Welcome to the Group

Welcome! We would love get to know you, so please tell us a little bit about yourself. You can choose any format you'd like, but most of us here share some or all of the following details:

1. History with weight loss:
2. History with Calorie Count:
3. Reason for joining this group:
4. Some interesting details about yourself, such as your job, your family, your pets and your interests:

And now just go ahead and make that first post!

I'm new to this site and love it!  I have lost 10 lbs a month beginning in jan so I have lost 30 pounds.  I love to hike...enjoy especially big bend national park when we can make down there.  Feel free to become my buddy, share encouragement, stories, etc. 

Hey,

I'm new to this site, trying to lose weight, and hiking. I went hiking for the first time yesterday and absolutely loved it. I promised my self to go at least once a week hopefully more. My current weight is 139.8 and my first goal is to get to 130. I'd love some buddies so feel free!!!

Hi Buttercup!  Welcome to the site.  Where did you hike and how far did you go?

I'm new, also.  Always try to lose weight - seem to get too involved in my boys and reading.  I'm at an all-time high of 185 - YIKES!  and want to return to 140-150.  At my age, (46) it definitely gets harder.  Hoping some walks, gardening, maybe bike riding with my youngest will help.  Any exercise will help all of us to feel great.  ONWARD!

Hi, all!

1. History with weight loss:
I have been working on losing weight since last week, lol, have lost 4 pounds and have about 81 left to go. More info is in my profile if interested

2. History with Calorie Count:
I joined in 2008. Only started logging and journaling today...

3. Reason for joining this group:
Hiking is my favorite activity! I live in Arkansas and we have lots of beautiful trails to hike, and I've hiked many of them! Like others here, I love hiking and I can do it when I have no motivation to do anything else. I would like to reward myself, when I meet my ultimate goal, with a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, all 2,174 miles of it, from Springer Mtn., GA, to Mt. Katahdin, ME!

4. Some interesting details about yourself, such as your job, your family, your pets and your interests:
I am a mental health counselor and nursing student, so I am always busy and I want to do better at balancing my sedentary job and schoolwork with more exercise.

I look forward to getting to know others on this forum! ~ Dawn

1. I just finished college and feel it time to lost weight.  I have been dieting for about a month and have lost about 5 lbs and still have about 30 to go.  I have been a little overweight most of my life. I have put it off for too long and decided to finally dedicate myself to becomeing healther for life.

2.  I started calorie counting a month ago, and found it the only thing to work in the past.  I just started learning about Glycemic Index and am trying to incorperate a low GI in my diet.

3.  I love hiking and taking photographs of the outdoors.

4. I am an artist and live on a farm with my parents and brother.  I have 2 dogs, 3 cats, 1 lepard gecko, 1 ball python, and a duck.  I work in a fishing and tackle business with my parents and brother. 

Hello :)

 

My name is Randalynne and I'm 22. I just got engaged to an amazing man, which is the reason for my wanting to lose weight. We're not planning on getting married until I'm out of college, which is about a year or so from now.

I guess I've always had an issue with my weight. Well, I say always, but it hasn't been. Growing up, I was diagnosed with ADHD, so I took Ritalin till I was about 12 and I was skinny as a rail. But then as soon as I was off the medicine, I gained weight, and LOTS of it. In high school, I always struggled, and had a brief bout with bulemia. During my freshman year of college, I realized something-I was never going to be a size two, nor did I want to be. I'm just meant to be curvy. And with that, I began to lose weight sensibly.

Fast forward to now...I've always been a pretty energetic person-until I got a job in a call center. Sitting for 8 hours a day, and being able to snack all day long made me gain about 30 pounds. I gained it fast, too. Unfortunately, it isn't coming off as fast :( But that job as come and gone. I now work as an office manager for a military company, and I have a second job in a lingerie/sleepwear store. I'm constantly on the go, and while I work out, it isn't dedicated. I work out sporadically, going to the gym once every two weeks or so. I did lose a little weight once I got my second job, because I am constantly running around. It wasn't significant weight loss, though.

