Healthy Prepper, Healthy Life

Excellent idea. Fitness is top of the list. At least top few on list.

Not sure what kinda competition people would be interested it. I know for me I'm looking at losing weight, but also to become more active as the weight goes away.
Anyone have ideas for a fun competition?

I love walking, hiking, camping etc. So I think it would be a lot of fun if we planned a big camping trip (wherever that might be). I know winter is coming so not many people like winter camping so we could plan for next summer. (or for those who want to get cold we could do a winter one :0, haha) But yeah, a camping trip for us to network, learn ideas, and have fun. (Although I'll clarify that Ontario would probably be my travelling distance.)

I just love it.The same story "I will " "I hope ""I am planning" Some day may never come.The best way to be active is "cut 50 cords of fire wood, build some shelter,build cool cellar,work in a garden and if you do not have your own help others .That way you get your exercise and make good friends.I just love people that pay somebody to do their work and than pay to go to exercise.After day of hard work you can eat a horse and not to worry about gaining weight. That is my way and it works excellent
henry.

Or you could be the person who can haul the water, feed the livestock, work the garden, keep the house, cut the wood, go for the 5 km hike while wild mushroom hunting and help break and train a new colt and still be heavy at the same time.

I always groan when I read the books that say something like this " and he was 50 or 100 pds overweight, and he died carrying those buckets of water up the hill" dang it, I said, lose that weight or else..

Sorry but as a active person who is very heavy, but still able to move and flip round bales etc, i just want to make the point that you can have thin/unfit/weak folks just like you can have heavy/fitter peaple.

The doctors tell me that the only reaosn that I am NOT on any meds, don't have high blood pressure or other issues etc is because I am as active as I am, having said that, I am working to lose weight as I would love to get back to where I was in my late 20's, I was still heavy per the doctors but I would like to get back to that general weight area.

I've always been heavy but what I can "functionally fit". Hike/hunt all day, garden, cut wood, whatever. If I had an extended period of activity, weeks or more I would loose some weight but stayed around 220 at 6ft. As soon as I started a more Paleo diet 15 - 20 lbs fell off with no effort at all. I still take sandwiches to work but no grains at all for the other meals made that difference.
Paleo is plenty of meat, fat and veggies. Limit starchy veggies. No potatoes, limited sweet potatoes, squash, rutabaga etc.
Functional fitness is going to be important. A buddy who goes to the gym didn't last half a day cutting a few trees and collecting brush. Looks fit but no stamina.

No, i agree with you all. stamina and strength over the number on the scale. but myself being only 21 (as much as the number and image is irrelevant) i am still self-conscious. As a young person I am doing it for health and image. but as a prepper I am doing it for strength and stamina.

to henry. i would love to be able to go out in the bush and do some hard work. (I did the Ontario rangers program when i was younger, clearing trails, cutting down trees with a sandvik axe, week long portaging trips cleaning campsites along the way) but currently as a single mom, and full time college student living in an apartment in Kitchener. I dont really have the option so go out and cut wood or do hard work outside.

I want to be healthy to the point where i can go for a run and not lose my breath. or even take the stairs to my tenth floor apartment and not be almost dying by the time i get up there.

over the past year and a bit i have procrastinated, made excuses, been lazy. i've managed not to put all the weight i've already lost back on but i need to get more off. which is what i've started. its no longer 'ill start monday' its 'i started last Monday, and will continue to eat well and exercise'

nyy, your third paragraph is your start!

Start those stairs...every day. On your way out, and on your way back in. If you can only do the first few flights...stick with that for a couple weeks, then add the next. Just keep adding to it. The rest falls into place! Stairs are an awesome way you can incorporate some basic fitness into your every day routine!
going to the grocery store? Park farther out in the lot, not as close as you can to the entrance...little things like this add up.

See you at this next year if you keep with the stairs!
https://webmedia.cstonecanada.com/ImageGalleryPro/mediaobjects/WWF/CN_TOWER_CLIMBS/splashPage.html

My point was not against exercising. I am trying to tell you to combine fitness with usefulness and fun.I am 65 and do everything as when I was much younger and still find lots of time go out help others.That way you get physical exercise and mental satisfaction. Mental fitness is as important as physical. Do not just run ,run around and help.It will teach you how to get along with different people ,which is also part of prepping.It is not how much you weight it is how fit you are.
Henry

I agree with everyone who said that functional fitness is more important than "looking" fit. It doesn't matter if you're on the heavy side as long as you are strong and healthy. Slow and steady progress is better than "oh crap I think I'm having a heart attack" while at the gym (this happened to a friend of mine and he did have a heart attack - on the exercise bike). He's now started walking at the age of 60 - after 3 heart attacks and a triple bypass he finally listened to reason. He is skinny and he used to laugh at me for running at my age.

No, I'm not sure I got my point across. Henry, I agreed with you fully and didn't think that I had made it sound like you were against exercise. I believe that functional fitness is key, image is bonus (for myself being younger) but at this current time i have neither image nor functional health. That is why i suggested, for those who wanted to, to support and help each other on the journey to being more healthy.