Unexpected bonuses of training for camino!

[karenfromcali]

#1. Well hello!!! Haven't seen THAT weight for a while!!! lol.

Stood on scale this morning. Happy surprise of loosing a hunk of weight that I have been trying to get rid of for ages!! I guess all this walking is good is paying off!!!

Anything anyone else learned, experienced, discovered while preparing for the camino? Physical, emotional, philosophical or anything else. Look forward to hearing your replies

 

[SYates]

The one thing I noticed, on the Camino or training, is that fat gets converted into muscles. Meaning, you might not lose weight, but you will lose a size (or two!) due to fat being converted into muscles. SY

 

[wayfarer]

Lost two kilos during training and three more on the walk and that was with eating like a hobbit.

 

[karenfromcali]

I've also learned on my walks, which I'm seriously starting to enjoy, to enjoy my environment. At night I love seeing the stars so bright, (Southern California, rarely any clouds!) and in the day enjoying nature. I think the fashionable term is 'living in the moment'.

 

[pilgrim b]

Gave up wine started on Gin that sorted my surplus waist out!!!! (never lost an pound in spite of walking miles every week)

 

[karenfromcali]

Gave up wine started on Gin that sorted my surplus waist out!!!! (never lost an pound in spite of walking miles every week)

good advice for everyone!!! lol.

 

[camino-david]

And I always thought that wine was the best part of a Camino!

 

[vicrev]

While walking I had a terrible craving for cigarettes,even though I gave them up many years ago,the craving stopped as soon as I finished my walk,really strange.........also became addicted to creme fresche (spelt wrong) half to 1 kilo a day, didn't put on any weight,probably just coated the arteries with cholestrol (also spelt wrong) the craving hasn't stopped for that,just can't get any decent creme fresche in Oz...................Keep smiling.....Vicrev

 

[Magwood]

During training and for the first couple of weeks of the camino Frances, my calf muscles grew enormous. Now this might be an attractive attribute for a man but I was most definitely not pleased with my new look. Fortunately my legs slimmed back down as the walk continued.

I had no trouble resisting the stodge as offered by most pilgrim menus, but did indulge in chocolate most days, and drank beer which I normally avoid, but ended up losing between 6 and 7 kilos by the time I returned home, most of which I am pleased to say has stayed off. Am now taking one long (15-25km) walk per week to keep fit for the next camino.

.....Camino Frances with my daughter: http://magwood.wordpress.com

 

[jmcarp]

I lost between 2 and 3 kg training before the Camino, then another 4.5 while on the Camino. I did not scrimp on food nor wine, so I guess I just burned a lot of calories. In fact, I lost so much weight that the hip belt on my backpack would no longer tighten up enough to keep the weight off my shoulders, so I ended up taping my spare socks to the inside of the hip belt to make up for lost weight.
Jim

 

[norelle]

Lost two kilos during training and three more on the walk and that was with eating like a hobbit.

my favourite meal on the camino was my 'second breakfast'....or should I say "one of my favourite meals"

 

[pilgrim b]

And I always thought that wine was the best part of a Camino!

Well David, the doctor asked me did I drink much I said "a glass of red with my evening meal"she said how civilised! So I continued doing it and got heavier by the years then I gave it up for Lent and lost over half a stone!!!! And then I discovered Gin doesn't increase your weight. However when I'm on Camino I have to be "Civilised" !!!

 

[newfydog]

my favourite meal on the camino was my 'second breakfast'....or should I say "one of my favourite meals"

Yes, we use the Hobbit terminology also: second breakfast is followed closely by first lunch!

 

[Magwood]

I've just thought of another bonus........my discovery of crocs. Not that I was unaware of them for my camino, but due to their absolute ugliness, I would never have considered buying a pair. However, they were so highly recommended by experienced pilgrims that I thought I ought to reconsider, and after searching the internet I found a pair that I considered acceptable for 'down time' on the camino.

But I have to admit that in reality they looked most unattractive when I had to wear them with socks because it was so damned cold during parts of my April/May camino Frances this year.

I am getting to the point, if you can bear with me. On returning from Santiago I continued to wear my crocs both as house shoes and also out and about, so they have hardly been off my feet. And finally.......the bonus is that my feet (which normally grow hard skin at a rate of knots, however much I dedicate my life to getting rid of it) have now been beautifully soft for the last six months, which I can only attribute to the wearing of my crocs.

So not only am I saving money on pedicures, but I have incredibly comfortable shoes. I shall definitely be buying a new pair of crocs for my next camino - still can't cope with the ugliness of the originals, but may be a pair of the 'Mary-Jane' style.

.....Camino Frances with my daughter: http://magwood.wordpress.com

 

[Deleted member 22638]

Magwood - thanks for a great blog, brought back many memories and I had to laugh at the "steady stream of soggy humanity" leaving Carrión de Los Condes,

 

[Kerstinh47]

Hi
I am training though not heavily yet for my first camino next year. I haven't lost weight - which would be nice as I could afford to lose a little. What I have gained is more frequent and deeper awareness of what I am doing, not doing, thinking about, and how I'm feeling. It has translated to better mental health in general, and a blog, too!

 

[JabbaPapa]

I gained weight on the Way to Rome from my home, which was about 800 KM in four weeks ...

 

[stevenjarvis]

I gained weight on the Way to Rome from my home, which was about 800 KM in four weeks ...

I guess you gained muscle !

 

[JabbaPapa]

I guess you gained muscle !

You would guess wrong ...

Italian hospitality can be very generous ...

 

[stevenjarvis]

You would guess wrong ...

Italian hospitality can be very generous ...

.. and it would be rude not to accept. Congratulations on having the fortitude to enjoy.

 

[Annie Little]

Magwood … are they really Crocs ?????????? I have never seen ones like that …….. well the camino really does provide … a pair of attractive crocs .. NOT the same as " attractive old crocs"

I've just thought of another bonus........my discovery of crocs. Not that I was unaware of them for my camino, but due to their absolute ugliness, I would never have considered buying a pair. However, they were so highly recommended by experienced pilgrims that I thought I ought to reconsider, and after searching the internet I found a pair that I considered acceptable for 'down time' on the camino.
View attachment 6738
But I have to admit that in reality they looked most unattractive when I had to wear them with socks because it was so damned cold during parts of my April/May camino Frances this year.

I am getting to the point, if you can bear with me. On returning from Santiago I continued to wear my crocs both as house shoes and also out and about, so they have hardly been off my feet. And finally.......the bonus is that my feet (which normally grow hard skin at a rate of knots, however much I dedicate my life to getting rid of it) have now been beautifully soft for the last six months, which I can only attribute to the wearing of my crocs.

So not only am I saving money on pedicures, but I have incredibly comfortable shoes. I shall definitely be buying a new pair of crocs for my next camino - still can't cope with the ugliness of the originals, but may be a pair of the 'Mary-Jane' style.

.....Camino Frances with my daughter: http://magwood.wordpress.com

 

[piogaw]

#1. Well hello!!! Haven't seen THAT weight for a while!!! lol.

Stood on scale this morning. Happy surprise of loosing a hunk of weight that I have been trying to get rid of for ages!! I guess all this walking is good is paying off!!!

Anything anyone else learned, experienced, discovered while preparing for the camino? Physical, emotional, philosophical or anything else. Look forward to hearing your replies

Congratulations on losing weights. Calorie consumed more than calorie intake = weight loss.

I lost 7 kilos on each of my camino.