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Weight Loss

LAndre83

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Future: Camino de Levante (September 2018)
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
 
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I agree. I've walked 4-times and on average lost between 15 to 18 lbs. I typically have a good breakfast, several Café con leches (Expresso with milk) throughout the day, a nice beer at the end of the days walk (to replenish lost electrolytes :)), finished with a nice meal and a glass of wine for an early supper. Maybe a bag of chips in there as well. Enjoy your journey!
 
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So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?

Hi, if I want to lose weight on the camino I have to work at it. It’s too easy to eat all the bread at breakfast, bocadillos, chips and beer during the day, followed by the huge pilgrim menus in the evening . . . . :eek:
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Maybe a bag of chips in there as well.
Maybe lost in translation. A bag of chips in Scotland is not the same as a packet of potato crisps... and I didn't ever see a chip shop on any of the Camino routes I have walked...!!! oh my goodness, I could go a bag of chips now! the smell of them! The vinegar! the salt! those days are long gone, sadly!
 
As is obvious from the replies, this depends on many factors. Your gender, age, body size, etc. will all play a part. For me, a 63 year old woman with a regular body type (not wiry and slender), I lose a little weight, maybe 6-7 lbs, not more. And I'm not a big eater. If I walk with my partner, a wiry, tall guy with a super appetite, I lose less. I've done 3 450-500 mile caminos, and about to start on the Francigena.
 
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First visit back to this site in over ten years. I walked from Seville to Fistera in 2006 with two of my teenage kids. One of them, a daughter, was always fat, no other way to put it. She did very well on the walk and muscled up...a bit trimmer...but she was very disappointed weightwise. Very early on we ran into a super Brit who unfortunately made the remark..."Well, you'll be burning up so many calories you don't need to worry about what you eat or drink". So it was endless bags of peanuts, cafe con leches, menus del dia, icy cold beers, etc.

Speaking for myself and other daughter, were were fairly trim to start and each lost a couple of kg. We took eight weeks. Fabulous experience...liked Extremadura so much I came back with my wife and bought a smallholding in Villanueva de la Vera....about 100 km to the east of the camino level with Galisteo. Sitting here writing this.
 
I think many overweight people delude themselves that walking the camino will help them lose weight. One year I was walking parallel with an obese woman. Every day she would walk a bit, taxi a bit, walk a bit, and I admired her, as she was obviously struggling. However, there was no way she was losing weight. One morning, as I was eating my 5 euro desayuno (café con leche, 2 slices toast, one pat each of butter and jam), she was tucking into a full English breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, etc. Another day, I came across her in a café eating a big bar of chocolate, and she said she loves being able to eat anything on the camino because she “walks it off”.
Actually . . . No.
Jill
 
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I am very small and fit (1.58m, 53kg). My first camino I lost 2kg (4 pounds), my second camino I lost nothing. In both, I ate very well, not being restricted to pilgrim menus. I actually tried a lot of Spanish/Portuguese food and drinks, but I never 'over ate', so to speak.

So yeah, I probably walked off exactly the amount I was getting in. And it was delicious :)
 
I spent 4 months on Camino - cycling various routes and carrying massive amounts of gear. I lost half a stone in the first 2 weeks then nothing more. Just spent 3 weeks cycling a Camino route across England - and lost nothing!!!!!!! Cycling/walking gives you an appetite and even healthy food (I am on veg/fish/meat only) can give you a balance of calories so you don't lose weight! Of course my husband (who cannot go past a pub without 'supporting'them) did lose weight.... Life just ain't fair!! ;)
 
I am 67-year old male with a fairly thin frame. I've walked two Caminos. Lost well over ten pounds on both, and wasn't at all overweight either time I started. My take is you can't drink enough wine to replace the calories you burned -- I estimate I burned 4-5,000+ calories most days.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I am in my 60's. I do not lose weight easily in general. I don't over eat on the Camino, but I do eat well. I lose about 2 to 3 lbs per week. : -) Over the 6 weeks walking, I lost 15 lbs.
 
