Dieting for Mountain Training and weight loss

[dogz]

A rower used with proper form (research the form, don't just dive in and go for broke) is fantastic exercise. It works most major muscle groups, and is a great tool for cardio simultaneously. In my high school days, my off season football workouts were 30-45 minutes hard on a rower followed by my weightlifting choice for the day. I was never in as good of shape, and I relish having the time or energy to work out like I used to. But the rower was a key component to staying in that shape.

4 sure, love the rowing machines! (I'm 65)

 

[jbronner13]

Those of you who are serious about exercise and fitness help me out here. I need a reason to change my diet and preparing for a high country elk hunt seems like a good reason.
I'm about 25 lbs over weight and I'm getting close to 40. I'm planning on hunting elk in western WY this year, pending a tag, I hate waiting on the draw results... Anyway I suppose it would be a good idea to start getting in shape and preparing physically for the hunt. I started last week rowing and walking on the stair climber with a 30lb pack. It's not the same as rucking in the mountains but it's as close as I can get during lunch break, so It will have to do for now. When it warms up I'll go outside and climb the hills near my house.
I have never been good at eating healthy. I have always compensated for my over eating by exercising more. However at this point in my life o don't have time for that and it takes hours to work off what it takes seconds to eat.
What do those of you who eat healthy do to stay on track when no one else around you eats right?

I am a dietitian by trade, worked with UMASS athletics and the hockey team when they won the national championship. Trust me when I say proper nutrition is critical to performance and fitness.

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

I trained a couple of years ago for a rim to hike in the Grand Canyon. I was 47 at the time. I did not have mountains locally to train on. I used a backpack, that I filled with an increasing number of water bottles as the training progressed. I never trained at full weight. I think the most my pack weighed was 35lbs. I trained in my hiking/hunting boots. For several weekends, I hiked local trails from distances of 3 miles to 6 miles with the weighted backpack. On weeknights, I used the stairclimber with the pack on going up the stairs until I could go for 15 minutes up without stopping. I also used my rowing machine. At the time of the hike, I was approximately 30lbs overweight. Our packs weighed 40 to 50lbs. But I had no trouble with the hike except for my feet. After the first 12 miles down my feet muscles were killing me. There is no way to train the muscles in your feet on flat ground. IMO there is no substitute for the uneven surfaces of hiking real trails. Fortunately, we hiked at the bottom of the canyon for 1 day which allowed my feet to adapt. I have never dieted in my life. I don't believe in it (which probably explains why I am 30lbs overweight). I absolutely do not drink pop. I love coca cola. But I have noticed since I quit drinking pop I have fewer inflammation problems and less shortness of breath during exercise. I mainly drink water, black coffee, unsweet tea, whiskey neat, (and a lot of beer.) I am a firm believer in no or limited refined sugars. I am lucky because my wife cooks a lot and we have a summer garden. Our family of five consumes 2 whitetails and one elk per year and farm-raised beef. We eat very little chicken. I don't care what the so-called experts tell you if you are consuming chicken and think it is healthy you are a moron. I also advocate for the rowing machine. It is a great workout and has virtually no impact on your joints. I personally am not willing to workout for more than 30 mins per day. I am married so I don't need to look like someone else. I use the beach bodi videos. I like the Lift More 30 minute workouts 5 days per week. I do them at home first thing in the morning. I also like the T25 workouts if I want to add more cardio. I have found I can do even the things I dislike for 30 minutes. IMO exercise is the key. Dieting is not for me. I don't hunt in places ID that are extremely vertical, so my training my be inadequate for those places. If could go back in time I would tell my younger self NO POP no exceptions and workout for 30 min per day 5 days per week. I am now 49 and still approx 30lbs overweight. I think there is way..... too much emphasis on body image instead of real health. Your blood, pressure, cholesterol, and heart rate tell the story. JMO

 

[sdsuttu]

The rule of two works pretty well. 2,000 calories a day, lift weights 2 times a week, get 20 minutes of cardio two times a week. Fast a couple times a week and mix in some carnivore, keto or other low carb diet.

 

[cooperjd]

My opinion is generally not popular among my friends, but IMO losing weight as a man is easy. have some self control and cut the crap out of your diet. It really cannot be simpler to me. If you want to be 190 lbs, eat 190gr of protein a day from animal sources. after that, fill in the fat and carbs as you need based on your workouts. if the workouts are more slow and grinding you don't need many carbs. The carbs should come from fruit and some veggies. I think cold turkey elimination style diets are best. just cut the crap and deal with the cravings for a week until they go away. to get a lot of protein cheap, if you dont' have game in the freezer, is ground beef.

My general day, if i am not eating deer or elk for lunch is 4 eggs and some blueberries, protein shake for breakfast. 1lb of ground beef (hamburger steak) for lunch with some sauerkraut and/or blueberries/strawberries for lunch, and usually a meat with veggies dinner. lots of water and electrolytes during the day. keep it simple so you can try to uncouple food with pleasure, and see food as fuel. later you can add back in the pleasure part once you get closer to your goals.

When i was really hardcore and tracking every calorie, to stay lean and gain muscle i ate 4 eggs, 2lbs of cooked meat and 2 lbs of roasted veggies a day, every day, and that was it, except for water and maybe 1x/week a drink or two. Now i have added in some fruit to have some explosive power for really glycogenic workouts like rolling in bjj.

skip the fast food. no bread, no seed oils. try to avoid snacks. cook with butter, bacon grease, olive oil, avacado oil, etc. It is gaining lean mass that i find more difficult just because of the volume of food you need. I'm 6'2", 180 lbs and will be 43 in a couple weeks.

you want to lose fat, not weight! If you count calories strictly and do not maintain your protein intake your weight loss will come in the form of fat, muscle, and bone density. This is not what you want. Protein from plants does not count, the human body barely absorbs any protein from plants. (verified through blood test studies, no need to argue this point any more for nutritionists, we have actual data).

 

[southpa]

I realize this is a 4 year old thread but the simple answer without all the fluff is calorie deficit. Eat whatever you want, but you will only lose weight if you intake less calories than you burn. Obviously diet and exercise weighs heavily on the ease of maintaining a deficit and keeping muscle mass but the simple answer is maintain a deficit and lose weight. Doesn't matter how you suffer through it. If you want to eat crap than earn it by burning calories. If you want to eat super clean and never enjoy the naughty foods than it will be easier to maintain that deficit. Myself, I think a happy mediums works great. Generally I eat what I want whenever I want but I am mindful of crappy intake and try to eat moslty clean with clean proteins. But I enjoy the grind of the gym and physical training. I train year round to be in mountain shape. I pay for my indulgence at the table with hard work throughout the year. It's all in what/how it works best for you. It is amazing what staying in shape for hunting can do for you instead of "getting" in shape for hunting every year.
Better advice would be to get used to moving heavy **** around and become friends with cardiovascular activities. Make this a part of your daily life and you'd be amazed at how little those 25 pounds you thought you had to lose mattered. Most guys lose to the mountain because they don't have it upstairs. It never mattered how fit they were. Your body is capable of a lot more than your mind tells it.