Base training level-future Camino at least a year away?

[aliciag56]

If you have no immediate plans for a Camino what do you aim for in terms of walking/training weekly?
I let my hiking/walking slack off this summer - did a 4.5 mile hike this am and noticed it.
I'm a 67 yo woman and I think my days of getting in shape quickly for when I do do another Camino in a year or two are over!

 

[C clearly]

I try to make walking my daily activity and my path to good health in old age - regardless of whether I ever walk another Camino. I have been walking 50 km/week for several years, with the exception of the past summer. As a retired person, I am lucky to have the time. After my last Camino in June, I eased right off, due to some persistent foot problems and the demands of my garden. Now I am trying to get back to that level (now at 30-40 km/week) - for my health, as well as for the Camino.

 

[Robo]

It really depends on the individuals state of health, fitness level and body weight.

I'm lazy. I don't train really. I'm 66.
As a Camino date starts approaching I do two things.

1. Reduce my bodyweight. I'm normally quite overweight (10-12 kg or so) so this gives me an incentive to lose some weight. I know if I don't that the Camino is going to hurt! So I aim to get my BMI into the upper range of 'normal'. Actually, lower range of overweight, just checked. I'm normally about 32 and aim for 27 or below. Maybe next time I'll try to get to 25!
2. I walk a bit. Nothing much really. Some easy walks on a soft surface, around local parks, hiking trails. Maybe building up to 20 kms / week.

But......

I also start slow on the Camino. I build up my distances in the early days, to my comfort level of 20-25 kms / day. For example in the first days on the Camino I might walk 10 kms, 14 kms, 18 kms, 20 kms and so on. Just to warm up. By day 5 or so I'm at my planned daily distance.

If I planned to start out at those distances, I would walk more at home prior to the Camino.
I could claim that work and other commitments preclude any serious training, but the truth is, walking at home bores the pants off me I love walking on Camino, but really have no interest to do it elsewhere.

I don't even train with a full weight pack, because it might cause injury in training.

I wish I was more inclined to train, but I'm not. I just know with excess bodyweight gone and some light walking beforehand, along with a gradual build up on Camino I'll be fine.

I managed a 1200 km Camino OK this year....... No drama, no injury.

But I'm not recommending my approach!!!

Just offering another perspective.

But for a first Camino........I'd train a bit.
Though be careful to not overtrain. I did and still carry the injuries 8 years later.
Maybe that's why I hate or maybe 'fear' training

 

[trecile]

To me the best training is to get in the habit of walking every day. Do occasional long walks and try to walk on hills.

 

[dougfitz]

I have been slowed down a little following knee replacement surgery last year. My aim is to walk about an hour every weekday as exercise along with any other walking I might do, and to do a longer walk on at least one day on the weekend. These vary in distance, but anything from two to four hours with a day pack around 5-8 kg depending on what gear I am carrying when I am bush-walking.

There is normally plenty of helpful advice on the IVV and IML two day and four day walk event sites around the world for their longer distance walks. If you maintain a base level of being able to walk two to three hours most weekends, extending that to your camino distances should take no more than a couple of months of more dedicated training. You don't need to maintain that level continually unless you are participating in other long distance walking activities as part of your normal daily life.

ps: I don't quite emulate @Robo's approach, but there is much to recommend about it. Avoiding injury is a pretty important part of any preparation, whether that is by avoiding more demanding types of activities while still working on both walking strength and endurance or by introducing a heavier pack into your routine gradually rather than suddenly. You will eventually have to carry one, but my view is that if you don't introduce it into your training regime until a couple of months out, that is still time to work out how well you are going to tolerate the harness and overall weight.

 

[Robo]

I have been slowed down a little following knee replacement surgery last year. My aim is to walk about an hour every weekday as exercise along with any other walking I might do, and to do a longer walk on at least one day on the weekend. These vary in distance, but anything from two to four hours with a day pack around 5-8 kg depending on what gear I am carrying when I am bush-walking.

There is normally plenty of helpful advice on the IVV and IML two day and four day walk event sites around the world for their longer distance walks. If you maintain a base level of being able to walk two to three hours most weekends, extending that to your camino distances should take more than a couple of months of more dedicated training. You don't need to maintain that level continually unless you are participating in other long distance walking activities as part of your normal daily life.

ps: I don't quite emulate @Robo's approach, but there is much to recommend about it. Avoiding injury is a pretty important part of any preparation, whether that is by avoiding more demanding types of activities while still working on both walking strength and endurance or by introducing a heavier pack into your routine gradually rather than suddenly. You will eventually have to carry one, but my view is that if you don't introduce it into your training regime until a couple of months out, that is still time to work out how well you are going to tolerate the harness and overall weight.

