Weight loss

[Helenenn]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

 

[C clearly]

I never lose more than a pound or two on any of my caminos, even up to 6 weeks. Walking makes me hungry, so I eat! (But I only have a few pounds in excess.)

 

[Coverbid]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I don't lose much weight either, but my body gets toned. More muscle less fat.

 

[C clearly]

Also, just noticing that you asked about weight loss walking Sarria to Santiago. That doesn't take longer than a week, so you cannot safely lose much. However, it could be a great part of a longer program.

 

[NualaOC]

I guess the only people who can answer this question are those who only walked from Sarria to Santiago.

I sometimes lose weight on a longer walk - but I suspect I might actually gain weight on shorter one that ended with tapas, wine and dinners in Santiago

 

[jcat]

My first Camino was Sarria - Santiago and I did not lose any weight. I burned more calories than normal but also took in much more. But it is nice not worrying about what I'm eating since so many calories are burned off.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I walked several caminos in a row. Lost no weight. I think where this may aid weight loss is walking every day in preparation will make walking a habit. Or walking a longer Camino length of time (2 weeks or more) everyday may make it a habit. Walking for a few days is unlikely to make daily exercise a habit.

Edit: reading subsequent posts I’m disappointed I didn’t lose weight! However I think it’s because normally at home at that time I was running 7-12 miles a day so the calories burned walking with a pack didn’t make a huge difference especially since I wasn’t cutting back in my usual good appetite and I’d fallen in love with magdalenas

 

[mspath]

Read what I wrote re calorie counting/weight loss in this earlier post

 

[Former member 91017]

Also, just noticing that you asked about weight loss walking Sarria to Santiago. That doesn't take longer than a week, so you cannot safely lose much. However, it could be a great part of a longer program.

Yes, I agree.
When I walked St. Jean to Santiago, I lost the equivalent of my pack weight, but I did not notice any real change until we were at Santo Domingo, then at Burgos, then at Astorga.... My sense was that significant differences were roughly 2 weeks apart, and I ended up with bruises on my iliac crest at the end... and scrapes on my collar bones.

When I walked Fromista to Santiago, I noticed no real drop until Santiago...

and when I walked from Coimbra to Santiago I had a modest drop followed by a radical one but only because I became ill and could not eat due to acute tonsillitis.

On my first camino I had lost about 8 pounds before leaving... and I lost another 13 on the way... and then another few at home. I went from 147 to 115, and I'm 5'4.5"

I did eventually regain some, and usually sit at 125-130 now... which I like and maintain because of how the camino preparation and after-effects altered my day-to-day (Covid aside).

With Covid, I'm sitting in the higher 130's and I don't love it.... but I think it could have been so much worse if I had still been stuck in my pre-camino habits. What I am missing is my daily 7 km to campus and back, and the 2-3 I put in walking around campus...

To me, the weight I carry matters most in the sense of spine health, sciatic presurre etc. At 54 years old, I don't worry so much about aesthetics anymore.

But to the original poster I would say that the general lifestyle changes that come of preparing to walk long distances, and the habits might stick after a camino can really enhance your objective health measures and your sense of well-being.

That said: a caution is in order about camino weight losses.... my spouse lost his pack weight on his 2018 SJPDPD to Santiago.... and then a little more as he changed his habits at home. Generally fit, he has a genetic heart condition and the cardiologist said the rapid weight loss could have had a significant role in the development of the arterial occlusions that have led to the unstable angina he now lives with. Something about the plaques being able to take advantage of rapid changes in body chemistry.

 

[alexwalker]

I don't lose much weight either, but my body gets toned. More muscle less fat.

The same for me. However, after I quit smoking 2+ years ago, and not being (Covid) able to do any Camino in that time,I have gained atleast 4-5 litres...

 

[Harland2019]

Checking my calories used walking the CF, after Sarria I used some 2,000 calories more than in a usual day at home. So that would equate to some half a pound a day IF I hadn't eaten and drunk more than usual! Over the whole of the CF I lost c. 8 pounds - a bonus.

 

[André Walker]

I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.

Yes, I believe a lot of people have lost weight that way: I seem to have found it!

 

[JPL]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I lost 20 pounds when I walked from SJPP to Santiago in 2015. It gave me an idea for a new diet...walk 500 miles over 35 days, eat and drink whatever you want, and lose 20 pounds.

