Weight Loss / Health Benefits

[Chuck Cunningham]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

 

[natefaith]

Hi Chuck,
This blog post gives a good history and definition of Ultreia: http://liturgy.co.nz/ultreia-et-suseia. If you Google it more links will come up as well.

Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[SabsP]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

Annie explains it very well in her blog...

http://caminosantiago2.blogspot.be/2012/03/ultreya-peregrinos-ultreya.html

Another link...
http://caminoways.com/what-does-ultreia-mean

I love this interpretation...

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Got it. Another camino mystery solved !

 

[mspath]

For many posts re health benefits from walking the camino see this earlier forum thread--
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/weight-loss.24777/

In 2004 at 65 when I first began walking my height was 172 cm and weight 65 kilos. By the end of that camino and ever since my weight remains less than 61 kilos. Yet each time entering Santiago I physically felt remade; my bones might have been the same but they seemed re configured.

Even more important than any physical slimming down and tightening up has been the psychological change during each camino. I have learned my limits as well as the importance of personal tenacity and endurance. Compared with ten climbs up O Cebreiro daily trivialities in ordinary life now at 78 have little importance!

Nevertheless, what matters is to try to DO IT! As Churchill said after Dunkirk "we will go on to the end".

 

[natefaith]

Annie explains it very well in her blog...

http://caminosantiago2.blogspot.be/2012/03/ultreya-peregrinos-ultreya.html

Another link...
http://caminoways.com/what-does-ultreia-mean

I love this interpretation...

Hey, I know Jean-Claude! He's great! Thanks for sharing!

 

[notion900]

I met a lady called Georgina in the street in Astorga who I had seen last 3 weeks earlier when I shared a room with her in SJPP. She shouted out 'you've lost so much weight' and I shouted back 'say it again Georgina!' and she obliged me. I think bystanders thought we were a bit odd.

 

[joecamino]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking...Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits.

Right with you, Chuck. I look forward to having good news to share in a couple months-- and to hearing yours as well!

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

That's good to notice

I met a lady called Georgina in the street in Astorga who I had seen last 3 weeks earlier when I shared a room with her in SJPP. She shouted out 'you've lost so much weight' and I shouted back 'say it again Georgina!' and she obliged me. I think bystanders thought we were a bit odd.

a lot of weight loss in only 3 weeks. too cool.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Right with you, Chuck. I look forward to having good news to share in a couple months-- and to hearing yours as well!

Spot on brother. I am Type II diabetic and the VA is ready to put me on insulin if I don't improve soon. Soooo I am very serious about this..taking my glucometer so I can keep a log on my blood sugar and the effects of daily hiking.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

For many posts re health benefits from walking the camino see this earlier forum thread--
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/weight-loss.24777/

In 2004 at 65 when I first began walking my height was 172 cm and weight 65 kilos. By the end of that camino and ever since my weight remains less than 61 kilos. Yet each time entering Santiago I physically felt remade; my bones might have been the same but they seemed re configured.

Even more important than any physical slimming down and tightening up has been the psychological change during each camino. I have learned my limits as well as the importance of personal tenacity and endurance. Compared with ten climbs up O Cebreiro daily trivialities in ordinary life now at 78 have little importance!

Nevertheless, what matters is to try to DO IT! As Churchill said after Dunkirk "we will go on to the end".

I checked the thread... excellent info... thanks

 

[Yoyo]

I am happy to report a little pre-camino "miracle":
After many years of physical inactivity I took up exercising 3 months ago to prepare for my mid-may camino start. Three times a week I go swimming as a cardio exercise which is easy on the joints. At first I was out of breath after 50 m and could only swim 10 x 50 m, and then gradually increased the number of laps. For a few weeks now I have been able to swim 1500 m non-stop without being overly exhausted afterwards. I also walk briskly (3.4 miles/hr) on the treadmill the other 4 days of the week. At the same time I have moderated my calorie intake by making healthier food choices.
The result: In three months I have lost about 14 lbs (close to the weight my backpack will be!), my blood pressure has gone back down to normal, I have built some stamina and muscles that will help take me over the Pyrenees. And considering that I am doing my training at about 8000 ft, I might even have the advantage of altitude training.
If the mere 1-hour-a-day preparation for the camino can have such positive effects on weight and health, I am sure actually walking for weeks can do that and more!
I wish you buen camino, Chuck. You can do it!

