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Just a note to report on my personal safari fitness program. On July 1, 2005, I started a diet in earnest and increased my exercise program. My weight on that date was 172.5 pounds, while my normal weight is 140 pounds. As of today, September 2, 2005, I weigh 142.5 pounds. The diet has been low carb and lower fat. Lots of salad and fish. Some protein supplements, vitamins. At the beginning, Metabolife really helped curb my appetite. Also used Cortisol for a while and it seemed to work but did not make me feel well. Lots of water too. Ketostix helped me to keep in a state of ketosis. Ketosis means fat burning, and fat burning means eventual weight loss. For exercise, I lift weights 2-3x a week, which not only builds strength and muscle tone, but reduces muscle loss while dieting and keeps metabolism high. Add to that cardio workouts which are typically 45 minutes in length, up to 2 hous. A few days a week I do 2 cardios per day. 2-3x a week my cardio is a 5 mile round trip hill climb which has 1400 feet of vertical ascent on fairly steep terrain. Now just 2.5 pounds to go to reach my goal, but in reality my goal is elimination of most visible body fat. There is a bit to go yet. All of this is to prepare me for aggressive elephant tracking. It just didn't seem right to embark on an elephant hunt at my fattest weight ever. Many thanks to those on this forum who contributed suggestions regarding how to proceed. I am sure I would never have gotten this far without that help.  | ||
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Great results and good to see you are still at it and not slowing down. We will need another update before the hunt. Frank | |||
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WOW, that is awsome..... you lost 30 lbs in 2 months.....Congratulations!!! | |||
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Gonna walk Ganyana in the ground are you? | |||
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Dan, Outstanding progress... Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Congrats 500gr! That is AWESOME! One bit of advice for you, since you are so close to your goals and because it would be a shame for all the effort to improve your state of "readiness" for this hunt to be wasted. Ramp down your efforts slowly starting a couple weeks prior to the departure. You want to be well rested and well nourished prior to beginning the hunt. Your also less likely to injure yourself on the hunt if you give your muscles a chance to heal up a bit beforehand. Most importantly, avoid all people with summer colds/flu's like they have the plague! You have put your body through a lot over the last couple months and the bulk of your bodies energy is going into muscle repair, etc. It leaves your immune system very vulnerable. Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration! I've got 4 months to meet a personal weight goal and have 25lbs to go! Cheers, Canuck | |||
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500 what is your height? Congrats on your weight loss program. Although cartridge selection is important there is nothing that will substitute for proper first shot placement. Good hunting, "D" | |||
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Not only are you ready for elephant hunting, sounds like you could challenge for the light welterweight title soon too! Good job! | |||
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Gentlemen, thank you for the back patting and words of further encouragement. DHunter, I am 5'10". | |||
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Dan, I'm amazed that you have been able to loose so much so fast. It shows true will power. Just don't go overboard on us, and turn anorexic!  | |||
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500 if you are 5'10" and 142 pounds you are already anorexic. I myself am a bit over weight at 5'8" and 185. But I don't think I need to lose more than about 10 at most 15 pounds. Again you are an inspiration to the rest of us fat boys of AR. I will work on it. Fish and salad huh?..... Although cartridge selection is important there is nothing that will substitute for proper first shot placement. Good hunting, "D" | |||
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Dan, congratualtions, and it will pay off. Just think how good you will feel tracking those elephant knowing that you did everything in your power to prepare, and that you are in the best shape of your life. | |||
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Dan congrats...but imagine if you shoot your ele in the first hour... Mike | |||
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Dan, Fantastic job! Now we expect to see plenty of pictures from your hunt. Be sure to stand in front of your gun so we will be able to see you. ___________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy crap...what a ride!" | |||
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Last time I weighed 140lbs at 5'10" I was a teenager. "Science only goes so far then God takes over." | |||
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Now, wouldn't that be a pisser?  But you could really "cut loose" when you got back to camp. Congratulations on your determination and resolve. And good luck on your upcoming safari. Bull1 | |||
