Need as much advice as possible!

[EvilCapitalist]

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds to this plea for help. I am a truck driver and have put on a significant amount of weight in 10 years on the road, but I am sick of it, and looking for a desperate solution. I have paid off my home and land and all bills and have an emergency fund in place. I am ready to do something drastic to lose this weight once and for all. I have always been overweight but this is ridiculous. I am going to quit my job and do hike from Springer north until I lose this weight. I am going to start in January, and I don't care how cold it gets or how much it snows or how steep the mountains are or how many there are. I don't want to spend a fortune, but I need the right gear. I don't care too much about food and I will just eat beef jerky or whatever the whole way. I just need to know what is the correct gear for the situation and where to get it at a reasonable price. Specifically - what is the correct winter clothing? What material should it be made out of and why? Please explain the concepts, so I will understand. How about summer clothing? What kind, where to buy and what materials and why. I was thinking of a bivy tent - something cheap and lightweight from Dick's SG. They also have a 0 degree bag that looks like I can fit in. Are these correct? I need to know about clothes basically, and is it ok to pitch a tent anywhere outside of the GSMNP? I have read everything on this website and have learned a lot ... Thanks ... but I need specifics and I don't want to spend a fortune. Please respond on this publicly, PM me, or e-mail me @ [email protected]. I will be most indebted to each and everyone of you who helps. This is just like alcoholism or drug abuse. The 1st step is to admit you need help and then do something about it. And I am. I don't care anymore. I don't want to have a stroke and kill someone's family on the road. I couldn't live with myself. Thanks, again.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I would suggest you start by reading these threads about reasonably priced gear:
$300 Challenge
New $300 Challenge
How to Dirtbag like a professional

[Dances with Mice]

I am ready to do something drastic to lose this weight once and for all.

Whoa stop wait. Save yourself money, time and misery: Go see your doctor and have him recommend either a fitness program or another doctor knowledgeable in weight loss. Tell them you want to include hiking as part of your exercise program. Start with day hikes, move on to overnights, do a week long hike. If backpacking is something you're intersted in you'll learn about gear as you gain experience and hang around this or other websites. If it's not your cup of tea then find another activity.

People can learn to swim by jumping into a pool but not by jumping into the middle of the Pacific ocean.

[SGT Rock]

EC, I think some of your questions are hard to answer, especially when it comes to stuff like clothing and sleeping bag which are vital for a January hike. One person can hike in January with a long shirt and pants and another will want parkas and heavy fleece. Each person handels the cold a little different. That said...

For clothing I would reccomend the following VERY specific cheap gear to get started:

Rain Gear - Frogg Toggs
Long Underwear - brown midweight Army Surplus Polypro
Insulation layer - Army Surpluss Field Jacket and Field Pants liners.
Pants - nylon zip off leg pants, any make.
Shirt - nylon short sleeve T shirt.
Underwear - go commando or get some microfiber shorts from wal-mart.
Socks - Thorlo light hikers.
Boots - you will have to work that out, you may already have a broken in pair of boots to use.
Gloves - light polypro liners and a warmer cover like thinsulate or something.
Hat - Watch cap style knit hat.
I would also add a scarf or something you can wrap around your face and neck when you want it.

For a bag, an REI Sub Kilo is supposed to be a good value.

[Ewker]

if you want a weight loss program that works go with Weight Watchers..it does work

[sasquatch2014]

Your head can explode with all the info on the posts. Sounds like you are used to driving my suggestion is after getting some basic info here drive to a real hiking camping orineted store, Someplace where the staff has used the gear in the elements not just the showroom floor and touch it and feel it and see what you like. Keep a list of it and then go and hunt it down you can get great deals on used equip on the boards and also new gear on the web.