I came across CC randomly, thanks to Google. I did a search for how many calories were in a blackberry and found it. I'm hooked :) I joined this group to find others with the same goals as me, and to make new friends. Online friends are just as important to me as my offline ones :)

Other details about me-I'm extremely close to my family, they're my world. I live with my dog, Coco Chanel, who's a total diva! She's a King Charles Cavalier Cocker Spaniel, and she weighs 8 pounds and thinks she's a princess! As I said before, I'm getting married to the love of my life :) I am also going to school to become a nurse. I love to read, and I'll read just about anything I can get my hands on! I love music; the Beatles and 311 are my favorite bands. My boyfriend and I love horror movies, even though I get scared to death watching them. I love to swim, even though I'm not very good at it. I also love to run, but I'm not so great at that either, but I definately want that to improve. One of my life goals is to be able to run a marathon-I may not be able to do it this year, but I'd like that to be a goal for next year.

Feel free to add me as a friend here, myspace or facebook. Message me with your facebook info and I'll add you. I'm also always welcome to tips and constructive criticism, so feel free to comment!

http://www.myspace.com/tothamaxxx

So, do you go hiking?

Yes, I go about 3 times a week with my boyfriend, on a trail near my apartment. I'd like to make it more of a regular thing.

I'm new to the group and am a past Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker...

1.  I trained for a marathon and did the AT in 2004 which got me down to 140 pounds from 175.  After this I ballooned to 220 at the max and am about to start getting it back down.  I am currently at 210 pounds and would like to be healthy again.  The metabolism shift from the AT is no longer an excuse after 5 years, haha!

2.  I just joined calorie count

3.  I enjoy hiking and figured I might pick up a few local hike ideas.  I would be more than happy to work up an itinerary for someone and help out with some details if you want to hit the AT for a weekend, a week, or a month.  I enjoy doing this for my friends fairly regularly.

4.  I'm 27, an engineer, and about to go back to law school.  I'm hoping that I can use some of my life experiences to make a difference in other's lives in the area of family law.  I have a beautiful wife, an awesome 11 week old baby girl, and a brilliant border collie/jack russell mix dog.

I'm fairly new to CC (3 weeks) but I am enjoying the site.  I seem to do better if I write things that I eat down and can see my choices and progress.   I am in my mid 50's, self-employed, married with one cat.  I was fairly active as a child (lots of swimming, biking, tennis) and 20's.  I have really put on weight over the last 12 - 15 years.  I have walked for exercise but have a hard time doing it on a regular basis.  I ride a stationary bike now 3 - 4 times per week.  My goal is to lose 79 pounds; I'm down 10 as of yesterday.

I live next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  About a year ago, a friend and I decided to go on walks in the park once a month with our cameras.  We haven't made it every month but have only missed about 3 months.  We enjoy being out in the fresh air and have both gotten some nice shots of flowers and scenery.  The last hike was 4.8 miles over around Bryson City, NC.  

1. My history with weight is I never had to do anything with my weight-even after 3 kids- until about 33 and then I started gaining weight. So, I started walking a lot and I loved it but the weight never came off.  I tend to crave foods.  It might be fruits for a month or burritos, or hot dogs... of course this led to weight gain with such an unbalanced diet.  I also found out about the age of 34 that I have a very bad case of Epstein Barr virus.  That really sent me on the weight gain trail.  I found a dr who treated me with natural elements and within 6 months I was better and after a year no more EBV. Unfortunately, I have never been able to get the weight off.  I weighed 125 lbs at 32 and now at 49 I weigh 175.  I have developed extreme food allergies over the last 5 years and that limits foods that I can eat. Again, problematic for weight loss.

2. I just came across CC when I was looking for the calorie count of a food.  I am trying to count calories--I have already done a number of other things!--the dr. suggested that I eat a balanced diet and consume 1200 calories.

3.I don't really hike but I love to take long walks and occasionally I get someone to go on a hike with me, so I thought this group might motivate me in that direction.

4.I will be starting my fifth year of teaching, I have recently survived two pink slips due to budget cuts in education in California--a real stressful event. I have been teaching at the middle school level for four years and I just found out yesterday that I will be teaching ninth grade language arts next year!!  A new adventure.  I have two labs, I have always had labs, Boomer is a chocolate lab that is about 110 lbs. and Riley, who is 7 years old and about 80 lbs.  I love to go,go,go and now that I am off for the summer I plan activities for at least twice a week.  Once a week I have been going to the beach and riding bikes for 2-3 hours--love that. Other days are museums, visits with my five grandkids, trips to San Diego to see my daughter, game night and dinner with my friends, going to Silverwood Lake and boating/fishing/reading a book while I get a tan!!!Sliverwood is a great place to hike, as is Wrightwood area.  We will be going to Bishop tomorrow and I will probably find some great areas to hike/walk as I have in the past.

