2009 Chainsaw Health Challenge!

[Airecon]

You might want to make this a sticky. If you read in one of the other post, they were talking about a guy needing to lose weight. I posted about how I was once 270 then stayed at 230 for a while then got to 190 last year- untill the holidays . Then I went to a chainsaw event and saw plenty of dudes 250- 300+ easy. So Im making a "2009 Chainsaw Health Challenge". Im challenging you to lose weight, cut down or stop drinking, or quit using tobacco. Whatever you need to do to improve your health. Thank goodness I never did use tobacco or drink and I know its hard to kick because some boys at working are trying to quit chewing- they're having a rough time of it.

Post on up and say what your goals are. Right now Im 200 pounds my goal is to get to 185 or less. Also Im going to try to exercise more and increase my strength, flexability and endurance. Im an ole single dude- I tell the boys at work Im doing it for the "Ladies" cause God know I need a woman!

Another thing. Tell your wives your taking the challenge and what money you save on all the junk food, beer and tobacco maybe she'll cut you a deal and let you spend it on a new chainsaw! I did some figuring if the average saw cost $650 over 5 years thats just $2.50 a week or just 36 cents per day. Cut down on the soft drinks, beer and junk food you'll get it easy.

 

[cjcocn]

Count me in.

I weigh in at 295 and while I like being able to move things, I am 42 and it's time to start slimming down.

Here is a pic of me moving 900 lbs of flour.

The guy in the camo jacket is about the same height as I am so I am somewhat compressed in the pic, but I won't tell you why I appear shorter.

I haven't been 200 lbs since I was 19, but that will be my goal for this. My weight is generally estimated (by others) to be 250, so I wonder what the estimates will be as I approach 200?

First order of business will be to prepare mentally, start eating breakfast and quit eating later at night, then walking, working out, then quit smoking. Probably in that order (somewhat).

Updates will be made in this thread unless it receives no airplay and sinks to the back, back pages. If that happens I'll keep the updates only in my log book.

Anyone else?

 

[Fish]

Yeah, I'm in!

If I cut out beer, I will look like George Clooney by summer.

Seriously, my problem is beer, as you all well know, lotsa calories.


I've been drinking the hell of that diet "Lite" beer, and it's not working.

But I need to get in shape, good post.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

I have been doing P90X for about 3 weeks, have not lost many pounds, but I have gained more muscle. I think I have lost 5 pounds.

I am 219 right now and once I reach my goal I will post pics.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I'm 5'10", 41 y/o and am 220lbs. It's the heaviest I've ever been. The last time I was this heavy was just before my divorce (that fact freaks my current wife out a bit LOL). The difference between this 220 and the last 220 is this time it's a gut instead of just extra weight. Trouble is I'm lazy. I don't like working out. I eat whatever I want but it's sporadic.. breakfast and lunch never happen unless it's a sausage biscuit at the gas station or a burger off the lunch truck. Dinner is more often than not a can of soup or pot pie or TV dinner. I suspect that if I just straightened out my eating habits I would be much better off but planning meals is work and time consuming too!

I don't drink many sodas, maybe 3 or 4 a week. I do have a sweet tooth. There's a junk drawer at work that we keep full of sweet crap.. crackers, candy etc.

I've got a great place to cut on a hillside that provides a great workout but it's a 45 minute drive one way so that's a weekend deal. Once a week doesn't "cut it".

Ian

 

[ericjeeper]

I too am in the same boat

I started coonhunting again trying to build up some stamina. The other night the dog treed in about as deep of ravine as we have around here..The ground was soft every blessed step on the way was a half step slid back down..I thought I was going to die right there..But once I finally got up to the top and got my breath it was ok.. I survived.(Felt like I had conquered Everest.) I am heavier than I have ever been. Last time I got this heavy I built a new house, worked daylight to dark, ate a ham sandwich for lunch and then a fish sandwich from Mikeyds on the way home from getting more lumber and supplies late that night.
I was down to 185 and so was dad he helped me..Mom was worried that dad was ill cause he had lost so much weight.. I said "I only feed him a ham sandwich for lunch then put him back to work."
In all honesty it was my dad that pushed the schedule. He was 70 at the time and he was working rings around my lazy butt. He is 75 and I doubt he would be up for building another house. LOL Plus I do not need another one. But the coonhunting has helped til last night.. My buddy drove his mule.I bet we did not walk a 1/4 of a mile.total..
I would give up sex but the wife did that for me a long time ago. LOL
So now I guess it will be late night eats and junk food.
Good luck to all..