Agree 100% @dougfitz
This only works for me as I have used the same pack and gear for 8 years now.
And I aim for a fairly low pack weight. 6.5 kg without food/water.

 

[Mormon]

I'm 73. I want to keep walking for a long time, so I walk a lot. Most days I walk 3 miles in the morning and 1 1/2 miles in the afternoon. Before a Camino, I'll increase the afternoon walk a bit and add a backpack.

 

[CaminoMonique]

I am planning for the Camino Portugues starting in Valença in 2025 (aiming for April, but that may change). My goal is to start with 5 km/day on weekends and build it up to 25 km/day. I have a super intense corporate job, so it’s impossible for me to walk during the week; but I know I can do as I am planning, as I’ve done that before.

My key issue is I live in Miami and it is pretty flat around here Plus the humidity doesn’t do any favors for my low blood pressure and tendency to faint in those conditions. So I’m taking full advantage that the weather is getting more pleasant now, and the fact that I’m a 42 year old early bird (see, I had plans to sleep in this Saturday but I’ve been awake for a long while and it’s not 7:14am) that enjoys going to the beach before there’s a crowd there!

For my training walks I am going to go with my Osprey Skimmer 28 and fully packed, trying to be at 6kg excluding water and snacks. I am the person who travels carry on only, so the prospect of a 6kg backpack is not daunting to me. My dear husband is being so supportive and encouraging, so that is a great thing to have while training and preparing!

Bom Caminho / Buen Camino! - I know it is a journey, and that starts before we even leave home!

 

[J Willhaus]

I am fortunate because I can walk to work. Its about 2 km there and then 2 km back each day. My husband aged 73 walks with me and then I call him in the afternoon and he walks to meet me halfway.On weekends we take a longer hike at least one day.

Basically on the Camino, we just pace ourselves. We don't walk more than about 16 to 20 km per day. If we walk shorter distances we can both carry our packs and stop when we want rather than holding to a rigid itinerary. If we go much more than 16 km per day we need to ship his pack which ties us to a regimented itinerary.

He goes to the gym regularly and has a personal trainer. This year they are working on increasing his endurance. I go to the gym less regularly, but work on maintaining my flexibility and upper body strength.

Edit: we also live in the mountains at a high elevation which may give us some advantage.

 

[rainswift]

My first Camino is going to be in June 2024. I'm starting from an essentially sedentary state (before I had the urge to walk the Camino, I had started hiking for about an hour twice weekly over the summer of 2023; before that I exercised not at all)!

I'm fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest close to a beautiful seaside walk that stretches along the southern peninsula. We also have mild weather over winter, for which I'm grateful. Using Google maps, I've plotted out a number of out-and-back routes of varying lengths:

- 7km : 1.5 hours
- 8.5km : 2 hours
- 12.2km : 2.5 hours
- 14.4km : 3 hours
- 17km : 4 hours
- 21km: 5 hours
- 24km : 5.5 hours

I'm fortunate to work only 32 hours a week (three full days and two half days). Over the next 7 months, I plan on taking progressively longer walks, trying to get out every day with my pack fully loaded at 6kg with water. (But I hope I won't beat myself up if I miss a day due to other life demands). On my weekend or days where I have a half day, I'll take longer walks. On days where I work a full day, I'll only go 7km/1.5 hours.

If all goes well, by November I'll be walking 61km/week. By May, 95km/week. My daily numbers in May will still be low relative to Camino walking, but hopefully it's enough preparation!

My other hope is that, after the Camino, I'll be able to maintain the November schedule of walking: 1.5 hours on work days, and 2-3 hours on short days/weekends. I think that would be really great for my health!

Here is the schedule I hope to maintain to keep my base level health up forever:

Day 1: 7km
Day 2: 7km
Day 3: 8.5km
Day 4: 8.5km
Day 5: 7km
Day 6 (weekend): 8.5km (and a bonus walk in the nearby forest for another 5km)
Day 7 (weekend): 14.4km

I just need my Wrightsocks to come in and see if they will prevent blisters! I tried going in my Darn Toughs but the sidewalk was hard on my feet and I could feel hotspots under the balls of my feet after only 7km.

