Trad Gang

Well, the season of the hunt is upon us....About time to don packs and bows and hit the trail once again.

How bad o' shape are ya in?

I'm finding out I ain't so whoopy any more.

All my life growing up I was the "skinny kid".  When I graduated high school I was 6'1" and 154 pounds.  Oddly, I was in many ways as strong as a lot of guys in my class who were much bigger.  Certainly not in bench press but curls, lat pull downs, rows and stuff like that I sometimes outdid some of the "big guys".  After graduation I went into the marine corps and gained about 20 pounds in basic.  Kept trying to gain weight for the next 15 years and eventually got up to about 210 and pretty fit.  Ate anything I wanted and as much as I could stand to shove in my face.  Lifted weights almost every day and burned calories practically before I ate them.

Got married and started in with the 5 to 7 pounds a year trick.  Now I'm 6'2" and about 250-260 and for the first time in my life starting to really FEEL out of shape.  At my new job I'm doing two weeks of orientation and part of the routine is that we do exercise in a group.  I couldn't BELIEVE how out of shape I felt.  I'm simply carrying too much weight to easily do things I'd never have thought twice about a couple years ago.  I feel like for the first time, I'd have to have help to drag a deer out of the woods!

So, the question is.... who else is in the same boat with bow season nipping at our heels?  What do yo plan to do about it?

This really has me thinking.  I've got a 14 year old daughter and two boys 8 and 5 years old.  My wife and I started our family a little later than the norm.  Didn't get married until I was 25 and didn't have our first kid till I was 29.  I'm gonna be 45 on Sept 13th and that's simply to young to feel like this.  When my youngest boy is 12, I'll be 52.  If I want to keep up with the kids and stay healthy, I've got to get back in shape.

Thought maybe if there were some of you all who were in the same boat.... Guys who need to "get in shape" either for hunting or for their health or kids, maybe we could kinda group up and work together.  Sort of egg each other on, provide some support and encouragement or even get a little competitive in a friendly way.

I've been wondering about the P90X plan they show on tv.  Having been a marine, into weight lifting, gone through border patrol academy (tougher than the marines!) I'm certain it would work, but it's not a short cut, loose weight while you sit on the couch type plan.  It's just a lot of good honest hard work, diet and exercise.  I talked to my family doctor about it and he basically said, "It's tough, but if you could stick with it you'd loose weight like crazy."  Any personal "success" stories with it here?

Whaddaya think?

I bought the program.  I'm gonna mix it in only a couple days a week, this fall.

I was a D1 college baseball player....but I let myself go for many years.  I got up to 236#'s in 2003.  It made me sick.

I bought a treadmill....and promptly lost 45#'s.  Nowadays....my "Mendoza line" is 200#'s.  I got back up to 206#'s a few months ago....and got back on the treadmill.  I've been doing 20+ mi./wk since early June....and watching my intake.  I'm supplementing with protein and good vitamins....and I weighed 192#'s a little while ago.  I'd love to see 185#'s again ....for the first time since I was in college.

Plan is to scale it back to 3.5mi runs - 4-5X/wk. during hunting season (I typically lose weight during hunting season, anyways).

I'm 44 (45 in Oct) and I've never felt in better shape.  It's contagious.....once you see some results.  I wish you luck.

im six foot 5, 320. i was a powerlifter, shot thrower, and offencive lineman last year. i can still pick up anything short of a pickup truck, but i aint to good for climbing or running.

For people out of the game for a while I think its a great routine.  Myself it wouldnt work for me...I am fit (done 2 bodybuilding shows denim weight a heavy weight) and in decent shape going to the gym regularly and am currently looking to put mass on (I'm 5'5" looking to hit 200lbs).  Just doesn't fit my goals but I honestly think you are the perfect personf or it.  I was once 250lbs and obese!!  Lost 100lbs and started really getting into fitness...I did a bodybuilding show at 152lbs and another at 224lbs.  I tore my rotator shortly after and that was really the end of it for a while.  Now I am steady from 175-180lbs and am currently trying to get back up to 200lbs.

You have a fitness background with years of exercise and just need the routine and lifestyle change to get back to where you need to be.  This is a factor that teaches you what you need but doesn't stress you out in figuring it out P90X educates but still provides the guidlines for ya.  It even helps with your diet (and diet is how these people made it on TV for the commercial...average people lose average weight these people maximized their results by paying close attention to their diet)

If not P90X just a basic fitness program willw ork for ya bud.  If you need some help devising a plan PM me I can figure something out...its what I got to school for.

im young still
don't lift weights anymore
but exercise using only my own body weight
keeping fit is important
in my opinion you need to be fit physically as well as mentally to really reach your full hunting potential, i feel you owe it to yourself and the animal to be both mentally and physically prepared
and if you are married with kids ( i am not) but i would not feel good if i could not take my kids out really "hunting" due to fitness restrictions.