 

[stevelm1]

I lost 15 pounds walking from Pamplona to Santiago in 2015. Back then my walk was a celebration of having lost 130 pounds the year before and I was being very good about all eating. In 2019 I walked from Porto to Santiago and put on 5 pounds because I decided to enjoy the local food a lot more than on my first walk. My guess is that only walking the last 100 km not much change in weight would occur. As others have said one of the best parts about walking day in and day out is you can eat more than normal and Spain offers some great food to eat.

 

[Caminogoat]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I doubt it. In my case, it usually happens after walking about 300 miles and onward.

 

[longwalker60]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I was in decent shape when I left, Once I arrived in SJPP, I eat whatever I wanted, had wine on a daily basis, and beer several times a week. Did not go with any intention of losing weight, however I lost 25 lbs. I think I need to go back.

 

[Ken pulskamp]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I lost 20 pounds walking from SjPP to Santiago. Portions are smaller and lots of walking every day.

 

[antepacem]

It really depends on your current fitness/activity level. I tend to agree with other posters that, IF you are going to lose weight, it is more likely to happen once you hit that 300k+ mark. For the first little while, the hunger you feel from much higher exertion levels will cancel out any real weight loss triggers. That being said, you will definitely gain muscle tone and get leaner from walking 100k in a week, and it can have lasting effects. So if you keep doing it (bring it back home), as others have mentioned, you will likely see results eventually. I know that now, if I go out for a week (like 100-150k), I do tighten up a bit. I find it a nice kickstart/reset for other sorts of training.

Regardless of whether or not you lose weight, you will gain strength in body and spirit!

 

[John Crawford Howell]

I lost 28 pounds from SJPdP to Santiago. I started out with food poisoning I contracted in Bayonne (my fault) which curtailed my appetite. I had little desire to eat much of anything along the way, but knew I had to. I also could not drink so much as an entire beer. Me—a WSU Cougar! My constant companion was fear of failure. Not until I had my Compostela firmly in hand did I relax completely and partake in the culinary delights of Galicia, including the region's excellent wines. Then came Covid . . .

 

[ParsonLarson]

I lost 28 pounds from SJPdP to Santiago. I started out with food poisoning I contracted in Bayonne (my fault) which curtailed my appetite. I had little desire to eat much of anything along the way, but knew I had to. I also could not drink so much as an entire beer. Me—a WSU Cougar! My constant companion was fear of failure. Not until I had my Compostela firmly in hand did I relax completely and partake in the culinary delights of Galicia, including the region's excellent wines. Then came Covid . . .

Go Cougs! I too lost 22 lbs. walking from Pamplona to Santiago but I did imbibe in a little bit of wine....well by Cougar standards.

 

[kiwi-couple]

My husband and I both gained around 5 kilograms on our Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port

 

[AlexB]

Last time I was doing one meal a day and lots of fruits ....and Magdalenas , I didn't lose weight but felt very fit. I wasn't hungry but once I finished I was eating like there was no tomorrow

 

[FourSeasons]

On my first Camino SJPdP to Santiago I lost 20 lbs. I ate as much as I wanted especially those cookies. I suppose walking half a marathon a day for 33 days will do that to a body. I didn’t discover cafe con letche until further down the way and I don’t drink wine nor did I partake in the pilgrims menus but only twice. Maybe I didn’t eat that much after all LOL I hadn’t thought about weight loss before or during my Camino. It was definitely one of the perks.

 

[Lhollo]

I think it’s important to remember that fat weighs less than muscle.

It’s often forgotten! I repeatedly had this conversation with my partner during our SJPP to Belorado Camino. He lost 22kg/3.5 stone/ 50lbs in the months after March 2020, and wondered what effect the walk might have. He wondered whether to eat this or that and felt cautious about plunging into, eg, cheese. I reminded him of the advice my physio gave me years ago: if you’re walking all day, eat what your body asks for and don’t worry about it.

We now know the result of the walking, for my partner: he looks far trimmer, any remaining flab seems to have been pulled in. He’s lost a little more weight, but what does that actually mean?