P.S. This is what I hope will work for me and my schedule; others may be busier and have to do something different!

 

[makingtrax]

If you have no immediate plans for a Camino what do you aim for in terms of walking/training weekly?
I let my hiking/walking slack off this summer - did a 4.5 mile hike this am and noticed it.
I'm a 67 yo woman and I think my days of getting in shape quickly for when I do do another Camino in a year or two are over!

I am 71 and when at home try to walk 4 klms every morning 5 days a week. This keeps my fitness level ready for my yearly camino. You are never too old to get in shape. Use it or lose it.. .in other words dont give up. Bon camino.

 

[MikeJS]

I do not train specifically for my caminos. I normally play golf 3 times a week and walk the dog every day. I then just try to be aware of my body’s needs - and gradually increase my intake of vino tinto!

 

[basquelady]

My first Camino is going to be in June 2024. I'm starting from an essentially sedentary state (before I had the urge to walk the Camino, I had started hiking for about an hour twice weekly over the summer of 2023; before that I exercised not at all)!

I'm fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest close to a beautiful seaside walk that stretches along the southern peninsula. We also have mild weather over winter, for which I'm grateful. Using Google maps, I've plotted out a number of out-and-back routes of varying lengths:

- 7km : 1.5 hours
- 8.5km : 2 hours
- 12.2km : 2.5 hours
- 14.4km : 3 hours
- 17km : 4 hours
- 21km: 5 hours
- 24km : 5.5 hours

I'm fortunate to work only 32 hours a week (three full days and two half days). Over the next 7 months, I plan on taking progressively longer walks, trying to get out every day with my pack fully loaded at 6kg with water. (But I hope I won't beat myself up if I miss a day due to other life demands). On my weekend or days where I have a half day, I'll take longer walks. On days where I work a full day, I'll only go 7km/1.5 hours.

If all goes well, by November I'll be walking 61km/week. By May, 95km/week. My daily numbers in May will still be low relative to Camino walking, but hopefully it's enough preparation!

My other hope is that, after the Camino, I'll be able to maintain the November schedule of walking: 1.5 hours on work days, and 2-3 hours on short days/weekends. I think that would be really great for my health!

Here is the schedule I hope to maintain to keep my base level health up forever:

Day 1: 7km
Day 2: 7km
Day 3: 8.5km
Day 4: 8.5km
Day 5: 7km
Day 6 (weekend): 8.5km (and a bonus walk in the nearby forest for another 5km)
Day 7 (weekend): 14.4km

I just need my Wrightsocks to come in and see if they will prevent blisters! I tried going in my Darn Toughs but the sidewalk was hard on my feet and I could feel hotspots under the balls of my feet after only 7km.

P.S. This is what I hope will work for me and my schedule; others may be busier and have to do something different!

Any hills there?

 

[rainswift]

Any hills there?

Only light inclines during my seaside walks. When I go to the forest once a week there's a big ridge trail that I climb up. I'll be taking the Camino Portuguese so hopefully the reports that it's relatively flat are true and I don't have to worry about anything too strenuous!

 

[Susan Peacock]

I’ve walked 10 Caminos; some in better shape than others. I do think that with better preparation my body didn’t require as much of my energy and I could start really enjoying my Camino sooner. I live in flat Florida, so I happen to think that adding some other forms of exercise are important.
1) build to where can consistently walk 3-5 miles 5 days a week. Carry a light pack when the walking is easy.
2) add stretching techniques that you do before and after a walk. I take a rubber band with me on Camino too.
3) once you are very comfortable with add a
7-9 mile hike, do this for a couple of weeks and then do two of these hikes back to back.
4) Hills/elevation whenever you can find it…. Bridges, parking garages, stadiums, treadmill, spinning classes.
4) I think all the hiking is great but do targeted exercises to strengthen ankles, knees, quads, glutes and back are super important. I spend about 30 minutes a day. The lack of these I believe contribute to some imbalances that exhibit themselves in the form of knee injuries and shin splits.
Whatever, training you do, start slow and build up. You don’t want to get hurt before you’re even stepped foot on the Camino.

 

[Frankybaby66]

If you have no immediate plans for a Camino what do you aim for in terms of walking/training weekly?
I let my hiking/walking slack off this summer - did a 4.5 mile hike this am and noticed it.
I'm a 67 yo woman and I think my days of getting in shape quickly for when I do do another Camino in a year or two are over!