[Freeleo]

you might lose the weight while hiking but if you are going back on the road afterwards you are going to put it back on faster than it came off so you need to incorporate exercise and a better diet period..which it seems you have decided to do

did you walk at all during your loading and unloading?
did you eat at truck stops or stock a fridge with an inverter?
when i drove a semi i did not eat at truckstops and took my food with me
but i only stayed out a week at a time

besides hiking i would highly reccomend swiming as well

i wish you all the best..you will need to make some drastic changes from the typical trucker diet and daily routine to keep the weight off

and you couldnt have picked a better wya to do it then hiking the AT

good luck and remeber it must continue on long after your time on the trail

[dessertrat]

If you have any past hiking experience, then this sounds like a fine way to do it, but please go to your doctor and get a physical before you start, so that you'll know that you are not likely to drop dead out there.

I would go lightweight if I were you. Go to a bookstore and get a couple of books, one a basic backpacking book, and the other a lightweight backpacking book. The Complete Walker IV by Colin Fletcher might be good, or the Backpacker's Handbook by Chris Townsend.

If you have no backpacking experience, let me ask you, honestly, why this way as a solution? It is bound to work, at least in the short term, but is it because you want to separate yourself from food that might tempt you, while forcing yourself to exercise? If you have an eating problem, then you should seek counseling for that. If you just "like to eat", and haven't exercised much, then this may be just the ticket, and if you can stick to it, will definitely give you a head start on a new healthier life.

Be PREPARED! It is cold in January. Take a solo tent to save on weight, but definitely have a good sleeping bag and plenty of polypro or wool layers to put on, including a good hat and good socks and gloves.

And I second the last line of Freeleo's post.

[jesse]

I second Dances with Mice.

How old are you, and how overweight are you. Both will be a factor in how you get yourself in shape.

I don't care too much about food and I will just eat beef jerky or whatever the whole way.

Food is going to be a huge part of any weight loss plan.
The trail is not a good place to get in shape. You will be much better off, getting on a weight loss plan, and gradually working yourself into shape, then planning a thru hike. This will also give you time to select the proper gear.
I would hate to see you start out doing too much too quick, and get hurt. If you blow-out a knee, it will set your weight loss plan back even further.

I am not a long distance hiker, but I have gone from being a couch potatoe, to semi good shape over the past 3 years.

[MOWGLI]

EC:

The vast majority of overweight folks who hike the trail either drop off of the trail, or complete the trail and go right back to being overweight. If you go to a hiker gathering, a lot of the guys who hiked in previous years look like anything but hikers. (Sorry guys. The truth hurts) An AT hike is a temporary fix. You need a lifestyle change.

I did hike some with a trucker in 2000 (Vegas) who made some major lifestyle changes. He wasn't overweight, but he did decide to go to college after he finished the trail. I found that inspiring.

Good luck! And start exercising today! Take a walk after dinner. And eat smaller portions.

[slowandlow]

Winter clothing should be made of synthetics or wool (most prefer synthetics) and cotton should be avoided as it does not dry fast and will quickly sap body heat from you. It is imperative that you either stay dry or have dry clothes to change into if you get sopping wet in the winter, or you risk hypothermia. You should dress in layers so that you can add or subtract clothes to adapt to the current temperature. You will probably find that not too much clothing is needed while you are actually hiking due to exertion. However, when you stop for a break or at the end of the day, you will need to put on more clothes to keep warm. Fatigue can also make you feel colder. Remember that is is usually much colder and windier at elevation than it is in the lowlands.
You will need a quality sleeping bag rated to approx. 0 degrees if you plan to start in January. I recommend you do not skimp in this department and buy the best down bag you can afford as this is your last line of defense against the cold.
Wool socks are highly regarded for their warmth and cushioning, and don't seem to cause blisters as bad as cotton socks.
For summer clothing shorts and a tshirt are mainly all that is needed, perhaps a light jacket for some cooler days.
Regarding food, you will probably find that you eat as much or more as you did while driving, but you are almost certain to lose weight due to the sheer amount of exertion.
Many books have been written on these subjects so it is hard to sum it up in a couple of paragraphs. If you are serious about doing this you should go to Mt. Rogers outfitters or Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap with a wad of cash and tell them what you want to do, and they will serve you well with good advice and sell you what you need without taking advantage of your inexperience. It will not be cheap, but it will be much cheaper than buying inferior products two or three times until you get what works.