He now has quite a lot more muscle, which is heavier than fat. He will also have higher bone density from carrying the weight of a backpack and from the hours of exercise. Bones are also heavier than fat. He must have lost fat because he now weighs less than he did before the walk, and when you bear in mind that fat weighs less than muscle and bone, this is significant. So… how much weight from fat has been lost, to make up for the gains in muscle and bone?

What we know for sure is that he feels strong, is more slender, and looks healthier than he has in years.

If you’re looking to lose weight but to not lose strength, the Camino is the perfect thing to do, in my view, (and depending of course on whether you have specific medical needs).

I noticed similar changes to my own strength and overall tightness, but I’m petite—I focus on ensuring I eat enough to not go faint!—so I don’t weigh myself and have no idea what changes happened except that I got stronger and felt better.

 

[John Crawford Howell]

Very well said, Lhollo.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Walk less, eat more was the doctor's advice when I was discharged from the ER near Bilbao on the del Norte in 2017. I had walked 36 km that day -- had planned 30 but my target albergue was completo -- and eaten very little. I was still recovering from food poisoning in the US weeks before and also had TMJ -- a very sore jaw muscle. Eating very little was fine with me as I also hoped to loose some weight. I fainted at dinner at 830 pm, was transported by ambulance and discharged at 2 am. Low blood sugar was the diagnosis after 2 EKGs, 4 blood draws, an hour with a neurologist to make sure no stroke, two attending doctors and 4 nurses. Kaching! Not really, the hospital bill was only 300 euros. I have been in many US ERs with my 4 children. This one was among the finest and most professional. Walk without fear in Spain but snack and hydrate a lot. Buen Camino

 

[Oravasaari]

I always lose a couple of kilos minimum on caminos, even with drinking the best part of a bottle of wine per day and eating anything I like. I walk an average of 30km per day though. If I cut out the vino and watched what I ate (always eating enough of course, but not overdoing it) I reckon a kilo per week might be the result with minimal effort. However, I wouldn't recommend cutting back on calories too much (too big a deficit) because it's tough walking long distances every day and could cause problems if too severe a deficit.

 

[John Crawford Howell]

Each of us will find the right balance between daily distance, time allotted to do the Camino of choice, alcohol intake, carb loading, and hydration. If weight loss or gain is involved, it's probably a result of our unique physiologies, age, and metabolism. Or something . . .

 

[Robo]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

Lose weight between Sarria and Santiago?

Do you know how many places there are to eat between Sarria and Santiago?

I have never lost any weight whatsoever walking a Camino of any distance
Well maybe a couple of pounds after walking 500 miles!

I'd suggest losing it before you go

 

[Helenenn]

Lose weight between Sarria and Santiago?

Do you know how many places there are to eat between Sarria and Santiago?

I have never lost any weight whatsoever walking a Camino of any distance
Well maybe a couple of pounds after walking 500 miles!

I'd suggest losing it before you go

Too lateI've been eating in bulk to build up a store in case I get lost

 

[Robo]

Too lateI've been eating in bulk to build up a store in case I get lost

You might find this of interest

I'm losing the weight before I go next time!

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/confessions-of-a-fat-pilgrim-for-those-carrying-a-few-extra-pounds.68929/#post-885845

 

[Robo]

Hi
I know everybody differs but I wondered if people lost any weight walking sarria to santiago.
Any feedback welcome

I'll lose weight as I walk.............

is a bit like that other old favorite.

I'll build up my fitness along the way

Guilty of both

 

[Helenenn]

I'll lose weight as I walk.............

is a bit like that other old favorite.

I'll build up my fitness along the way

Guilty of both

Oh dear you must have been listing to me
Also...I'll start walking further tomorrow

 

[topazy]

You're going to be burning a lot of calories a day, sure, if you're not like most pilgrims you're going to have some toast, coffee, maybe tortilla española for breakfast, then maybe a bocadillo for lunch, possibly a soda or beer, then maybe a 3 course pilgrims meal for dinner with a few glasses of wine and not use food tracker.
It all depends on you if you're in caloric deficit more often than not.

 

[Vacajoe]

I certainly don’t PLAN to lose weight, but after 15 miles a day it’s pretty easy to do….unless you factor in the aforementioned wine, beer, bread, potatoes, meat, cheese, and all the other reasons that compel me to walk 15 miles a day! . In the end, I do lose weight, which I promptly gain back as soon as I return to non-Camino life.