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

sounds good thanks. i will not have time to do any pre hiking training but I know how to take it easy at first.... and safe... not trying to prove anything...I'm glad for you and wish you the best. I know you will do well. amazing what exercise does.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

Chuck, keeping the furnace stoked is incredibly necessary in order to do all the walking you'll be doing. Most backpackers will focus on proteins and fats, just because they not only taste great, but combined with carbohydrates will keep energy levels up during each day of walking. The nice thing is, you won't need to carry days of meals on your back.... you have places to eat and purchase snacks along the way. The other nice thing is that eating a balanced diet will be easier than when backpacking.

During my last 21 day backpacking trip in the Cascades, last October, I had a food menu that supplied around 6200 calories each day. I still lost 11 pounds by the time I got back home, craving cheeseburgers like mad :-o The trip gained a total of 19,000 feet of elevation and I would average about 23 miles of walking per day.

My point is this, figure your probable calorie expenditure, on average, each day based on how many miles and hours you plan to walk in a day. Then add in BOTH the amount of elevation gain and loss, and what the gradient, on average is. There are all sorts of exercise calorie calculators floating around the internet. This will be a ROUGH calculation, but will give you an idea of what the minimum amount of calories you need to eat each day.

Me, I plan on just eating and staying hydrated as my body yells at me to do so. I have a pretty good feel, from my backpacking and hiking experience, what I need to do to keep me going without over-indulging.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Wow 23 miles a day...that is awesome...I will probably start at around 6-8 miles per day... whatever I am confortable with.. I have lots of time so I'm sure mileage will increase as I go along. Thanks for the tips. well taken.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Wow 23 miles a day...that is awesome...I will probably start at around 6-8 miles per day... whatever I am confortable with.. I have lots of time so I'm sure mileage will increase as I go along. Thanks for the tips. well taken.

I was just using the mileage as an example. I have no idea what kind of mileage I'll do, or even feel like doing, while on the Camino.

 

[CdnDreamer]

I stayed the same weight while walking across Spain but I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. When I got home I watched my calories and had no problem losing 30 pounds over the next 5 months. I was also surprised to find how strong my abs were after walking. I could do leg lifts and sit ups forever. It felt amazing. I'm sure if you watch what you eat while walking, you will be able to lose weight on the camino! Buen Camino!

 

[MinaKamina]

Science has a word on the matter: The Santiago Study (cardiovascular)
http://citeweb.info/20120865176
Diabetes and walking:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302145/
I'd say the Gods are on your side. Use them well!

 

[Deleted member 43780]

Same as CndDreamer above....I did not lose a kg/lb in the three full Caminos I did!
Biked Frances, walked Frances and walked the Ingles.

Many told me they also did not gain or lose weight. Strange.

Possibly because I burned off calories and then put them right back on with a few Cruz Campos..?

And, all of that good food on the Caminos??

But, when finished Caminos I watched what I ate and lost weight....

 

[intrepidtraveler]

So walking the caminos Madrid, Frances and Finisterre in 2015 was the most fun I've ever had losing weight. Why? Because it was effortless. I ate and drank whatever I wanted and arrived at home visibly thinner - at least according to those who know me. I never weigh myself so I don't have any actual data to report. About halfway through I started needing to use my clothesline rope to hold my pants up. Enjoy your journey.