if your interested i could show you some really good exercises to keep fit and strong nothing fancy no equipment needed only a determination and commitment to get into it.

there is no miracle workouts or extravagant workouts needed like you see on TV, basic common sense will get you strong and fit

i know some 55 plus year old guys (mountain goats) here in CO that, will out hike me and hunt hard every year that means i have 30 plus years to go at it HARD in the mountains, really depends on what you want for your hunting and kids hunting future.

drop me a PM and ill give you a few things you can do to really get back at it

dont make it complicated... some very simple things/changes can make a HUGE difference, doing them is easy, accepting/trusting something so simple is the difficult part

Dave:

I am about the same age as you and have kids about the same age as your kids.  I went on an elk hunt last year and realized just how out of shape I was.  I started looking around and realized just how many people our age are really out of shape -- so bad that they can't do the things they want to do (like climbing trees to bowhunt or chasing elk or playing any sports).  I made a committment to start getting back in shape and over the course of the last nine months or so have lost about 20 pounds and feel as good as ever.  I am sure that P90X would work great -- I believe the main thing is to take a very long term view of your health goals.  Try to exercise every day and quit eating junk - don't go on some radical diet because it i impossible to stay on.  I suggest that you read a book called Younger Every Year which is written for guys about our age.  It was co-written by a MD and a guy in his seventies and talks about the things you can do to extend and improve the quality of your life.  I am working very hard to get into even better shape.  Good luck an keep us posted of your progress.

Paul

We all know the hard way that it is easier to maintain incredible fitness than to get to mediocre fitness from bad fitness.

I was a good wrestler, attempted Navy Seal training a few times during my 6 years in the USN, but got lazy.  I was still only about 5-8lbs heavier than my fittest, but the muscle made up less of me than prior.  

I decided to get back in shape and decided a half ironman was the ticket, did two in the last year and now am going to do some ultra marathons before jumping into the world of the full iron.

I take my kids outside and they play and act like monkeys as I do pullups, situps, multiple types of explosive leg workouts and pushups/dips.  I used to love using weights but learned that they don't make me any stronger than using my own body weight for stuff I actually do.  No I can not bench double my body weight, but I can do more pushups than when I could bench double and I don't have bruised rear delts and shoulder issues.  

I just try and make myself come within a gnat's beard of puking once a week, and then run 4 days outside that.  Works for me.

Stay healthy and don't do what I do, mamma said I got issues!

I'm a toad.  too damn fat.  Been riding bike and trying to drop weight but everything I cook tastes so good.  So I quit cooking so now I have frostbite my heads in the fridge so much.. very discouraging.  Bad for me and irresponsible,  bike more eat less.  Maybe start trad gang aerobics.  Funny how I was thinking man Im fat and I find this post.  Thanks guys.

Remember it is all about calories!!!  Cut your intake and only eat healthy NON FAT foods and you could sit in the living room and loose 20 pounds... Don't believe it..? Make a detailed list of what you actually eat in a week. I guarentee you are getting too many calories and too much fat.  Research quality foods and don't stray.. You will get there. You don't have to run 5 miles a day.. Walk whenever you can. The pounds will come off.

I see a bunch of fat people everyday. Most of them eat fast food and suck down at least a 12 pack of diet soda a day.  9 tablespoons of sugar in a 12oz. soda..!  QUIT drinking any soda, even diet soda will make you fat...

JDS III

yeah me too. lasy year at this time i was going on my first elk hunt, i started training 4 months in advance. dropped 30lbs  ran 2miles a night, i thought i was in pretty good shape. then i got walked into the ground by a 50 year old 2 pack a day smoker in the mountains of the northwest.But it was a great hunt and i felt good anyway. i couldnt swing the hunt this year so i didnt have any motivation. and i quit copenhagen, so i have eaten everyhing ive been close too.

In 1996 I weighed 275 at 6'4" tall...and was in serious shape...then a car crash,,,,shattered left half of pelvis, and broke bottom 5 in my back ....2 years of rehab, and voila  I am 320 of nothing but blubber!!!!!
Went back to work, and slimmed down to 280...still out of shape...lol....2 years ago...diagnosed with type 2 diabetes...started eating right...and now down to 240....I am a union boilermaker....stopped riding elevator, and started taking the stairs....am currently on a new build...climbing, walking several miles a night...walking the steel...and scouting this farm.....thanks to my beautiful bride of 21 years and my career...for a gimp with a serious limp....lol...I am in pretty good shape...I keep up with my 18 year old in the woods pretty good.

Out of shape with a heart condition, but still going strong. When you have a heart attack the part of your heart that doesn't get blood dies. Part of my heart is dead thus it doesn't operate at full capacity. Slow and easy, I still can hunt Turkeys in WV but I climb those hills awfully slow. I cant drag deer and usually have to limit my hunts where I can get help or drive within dragging distance. Funny part is now that I have slowed down I see a lot more game.