 

[kyle1!]

I do have a sweet tooth.
Ian

Me too. My wife is a major baker during the holidays with up to 30 different varieties of fudges, cookies and candies. I eat so much of it because it tastes good and is available.
About 6-8months ago I hit a wall where I no longer had the stamina, energy or strength I used to have. It was real discouraging to say the least. This year I have got to turn the tide by eating less and being more active. My goal is 50lbs....I'm 290lbs and 6'2" and 38 yrs old.

Brian

 

[TreePointer]

Count me in

Stats: Age 37, 6'0", 240 lbs.
Goal: Get to 200 lbs. or less and healthier in general

Too many carbs
Too much junk food w/coffee.
Portions too big.
Drink too much diet soda instead of water.

I also had two injuries last year that laid me up for about a month at a time--gained 10+lbs. each time.

 

[Banshee]

I'm the opposite. I trying to gain weight. I was 130 pounds 10 years ago. I'm got up to 185 from working out, but quit and got down to 175.
I can still lift decent amounts of weight, but nothing like I use to.
I use to be able to eat anything and maintain a good health. When I did my health exam for life insurance, They told me I was the 2nd healthiest person they had. Only a 20year old girl did better on her exam. Almost half my age!
But my last cholesterol check up show I levels were starting to come up. So I cut out fast foods.
Guys it's not that hard to quit bad foods. It's different at first, but you get use to it and then it nothing to stay eating healthy.
My problem is I would like more stamina. I can cut, pack, load, unload, etc, firewood all day using a 395xp and not be worn out. But if I have to dig a hole or walk fast up and down the hills and hollows where I cut or run for very far at all. I get tired very fast.
This year I'm going to set my goal and finish what I started out to do 10 years ago and that's make it to 200 pounds.
I'm going to more bike and swim more and hit the weights again.

This should be a sticky!

 

[woodchopper]

This should be a sticky!

I agree. I just turned 50 and a few months ago had a fight with colon cancer. I was lucky that they got it all because of early detection and during the ordeal I lost my love handles. I'm 6'4" but I've still got a gut and would love to lose another 30 pounds to get me down to 245. Having a gut kills my back and as any truck driver will tell you it's hard finding the time to exercise on a regular basis because of the hours we work. That is no longer a issue as I just became unemployed. I'd like to get some of my stamina and core strength back which will help reduce or rid my back of pain and help my overall health.
If you guys are serious about doing this I'd like to see a monthly check-in to see how everyone is progressing. Might help more of us to stick with it ??

 

[BuddhaKat]

Ha! What a great thread!

At 50 years old I'm one of those handicapped people that toodles around in an electric chair. I'm 305 lbs, I have congestive heart disease, COPD, diabetes, edema, neuropathy, arthritis everywhere, lupus, and several of the discs in my neck putting pressure on my spinal column.

Last year a neighbor was going to cut a couple of cords for us to burn for heat. He ended up letting us down. In Oct. my wife's brother and his wife came to stay with us to do some work on the house. I decuded that there wasn't any alternative, I was going to have to go get the wood myself, even though I knew there would be considerable pain. I took the Bro in-law and drove up into the mountains. The first day I felled an 18" pine about 100' tall. It took me about an hour to limb it and buck it up. 5 minutes sawing, 10 minutes resting. I thought I was going to die. To make things worse, we were at 8000' and it was below freezing.

But I didn't die. The next day we went back up and I found I could cut for 10 on, 10 off. We picked up alot more wood that day, in alot less time. And I didn't die.