 

[tomnorth]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

In the year prior to walking the Camino Frances I lost 35 pounds. I lost an additional 11 on the Camino. That 11 I haven't kept off, but the 35 I have. The original impetus to walk the Camino came to me when I was recovering from a ruptured quadriceps tendon, which is a devastating leg injury. Basically, I had to learn how to walk again. I told myself that when I made it back to full strength, I was going to walk the Camino. The Camino can be a tremendous kickstart to a healthier life, physically and spiritually. It has been for me.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

So walking the caminos Madrid, Frances and Finisterre in 2015 was the most fun I've ever had losing weight. Why? Because it was effortless. I ate and drank whatever I wanted and arrived at home visibly thinner - at least according to those who know me. I never weigh myself so I don't have any actual data to report. About halfway through I started needing to use my clothesline rope to hold my pants up. Enjoy your journey.

Madrid, Frances and Finisterre, is that three separate caminos? How many miles total? Interesting. How long did it take you?

 

[Former member 35551]

I lost 50 lbs or about 20% of my body weight when I did Le Puy to Santiago in 2014. The first 25 days or so the weight loss was not noticeable to me. Just a periodic slight tightening of belt (pants and backpack). But after St Jean it was very fast and noticeable. I still remember the first time I realized that I had lost a ton of weight when I was laying in bed and noticed that my stomach was concave. Hadn't seen that since college.

Of course the daily walking had a lot to do with it but for me, I think the primary reason was the food. I ate much healthier and much less on the camino than I did at home. I wasn't trying to eat less; just wasn't hungry. Although, that never stopped me back home.

Now for the bad news. I kept the weight off when I got home as long as I was running every day. Once I stopped running, when I hurt my knee, my bad eating habits came back and I gained back most of the lost weight. I'm returning for several long walks (not all caminos) in May and have my fingers crossed for similar results. This time it'll be different. ;-)

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

50 lbs is awesome!!! Good luck to you my friend. How many miles per day did you start with?My appetite has really subsided as of late..don't know why. hope it stays.

 

[Former member 35551]

Overall, I averaged 30 km/day and it was slightly lower for the first week - 28 km/day. However, I can't emphasize enough to HYOH. You've got to do what you're comfortable with. You can't lose any weight if you get hurt. The first couple of weeks I was very, very slow. Little old ladies in rockers were passing me. I eventually caught up with people who had shot out of Le Puy Cathedral and then gotten seriously hurt. Not talking about blisters but pulled groin muscles, twisted knees, problems with hips, etc. I never even got a blister.

I take very few breaks, if any and no zeros (except when I got sick on CP). But that is not a recommendation either. You really have to find what works for you. One size does not fit all on the camino. But going slower than you are capable of in the beginning of your journey comes pretty darn close.

 

[Deleted member 36903]

Hi Chuck, in addition to the information from the earlier posts, for me one of the health benefits (I have a mild asthmatic condition) was improved respiratory function and better posture. Carrying the backpack corrected years of leaning over a computer, by causing me to be more upright, forcing my shoulders back and thus opening up the rib-cage which at home tended to be constricted from desk-work. This improved both respiratory and cardio-vascular functioning. Buen Camino!

 

[Dave C.]

Last year I lost 20 pounds walking the Francis!! Although I found it when I got back home.

 

[Gareth Griffith]

On my Camino I heard a voice from an adjoining shower full of wonder and jubilation " I can see my knees!". He'd obviously lost a bit of his beer belly!
If you're type 2 diabetic and want to lose some weight try this page http://www.diabetes.co.uk/ and the high fat/low carbohydrate diet.
I noticed my calf muscles improved and I lost a few pounds but don't think you'll come home skinny as the communal meals and the regular bar stops keep you topped up with calories.

 

[Kanga]

My favourite translation of "ultreïa" is "go beyond!" That can mean so much.