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I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
Between our group of 6 only one of us lost weight and that was just 10#. I tended to eat about 1,000 calorie breakfast so I did not lose weight. We all did “Re shape” our bodies a wee bit - muscle weighs more than fat. Buen Camino.
 
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
Lost just over a stone, about 18lbs. Trouble is though, I never really lost the belly. The trousers I started in still fitted roughly the same at the end :(
 
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I think many overweight people delude themselves that walking the camino will help them lose weight. One year I was walking parallel with an obese woman. Every day she would walk a bit, taxi a bit, walk a bit, and I admired her, as she was obviously struggling. However, there was no way she was losing weight. One morning, as I was eating my 5 euro desayuno (café con leche, 2 slices toast, one pat each of butter and jam), she was tucking into a full English breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, etc. Another day, I came across her in a café eating a big bar of chocolate, and she said she loves being able to eat anything on the camino because she “walks it off”.
Actually . . . No.
Jill


Knowledge is power. Hear this all the time. So much cheap processed food around........
 
I lost about 20 pounds on the Camino. I noticed that I don't eat as much when I walk every day. I ate when my body told me to eat. I also cannot eat gluten, so that could have played a part in losing weight as well. I took about the same amount of time on my Camino (30 days). I didn't really eat any huge meals either, lots of mini-meals. A piece of fruit when I walked out of the albergue, my second breakfast (tortilla), lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. None of these meals were heavy. I ate chocolate every day....and sometimes had an ice cream in the evenings and still lost weight. (Gained it all back after returning home though....)
 
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?

Well,

I think I am one off the few people that gained weight, through the lovely Vino tinto and the good pelgrims menu's on the end off the days...
But the most People who I met lost 3/4 kg at the end off the trip
 
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I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?

I have just finished 12 weeks walking el Norte and del Plata and gained 5 kilos. First mistake was giving up coffee, that slowed the morning metabolism, 2nd drinking vino blanco daily, 3rd socialising, 4th eating everything, 5th having to much fun, 6th was changing fat to muscle, 7th not exercising enough. I feel so good.
 
Between our group of 6 only one of us lost weight and that was just 10#. I tended to eat about 1,000 calorie breakfast so I did not lose weight. We all did “Re shape” our bodies a wee bit - muscle weighs more than fat. Buen Camino.
Muscels weighs not more as fat, 1 kg of fat is equal to 1 kg of Muscels, but de size of the portion is different, that's why the shape of the body is going to be differnt
 
Muscels weighs not more as fat, 1 kg of fat is equal to 1 kg of Muscels, but de size of the portion is different, that's why the shape of the body is going to be differnt

I think what @Chris Gi meant is that one cubic inch (or whatever other unit of volume you care to reference) of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat, fairly obviously a set weight of one thing weighs the same as another. But size is generally what people actually care about, weight is just an easy shorthand for that.

FWIW on both caminos I lost about 5kgs/11lbs. I think the more revealing question though would be "relative to the start of your camino how much more/less did you weigh 6 months later?" Sad to say on both occasions I gained back all the weight. It's a problem some have touched on, that walking all day every day makes it easy to consume possibly even more calories than usual and still lose weight. When reality of home life kicks in though it's far easier to maintain the calorie intake than the exercise level.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I have lost 22 lbs since the start of the year and prior to my Camino. Was not really overweight at 202 lbs. and 6' 1 1/2", but I decided to lean out before my Primitivo which will start Sept. 11th. Now 58, but I now weigh about what I did when I was 25 at 180 lbs. So not looking to lose any weight at all walking this year.
Mainly some diet changes, but also lots of walking and work outs with weights. Lighter weights and a lot of reps to build endurance. Definitely in the best shape now as compared to what I was prior to any of my previous Camino walks.
I have heard the Primitivo is hilly, so I figure less of me to haul up each hill!
 