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DHunter, My optimal running weight was in the 125-130 pound range, but I do not run any more. 135-140 is probably about right for me. Also, according to the American Heart Association, at 172 pounds I was just 1 pound away from being the heart disease danger category. To boil it all down, there were 3 key factors to the progress I made so far: 1. Under 20 carbs per day. That means NO grain products (bread, rice, pancakes, etc.). 2. No sugar. Read product labels to see what you are getting. Fruit is filled with sugar, so no fruit during the strict part of the diet. Root vegetables are full of sugar, so no onions, potatoes, beets. No tomatoes. Dairy products convert to sugar (and have carbs) so no dairy. 3. Exercise to the point of working up a good sweat twice per day. Seems simple. | |||
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Congratulations!! I, too lost 40 pounds a couple of years ago on a similar diet. I used the Atkins method. I am a muscular 6'3'' guy who went from 270(fat) to 232(very slim for my build) in about 60 days. I am back up to 245 5 years later but will drop back down during this hunting season and make sure that I am down in that range before Africa '06. Sure feels good to be able to run on a track and hunt hard all day, dosn't it! I am using jiu jitsu, kickboxing and kung foo to stay in tune, what are your using??? When you are but fifty feet from a beast that can stomp you into a mudpuddle or shred you into fajitas, rest assured he will have your UNDIVIDED attention!! www.aahsomeafricanadventures.com safariman416@hotmail.com | |||
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Air must sure taste good! Cause it doesn't look like there are many other food sources left that are allowed! So what did you eat? A lot of steamed fish I would presume? Chicken? I'd be interested to see a list of your typical breakfast, lunch and dinner. Although I'm not exactly fat, I must admit that I too could stand to loose some weight around the waistline. But I would have a hard time not eating my usual oatmeal for breakfast... | |||
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I suspect 500 is one of those "animals" that stay in triatholon shape and participate in those type mind-numbingly painful activities and think of it as fun! I am right at 5'10" and personally feel my ideal sheep and goat hunting weight for here in Alaska is around 155-160. I am not a triathlete. I have hunted in the 135-140 weight class in very good and strong shape, but feel better at the end of the day in the 155-160 weight. 500 probably knows more about "effective" weight than I ever will though. Congrats on your dedication and achieving your goal. | |||
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Low carb high protein diets have been linked significantly to Kidney Stone formation. Having just had one, still have the fragments, probably untill they take the stent out, I can say I'll never do that low carb thing again! Not saying that caused it as I don't know but but I'll take back some of the pounds I lost in return for lower the risk of another stone. It was an undescribable painfull experience. ______________________ Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. | |||
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Eat light balanced meals and excercise a lot, lift weights and walk many miles each day...simple as that...Now if I could just put that into practice...I do the bowflex, to keep my body tuned for roping, that's about it for me... Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Erik, Example breakfast: Nova lox (smoked salmon) or 2 eggs fried in no-fat, no-cal cooking spray and lettuce with ranch dressing Example lunch: 2 slices of turkey spread with horseradish rolled up in a slice of lettuce or smoked trout or canned tuna or salmon and lettuce salad with ranch dressing Example snack: whole cucumber or half a bunch of celery or a couple of celery sticks stuffed with no-fat no-calorie cream cheese or 1 small spoonful of almond butter Example dinner: lettuce with ranch dressing and tuna or salmon sashimi or fried tuna, salmon, catfish, etc. or shrimp or breast of roast chicken or turkey (no skin) or slice of roast pork (fat trimmed) or slice of roast beef (fat trimmed) and vegetable, such as asparagus, broccholi, caluiflower, yellow squash Beverage: 1.5 gallons of water per day. Supplements: multivitamin plus a small amount of protein supplement 3-4x/day | |||
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One needn't be a tri-athlete to hunt elephant. 500grains--you apparently don't have an ounce of fat left. Do you have an ounce of skin? And as for what you are eating--I have one word: Ugh!!!!!! It ain't good to be so skinny and frail that a stiff wind will sweep you off your feet. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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mr, I have about 7 or 8 pounds of visible fat left. And I am still not quite down to the normal weight range that I was in for nearly 2 decades before bread, pasta, cake and soda pop took their toll. | |||
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Dan, Your menu doesn't look too bad actually.  | |||
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I feel better knowing I don´t have to do any of that crap. I doubt I have the willpower for it. I don´t think it´s healthy. I hang around 185 to 187 with an occassional burst to 190. Life is good. Thirty pound weight gain/losses are scary. Good luck. Stay healthy. | |||
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We are all different...I am not quite 5'10" and at 177 my lightest weight ever...I look sickly. 186-189 is a good weight for me... Dan is right two good work outs a day does wonders Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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