Re: [pct-l] Lose Weight on the Greg Child Plan!!

["Margo J. Chisholm" <margo@tothesummit.com>]

Although I see both sides - get lean before you go, gain before you go -
having made two attempts on Everest, it doesn't work for me to play with
my weight - up or down - before a big trip.  And it does work for me to
be as fit as I possible can before a trip. Granted, my background is
climbing not long distance hiking but I believe there are more than a
few similarities. I have the added pieces of being in recovery from an
eating disorder and dealing with menopausal weight gain. What I know
works for me is to train the best way I can, feed myself in as healthy a
way as I can, and just show up! I envy Greg - and many other climbers I
know - the inherent fitness to get in shape the first three weeks of his
Everest climbs. Simply not true for me. I know it's much less painful to
start a trip fit than to get fit at the start of a trip. So I'm
snowshoeing/hiking with a heavy pack (35 - 40 pounds now, increasing to
50 before I leave in the spring) as often as I can, right now 2 - 3
hours, 3 times a week, hopefully increasing as I move toward spring,
although between my professional life and planning/preparing food, not
sure how the time will work.

At any rate, that's my experience. I think the bottom line is we each
find what works best for us and then use that experience for the next trip.

I have paid close attention to the need for variety in food that a
number of people have talked about and am still very open to hearing
specific ideas from people that are beyond the normal, average kinds of
things that almost everyone eats. Who's got some novel ideas?

I wish you all a sweet day.

Namaste, PCTCoach

HikerQs@aol.com wrote:
> 
> My buddy Brad was interviewing Aussie Alpinist Greg Child before another
> Everest attempt. Child looked to be a bit pudgy before such a grand
> undertaking, and Brad questioned the very experienced mountaineer about this.
> In typical Child fashion, he replied, "[Forget] that, if you can't get in
> shape in the first three weeks [of Everest], you're not gonna get in shape."
> 
> I agree with Child and disagree with y'all. For me (!), the only physical
> training I performed before thru-hikes of the AT and PCT was *putting on
> weight*. Before both hikes, I weighed in at 190, much heavier than I'd ever
> been before (I bottomed out at 150-155 on the AT). I planned on taking it
> relatively easy in the early weeks of both hikes (the ONLY thing that gets you
> in shape for backpacking--IMHO--is backpacking). The extra fat on me was also
> extra food. You can carry your food in the pack, or distributed on your body
> (we humans, like many mammals, store fat for emergency use). I like the
> latter. I didn't have any problem losing the weight, but my killer appetite
> didn't kick in until a month or so into the hike. That helped, I thought
> (unfortunately, said appetite on the PCT kicked in in the middle of the
> Sierras, and I found myself quite short of food, but that's another story). It
> prob'ly helps to be in pretty good shape, and a good grasp of backpacking
> definitely helps (blisters can be reduced by wearing good boots that fit), but
> worrying about being too fat for a 4-6 month backpacking odyssey seems a
> smidge foolish. There are plenty of other things to worry about, I think.
> 
> Now. This plan worked well for me. It may not work as well for others. It may
> not work as well for women (myself not being a woman, now or ever). So you may
> wish to take what I've e-mailed with as much a salt as you like. But that's
> what did it for me.
> 
> Getting "in shape" for another long walk,
> Former Attorney General Ed Meese
> 
> In a message dated 98-12-16 09:09:49 EST, you write:
> 
> << I wish that in '97 instead of being satisfied with being heavy at the start
>  of our hike I had lost weight instead.  Each of your comments about weight
>  hit the mark.  Being lighter weight to begin will certainly help not getting
>  as many blisters and sore muscles.  Since your comments are so relevant and
>  important I am listing them again:
> 
>  >I would feel better starting my thruhike in April.(I feel lighter,it is
>  easier on the joints and tendons, I take the heat better, and proportion -
>  ately get more oxygen to my muscles without having to carry and feed extra
>  fat ).  I am trying to be scrupulous about every ounce I put into my pack,
>  it seems to be counterproductive to start out carrying an extra 10 pounds on
>  my body.>   This is so very important and will help to insure a better
>  beginning to your hike and make it a more successful one because you are
>  avoiding problems at the start of your hike so they don't haunt you
>  throughout the adventure and make is more enjoyable!!!
> 
>  >What are the women's experiences?>  I didn't start losing any noticable
>  weight for 4-5 weeks, eventhough I wasn't hungry!  My summation is that I
>  was losing fat and building muscle.  In the desert areas the heat dulled my
>  appetite and I was always so tired my stomach rebelled at food,
> 
>  >If there is a large weight lose, how much was it and when on the thru hike
>  did it peak;(at Sonora Pass I had lost 15 - 18 lbs) when did the weight lose
>  start to taper off? I still lost weight even after I got off the trail
>  (another 5-6 lbs -- but not for long!!  Bad thing was I was in that "Feeding
>  Frenzy" mode for at least a month and would find myself coming out of a
>  store eating those wonderful 3-6 candy bars, a monstrus coke, ice cream --
>  you name it, I ate it. I don't even remember picking it up, buying it  --
>  much less eating it sooo --I gained 20 pounds in less than 3 months and was
>  almost back to my BEFORE hike weight!!!.
> 
> >>
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-- 
Margo Chisholm
The Freedom Coach
Partnering you in having freedom in all areas of your life
970-704-9336    fax 970-704-9346
margo@tothesummit.com
http://www.tothesummit.com

"It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are."
-- e.e. Cummings


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