I think many overweight people delude themselves that walking the camino will help them lose weight. One year I was walking parallel with an obese woman. Every day she would walk a bit, taxi a bit, walk a bit, and I admired her, as she was obviously struggling. However, there was no way she was losing weight. One morning, as I was eating my 5 euro desayuno (café con leche, 2 slices toast, one pat each of butter and jam), she was tucking into a full English breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, etc. Another day, I came across her in a café eating a big bar of chocolate, and she said she loves being able to eat anything on the camino because she “walks it off”.
Actually . . . No.

Did this woman tell you that her goal was to lose weight on the Camino? If a large person is accustomed to eating a full English breakfast and a chocolate bar during the day, then walking on the Camino for even a few hours a day would certainly allow them to maintain their weight, if not lose some weight. What she said about "walking it off" could absolutely be true for her, depending on what her goals were, what her level of fitness was before setting off, and how her body responded to the walking. Now, if she had expressly said that she was walking the Camino in an effort to lose weight, then there are certainly healthier choices that can be made while walking through Spain. But even at that, some people elect a high protein / low carb diet to lose weight, of which eggs and bacon would fit right into; toast and jam would not. (There was a whole thread here about walking while on a Keto diet recently.) We all walk our own path. I do hope that lady had an enjoyable Camino experience, whatever her goals were.
 
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
I lost 10 lbs and ate like a horse!
 
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When a person takes in 2-3 thousand calories a day and burn 6 thousand for 30-40 days there will be weight loss depending on the make up of the body. Fat people will generally loose weight low body fat people add muscle which weighs more. It is not one thing for every one.
 
When a person takes in 2-3 thousand calories a day and burn 6 thousand for 30-40 days there will be weight loss
I guess that's why I don't lose weight! My regular intake of about 2000 very healthy calories easily doubles to 4000 by adding:
  • morning pastry with butter and jam (500),
  • snack of 1/2 cup almonds (400 calories),
  • 2 cups orange juice (200),
  • french fries (500) with the pilgrim meal,
  • extra glass of wine (150)
  • Magnum ice cream bar (350).
And I consider the above to be essential/inevitable elements of a pilgrim day.
 
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I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
I have walked annual pilgrimages since 2006 anywhere between 400 and 850 km each time. I lost 2 kg on my first, the Camino Frances. Since then no weight loss to speak of, and I don't eat like a pig. I like a beer though at the end of the day.
To make matters worse each year, when not on the Camino I have put on a kg or so, now I carry my pack on my body! Frustrating.
 
I have lost about 7 pounds on each of my Caminos. Unfortunately, when Christmas comes around I manage to gain it back again, making it necessary to walk another Camino.:p

I think that I probably actually lost more weight this year, but I had to stop walking early due to overdoing it and hurting my leg. I wasn't home for almost two weeks after I stopped walking, so I didn't have a chance to weigh myself before I put some weight back on.
 
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I don’t normally lose any weight when walking a Camino. Not even on the VdlP in HIGH temperatures and boy was I annoyed about that! :D (Because my husband did!).
Nor last year on the Via Francigena, again in a heat wave. But then, there was all this Italian food :cool:
I did this year though, on the CF, about 3 kgs? But I was careful about what I ate and I also didn’t drink, or very little. (Alcohol, I mean ;))
 
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I walked three times of CF, All of those, it took 27 days from SJPdP to Santiago. I lost 20, 15, 20 pound even I ate well & drink well. I'm middle 50's with 5'10". But the funny thing was my wife lose not even one pound. She always walked with me, ate & drank with me... Hmm
 
I think many overweight people delude themselves that walking the camino will help them lose weight. One year I was walking parallel with an obese woman. Every day she would walk a bit, taxi a bit, walk a bit, and I admired her, as she was obviously struggling. However, there was no way she was losing weight. One morning, as I was eating my 5 euro desayuno (café con leche, 2 slices toast, one pat each of butter and jam), she was tucking into a full English breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, etc. Another day, I came across her in a café eating a big bar of chocolate, and she said she loves being able to eat anything on the camino because she “walks it off”.
Actually . . . No.
Jill

As an obese (BMI 31) woman this makes me angry. You have no idea whether she’s losing weight or not I’m down 13 kg and the lightest I’ve been since my 20s but if you met me you’d call me obese. I eat full English - it’s impossible to get without toast but I don’t eat the toast I eat the low carb high protein part of it. If I ate what you do I’d put on weight because of the carbs making me so hungry I’d be eating again inside the hour.

