Day 415 (12.30.14) Plans

1. Get moving: I burned 1,671 calories.  I walk/ran on the treadmill for 2.5 miles and did some Aerobics.
2. Cutting Calories(Goal 1,720): I consumed 1,395 calories.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,211

I know I said that I was back but then life happened.  With the passing of my aunt I now have two more cats at my house that I went to pick up last night.  Both have been through a lot lately and need some TLC, for there first day here they didn’t leave the bathroom even after I opened to door for them for a few hours.  Now they are both hiding out in the spare room under the bed, a place they frequently hid at my aunts house.  I am currently looking for a home for them and have had a few maybe’s so far.  Meanwhile my cat has been extra affectionate and needy, she is currently laying on my chest as I blog.  It’s been an eventful week around here.  Today Holly and I spent the morning together just being alone together for the first time all month, it was nice to spend time with her and just exist.  I hit the gym before going to work and again while at work, I love getting paid to workout.  Tomorrow I will find out just how much damage I did in my time away from the gym and not eating well.  I have no regrets but the scale is sure to officially show a gain of at least 15 pounds, but we will know more tomorrow.  It feels good to be back in my routine but my back has been hurting a lot lately, I don’t know if it’s from the sudden weight gain or what’s going on but I will try to get in to the doctor soon to have it looked at.  I found out today from my hiking partner Katey that her dad will be driving her down to Springer in March.  I’m planning on taking a bus and staying a day or two with a friends mom and hopefully meeting up with Katey to get to the trail head with her and her dad.  I can’t believe that in less than 3 months I will be on Springer! I need to continue to save money and I’m hoping to use our tax returns as well! I currently have enough saved to pay my bills while I’m gone plus enough donations to get me through the first month and a half on my trip, assuming I have budgeted well enough.  I think that money is the biggest thing holding me back at this point.  I have almost all of my gear and I plan on starting to look for my clothing at thrift store and such soon.  I’m both nervous and excited about the idea of quitting my job, I’ve never been unemployed before so it will be weird not going to work everyday but hiking will be my “job” so to speak.

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted goods go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

You can always contact me to discuss a project and talk about pricing for something specific.

Day 369 (11.14.14) B-I-N-G-O

1. Get moving: I burned 2,094 calories.  I walked .50 miles outside, 1.40 miles on the treadmill, and went 3.80 miles on the elliptical!
2. Cutting Calories(Goal 1,720): I consumed 1,625 calories.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,458.

I went to work today, clocked out for a few hours to cut overtime, I got several orders for knitted goods so more money for the A.T. soon to come!! Then I went back to work for a few hours before heading to Trevor’s for the weekend.  We went to bingo with Allie and Brittanie, it was fun but none of us won anything.  After bingo we went to Trevor and Allie’s and played Monopoly for 4 hours and had a few drinks before hitting the hay!

 

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted goods go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

You can always contact me to discuss a project and talk about pricing for something specific.

Day 361 (11.06.14) Thirsty Thursday

 

1. Get moving: I burned 1,923 calories.  I walked 1.70 miles on the treadmill, 3.30 miles on the elliptical, and biked 2.80 miles.
2. Cutting Calories(Goal 1,720): I consumed 1,719 calories.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,448.

 

My goal for the day was to get back to drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day, but I would like to drink way more than that.  I’m calling today mission accomplished I drank 104 ounces of water.  Got up early and went to work for a little bit, then hit the gym, then crocheted a blanket, and went back to work. I was super productive at work today, I’m ready for my meeting tomorrow and I organized a whole bunch of stuff and it was awesome! I’m feeling amazing today, getting back on to the swing of things.

Day 351 (10.27.14) Productive Day

1. Get moving: I burned 3,327 calories.  I went 4.10 miles on the elliptical, walked 2.50 miles on the treadmill, and walked 4.41 miles outside.
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 1,640 calories.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,448.

I got up super early put in 6.60 miles before going to work.  I worked 8.5 hours, then met up with Kira and walked around Lake George, in the rain, and then went to the library.  After that Holly joined us for a few more laps, also in the rain, all total we walked 4. 41 miles this afternoon for a grand total of 11 miles today.  I also finished 9 finger puppets today, the snakes and the octopus were almost finished and only needed a few finishing things done to them and the starfish were completed from beginning to end today.  I then went home with Holly and made us chicken and broccoli with fried rice, it was ok, a little to spicy but over all it was good.  I’m feeling pretty positive about the A.T. I feel like if I can go 11 miles, work 8.5 hours, and knit several projects in one day, I can hike all day long and get a good distance.