 

[Sarah Olson]

I

Wow 23 miles a day...that is awesome...I will probably start at around 6-8 miles per day... whatever I am confortable with.. I have lots of time so I'm sure mileage will increase as I go along. Thanks for the tips. well taken.

would suggest almost the opposite: you are not walking the Camino with the sole goal of losing weight (are you?). You will lose weight and gain muscle naturally from the extra activity and not eating processed food! Weight loss more than a couple of pounds a week under any circumstance is not healthy for you. When I started planning my camino almost a year ago, I started working the Fitbit program: increased my exercise, counted my calories. I've lost 45 pounds and my weight has not changed in 2 months (and that is without counting calories anymore). I expect I might lose a few more when I am on the Portuguese in May, and that would be fine. But in order to lose weight and keep it off, slow and steady wins the race, just like on the Camino! Buen camino to you!!

 

[intrepidtraveler]

Madrid, Frances and Finisterre, is that three separate caminos? How many miles total? Interesting. How long did it take you?

Hi Chuck -

It's 3 separate Caminos. Because of starting in Madrid I only walked about half of the Camino Frances. The total for my trip was around 500 miles.

 

[stevelm1]

I am diabetic and had bariatric surgery a year before my walk. Before the walk I had lost 130 pounds and needed a new goal, which turned out to be the Camino Frances. I really took my time walking, I averaged 19km (~12 miles) a day and out of the 43 days I took to walk I rested about 8 and I still lost 15 pounds by the time I got to Santiago. What was fun was that while walking I ate things I do not get to do at home like ice cream almost everyday and OJ in the morning. Can't get away with those at home and still control my blood sugars but when you walk 4-6 hours a day you can.

LESSON LEARNED: Sadly when I got home I kept eating like a peregrino and I was not walking 4-6 hours a day and put all the weight back on.

I made a series of videos about my Camino if you are interested in getting a taste of the Camino before you go. You can see them at this link.... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTRlZoyX53Fdkz996kkzQqQ/videos?view=0&shelf_id=0&sort=dd

 

[Mark Lee]

We humans are made to walk, all day, everyday. To not do so is unnatural, but unfortunately that's what's come with our "progress".
Every time I walked the Camino I lost about 20 pounds of weight (too easy to gain back), and that was while still eating normally and drinking beer.
NPR did a piece not long ago about the health benefits of walking several miles a day (and diet), as evidenced by a particular group of indigenous people in the lowlands of Bolivia:
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsan...00/who-has-the-healthiest-hearts-in-the-world

 

[stevelm1]

Mark I heard that NPR report, they said if we all walked 17000 steps a day we would not have heart disease. Interestingly no hills required in those steps, just walk. I guess if we all walked the Camino all the time none of us would die of heart attacks. ;-)

 

[HighlandsHiker]

Chuck, I walked it twice in the mildly overweight range. First time lost 15# and then gained some of it back over the winter. Next time lost 12#. I'd trained in the mountains at home and had slowly lost some pounds, but the more rapid weight loss on the Caminos seemed to be a combination of the hiking with the extra effort of carrying a backpack and just not eating much between meals. When in Santiago, though, all bets were off. There's wonderful food all over town. It was actually unpleasant to NOT be walking, so I just walked all over town much of the day and kept walking at home until winter set in.

 

[AbbyDee]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

Well, the training I have been doing caused me to have to buy a belt, then punch a lot of holes in that belt to make it smaller and finally cut off about 8 inches off that belt because the end was flapping around. I am a diabetic also, and I eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies, so I didn't make that many changes in my diet and my sugars are spot on.

 

[Mike Trebert]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

Hi Chuck,

I've skimmed through this thread but I hope I'm not repeating a point that's been already covered. Regarding weight loss: My doctor told me during a checkup I had before I left for Spain, "Don't be overly concerned by weight loss. Yes you'll lose weight but you will also swap fat for new muscle as a result of all the exercise." Muscle is more compact and denser than fat and will be distributed throughout the body, so you'll lose a lot of the gut and look genuinely slimmer, but not all of the health benefits will be down exclusively to weight loss.