 

[Frankybaby66]

Bit basic, but I walk when I can and do a longer walk at weekends. My weight can yo-yo a bit, so I plan on losing the weight equal to the weight of my Camino pack; then this persuades me that I'm actually having my bags transferred.

 

[Marbe2]

If one is starting in SJPdP on the CF then it is hard to walk yourself into fitness, as you will be facing a substantial elevation gain. Then a down hill followed by another significant downhill before reaching Pamplona. This is where a number of pilgrims get sprains, achilles injuries, shin splints and blisters and more blisters. If one is unfit better to start in Pamplona.

I now incorporate physical activity from daily living with regular exercise. Just hit my 75th and I still cut my grass with a gas Toro-mower and garden. We walk our dogs 3-5 miles daily on pavement. We do about a half hours worth of strengthening, and stretching exercises 5-7times a week.

As Camino time approaches, we add walking in our lovely state parks 3-5 miles on uneven hilly paths several times a week. Then we might add treadmill work focused on hills!
When we start out our camino the first few days only walk between 15-20 kms max. In addition, my sister who is 83, needs additional recovery time. So I plan a couple of short days walking maybe 20-12 kms about every 4-5 days, or a rest day after 5 days walking. We are retired and speed and distance are not our focus.

Toughen your soles and toes by walking on pavement and do walk on uneven dirt trails to strengthen those other small muscles in your feet.

 

[aliciag56]

Thank you all so much! Great ideas, especially about the vino tinto !

 

[Rita Flower]

4) I think all the hiking is great but do targeted exercises to strengthen ankles, knees, quads, glutes and back are super important. I spend about 30 minutes a day. The lack of these I believe contribute to some imbalances that exhibit themselves in the form of knee injuries and shin splits.
Whatever, training you do, start slow and build up. You don’t want to get hurt before you’re even stepped foot on the Camino.

I agree with @C clearly - at any time, but particularly as we get older, getting and staying fit is critical to a healthy old age - whether we walk the Camino or not. For me preparation for the Camino was a great way to start and continue lifelong physical health habits.
I am 72 and walked my third Camino last year being the least fit I have been in a long time. I sprained my ankle very badly in early 2020 and used it as an excuse to basically put my feet up - for the next three years!
Anyway the result was the first week or two of the Via was physically very hard - but I started slow (8 km, 12 km, 18 km) and it's flat for a long time. I used to call it the 'old people's Camino".
So - to get to the point. I have found that strengthening exercises are just as important and walking. I was already doing ankle exercises but have recently added knees, quads, glutes and back. I don't do them all in one session but spread them out throughout the day - or stop on my walk along the river and do them there. I am amazed that even after a couple of weeks I feel so much better all round and am already moving like a younger me.
Currently (I am not working) I walk 5.3 km six days per week and do about 30 mins of strength and flexiblity work.
When I was working - before the ankle - I got off the train a few stops before work and home and got my steps / kms in that way.
Here is a link to some of the ways I take care of the body - from my FindPenguins journal - if you are interested. But basically - start slow and listen to the body, not the mind - and whatever happens is just what happens.

Preparing the body

These are some of the things I have done to stay fit and healthy in general and that I think helped prepare for the Camino. Preparing the body for a long ...

findpenguins.com

 

[Richard Smith]

As a 67 year old male, my base training approach is :-
* walk the dog for half hour almost every day (this is an easy walk, 10 year old dog, 2km )
* at least twice a week there will be gardening, bike riding, swimming in season, day walk in bush with light pack, wash the car, up a ladder trimming trees,
* once or twice a year there will be a multi-day pack walk carrying tent and camp gear (pack weight can be 11kg - 15 kg depending on water availability)
* stretching and hand weights are good to retain fitness, I should start doing these again .....
* I do a fair bit of incidental walking and take the stairs instead of elevator when I can
* I watch my weight, usually around 25 BMI. (but my doctor would like 24) And watch how the trousers are fitting around the waist.

When I do a longer bike ride or a multi-day walk, if it is harder than expected I increase my usual basic exercise afterwards. Same if the weight goes up.

 

[LTfit]

If you have no immediate plans for a Camino what do you aim for in terms of walking/training weekly?
I let my hiking/walking slack off this summer - did a 4.5 mile hike this am and noticed it.
I'm a 67 yo woman and I think my days of getting in shape quickly for when I do do another Camino in a year or two are over!

