Lighten Your Heaviest Gear: You!

[CW]

P90X is more like 1 to 1.5 hours if you include warmup and cooldown. Regardless, in my case it was 1 to 1.5 hours of full intensity workouts. If you slack it I don't think you'll get the results they advertise. As an example, one of my more impressive days I did 381 pushups, 109 full range pullups, 74 rows at 50-60 lbs, and 400 crunches. All were varied types and all done in around 1 hour.

[Eugene Hollingsworth]

Good article, Jerome. I fully agree about decreasing the size of the portions we eat. As I eat less, I don't feel as much desire for large portions to be satisfied. It's just those few foods that I crave once I start eating them that can give me trouble if I let myself overindulge. Deep fried chicken. Chocolate. Cashews. Lattes with more cream than coffee. So I take what I think I need, and put the rest out of sight, or better yet, just don't have the extra amounts available.

At 50 years, I'm still holding 155 or so, just because of portion control, and I never actually go hungry. Also, when I'm more active I don't feel the desire to eat as much. The real danger is just sitting around not doing anything that can be a real killer.

[Nate Meinzer]

Regarding the fat vs. carb debate, I believe the article presented a much healthier lifestyle diet than an emphasis on fat and protein (Atkins) over whole grain (complex carbohydrates).

All the research I've done over the years suggests that carbohydrates are absolutely necessary (they should be the basis of any diet) and that overconsumption of simple carbohydrates is the real culprit.

What Brian neglects to mention is that a diet high in fat and protein is just not healthy for reasons other than weight gain. Cholesterol and liver function are serious considerations when constructing a lifestyle diet. Over the long-haul (not the 12-week fad diet) high amounts of fat and protein instead of the same amount of calories in complex carb is not healthy for your heart and liver.

We did not evolve to eat meat as much as we do, nor fat in the quantities that we do. Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers, grazing on mostly carbohydrates with an occasional feast on meat. Atkins style dieting is simply not what our bodies evolved to sustain them.

Furthermore, complex carbohydrates give a sustained energy without the highs and crash of sugar and without the strange side effects of the high protein ketotic state.

[Brian UL]

Well, Nate
of coarse I will disagree with you. There are no reasons not to eat animal fats. They simply have never been proven to have any down side health wise. If you are talking about the lipid hypothesis it is long discredited. heart disease, artery blockage, cancer ect are caused by inflammation of the arterys, shrinking of triglycerides and other things by sugars and carbs.
And I don't know where you got the idea that people didn't evolve to eat a high meat diet? In fact People only ate carbs as an emergency food and many of them like wheat are actually toxic. You can read more about evolution and diet on this great blog
:http://www.paleonu.com/panu-weblog/2009/6/23/the-argument-against-cereal-grains.html

But, if you have a philosophical reason not to eat meat or cut down on it thats fine and I can respect that. But there is no reason to make the claim that animal fats are unhealthy.

[Nate Meinzer]

Brian,

I'm sure you know there is *so* much research on this issue, it would take a lot to read it all. Interesting blog link! Well, I could be completely wrong, as it's so hard to keep up with all the research. I'd be interested to know if meat/egg aren't actually bad for your cholesterol. What about liver function? Isn't high protein bad for your liver? (I'm sure somewhere on the web there is a flame war over this very topic, as it generates a lot of research and thought.)

It's true a lot of people are allergic to wheat. I don't have anything against meat except that quality meat is expensive. (Grass-fed, humaely raised, non-hormone). The complex carb diet sure is affordable!

Even someone eating three small portions of complex carbs a day (and I usually just eat two, none for dinner) will be so much better off than the typical high-sugar (white bread, white pasta, etc) diet most Americans consume.

[CW]

For every web site out there advocating some diet there's at least one discounting it. Figure out what works for your body and eat it.

[Kattt]

…then when you are all nice and lean, start packing more clothes, a heavier sleeping bag, more food ( no fat reserves to tap into…) and most of all no jumping in cold water…
Sort of kidding, but a lot of leaner people run cold, like me.

[BlackHatGuy]

"For every web site out there advocating some diet there's at least one discounting it. Figure out what works for your body and eat it."

+1 on this. While there are certainly some general guidelines to follow, there is no 1 way. And what research tells us is right today might become wrong tomorrow. And, to top it all off, plenty of folks, looking to make a buck on the gullible or overly busy, are going to misrepresent the research anyway. And the mainstream press too often can't write intelligently about it all, so they end up repeating what the folks looking to make a buck say, or in trying to distill what they (not completely) understand to fit available column inches or deadline, end up misrepresenting (often unintentionally) what the research says.