Also, as I'm sure you know, but I'll mention it here for the benefit of other readers: visceral fat (fat within the body which accumulates around the internal organs) is the nasty and dangerous type, worse than the outer fatty layer type. Exercise and a diminished calorie intake (you'll be burning a LOT of calories, so there will likely be a net deficit) will get rid of some body fat, including some visceral fat. The internal, visceral fat is the one which is associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes.

I hope to walk the Le Puy route myself one day soon, loved southern France, want to get back there and torture innocent people with my bad French. Please keep us informed of your trip.

Buen Camino, - Mike

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Thanks Mike, from what I've read and researched recently your post is right on. I gotta do this... I am borderline insulin dependent right now and I don't even want to go there. One article mentioned how adipose abdominal fat (beer gut) in particular is extremely bad for insulin functioning. I hope to do a blog somewhere and will let you know.

 

[JulieandPeter]

Oh, the weight I lost on the Camino! I could write volumes about it, suffice it to say only five of it was in physical pounds.

I also learned how to carry the weight I could not lose.

 

[Kev]

Hiked in fall 2015, when I came back home I was 16kg (35lbs) lighter (and kept it all off), cholesterol levels right on the money, and a vastly improved mental state .

 

[kmrice]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss

A thought on Le Puy: You may need more restraint to lose weight than on other Caminos.

I've done the Camino Frances in its entirety twice. Each time I lost some weight - probably between 5 and 10 pounds. This was without any self restraint - a fair amount of beer and wine whenever I felt like it, pilgrim menus most of the time.

I did Le Puy once. It was more strenuous than the CF, but I gained weight, probably nearly 10 pounds.

The difference was the food. On the CF it ranged from perfectly OK to pretty good with an occasional very good. On Le Puy it ranged from excellent to incredibly good. On the CF I ate mostly menus for dinner - you got a reasonable sized dinner (frequently a salad, a pork cutlet, some fries, and an ice cream bar) and that was it. On Le Puy it was family style and not only was the food outstanding, second helpings were always, and third helpings frequently, available. Cheese platters with 6, 8 or even 10 choices were one of my downfalls.

Just a thought.

 

[Kanga]

Yes, I'd have to agree about the food on the Le Puy. It was even worse when we walked the Canal du Midi as a variant to the Arles - flat, and staying in chambre d'hôtes with fabulous meals - duck, cassoulet, cheeses and double cream featured heavily. The penance I had to do after that!

 

[brian560]

I h

So walking the caminos Madrid, Frances and Finisterre in 2015 was the most fun I've ever had losing weight. Why? Because it was effortless. I ate and drank whatever I wanted and arrived at home visibly thinner - at least according to those who know me. I never weigh myself so I don't have any actual data to report. About halfway through I started needing to use my clothesline rope to hold my pants up. Enjoy your journey.

A thought on Le Puy: You may need more restraint to lose weight than on other Caminos.

I've done the Camino Frances in its entirety twice. Each time I lost some weight - probably between 5 and 10 pounds. This was without any self restraint - a fair amount of beer and wine whenever I felt like it, pilgrim menus most of the time.

I did Le Puy once. It was more strenuous than the CF, but I gained weight, probably nearly 10 pounds.

The difference was the food. On the CF it ranged from perfectly OK to pretty good with an occasional very good. On Le Puy it ranged from excellent to incredibly good. On the CF I ate mostly menus for dinner - you got a reasonable sized dinner (frequently a salad, a pork cutlet, some fries, and an ice cream bar) and that was it. On Le Puy it was family style and not only was the food outstanding, second helpings were always, and third helpings frequently, available. Cheese platters with 6, 8 or even 10 choices were one of my downfalls.

Just a thought.

I'm going.

