is what you enjoy, great, but to not have an option is the bad part. And even then, you'll still occasionally need to follow a blood trail and at the very least, field dress an animal and get it into the truck.

This isn't a fitness forum and I doubt people enjoy being preached to. I'm not trying to do that and besides, as long as I did nothing about it for myself, I'd be a hypocrit for doing so. No, where I'm coming from is saying its not some complex process to turn things around and it would beneficial and enhance your hunting experience to do so. Just consider putting a little work into it and use it as another motivator to push that second helping of supper away or get out to walk/run/lift...."Hey, this is going to make hunting better too!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horacio (Post 3549696)

Watching your diet and your calorie intake will help you lose weight, obviously, but it will not get you into shape.....only an exerecise program will do that. There are a lot of thin people around who are in terrible shape. When I went through boot camp many years ago we had a guy from Connecticut who was in the worse shape I've ever seen and he was of medium build....probably about 5' 10" and around 160 pounds or so. This guy could not do one push-up and flunked running in place!!! When we got to boot camp they did a physical fitness test on everyone... It was very easy....you had to be able to do 20 push-ups, 4 pull-ups, 25 sit-ups, and you had to run in place for 3-minutes. They tested your jumping ability also, but I don't recall how far you had to jump (standing broadjump). They gave this guy a general discharge and sent him home.

For me, I have to find something I enjoy for exercise. I can't just run like a lot of people do. I hate it. So, I try to find something I like doing (like basketball, although I'm getting to old to play much anymore). Anything is better than nothing when it comes to exercise. They key is to keep moving......

I like to ride my mountain bike in the off season and this helps tremendously. I usually ride 600 or so miles through the summer on mostly hills. Another thing I do is push mow my 1/2 acre lawn, sometimes twice a week and I bust my butt to get it done. My neighbors all have riding mowers and they think I'm crazy. Along with raising a garden and my full time job, that keeps me on my feet and active most of the time. I just turned 57 and I'm starting to feel some joint pain in my elbow. This just drives me to work harder. I figure if you don't use it, you'll lose it. I'm not ready to give up bowhunting or any kind of hunting for at least 30 more years. Wishful thinking, maybe but I won't know unless I'm still around to find out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tatonka (Post 3549724)

This guy could not do one push-up and flunked running in place!!!

We had a guy like that when I was in boot camp...except he was 5'9" and maybe 120! The drill seargeants stayed on his ass constantly, dropped him for whatever pushups he could manage whenever he looked sideways, loaded his plate with food everytime he went into the mess hall, and stood over him and made him eat it all.

By the time we finished basic, he was able to complete the physical challenge, and knocked out 30 pushups! And that was in just 6 weeks!:barmy:

Point is, it can be done, although sometimes it might take a personal trainer for some folks!

Best of Luck,
Jeff

Quote:

Originally Posted by WVCritter (Post 3549734)

I do the same thing with the lawn... When my rider died on me a couple of years ago I replaced it with a push mower. I have about 1.5 acres that I mow, so it's somewhat of a workout.

I can't say as I noticed much of a difference in my body until I hit 55 or so. Prior to that I can't say as I felt any different at 45 from when I was 25 or 30, but in my younger days I played a lot of sports....lots of basketball, baseball, etc... These days I hunt differently than I did when I was younger to compensate for my age and not being in as good a shape as I should be. I hunt slower (probably a good thing), I don't tackle 8,000 foot mountains anymore, etc. I try to use my brain more than my feet to find deer.....something I should have done years ago. :bash:

Quote:

Originally Posted by tatonka (Post 3549724)

I read you but for many people, shedding excess fat is the first step to getting there and provides the motivation for working on increasing attributes like strength, endurance and flexability. To the person eating unhealthy and doing nothing, the most important thing is to adjust diet. Being 6'/160# and weak/out of shape is more than likely preferrable to being 6'/260# and weak/out of shape.

Personally, I need the lifting and cardio but if I simply lost weight and gained nothing else, I would be able to do more. I need it for other reasons, personal reasons....motivational reasons and I like attacking problems from both directions.

Horacio, Im sure youve heard about cutting carbs,its nothing new, but it really seems to help me. I usually gain about 5-10lbs during hunting season, and the holidays, so im dieting right now myself. I dont believe in cutting carbs completely, but I try to cut out what are called "fast empying carbs" like white bread, white rice, white potatos, and especially sugary foods and drinks, which includes fruit juice. These carbs supposedly get stored as fat, if not burned off within a couple hours, they also enter your bloodsteam quickly, which produces high levels of insulin, and puts you at a higher risk of diabetes.

What Im doing is cutting out the fast emptying carbs, and replacing them w/ things like beans, nuts, fruit, and plain all natural yogurt. At the same time I increase my protien and fiber intake, and load up on green leaffy veggies. Works for me. I still tend to over eat, but I still always drop the unwanted pounds by dropping the "fast emptying carbs". Oh and not skipping breakfast helps to IMO.