Don’t judge , it’s attitude like this that make a lot of fat women scared to even start exercise. If you’re lucky enough never to have been obese you really have no clue, she may well have been losing weight (or at least fat as many of us put weight as we get fitter)
 
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Trying to find a before picture, but this was my mug after walking. I trimmed up quite a bit, but not sure how many kg's gone. The walking poles helped with my arms too.
Repeat November 2018!
 

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I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?

I lost 8kg on the Camino FRANCES over 6 weeks, 62kg down to 54kg, despite eating a chocolate croissant every morning and a snickers bar every afternoon. Had to knock that habit on the head as soon as I got home.
 
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As an obese (BMI 31) woman this makes me angry. You have no idea whether she’s losing weight or not I’m down 13 kg and the lightest I’ve been since my 20s but if you met me you’d call me obese. I eat full English - it’s impossible to get without toast but I don’t eat the toast I eat the low carb high protein part of it. If I ate what you do I’d put on weight because of the carbs making me so hungry I’d be eating again inside the hour.

Don’t judge , it’s attitude like this that make a lot of fat women scared to even start exercise. If you’re lucky enough never to have been obese you really have no clue, she may well have been losing weight (or at least fat as many of us put weight as we get fitter)


Hi Lissie,
Good for you to speak out.My thoughts exactly.
My BMI is also more than 25, a nutricionist would call me lightly overweight.
And yes with the progressing of age and hormonal changes the fat seems to centre around my tummy.
Such is life.
My lifestyle though is rather active with daily walking and cycling for work.
And my diet is full of veggies and fruit.
And when I go on a walk with skinnier friends it is me most of the times that has more stamina and an overall better condition.
So just saying that being skinnier does not always mean being healthier and fitter.

So congrats to every pilgrim, male or female, who walks with those extra pounds!
 
I will be starting with a little less weight than I finished last year (~5lbs.).

A couple of observations:
1) I gain about ~15lbs each morning and loose about ~15lbs at the end of each day.;)
2) I am going to try to stick to a ratio of 2:1, vino tinto:food.:eek:
3) I am going to try to skip the carbs especially the papas fritas with every meal.:mad:
4) Me encantaría algunas verduras o una ensalada, POR FAVOR!:D:cool:
 
I will be starting with a little less weight than I finished last year (~5lbs.).

A couple of observations:
1) I gain about ~15lbs each morning and loose about ~15lbs at the end of each day.;)
2) I am going to try to stick to a ratio of 2:1, vino tinto:food.:eek:
3) I am going to try to skip the carbs especially the papas fritas with every meal.:mad:
4) Me encantaría algunas verduras o una ensalada, POR FAVOR!:D:cool:


The ensalada mixta does indeed become one of my favourites.

A little tip...the second course on the Pilgrims menu usually involves fried food (fried meat and French fries). I always get two of the first course options...usually the salad and spaghetti.
 
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Never loose much. Walked 3 times and it's usually 2 to 4 lbs. And once home they will be back in a heartbeat. For me being in Spain , the food is part of the fun so I enjoy all. I am 5'9 and 170/175 lbs and 56 years old. Given up dieting at age 50, there I end up back at the same weight no matter what ha ha ha. I'm happy and healthy with where I am right now and enjoy life as it is. Off to Spain again in 3 weeks for another amazing walk and Spain experience :)
 
On my first Camino Frances + Muxia + Finisterre of 37 days, I lost about 10 kg. That was 2 years back and the lost sheep are all back. So at the moment I am walking the Camino Portuguese (from Öisbon) and the Ingles and Muxia/Finisterre and hope to get rid of the sheep again.
 