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted goods go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

You can always contact me to discuss a project and talk about pricing for something specific.

Day 342 (10.18.14) Camp Snoopy

1. Get moving: I burned 1,929 calories.  I walked 5 miles today at the mall.
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 2,491 calories, I ate way to much ice cream!
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,340

We woke up early with the intention of going for a walk but we got really hungry instead so we went out to lunch. After lunch we headed to Midwest Mountaineering, I purchased a shirt for the trail for only $5.00, it was a great find by Kira!! I also picked up the head lamp I’ve been looking at for a while, I’m excited about it! I plan on putting the rest of my gear on Christmas and birthday lists!  After Midwest Mountaineering we sat outside under some trees by Trevor’s Apartment then we hit the Mall of America we walked around for a bit and then began to ride the rides, I’m not going to lie before going I was nervous and didn’t expect much from the experience, turns out it was awesome!! There wasn’t a single ride that I tried to ride that I couldn’t and all of them were really fun!   It was like being a kid again at one point one of the rides didn’t have a line so we would just get off and run around to get back on, so much fun!! At the end of the night we had Cold Stone ice cream and headed back to Trevor’s we talked so more while my phone charged and then Kira and I headed home.  My ankle has been hurting since we left the park, I don’t know if I walked on it funny or hit it on something while on a ride, I’m hoping it gets better with time.

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted goods go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

You can always contact me to discuss a project and talk about pricing for something specific.

Day 332 (10.08.14) Wood Hauling Wednesday

1. Get moving: I burned 1,220 calories.  I hiked 3.7 miles and spent some time working my arms out hauling wood.
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 1,517 calories.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,290

Usually I weigh in every Wednesday but because I’m at my parents house that was no scale available for me to weigh in I will get back to that next week.  This morning I finished Ashley’s cowl (pictured below) and started on a set of leg warmers for her.  My sister Nicole and her kids came and spent some time with us hauling wood home, my parents have always used wood to heat their house so hauling wood home is something we’ve been doing for as long as I can remember.  It was a nice work out for my arms and legs along with hiking in and out of the woods.  I am really enjoying being out of my routine but my sleep schedule hates me for it, I have been sleeping well but not for very long and I’ve been having weird dreams anytime I’m away from home this happens and unfortunately it will take a month to get it all back on track.  I love spending time with my sister so it’s all worth it.  Nothing to exciting to report today.

 

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted goods go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

You can always contact me to discuss a project and talk about pricing for something specific.

307 (09.13.14) CAMPING!!!!

1. Get moving: Today I burned 2,176 calories.  We hiked 4 of the toughest miles I’ve hiked in a long time.
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 2,720 calories. we decided that camping calories don’t count for as much.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,095

Today was great we left Trevor’s around 9 A.M. and headed for Williams O’Brien State Park.  We were able to check into and set up our campsite right away then we headed up to Interstate State Park to hike.  We checked out both the Minnesota and Wisconsin side of Interstate State Park, the views were beautiful.  There were a lot of stone stairs to hike and by the end of the day I was highly aware of my thigh, they don’t hurt per say but there a little sore.  We found a pair of socks in our campsite so we burned them in honor of how much I hate socks.  We set up my big tent and we will all be in that tonight, I want to keep my one person tent nicer until we actually get on the A.T. I’ve slept in in a couple of time and it seems to work well so I’m no to concerned about that.  I had a little trouble today with my new shoes my socks fall down in them and caused some light blisters, nothing to big to worry about there.

               

304 (09.10.14) Weigh in Wednesday

1. Get moving: Today I burned 0000 calories working out.
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 2,326 calories. 
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,095

After yesterday and feeling so run down I decided to take a zero day today.  Normally on zero days I try to be extra careful about what I eat, today that was not the case.  Since working at a nursing home in high school I have always “cured” headaches with food, I don’t know why but it used to work, not so much anymore but I still tried it.  Today I have had a headache all day, I know its not dehydration because I drink an ounce of water for every 2 pounds I weigh, let me tell you that’s a LOT of water, I think they might be related to my vision.  I looked up possible eye doctors through my insurance and I think I’m going to make an appointment, its something I have been putting off for a long time but I think it’s time.  One of the staff at my site today asked me if I was doing ok because I was rubbing my eyes excessively, I hadn’t even noticed.  Plus sense I’m working on getting healthy I might as well know where my vision stands.  I’ve also been feeling really sleepy lately but I keep waking up really early and can’t fall back asleep, and it seems the earlier I go to bed the earlier I wake up in the morning.  Depending on how I’m feeling tomorrow I might take another zero day, it was actually hard not to work out today.  I went as far as pulling into the parking lot of the gym I frequent but stopped myself from going in, I know that my body needs the rest so I resisted.  I weighed in this morning at 293.6 which is down 0.6 pounds from last week, its not as good as I had hoped but it’s something.  I was hoping to finally break through this plateau I’ve been on since June, overall I can still see the progress in my clothing and in my energy levels.  Yesterday I knitted the cutest hat I have ever made in my life for a friend, I’m so excited about how it turned out, a picture is below, I also made a matching scarf and will be making mittens at some point tomorrow or Friday!  