[CW]

I thought that would happen with me Katharina but I've found that the super high metabolism I have now offsets the lack of fat. With that said, I dropped more fat than intended and at my current 5ish percent I couldn't go out for too many consecutive days without putting myself at severe risk. I also found that if I don't eat right before bed and I'm pushing a sleep system I'll wake up in the middle of the night cold due to running out of fuel to burn.

[Ethan A.]

Nothing to lose at the moment but muscle to gain back after a rotator cuff injury.

Like many comments I've read here, there's no magic – it's all about balance – good balanced eating, regular exercise with mix of aerobic and strength workouts and enough sleep (not sleeping enough makes you want to eat more). You don't need anything fancy, or any specific diet program, just moderation. And I'm saying that as someone who has been at the fitness level of an elite airborne soldier, and currently working long desk hours and a weekend warrior.

If you want to build strength for backpacking, and don't want monster bulk (which wouldn't serve you well for backpacking in any case), you don't need a gym or fancy equipment – you can save travel time to and from the gym (not to mention gym membership fees) and do that at home with your own body weight and a few inexpensive items like a pull up/chin up bar, rubber PT bands and bosu ball (for balance). And a pair of kettle bells or dumbells if you like.

I've even adapted my set of rubber PT bands that anchor in doors with neoprene/velcro ankle cuffs so I can use them for leg exercises as well (they have 3 bands per side so I can drop or raise weight on the fly and also drop or raise weight by stretching or relaxing the bands). You can take your strength exercises from inexpensive exercise charts (or find them online), or pick up a DVD if you need to. Or do 1-3 sessions with a trainer to customize a program for you and make sure you are doing the exercises right.

I have a cousin who in his 50s lost +60 lbs in 6 months just by walking briskly for 1 hour a day and cutting out most of the crap (salty fatty high sugar foods). No special diet or exercise program. He couldn't believe it. His energy level also increased dramatically.

[Ethan A.]

Good to monitor changes, and haven't had our own scale in years. Anyone have one they like?

[Casey Bowden]

Michael Pollan put it well:

"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

[BlackHatGuy]

"Michael Pollan put it well:

"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.""

+1! I also like something else he said (paraphrasing, I think): If your grandmother wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it!

[John Donewar]

Jeremy this was a great and very insightful article. Likening my body weight that I carry with me everywhere to the weight of the gear in my pack and how I judge what should go in it or get left behind opened my eyes.

At 5 feet 9 inches and @220 pounds I hereby declare myself a "fatboy". My weight has hovered around this point for quite a few years.

In 2008 my wife's cousin introduced me to hiking and the AT. I was a dedicated newbie with an overweight pack riding an overweight hiker. I took many long practice walks with my pack in preperation for our trek.

We left out of Hot Springs, NC on a summer hike with me carrying over 8 pounds of water. I learned very quickly that this fatboy prespires heavily. Water was consumed quickly to replace what was lost. My water bottles and hydration reservoir needed to be refilled often. This naturally added back the weight of the water. I was working harder, drinking more and prespiring more. It was a viscious cycle.

Despite the difficulty I was hooked on hiking!

Since then I have lightened my load from @34 pounds to 15 pounds which includes 2 liters of water. I spent many hours searching out the lightest gear that would serve my purpose. I have sewn my own 9.7 ounce SUL pack. I was determined to succeed in lightening the load.

Looking at what I eat and put into my body in the same manner as what I choose to put into my pack makes perfect sense to me.

I have lightened my pack by 19 pounds. If I were 19 or more pounds lighter my hammock that I carry could have been 1 pound lighter than the model which I currently own. The hipbelt on my pack would fit and work better if my hips were not so well hidden.

I read in another post about a theory that reducing your pack weight by half would allow you to walk 3 times as far. If this is true I look forward to the day when my body weight is reduced to a point where I can walk many more enjoyable miles on the trail.

I am once again dedicated to lightening the load. My pack load is light enough. It is now time to lighten the pack mule here-to-fore referred to as "fatboy".

Party On ! 2010

Newton

[Anonymous]

"shrinking of triglycerides"

Brian,

Could you explain to me how one goes about shrinking a triglyceride? Sounds like some serious alchemy going on here.