The moral of the story: I found out that I could cut wood. Actually, the conclusion I came to was "Get off your fat a$$ and get to work. I did just that. By the time we got our 5th cord, I was cutting for 30-45 minutes straight, stopping only when the gas tank was empty. :greenchainsaw:

What I learned was that I could do it. I was just out of shape. So, I decided to go into the firewood business. I'm partnering with a guy who's wife my wife works with. He's younger and stronger so I was worried about doing my fair share of the work. Then I found out a YMCA just opened about 5 miles away from my house. I joined it and WOW, what a difference. I started slow, 10 minutes on the exercise bike at level 0. I biked about a mile and a half at a leisurley pace. Now I'm up to 18 minutes at a "cardio" level and pace. Actually, I push it a little over what the program does. I've also started weight training for the legs, upper body and midsection. I can't lift like I did when I was a kid, but I see an improvement everytime I go. For example, the first time I did Ab crunches I did 5 @ 30 lbs. Now I do 2 sets of 15 @ 50 lbs.

I've been going for a little over a month now and I can already see and feel the difference. I parked the chair. The cat sleeps on it now. She likes the soft gel seat. $9,000 for a cat house. I go 3 or 4 times a week and I love every minute of it. Best of all, my diabetes has responded extremely well to the exercise. I've cut my insulin intake in half. Diet has it's part in that too, but the point it, everything is getting better.

I went and saw my Dr last week. She's a new Doc for me and this was only my 2nd time seeing her. When the exam was over she actually hauled off and hugged me. Not one of those phoney kind of hugs, but one of those full on squeeze ya till your eyes pop out. She said she was proud of me. Being a hugger myself I found nothing inappropriate about her surprise hug. In fact, I thought it was one of the coolest things that had happened to me in a long time.

The funny thing is, I got into firewood cutting for my health. I'll probably start cutting next week if the weather breaks long enough. My partner's wife just fell gravely ill a couple of weeks ago with lung cancer so he can't join me in the woods until around spring, but I figure I can cut and drop the wood off at his house. He can split it when he gets the time.

 

[bayshorecs]

I have the opposite problem too. I can eat or do anything and still not put on the weight. 6'3" and 155lbs. The most I every got to was 170lbs while in basic training. That was eating 3 HUGE meals a day and nothing but physical exercise.

Now, I can't do anything to put weight on. I spent 3 days a week in the gym for 9 months on weights and only gained a couple pounds. I haven't been back since I messed my back up again

I can walk out the door and run a couple miles right now, eat a couple double 1/4 pounders, drink like a fish everyday of the week, or work all day cutting/splitting/hauling/stacking wood and the results are the same.

My insurance company knocked me down from a super preffered rate because I was too skinny. :jawdrop:

I would rather just work out with the wife but that membership has some strange rules and times to follow

So, my challenge will be to continue to get enough wood for 24 hour burning for the years to come. The stove is much better on the wife's health than the forced air. She hasn't been sick at all yet this year!

 

[woodchopper]

Great story BuddhaKat !! Shows you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

 

[bayshorecs]

Great story BuddhaKat !! Shows you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

:agree2:

While it may not be a popular thing to say, I can't help but think 90% of the people who are grossly overweight riding in scooters would see the same results.

They just rather sit there and beep their horn at you. Congrats on taking control and getting your life back!

 

[BuddhaKat]

I have the opposite problem too. I can eat or do anything and still not put on the weight. 6'3" and 155lbs. The most I every got to was 170lbs while in basic training. That was eating 3 HUGE meals a day and nothing but physical exercise.

Now, I can't do anything to put weight on. I spent 3 days a week in the gym for 9 months on weights and only gained a couple pounds. I haven't been back since I messed my back up again

I can walk out the door and run a couple miles right now, eat a couple double 1/4 pounders, drink like a fish everyday of the week, or work all day cutting/splitting/hauling/stacking wood and the results are the same.

My insurance company knocked me down from a super preffered rate because I was too skinny.

I would rather just work out with the wife but that membership has some strange rules and times to follow

So, my challenge will be to continue to get enough wood for 24 hour burning for the years to come. The stove is much better on the wife's health than the forced air. She hasn't been sick at all yet this year!