Minnie Mouse Hat in purple (by request)

 

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted goods go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

You can always contact me to discuss a project and talk about pricing for something specific. 🙂 

Day 300 (09.06.14) 300 Days when did that happen?!?!?

1. Get moving: Today I burned 1,679 calories.  I walked 6.28 miles today.
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 1,445 calories.  
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $1,080

I can’t believe that it’s been 300 days since this began! To celebrate I spent most of the day with my sister and then the rest of my family mostly walking.  Holly and I got up early with her family and headed to the craft fair, we parked at my sisters house so I split up with Holly and family and went with my sister and her kids to the craft fair.  We walked 4 miles together around the fair just looking at different things.  We stopped and watched the train go by (pictures below) and I managed to resist every single tempting food there including, cheese curds, corn dogs, and fudge, I’m quite proud of this.  After the craft fair we went back to Holly’s parents before heading out to my parents to get together with family I haven’t seen in years.  I walked another 1.28 miles with two of my sisters and then 1 more mile with my wife,brother, and his girlfriend.  My brother was recently in Montana hiking and was warning me about the altitude, there’s not much room for training for that here in MN but our plan is to take is slow the first week or two to let our bodies adjust to it.  I’ve been using the fitbit app lately to challenge myself to get more distance in and I think it’s working so far.  I’ve been feeling more sore at the end of the day than I did before.  I also sold a knitted headband to my sister for one of her girls, and we decided to go in together and she is going to make flowers to go on them since my flowers aren’t great and she has mad skill with making them! Did I really just type ‘mad skill’, who am I? 

       

 

As always to donate to my hike and get your own hand knitted scarf go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT

Day 280 (08.17.14) Minnehaha Falls

1. Get moving: Today I burned 2,019 calories.  I walked 6.30 miles with my pack
2. Cutting Calories: I consumed 3,358 calories.
3. Saving money/Donations ($5,000): $820.00

Today we hiked to Minnehaha Falls, it was a beautiful while still very hot hike, we went 6.30 miles with our packs today.  Holly Katey and I left at 10:30 and drove to Minneapolis and hiked into Minnehaha Falls park we hiked part of the falls and then headed back to the car.  I really wish we had more hills to climb as I feel like that is something I’m lacking in training for the A.T.  I have never climbed a mountain before or hiked at a high altitude.  It was nice to have my pack on but I think I might switch to my other pack and hike with that for a bit and see if it’s more comfortable and maybe the pack that I am using now (purchased in 2006 for the Camino De Santiago) would be better suited for the colder times on the A.T. because my back is drenched when I’m done, I haven’t really used my other pack in the summer yet.  I think that will be this weeks goal use the other pack more.  It was a great day to spend with one of my best friends and my amazing wife! I was doing great on calories until Katey’s butch ordered us all pizza, I know I should have resisted but I don’t even care that I did it, every once and a while a couple of pieces of pizza are worth it.  Holly and I took the back roads home to avoid traffic and to see different places.  It over all it was a great weekend I love spending time with Katey and her butch!  Katey and I were talking about how many calories we must have eaten before we started this training in a day and I would say that I probably ate more then 2,00 calories at each meal but I also didn’t eat as often as I eat now.  We also discussed how weight and health don’t always go hand in hand, you can be really skinning and unhealthy and you can be really big and healthy.  Right when we started training I went in for my first physical and according to my blood work I was in perfect health, now that I’ve lost 100 pounds I feel better most days but my varicose veins hurt much more now then ever before.  In the past my veins have always been large in my legs but never painful.  I’m not saying that I would ever go back but that weight doesn’t always dictate health.   

 

 

 

I am going to include this at the end of every blog, I don’t want it to be the focus but I do want to make sure its out there.  This is the link to donate to my journey:

http://www.gofundme.com/hikingtohealthyontheAT