[Anonymous]

"I dropped more fat than intended and at my current 5ish percent I couldn't go out for too many consecutive days without putting myself at severe risk. I also found that if I don't eat right before bed and I'm pushing a sleep system I'll wake up in the middle of the night cold due to running out of fuel to burn."

Sounds like you have zero margin for error, Chris, which can be dangerous in the mountains come emergency time. Maybe it's time to consider putting on a couple of pounds?

I know, it's none of my business. Just sayin'…

[CW]

I'm trying. I upped my calories to around 3k a day (a lot for 145 lb guy) a couple of months ago and continued leaning out.

Having fat fear doesn't help since I'm afraid to keep upping calories.

I have a small amount of margin, but yes, it could get dangerous on a long trip or if a disaster occurred. I'd probably be alright for 5-7 day trips but beyond that could get sketchy without resupply.

[BlackHatGuy]

"Could you explain to me how one goes about shrinking a triglyceride?"

Geez Tom! It's simple! Everyone knows that triglycerides are made of wool. Just wash them in hot water!

[Jeremy Pendrey]

John: Thanks. I'm glad you feel inspired.

One thing I want to emphasize is that for the changes to really take hold and become the way you live, be ready for a long haul of micro changes that add up over time. Try to focus on one change at a time. It is very much a trial and error, two steps forward, one step backward kind of process, but a process that is very rewarding, so worth the time and effort.

Good luck.
-Jeremy

[Anonymous]

"Geez Tom! It's simple! Everyone knows that triglycerides are made of wool. Just wash them in hot water."

Hot water, huh?

We gotta stop now, Douglas. Brian's gonna think we're picking on him. ;}

[Anonymous]

"Having fat fear doesn't help since I'm afraid to keep upping calories."

That's a tough nut to crack, Chris. Maybe as time goes on, and you get used to the idea that your new body isn't going away, the fear will go away as well. Meantime, my respect for honing yourself down to a lean, mean hiking machine. That can't have been easy.

[YAMABUSHI !]

I feel compelled to comment on the crossfit thing…

for your average or slightly less than average joe or jane crossfit may be a great improvement to your fitness and for that its sufficient.

but like p90x, insanity, tower 200:

http://www.officialtower200.com/default.aspx?adid=bbj1003

(WHICH WILL APPARENTLY HELP YOU BECOME UFC CHAMP OR FEND OF HIGHSCHOOL BULLIES AT YOUR 10 YEAR REUNION)

or any other aptly named "program" it is just watered down sports training programs, with some good and bad parts, extracted into a laughably "futuristic" lululemon smelling confection.

there are definately some athletes on BPL and they may or may not weigh in on this (and their disciplines)but as an athlete of the power sport variety i can attest to crossfit being insufficient for alot of things.

without getting too crazy into details and internutz chatter its worth noting, several respectable trainers who are/were on the masters and pro level of their respective disciplines, have gone seperate ways from crossfit.

my issue with crossfit is how watered down it is…should a girl who jogs occasionally and was a cheerleader 15 years ago be teaching you olympic lifts?

NO.

oh but you can do handstands and muscle ups so im supposed trust you "expert" opinion!!!!

GTFO MY FACE!

and because she was given a sh*t education on that particular subject YOU are at risk for injury.

that being my main concern.

you are not going to train for an Ultra running 20 mins a day. inversely you arent snatching 2x your body weight by doing 20 mins of handstand pushups.

A well rounded body is great. dont get me wrong and crossfit does well for the average joe looking to break out of the bell curve.

but if mastery is your goal and you desire Übermensch Status you need to pick a sport/discipline and follow it.

Learn its history.

PERIOD.

[Brian UL]

"Could you explain to me how one goes about shrinking a triglyceride? Sounds like some serious alchemy going on here."

That wasn't the most scientific way to put it it shoud read:
As VLDLs lose triglycerides they shrink in size, becoming Low Density Lipoproteins LDLs

[Anonymous]

"That wasn't the most scientific way to put it it shoud read:
As VLDLs lose triglycerides they shrink in size, becoming Low Density Lipoproteins LDLs"

Ah, now I at least understand what you were getting at. Thanks, Brian.

[Lynn Tramper]

I still don't understand :(

"heart disease, artery blockage, cancer ect are caused by inflammation of the arterys, shrinking of triglycerides and other things by sugars and carbs"

Insulin promoting foods cause an increase in blood triglycerides and VLDL, not a shrinking..

[Author]

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