Sorry so much infor!!!

I am a yo-yo loser.  Have always been active and healthy but "the Change" seemed to change more than just my hormones, now it's a lot harder to get the weight off.  Anyway, have been on the site on and off for about a year, but just got serious about it 2 months ago.  Have another 25 pounds to go.

I have hiked/backpacked my entire life and have been to many awesome places.  Have hiked the entire PCT in Washington & Oregon and a bit of CA, all many years ago.  Have also spent time in Northern New Mexico and Southern Arizona, & did a lot of hiking nearby.  Have lived here in far Northern CA in the redwoods for past 16 years, anyone nearby?  Don't have many friends who enjoy hiking so usually go alone, just too much beauty to miss!!

I am always interested in the natural & human history where ever I go.  Like to harvest the wild foods so abundant here, like huckleberries & fungi, plus I grow some of my own food.  Try to be outdoors as much as possible.  Glad I don't live in the cold anymore, things just work better if they're not freezing!  Although I enjoy visiting just about everywhere!  I also like kayaking & biking, spending time with my grandkids, chocolate, dancing, playing music, singing & cooking, not necessarily in that order!

Terry

Hi,

I have not hiked any 'known' trails ever- although I dream about it and read backpacker every month...

My hiking is local- basically on one of three properties. One is my home, 53 acres and very hilly, so I just take walks exploring...no backpack or anything at all, but perhaps a walking stick... the other two places are my 'work' places. One is a 200 acre environmental nature center that I've been hiking at for 12 years now. It has trails and connects to a state park where there is a 14 mile lake that I can hike around as well. Also has a great bike trail which I cycled around with my daughter for the first time last year.  the second property is a 500 acre sanctuary on a steep mountain side and flat top. both these places I carry a backpack, a beltpack, a camera bag, a radio receiver, and my walking stick. I walk in all kinds of weather, and various terrain, wet swampy areas, dry huge rocky areas, meadows, woods..... my job is to keep track of some 50+ box turtles that wear transmitters. I track each one down every week- to check it's health and to gather a gps waypoint of it's location to later map out it's movements at home. Turtles move around a lot more than most people think! I have one that just moved over 1,000 yards in one week. and that is through grapevine twisted areas, a mini hurricane area where alll the trees are down like pic up sticks, and I'll tell you- it isn't that easy walking... but I love it. I love to see all the wildflowers, and the mushrooms, ferns, and all the other wildlife, raccoons, porcupines, coyotes, and bear- oh and crazy drunken grouse that come after me. You'd think all this hiking would help me loose weight- but only 1/2 of the year- then in the winter when the turtles are hibernating, I'm somewhat hibernating too- I used to be more actifve in the winter- but the last few years I notice I stay in more. So each winter I gain a bunch of weight. come spring it used to all come off- but again, the last few years it isn't coming off quite as easy come spring. I decided to get a treadmill to help me through the winters. I'm too far from health clubs or the Ymca ..without it taking up half my day just to drive there workout, and drive home again. I figure I can get just as good a workout with a treadmill here in my house.

I also love gardening, and work out in my yard every chance I get.But it's tougher getting down on my knees than it used to be. I'm 53 and realize I need to start loosing weight just to protect my joints too, (besides wanting to just look a lot better!)  I'm 5'7" and 206 lbs. 30 years ago I weighed 125! I'd be happy as heck to be around 150 now.

One of my biggest problems is trying to decide how much I should be eating for my 4-5 hour hikes. I'm starting to understand that I've not been eating enough- and that could be why my muscles are feeling weaker and weaker instead of stronger from my workouts.. I started drinking protein drinks after my hikes, but should I have something sometime in the middle of them? like after two hours or so, should I take a break and eat something? The only thing I really ever eat while hiking is an apple. I love apples. : ) and I drink a lot of water too.