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The ensalada mixta does indeed become one of my favourites.

A little tip...the second course on the Pilgrims menu usually involves fried food (fried meat and French fries). I always get two of the first course options...usually the salad and spaghetti.
That's what I do too. I seem to crave spaghetti on the Camino. Fried pork cutlets and French fries not so much! :D
 
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
Hi there,

I think it depends on the time of year you are doing the camino. I just completed my first camino C.F. in 32 days with 1 day of rest, some days were very hot resulting in a lot of sweating and not a great appetite! I am a 55 year old female and I lost 9lbs
 
I list 14lbs in 40 days of walking. I walked May 28-July 4, 2012; in the middle of a heat wave.
 
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I walked from Porto for 2 weeks in April. I lost around 15lbs, mostly because I am gluten free and carried cheese, rice cakes and canned fish, yogurt as well which I ate a lot of. I drink very little alcohol and was on a fairly tight budget. I'm 55, was fairly fit. My core became much stronger. 4 months later, I am maintaining/improving my fitness by walking and yoga.
 
Eating and drinking as needed/available (two caffe lattes, croissaints/tortillas/English breakfasts; fruits/vegies/cold cuts for lunch; pilgrim dinners with two or more beers), I lost 7 - 10 pounds during each of my four full Camino Frances walk. I gained it all right back though within a couple of months after returning home, hehe! So, when people ask me why I keep going back. . . .
 
I walked the CF from sjpdp to Santiago in 18 days this April. Lost about 15 lbs., in total. No taxi, no buses, I walked ~25-35 miles a day and noticed I was losing about 5 lbs every day and decided it was too much too fast. Decided to eat double dinners for most of it for the calories ;)

I'm 35 yo male, 5'10". Started off around ~200lbs finished around ~185 lbs.

-Breakfast was a pastry and a cafe con eche around 8am.
-Lunch was some kind of pasta and fruit around 1pm.
-Dinner was pasta, beer/wine, and steak around 8pm.

No snacks other than the occasional orange. Mostly water.

Like others said, I lost some of my appetite walking all day. Tbh, I preferred a shower and rest to anything else.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I walked the CF from sjpdp to Santiago in 18 days this April. Lost about 15 lbs., in total. No taxi, no buses, I walked ~25-35 miles a day and noticed I was losing about 5 lbs every day and decided it was too much too fast. Decided to eat double dinners for most of it for the calories ;)

I'm 35 yo male, 5'10". Started off around ~200lbs finished around ~185 lbs.

-Breakfast was a pastry and a cafe con eche around 8am.
-Lunch was some kind of pasta and fruit around 1pm.
-Dinner was pasta, beer/wine, and steak around 8pm.

No snacks other than the occasional orange. Mostly water.

Like others said, I lost some of my appetite walking all day. Tbh, I preferred a shower and rest to anything else.
Wow! Walking that much each day and eating so little, it's a small wonder that you lost only 15 lbs! I walked on average 10 miles a day only and ate three more or less square meals a day whenever I could and still lost 10.
 
From beginning of March till mid May of this year I walked from Sevilla to Santiago then from Tui to Santiago, I did not lose any weight but I went to check my body fat, it was from 25% to 21%. I ate whatever there was but no cakes and such only bread.
 
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?
I gained 7 lbs but lost inches. I assume the gain was muscle. I still would have rather lost weight.
 
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I lost 28 pounds in 6 weeks. Yes I had it to lose and then some, I would usually find a store to get a yogurt and fruit for breakfast and stop for a cafe con Leche and a pastry mid morning, late afternoon salad for lunch and evening I would have the pilgrims dinner with a couple glasses of wine
 
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I wasn’t trying... but I did lose about 20lbs. I don’t have a scale but when I got home I had to buy new clothes because everything was too baggy. I went down a size. I did not stop myself from eating what I wanted to eat. But I am mostly vegetarian in my diet. Also I never drink soda at home but I did drink soda on the Camino for the caffeine and sugar. ( I do not drink coffee ). I rarely eat bread at home but on the Camino I ate bread almost daily. I do not eat beef or pork but I did try dishes that did not include that.
And lastly.... I usually do not drink beer or wine but on the Camino I loved a Sagris beer and the green wine!
We started in Coimbra and walked to Santiago. We walked almost 3 weeks. We averaged about 10-14 miles a day.
 
