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  1. #21

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    I hiked a small section of the AT a few months ago. I have arthritis in my left knee, I'm 5'4 and then I weighed 240. I suggest good hiking poles with the anti-shock, they will take ALOT of pressure off of your knees. I just bought Black Diamond Women's Hiking Poles with the anti-shock, but I haven't had a chance to use them. On the AT, I used a pair of $20 poles I got at Walmart, lol. (I was still new at hiking, I didnt want to invest alot of $ into it just yet). The way I look at it is this, if you love to walk, love the outdoors and want to walk the AT, go for it! Who cares what you weigh? I bought some aleve, a tube of ben gay for my ailments and had a great time!

  2. #22
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    I'm doing a long section 250+ miles in a few days. I'm 50 pounds overweight. I was 100 pounds over but over the last 4 years have lost that very slowly, mostly by walking. You can do it!

  3. #23

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    Years ago I backpacked with someone about 5 foot nothing, and 220 lbs. She was pretty slow, but made it ok

    You just need to give yourself extra time, not care if you hike a bit slower, and to take a couple days off if you get soreness or just plain burnt out.
    Keep up the mental toughness early and you'll be flyin' later in the hike and on future hikes

    And if you get an overuse type temporary injury, no big deal... give it time and pick up where you left off

  4. #24
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Therapy View Post
    I have been overweight my whole life, but still fairly active. I'm currently 49, 5'5" and 225 lbs. I've been working really hard to condition for my first hike in May (only lodge to lodge) but in this process, have found I'm falling in love with hiking and am dreaming of doing a thru hike with a friend. My knees bother me on and off. I know I should lose weight and am still trying, but despite my life long attempts just can't seem to get much lower. I'm wondering if there have been any female hikers out there that are overweight who have hiked the AT? Any insights, comments, thoughts.......? Honest thoughts appreciated!
    I'm sure you'll find lots of company on the trail.
    First things first.
    Get rid of 100 pounds.
    I lost 50 pounds once, down to 130 pounds. I'm 5'-8". But it all came back.
    About 3-4 years ago I lost 45 pounds, down to 145 pounds and I'm keeping it off.
    You can do it.
    A few things I did:
    Walk to/from the grocery store.
    Lived mostly on Cheerios, plain yogurt, honey and bananas.
    Cooking-steamed veggies, potatoes with yogurt, no butter.
    Stopped using white sugar. I buy agave nectar in bulk and only use 1 teaspoon in a cup of coffee or bowl of oatmeal.
    Walk. Walk. Walk.
    Good luck.

    Wayne
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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  5. #25

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    40+ years of failed eat less & exercise experiments tell us that it doesn't work!

    Weight gain/loss is mainly hormonal. You need to control the fat storage hormone, insulin. So it is mainly a dietary problem involving eating too many foods that spike your insulin.

    Read "The Obesity Code" by Jason Fung.

  6. #26
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    I'm planning a section hike in September. I'm 59, not thin by any means. I may die on the trail, but you don't know what you can do unless you try. I'm healthy and do a lot of day hiking, but the ice cream - my nemesis, gets me every time. You can still be overweight and active. My hope is to do a hike- thru when I retire in 6 yrs but until then, I'm going to hike whenever I can. I'd love to get a group of women together to start doing section hikes with. At or near my age group.
    Don't let your weight keep you from doing what you want to do. It may take longer for us, but it's the journey that counts.


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  7. #27
    Registered User Day2DayTripper's Avatar
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    trobichau, I'm looking for a partner to do a section in late May / early June in NC. I'm 54, and would like to do Hot Springs north for 5-ish days. I did some of the AT in GA last year, and would love to do this section in '17. Waddya' say?

  8. #28
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    I am a newbie to hiking, but do a good bit of flatlander walking.. i, too struggled with weight all of my life. I am down right now, but notice that i am creeping up again.. i plan to do my first section hike sometime this year, life permitting.. i've had my left knee scoped twice, so probably am looking at a replacement if it keeps giving me trouble.. i have a lot of hiking plans on my bucket list ( AT, the Camino). I try to drink 2 teaspoons raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in water with 2 teaspoons of honey every day.. you get used to the taste and actually crave it after a while.. i love coffee and tea and find that the ACV mixes well in a tea. I notice that my craving for soda is noticeably less when i am consistent with the ACV ( i am addicted to diet coke) . I agree with the other posters, go slow, use poles, stay hydrated, keep high protein snacks handy, and stop and camp early if you need to.. a good many accidents happen because the trekker was overtired. Bring some ACE wrap or a couple knee supports to have if you need them


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  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Day2DayTripper View Post
    trobichau, I'm looking for a partner to do a section in late May / early June in NC. I'm 54, and would like to do Hot Springs north for 5-ish days. I did some of the AT in GA last year, and would love to do this section in '17. Waddya' say?
    I am not able to take off from my job in may, but it sounds great! .


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  10. #30
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    First of all, I am loving the guy that post in a women's section of the forums about just eat less and work out. It is not that easy. No offense, but you are not female. And the female body doesn't just work that way. Though, ALSO kudos to the guys that recognized there are women of size out there hiking along with the rest of them. It's nice to know that

    In prep for all of my hiking, I went to a weight loss specialist- not a regular doctor. My regular doctor was clueless- he was another eat less and walk fatty kind of guy. My WL Dr. suggested some blood work to make sure that my Thyroid and Blood Sugar were in check. Then we started with a light regiment of medications that started to get my body back in order. One condition you may have is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) It effected by hormones and my menstrual cycles, as well as my metabolism. Once I got on metformin things started working out for me.

    Yes, you will lose weight if you hike the trail. Is it better to work out before, well yeah, but if you are in a place where you have the time and the finances to start the AT now, then why not?