They don't have to be! I'm also a 67 year old woman and never have to train for a Camino. Why? Because I walk about 2 hours daily with my dog, three on Sundays (5 -5.5 kph) . I also do an intensive type of yoga 4x a week. It really all depends on your normal daily routine - climb stairs, walk instead of taking the car etc. I live in an apartment on the fourth floor and only take the elevator if bogged down with something really heavy. Walking up and down 4 flights of stairs 4 times a day is a daily activity. Every little bit adds up

Of course everyone is different but I certainly wouldn't give up!

 

[Nanners]

I just finished walking my first Camino, the Portuguese, starting at Porto, with my husband. We are 61 and 63. We started training 2 months before the trip, walking 4-5 miles most weekdays. We did a did a long walk on the weekends, starting at 6 miles and gradually increasing to 12 miles. This seemed to serve us well on the Camino. We were tired at the end of the day, but we didn’t have sore muscles. Never had a need to take the OTC pain meds that I packed. We each had one small manageable blister. I should also note that most days we walked in our Camino shoes, so they were fully broken in when we started the walk. We walked without our packs until the last couple of weeks when we took them on the weekend walks.

 

[Joseph Carmona]

If you have no immediate plans for a Camino what do you aim for in terms of walking/training weekly?
I let my hiking/walking slack off this summer - did a 4.5 mile hike this am and noticed it.
I'm a 67 yo woman and I think my days of getting in shape quickly for when I do do another Camino in a year or two are over!

Regular consistent training as we age is extremely important "use it or lose it" is very much a thing and it's much harder if we spend a year planning our Camino and we leave the physical training to the very last.
The mental side is equally important we think that once we pass a certain age we must behave in a certain way. Age is but a number but you state that because you're 67 years old that maybe the things that you want to do is limited in some way because of that number.
I am 70 year old and have done my eighth Camino, the Frances from SJPDP to Santiago in 26 days in the month of August in 40 C,, then my ninth Camino to Finisterre and Muxia. I train throughout the year and know that it's harder and much more pain if I stop training for any length of time so I use it because I don't want to lose it, buen Camino

 

[WalkingInGers]

As a 67 year old male, my base training approach is :-
* walk the dog for half hour almost every day (this is an easy walk, 10 year old dog, 2km )
* at least twice a week there will be gardening, bike riding, swimming in season, day walk in bush with light pack, wash the car, up a ladder trimming trees,
* once or twice a year there will be a multi-day pack walk carrying tent and camp gear (pack weight can be 11kg - 15 kg depending on water availability)
* stretching and hand weights are good to retain fitness, I should start doing these again .....
* I do a fair bit of incidental walking and take the stairs instead of elevator when I can
* I watch my weight, usually around 25 BMI. (but my doctor would like 24) And watch how the trousers are fitting around the waist.

When I do a longer bike ride or a multi-day walk, if it is harder than expected I increase my usual basic exercise afterwards. Same if the weight goes up.

How much do you currently weigh? I ask the question relative to the total weight of your Rucksack, water and hiking poles included.

 

[Richard Smith]

How much do you currently weigh? I ask the question relative to the total weight of your Rucksack, water and hiking poles included.

I was 87.2 kg this morning. The 11-15 kg pack weight mentioned has heaps of stuff I wouldn't take on the camino, including 3 days food, lots of water and 0.5 litre scotch.
My last few walks in Australia have been water scarce and for the last one we had to pre-position 15 litres at one of the camp sites using a 4WD. The one before that was an overnight walk that was supposed to have no water but we ended up by a lake that was crystal clean ... you don't know till you go.
I don't use walking poles in Australia but did take a single one for the Camino, when my pack weighed 11-12 kg and I weighed 94 kg (both too much!). In Portugal after the Camino, my weight was down to 83.5 and doctor was very pleased when I got back home.

 

[WalkingInGers]

As some of you are aware, I walked the Aragonese from Toulouse to Pamplona in April-May of this year. Upon completion, I started to plan to walk the Olvivado, the San Salvatore and the Primativo from Bilbao.

I left Bilbao on September 20th and returned from Balmaseda and home by bus on the 23rd due to lower back pain after having seen a doctor who informed me that I LACKED BACK MUSCLES due to my LOSS of weight.My legs were trembling like leaves something that had never happened before while hiking. (I have been hiking since January 2020 and have lost the equivalent of 22 kgs).