I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?


5lbs on my first 11 day Camino with one day off; 3 lbs second time on 12 day with one day off. I like that aspect of the Camino! ! Enjoy
 
Well I was 20kg overweight. Lost 7kg on the camino Frances (2016). Gained 10kg in the months after. After that, lost 10kg again. I'm starting my camino Portugues next week and I'm hoping to lose 5kg. I have to cut back on the beer mixed with Kaz Limon during the day and the wine after dinner.
 
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We’re starting in two weeks and I don’t expect to lose much, if any, weight. I’m going to walk and eat and drink. And hopefully be merry.
 
I was 1.5 stone overweight so I lost half a stone before I left, mostly through training walks. Then lost another stone on the CdS. Ate plenty (I am vegan so didn't get drawn into a lot of fatty foods anyway!). Never felt so good. Good for my joints too!
 
I was 1.5 stone overweight so I lost half a stone before I left, mostly through training walks. Then lost another stone on the CdS. Ate plenty (I am vegan so didn't get drawn into a lot of fatty foods anyway!). Never felt so good. Good for my joints too!
I only lost one stone. Well, not lost exactly, I know exactly where I left it. :)
 
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I tried to do some searching on here, but couldn't really find what I was looking for. If my search-kung-fu was weak, I apologize for a duplicate thread.

But I was wondering what sort of weight loss people who have completed the walk have experienced. I know obviously the point of this isn't to lose weight, but it seems inevitable. I was listening to a podcast and heard a gentleman say that he lost nearly 20 lbs in the 32 days it took him to do the Frances.

So what about everyone else? Any significant loss, or maybe even just a few pounds/kilos/stone?


I weighed approximately 75kg when I set off from SJPP with my (seemingly) half-ton rucksack upon my back and by the time I arrived at Finisterre 41 days later I weighed just under 60kg and had a nicely toned tummy, bum and a pair of thighs that would have made a thoroughbred mare proud. My friend suggested that I had, quite literally, walked my arse off!! Now, I didn't walk the CF to lose weight or even for religious or spiritual reasons - I simply fancied a thumpingly good walk in my 2 months off work and ate like a trojan the whole time I was there without giving what was going down my pipe a second thought. I returned home feeling in better shape than I had in almost a decade (all bar triggering osteoarthritis in my ankle but seeing as I set off with an iffy knee I figured it could've been worse) So set off on your journey with positive thoughts and a goal in mind and enjoy some guilt-free carb-loading along the way..
 
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3 Caminos so far. Tend not to lose any weight at all..........:oops:

It's a simple energy in v energy out calculation!

I eat and drink a lot!!

If you don't...............you'll lose weight. ;)
 
I lost about 3 kilos on the first camino (Frances - 2013), one kilo on the second (Portugues - 2018).
 
OK, for those wishing to track any weight loss, can someone tell me where they weighed themselves in St. Jean and where in Santiago? Thank you.
 
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OK, for those wishing to track any weight loss, can someone tell me where they weighed themselves in St. Jean and where in Santiago? Thank you.

@captdave51 I think most people just weigh themselves before leaving home and then again on their return. But I have often seen "weigh yourself" scales in pharmacies, so you could try there. Probably the most likely place to find them.
 
OK, for those wishing to track any weight loss, can someone tell me where they weighed themselves in St. Jean and where in Santiago? Thank you.

Different weighing machines would cause an error I think.
Weight at home before and after............
 
Dave,
I feel you are being a tad pedantic. The bathroom scales at home are the true judge of how much you “lost” whilst on your camino. The first two responses were exactly my thoughts before I even read them.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
So I ended up losing around 15 lbs (about 7 kilos) on the Camino. 🙂
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.

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