    And if you feel like hiking near PA, send me a private message and maybe we can meet up. ;-)

    ~Pamela

    “Not all those who wander are lost.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of the Ring"

  11. #31
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    Thank you for this thread. I'm also an overweight female and tore up my body playing softball for years. The inflamed achilles tendon made me put away the softball gear so I am looking for something else to fill the softball void. I'm going to start hiking on the local trails here in San Diego and hoping that will help me lose some weight. doc keeps saying slim down and the achilles will heal but it's hard when it flares up and makes walking hard. I'm just going to do it and start slowly. It was nice reading this thread and see the struggle is real and I am not alone.

  12. #32
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    I haven't chimed in - in over a year...
    I had an fantastic hike last June - over 200 miles! I know it was better because of the weight loss... OMG, Weight loss is hard work! Thank goodness, I had surgery; however, since the surgery, I have had to spend a crap ton of time making life changes... seeing the doctor/nutritionalist once a month for two years (discourage anyone you know from this surgery if the office doesn't do at LEAST six months of pre-surgery counseling and at LEAST two years of post-surgery counseling).

    If you aren't there yet, go back to your doctor/nutritionalist/PA/NPT, etc. It is SO WORTH IT~!!!

  13. #33
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    As a female I can say that eating responsibly and being more active is how I lost and kept off 45 lbs.

  14. #34
    Registered User Chillfactor's Avatar
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    You sound positive and motivated. Try increasing your pack weight on you walks. You'll probably lose weight on the trail because you won't want to carry lots of food. Hiking is more fun when your weight is lower because it makes things easier. You'll get in shape in a month's time on the trail and should feel great even if don't lose weight. Don't carry anything that is absolutely unecessary and you'll eliminate weight that way.

  15. #35

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    I am not a female, but I am a fitness consultant. Two knee replacements, three types of cancer, and numerous other joint surgeries provides a unique perspective. For those in this situation I would recommend a combination of strength training and cardiovascular workouts. Six minutes of cardiovascular training followed by supersets on weights and continued this rotation provides the best of both strength, endurance, and weight loss. While doing the super sets on the weights your heart is still working hard to recover from the cardiovascular workout. This increases metabolism, weight loss, and blood flow. If you would like additional information, PM me and I can add more specifics.

  16. #36

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    I can't believe I didn't see this last year! Our stats are almost identical! If you're still checking and reading and hiking, huzzah for you! My advice is to just get out there and do it. Screw all the "oh, here's how I lost weight blah, blah, blah." That's not the question you asked! I'm a dead slow hiker and always have been. Get the best boots you can afford (you're feet are the most important part of the hike!) and just take the hike one step at a time. The weight will or will not come off but you WILL enjoy it if you do it at your pace and not some arbitrary must hit pace

  17. #37
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    I have been waiting for a thread like this forever!! I am also a morbidly obese woman hiker. I have only done the PMT and the Approach Trail so far, just some weekend shake downs, and it will likely be all I can do for many years due to family obligations and money/work needs... but one day.... the AT. I am about 5'8" and 260. An Uber Amazon, if you will. Don't care. At all. I have been to the doctor several times and they keep testing me for diabetes because it just confounds them that a big fat lady isn't diabetic, and doesn't have high blood pressure, and has no real issues at all.

    Now I do have arthritis in my family. My dad and 2 of my aunts have already had knee replacements and I creak and snap and crack like Rice Krispies when I walk up and down stairs and or get up from sitting. Some times I get an ache in my left knee, but it isn't horrible and a shift in body position usually stops it. I have every reason to believe I will end up with bionic knees one day too.... but not today! When I hike, those downhills are simultaneously blissful and cringe-worthy, because the hill/mountain climbs are comically slow and breath-taking for me. I swear I have to stop ever 10 steps to simply breathe! I must be the slowest hiker in life. All that and ... I don't care.

    I absolutely LOVE being out in the woods and walking or climbing up mountains, hard as it is. There is just something more rewarding about doing something truly hard for yourself. It just feels so much better when you top that mountain when it took all you had to do it.

    My advice... from someone in your same boat... Let NOTHING stop you. Let anything that will save your body and health adjust your plans, your progress, but let absolutely nothing STOP you.

    I wish you were in Georgia. I would love to do a day hike with you!
    " Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt. "

  18. #38
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    Awesome! Simply awesome.

  19. #39
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    @Lnj - Loving your post. Wish you were here in San Diego.

  20. #40
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    Thanks Naysjp! I have been looking for a lady hiking partner for quite a while so I think I will look into that "Dames" club. It's great to know I am not the only hefty lady out there heaving and gasping up the mountainsides and loving every minute of it! Or at least the minute at the top .

    My husband is retired Army and he is the one that really turned me on to hiking a couple of years ago. Since then, with a back torn up by jumping out of airplanes, he has had at least 2 back surgeries and that has really limited his ability to go with me. Apparently, this hiking thing we did that one time wasn't really suppose to "take" with me, as he does like it, but not even close to as much as I do, so he pretty much just tolerates it for my benefit most of the time. He won't hear of me ever going alone, so that leaves me looking for someone to hike with around home.

    I said all that to say this... Army dude is constantly under-estimating my will and joy at getting it done. We are both really heavy, almost the same size in fact. He has been steadily proven wrong. Yes, it often takes longer than we planned. Yes, we have had to night hike a time or two because we didn't make it to camp before dark. Yes, we had to set up in the rain and in the dark. OH Yeah, it has HURT!! Yes, I have been scared I couldn't go on any farther (PMT). BUT..... I always did anyway. I was so relieved to see our truck at the end of the PMT I cried, I mean sobbed, like a toddler, as soon as I saw it!! And now I want to go do it again!
    " Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt. "

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