 

[Lurch]

Chuckie...a fellow ward of Uncle Sam's V.A. To be among that elite group you must have worn a uniform at some time so return to those thrilling days of yesteryear when you went on road marches wearing full field gear. Rout step of 2.5 miles per hour with 50 minutes of walking and a 10 minute break every hour. For hour after hour. Complete the Camino and you will return tones and tanned and the envy of the Sun City geriatric pool! Least that is what I look forward to!

Oh, and did I mention, at the end of the march you get to sleep in a rack surrounded by strangers and take a shower with lukewarm water, also surrounded by those you don't know. Is that a cool memory or what??

Semper fi and buen Camino

cvixx (aka Bruce the quite elderly)

 

[mvanert]

One of my ulterior motives for doing the Le Puy is weight loss and any other health benefits that go along with extended hiking. I'm diabetic and need to get the weight down and hope my hike will help jump start things. Motivate me. Would like to hear from others that have had positive health benefits. We hear a lot about the mental/spiritual benefits , which is a great thing, but not too many testimonies on the physical attributes. So join in and lemme know. Thanks

BTW what does "ulteria) (sp?) mean I see it a lot when members are signing off.

During my first camino I lost 17 lbs in four weeks. Felt and looked great.

 

[AbbyDee]

The thing about walking your Camino is that it is opportunity to "step outside" your life in more ways than one: your day changes, your routines change your every day life recedes as you immerse yourself into the experience both physical and spiritual. While doing so you will likely be burning upwards of 3000 calories per day; and with this going on, there will be changes in you body: you will likely loose weight, and certainly gain muscle, no matter what you eat. However, this is where I will rain on the parade: If you want to keep the weight off, the kickstart on the Camino must be kept up at home and that is easier said than done, but it can be done.

 

[GreatDane]

I haven't done a complete camino all in one trip, just two partial CF's. And I walk the Joost method. Look a cheese shop!!!!! So no weight loss.

 

[november_moon]

No weight loss, but I had a skin condition on my hand - sort of an excema thing that I'd had for years off and on - it went away on the Camino and hasn't come back yet

 

[Deleted member 36903]

No weight loss, but I had a skin condition on my hand - sort of an excema thing that I'd had for years off and on - it went away on the Camino and hasn't come back yet

That is such a coincidence - or perhaps not - @november_moon. For almost a year before arriving in SJPDP I had a suspicious mole-like granulation on my temple. I decided not to seek advice from the doctor on the basis that he would probably send me to hospital for a biopsy and that if it turned out to be cancerous then I wouldn't be able to walk the Camino because of insurance complications - I am in my late 60s. I decided the pilgrimage to SdC was more important than anything else - we all have to die of something. I gave the matter no further thought and it wasn't until after I had arrived in Santiago that I realised the skin lesion/mole had completely disappeared. Was this a Camino miracle or just the effects of having daily doses of vitamin D from exposure to sunshine at levels not accessible in Scotland?

 

[november_moon]

Was this a Camino miracle or just the effects of having daily doses of vitamin D from exposure to sunshine at levels not accessible in Scotland?

I vote for Camino miracle. Why not?

 

[Deleted member 36903]

I vote for Camino miracle. Why not?

A friend who is a Catholic priest (I am an Anglican) would second your vote.

 

[mspath]

For many posts re health benefits from walking the camino see this earlier forum thread--
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/weight-loss.24777/

In 2004 at 65 when I first began walking my height was 172 cm and weight 65 kilos. By the end of that camino and ever since my weight remains less than 61 kilos. Yet each time entering Santiago I physically felt remade; my bones might have been the same but they seemed re configured.

Even more important than any physical slimming down and tightening up has been the psychological change during each camino. I have learned my limits as well as the importance of personal tenacity and endurance. Compared with ten climbs up O Cebreiro daily trivialities in ordinary life now at 78 have little importance!

Nevertheless, what matters is to try to DO IT! As Churchill said after Dunkirk "we will go on to the end".

Graham Isador 's new April 1, 2021 report Just Walk published in GQ stresses the many health benefits of walking.