 

Hi Sue_bert!  I think you should just listen to your body when you hike.  If you are feeling very hungry, then eat!  If not, don't eat.  Not eating for 4 or 5 hours will not make your muscles weaker except if your overall diet over many days is too low in calories.  I think a long hike is great for getting a calorie deficit, which you need to lose weight. 

There must be another reason why you feel like your muscles are getting weaker.  I don't know your age, but muscles will naturally get weaker as we get older unless we do something about it.  I think every woman should begin strength training before our muscles get too far gone.  Hiking is great for your legs and hip flexors, but you need a complete program to strengthen your core muscles (abs, back) and your upper body.  You could do that indoors during the winter, too!

Well, that would work if I felt i could believe what my body was telling me.

Usually I hear things like- I need coffee! -- of course that's rarely what is really needed.

I think the feeling in my legs towards the end of my hikes has to do with lactic acid? I've read a bit about it- How at some point your muscles are fatigued and they start to produce lactic acid and that is what is painful?   I have to learn more about that though- and how to avoid it- how to get my muscles to work longer for me. I need to increase my endurance I guess.- that's what I am wondering though-- how do I do that ?

I think you have a good point about a complete program though- to stengthen my core muscles.. if my abs were stronger- they could help with the lifting of my legs, and if my back and my shoulders were stronger- I could carry the backpack longer. . Of course the very best thing I could do is loose weight- and I'm sure that would make a big difference in how long I could hike...

I started doing ab work today. I'm going to add that to my treadmill workout.

Up untill last year I never struggled a whole lot with weight, kind of strange because I never really used to be a active person, I loved dessert, and I was a smoker. July 11, 2008 I quit smoking and proceeded to gain 20 lbs over the next 9 months. Overall I felt better than I had my whole life, but knew I could not keep gaining at that rate.

A friend of mine told me about this website and how it helped her. I love all the information and tips I get from it! I have been using it since April.

I joined this group because since I quit smoking I found I like a active lifestyle and started hiking a lot this year, I have logged over 110 miles since May, I just got back from a 5 day trip and am doing another this coming weekend. 39 miles in 4 nights/5 days on the Resurrection trail in south central Alaska.

I am 34 year old wife and mom of 2. I found I love the outdoors more than ever, I also like to play all sorts of games indoor and out. I love to oil paint (I rarely find time to do that though). I love God and family, and I am blessed to have a lot of time for both. I have started running, hiking, biking, lifting, and swimming all since April. Who knew being fit and healthy could feel this good?

Wow, it's great you have found enjoyment in all those activities you listed!  I love being active, too, although it was never a priority until a few years ago.  Alaska is a cool place to live for hiking!  Almost as good as California

Good luck on your upcoming trip - sounds like you've got it dialed in!

Hi - I just joined CC and I think it's going to be fun. I haven't been serious about weight loss and I think it's time to get that way - past time actually. I have always been fairly active horseback riding, camping, hiking, but the past several years since I started a new job, that seems to have changed. My job is with computer software and there is lots of overtime. Seems like most of my days are spent in front of the screen. Anyhow, I hope to get back into hiking some so I decided to join this group. I live in a small rural area surrounded by National Forest. There are lots of good places to hike.

1. History with weight loss:
Been up and down my whole life. As I get older though it becomes much harder to do the things I enjoy when I am on the heavy curve. I love the outdoors and hiking in particular. It is tough on my knees now carrying so much weight on my frame and some on my back now for my son. Time to trim it up for good and do the hard hikes I have been longing to do.

2. History with Calorie Count:
The first weight log shows March of 07. This was when I was starting to gain again after the adoption of our son. I was unable to do the longer hikes due to him being smaller. Things are changing now and he is almost 7 now. We busted out a 9 mile hike last weekend. Looking at a possible 10 with more elevation gain this weekend. We will see how we feel on the way.

3. Reason for Joining this Group:
I would much rather lose weight outside doing what I love than in a gym hammering it out under fluorescents. Give me the sun and the wind, give me the Hike.

4. Some interesting details about yourself, such as your job, your family, your pets and your interests:
I am a teacher and work has started again. Work equals stress in my life and stress equals eating for me. Looking to change that behavior once and for all. We have another child in the home we are attempting to adopt. She is 6 mos old and growing and happy. No pets yet. My interest is computers, photography, geocaching, and hiking of course.