You actually have just as serious of a problem as me. You need to see your Dr for a checkup first, then you need to see a good nutritionist. They will likely put you on a 3000+ calorie per day diet and send you to the gym. A couple of double cheesburgers isn't going to do it for you. Yes, they might pack some fat on, but that's probably not what you need. You need protien and then you need to use that protien to create muscle. At 6'3" and 155 lbs, your BMI is so low you are guaranteed to have serious medical problems. Age isn't going to be kind to you if you don't get this under control.

As far as your wife is concerned, just let her know that protien and exercise are necessary for your health. She can either help with a 10 minute exercise regimen, or she can help by dealing with your bedpan after you have a stroke and can't walk anymore. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[PB]

I am NOT giving up beer, but could lose a few pounds. I am 6' and around 215lbs. I don't think I have been under 200 since I was 5. Don't own a scale, and don't intend on buying one. So instead of weight I will just count how many miles I can hike in a day, or hours if it is strenuous. I will stop eating before I give up beer.

 

[bayshorecs]

You actually have just a serious of a problem as me. You need to see your Dr for a checkup first, then you need to see a good nutritionist. They will likely put you on a 3000+ calorie per day diet and send you to the gym. A couple of double cheesburgers isn't going to do it for you. Yes, they might pack some fat on, but that's probably not what you need. You need protien and then you need to use that protien to create muscle. At 6'3" and 155 lbs, your BMI is so low you are guaranteed to have serious medical problems. Age isn't going to be kind to you if you don't get this under control.

As far as your wife is concerned, just let her know that protien and exercise are necessary for your health. She can either help with a 10 minute exercise regimine, or she can help by dealing with your bedpan after you have a stroke and can't walk anymore.

I have had a full checkup from the doc just last year and everything looked great. Plus, the military was always on top for annual physicals. For 10 years, I have tried just about everything as far as diet goes, but nothing sticks. I can eat nothing but rabbit food, steaks, junk food, etc, and stay the same. My mother's side of the family is all that way and those people all living to 80+.

Although, I might need to threaten a little on the exercise program requirement

 

[willsaw4beer]

Good thread, my dad is almost 60 years old and he's healthier than alot of people that are my age (23.) Exercise is the main reason. Personally I can't stand not being active, I've always worked manual labor for a living, and even being unemployed I look for stuff to do to make me work up a sweat. A hard day's work means a good night's sleep.

 

[parrisw]

You might want to make this a sticky. If you read in one of the other post, they were talking about a guy needing to lose weight. I posted about how I was once 270 then stayed at 230 for a while then got to 190 last year- untill the holidays . Then I went to a chainsaw event and saw plenty of dudes 250- 300+ easy. So Im making a "2009 Chainsaw Health Challenge". Im challenging you to lose weight, cut down or stop drinking, or quit using tobacco. Whatever you need to do to improve your health. Thank goodness I never did use tobacco or drink and I know its hard to kick because some boys at working are trying to quit chewing- they're having a rough time of it.

Post on up and say what your goals are. Right now Im 200 pounds my goal is to get to 185 or less. Also Im going to try to exercise more and increase my strength, flexability and endurance. Im an ole single dude- I tell the boys at work Im doing it for the "Ladies" cause God know I need a woman!

Another thing. Tell your wives your taking the challenge and what money you save on all the junk food, beer and tobacco maybe she'll cut you a deal and let you spend it on a new chainsaw! I did some figuring if the average saw cost $650 over 5 years thats just $2.50 a week or just 36 cents per day. Cut down on the soft drinks, beer and junk food you'll get it easy.

Good Idea. But wow 185lbs? How tall are you. I've been over 185lbs since High School. I'm about 210 now, and don't feel I really need to loose any wieght.

 

[Chopwood]

I think this thread is a great idea. I am 6' 4-1/2" and currently 275lbs, 35 years old. I'm on my way down from 290. I am getting a hip replacement in the coming november, degenerative arthritis in the right one. they want me at 240 by then. I haven't been that light since high school. I graduated Army basic in '94 at 245 with 8% body fat. My body shape is pretty much the same, just thicker all the way around. My plan is less beer, smaller portions and less time in the chair. I compete in timbersports events and work in the wood regularly. I am a foreman in a 1MM square foot printing plant and walk the entire plant all night. Stamina and strength aren't a problem. Just need to get rid of the padding. I'm in!