[doggiebag]

With regards to the overall methodology, equipment, skill sets and support services to do a succesful thru-hike you have come to the right site. The more important aspect of your motivation to "do the trail" is IMHO the thousand dollar question. In my personal experience - this extreme solution to your current situation can work. "Doing the trail" is a lot deeper than just an extreme outdoor challenge. It can heal, it can also destroy. I HAD to do the trail - it was difficult. It also saved my life, just as much as it nearly killed me. A self imposed rehab or fat camp is possible on the trail. But you are also looking at quite possibly one of the toughest things that you may ever do in your life. The trail has kept me clean and I have no intentions of relapsing to my former self. To answer your question - it is possible to heal on the trail from whatever vice or lifestyle that you need abstinence. For every step forward you take - it's a reinforcement in your future life and the fact that you love yourself and those dear to you. It worked for me when other programs have failed. Extreme situations sometimes require drastic actions. It's the trail ... it's tough and there are no guarantees. God bless.

[slowandlow]

I agree with doggiebag, gear is not what gets you up the trail, commitment and perseverance do. But poor gear or technique can get you OFF the trail rather quickly.

[CoyoteWhips]

If you really wanna do something drastic, look into a raw vegan diet. Hard to be a fat raw vegan, no matter how much you eat.

That said, bunch of good threads on WB for winter camping. Read up, make a shopping list, do a few short trails to be sure you've got the hang of it, then set off. Enjoy your trek!

I'd also recommend reading the nutrition threads. Eating well will make a world of difference on the trail.

[Lellers]

I know how you feel about the weight. I'm about halfway to my goal of losing 90 pounds. I lost 40 several years ago, and kept that off, but never had the ooomph to finish up until the last month or so. I lost the first 40 with Weight Watchers, and I'm back on the program and losing again, with the hope that I can lose 50 pounds by May. (Actually 44 pounds, since I've lost 6 pounds since Thanksgiving.) I highly recommend WeightWatchers. With WW you'll learn about lifestyle changes. Since you can't realistically walk back and forth on the AT for the rest of your life (yes, I know some people are trying very hard to do that very thing!), it's best to find a way to lose the weight and keep it off while living out here in the paved world. Trust me, you can lose weight on the trail, but you'll find it again when you come off the trail and start eating on the road again.

[Roots]

First of all I want to give you kudos for wanting to change your life. That's just what it is-a life change. My husband and I weighed close to 300 lbs in May of this year. Now we are close to half that-give or take. It was not easy. We joined a gym, started eating healthy-organics and all naturals, and strapped on a pack. We train by putting on a full pack-around 25lbs-and go for day hikes. We also do backpack trips in between. Realizing it's time for a change is the 1st step. Doing it and sticking to it is the next. We have become so adjusted to a healthy lifestyle, we can't imagine going back to life before. Our first trip on the AT was a lot more than we bargained for. It was TOUGH!!! I'm glad we started that way, though. It made us a lot stronger and a lot more knowledgable to what we need to do, backpacking and as far as our bodies go. I suggest trying out the foothills trail or table rock or up here in Pisgah National forest, since you're not that far. The territory is very similar to the AT and thats where we do all of our training. Don't give up!! It's hard, I won't lie. BUT it is worth it. I promise, if we can do it, you can!! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[hopefulhiker]

I lost seventy pounds during my thru hike.. but I will tell you that it was not fun for about the first 400 miles until Damascus..

Since you are carrying extra weight anyway, like I was, It is really important to go as light a weight as possible..

Get a dehydrator and start dehydrating your own food, make your own oatmeal mixes up and you can try making your own beef jerky..

Listen to Sgt Rock, he helped me with my gear list in 05.


Also check out Baltimore Jacks article on ressuply..