I am now home and have joined an athletic club to rebuild those lower back muscles and will be hiking with a backpack that weighs 12 kgs. The recommended weight for my backpack is 10% or about 7 kgs. i have looked at various lists of items included in the hike and what I have included in my list is spot on with the exception of one item which is my CPAP machine.

I am leaving Bilbao or Pamplona late March, early April 2024.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper wrote a book, The New Aerobics, published in 1970 (so no longer new) that gave points for various exercises (run, walk, swim, bike, etc) done for a certain time at a specified speed. 30 points a week was considered sufficient to maintain your current level of aerobic fitness.

Cooper's book (he also wrote The New Aerobics for Women) will lead you through a program of aerobic exercise to get in shape. He has 5 categories of fitness. With some caveats Cooper has you take a fitness test. That test is to run or walk as fast as you can for 12 minutes. You are placed in a fitness category based on the distance traveled and your age. If you fall into the top 2 categories then you use charts for different exercises to score 30 points a week to maintain your level of aerobic fitness. If you do not score well enough to be in the better categories he has multi-week plans to improve. You can use exercise programs he has developed or mix as you please. As an example, you can earn 6 points by walking 3 miles within 36 and 43.5 minutes or 7 points for walking 4 miles between 48 and 80 minutes.

 

[LTfit]

I left Bilbao on September 20th and returned from Balmaseda and home by bus on the 23rd due to lower back pain after having seen a doctor who informed me that I LACKED BACK MUSCLES due to my LOSS of weight.My legs were trembling like leaves something that had never happened before while hiking. (I have been hiking since January 2020 and have lost the equivalent of 22 kgs).

The comment by your doctor has me puzzled (no, I'm not a physician but am a physiotherapist). Poor back musculature because of weight-loss ? Atrophy or loss of muscle bulk is usually due to lack of use unless you are fasting and starving yourself in which case the body uses protein as fuel. My suggestion is to visit a physiotherapist or a good exercise trainer to help you strengthen your core muscles. Just my 2 cents

I am leaving Bilbao or Pamplona late March, early April 2024.

Enjoy! It's more physically demanding than the Primitivo or San Salvador but the "B" mountain routes are spectacular!

 

[mattythedog]

If you have no immediate plans for a Camino what do you aim for in terms of walking/training weekly?
I let my hiking/walking slack off this summer - did a 4.5 mile hike this am and noticed it.
I'm a 67 yo woman and I think my days of getting in shape quickly for when I do do another Camino in a year or two are over!

Well, I plan on doing at least one Camino every year and may leave at any time. Training involves loading an old MOLLE pack to 4X Camino base weight, or 18kg, and carrying it while walking the dog 2-3x per day for a total of 7.5-15km. That way I don't have to do any 25km+ training hikes, which would take too much time, ---and he is a very happy dog! Ride the bike for a couple hours a few times a week. Hit the gym an hour a day 5-6 days a week. Do the elliptical if weather is bad outside. Be real, most people spend a few hours a day anchoring the couch while watching TV or doing Facebook. That time is better spent maintaining your health, Camino or not.

 

[Richard Smith]

(I have been hiking since January 2020 and have lost the equivalent of 22 kgs).

wow, 22 kgs is a lot.
In my case I lost fat (I had sufficient to lose) and gained muscle. And since then even though my weight is good I know I have gained fat and lost muscle
BMI (Body Mass Index) is a widely used measure but not perfect. I am tall and skinny so do well on this measure but my Tongan in-laws are sturdy and shorter, so fare much worse.
Another measure is the pinch test, which I think may be better.
I am puzzled that you lost muscle mass in your back while hiking but it is great that you are addressing this in your athletic club. One advantage of a club compared with a solo exercise program is that you can see how you go compared to everyone else. I wish you every success!
When I was younger I was poorer but stronger, so cheap but heavy gear was OK. Now I have more money but need light weight, expensive gear to do similar activities and I now pace myself better. So to alter a saying :-
"Old age, wisdom and wealth can match youth and enthusiasm"

BTW - the original saying was
"Old age and treachery can beat youth and beauty"

 

[Bradypus]

wow, 22 kgs is a lot.

Depends on how much there was to lose in the first place! 22kg spread over three years does not seem like a huge amount if the person was substantially overweight to start with. I lost 33 pounds (15kg) over 66 days when walking from Canterbury to Rome. An average of half a pound per day. With hindsight it seems quite possible that the very rapid weight loss during that walk was the trigger for my later gallstone problem.