Plus I would wait till Febuary anyway.. It will be warmer and it might be a litte wetter..

There is severe drought here in the south and you will probably have to carry about twice as much water as normal..

. I would look at used equipment..
homemade alcohol stove,
Henry Shires tarp tent or just take a tarp..
look at the sleeping bags from Campmor or get a used one here or on ebay..
Try to get a used pack that fits, check your torso link..
Popular ones are the ULA and the Granite Gear Vapor Trail..
Try to keep your weight around thirty pounds..
Good luck!

[weary]

EC:
.....Good luck! And start exercising today! Take a walk after dinner. And eat smaller portions.

All good advice. Though I've never been grossly overweight, I've routinely been 10 pounds over the weight at which I feel most healthy. And two years of steroids to counter inflamed arteries, plus a six week traveling vacation last spring and summer, pushed me 20 pounds over what I think of as ideal weight.

Anyway, starting last July I made a small effort to correct the situation. I didn't count any calories, read any books, join any plans, nor even stopped drinking my bottle of wine daily, (well I share at least a small glass with my wife). Most importantly I distinctly didn't spend any money on losing weight.

Rather I started using a small plate for meals, mostly stopped snacking between meals, concentrated on stuff that promised a lot of fiber, and resolved to walk at least a mile or the equivalent in exercise each day.

The results? I've never felt really hungry except lust before meals. But somehow I've lost 15 pounds. After another five, I hope to gradually work back towards a more normal meals, but I think I'll stick with using a smaller plate. -- eight inches in diameter, not 10 or 12.

Weary

[JAK]

Whatever diet and exercise you do is great, but like you I think a good long hike is the answer. Start with a good long walk once a week, somewhere scenic. Distance doesn't mater. Time matters. How soon you will be able to build up to 10 hours in a day depends on current weight and fitness. The thing about being overweight is that you won't need hills right away, so you can hike anywhere, as long as it isn't boring. Once you are up to 2 or 3 hours though you can do a weekend some place. Winter car camping is fun. If don't walk too far from the car to camp you can't get into too much trouble.

For winter clothing I use polypro or wool as a skin layer, but usually save it as sleeping clothes unless the weather turns bad. My primary layers are loose polyester fleece pants and a medium or heavy wool sweater. I carry an extra fleece top for over the sweater if its really cold. I hike in shorts over the pants even in winter. To control temperature and ventilation I carry cheap light nylon wind pants and wind jacket for wind and cold and light rain or snow, and a waterproof poncho tarp for heavy rain. Also a light pair of fleece gloves, and medium pair of course wool mitts, a medium wool hat, and some sort of insulate hood. 3 pairs of wool socks of various weights and perhaps 1 pair of polypro sock liners. Footwear depends alot on your weight. You may want boots, but you would have to choose them very carefully.

For sleeping the ground pad is very important. Being a truck driver you have a lot going for you because you are accustomed to stopping in the middle of nowhere when you are tired. I like your idea of using a bivy. Good place to start as you can put more weight wear it counts while keeping things simple. In winter I use a full sized 72"x28"x3/8" blue foam pad with a CF army surplus gortex bivy over that, and the poncho tarp simply pitched to keep most of the rain off or let me sit up and cook. I use a Kelly Kettle for making oatmeal, noodle, and lots of hot milk and tea mostly, adding raisins, honey, and almonds for more energy when I need it.

So start with some day hikes and some short winter weekend not too far from the car or truck campouts. It doesn't have to cost much to get started or keep going. The main thing I think is to be driven by the urge to hike and sleep outdoors, not my the neccessity of losing weight. That is just a bonus, but don't spoil it by counting you chickens before they hatch. Cheers.

[Appalachian Tater]

You didn't really said how overweight you are but you should talk to your physician and get medical clearance before starting heavy exercise like climbing mountains so you don't drop dead halfway up your first steep climb. You can lose a lot of weight on a hike but it is VERY easy to gain it back and more afterwards.