Nope

I'm a running nut, so I'm relatively in shape. I'm not where I like to race at, but either way I'm doing alright.

I post though to recommend p90x. If you follow the program religiously for the 90 days you won't recognize yourself. I've got a running friend who did the program after giving birth to get her body back in shape. She ended up in better shape than before she had the kid! In only a couple months she was able to start racing again at a decent pace.

I am almost 49, out of shape and under weight.
I getting in shape for about a month now, first time ever. Walking 2-3 miles at a time with leg weights and 27lb. back pack. Lifting weights some and drinking weight gain powder shakes, I have never been able to gain weight, hopeI am on the right track.

QuoteQUIT drinking any soda, even diet soda will make you fat...

True.

I haven't drank any sodas in 3 mos.  Again...I've never felt better.

Diet is the key to weight loss.  Those folks on TV didn't get washboard abs doing p90X alone (or any other program).  Being cut starts and ends in the kitchen.

LONG....way (lol) to go to get washboard abs (but I can sure see my abs, now!)

With weak legs from polio, I have a hard time staying fit enough to suit me. I'm not much overweight at 5'8 and 160, but any is too much for my knees. I've lost about a dozen pounds in the last couple of months by eating less and drinking less beer. I had to quit caffeine a while back, which automatically got rid of the soft drinks. Roving with a judo point and shooting my bow several times a week have helped. I'll have a tough hunt in the ND badlands next month, but I'll be as fit as I can get when I get there.

Back when I hunted the Colorado mountains with some regularity, I got around about as well as the rest of the bunch. The limiting factor there was oxygen at 10,000 feet, not muscles!

As jds3 mentioned , cutting back on fat intake will really knock the pounds off you, I know I did it lost 42 pounds, just look at what the total fat is on any package of whatever you are about too eat
Try too keep below a total of 50 total fat cal per day you wil get there I went down too below 40 a day.
jds3 is right you would be shocked if you really pay attention too the amount of fat cal you consume a day, good luck.

I was in the same place. This may sound silly but aside from working out use smaller plates when you eat. I know what the ^%$, but apparently we eat on a visual level also. It does work I dropped 30 pounds in six months and yes exercise is all important also. Best of luck.

Another tip: Eat slowly. Satisfaction is time related as well as volume related. You feel full with less in you.

I am 6'2" 190#,I work out regular but I use my own body weight set ups, push ups, pull ups, bar dips, etc... walk 3 to 4 miles every other day, I would like to run and I do some, but a messed up knee keeps me from doing alot of it. I try to eat right, lots of fiber, low fat, I don't like pop so no promblem there, drink water most of the time! I do all of this at home and I go to the local park to walk! by doing what I do I have increased my draw length 1" no kidding!! Jason

P90X....Crossfit....great choices! These styles of training aim to train muscles while keeping your heart rate up.

I used to love pushing as much weight as I could on the bench press for example.....have I ever needed that type of strength....NOPE! P90X or Crossfit will help an individual gain "practical" strength while increasing your cardiac capacity. Great choices for overall fitness and conditioning. Be sure to not push too hard too soon.....Ryan

I just turned 35 this year been commuting to work by bike for about a year and a half. 6'1 245(cause I still love to eat). Also been scouting my hunting lease on mountain bike. Lift weights three days a week and feel like I could still drag some deer this year.

Don't go from couch potato to power lifter or you will be even worse for the wear 8^).  People don't realize how much they eat, and most don't get simple exercise.  Thumbing a remote isn't exercise.  Even getting outside to walk on a regular basis will help.  And, the more you exercise...over a period...the less junk food you will crave.  Turn off the television.  Get out of the house and get the cardio/pulmonary going again.  

At our family reunion, I opened a few eyes with the nephews, when old Pap could throw a football over their heads at near forty yards. I'm 63 and they are in their thirties or early forties.  And, I'm not that svelt, 18 year old that could chuck one about sixty or so at one time.  But I use my joints as much as possible to keep them strong.

I think we all carry more baggage than we did as younguns, but there's no reason not to do the things we used to do.  The old, use it, or lose it, phrase takes on real meaning once you get in the final half of your life.  Excuses won't help...I tried that too 8^).

Get a friend to help out. If you have a partner, it will make it so much easier for you. If you don't feel like hitting it hard today, your partner can motivate you, and vice-versa on the days they just aren't feeling it. The friendly competition helps a ton too. I have a job that requires a high level of fitness, and we keep each other motivated and keep our workouts varied so that we are always pushing outselves. Make it fun, and it will be much easier for you.

the p90x system looks awsome. hopefully i'll be moveing to another school that actually has a football team here soon, so i'll get back to my old tree-trunk-ish self.

It can be tough AND "sneaks" up on you.

Three times in MY life. LOL (old dog cant learn new tricks for squat = ME).

Twice Ive dropped 40lb pounds in 3-4 months simply by NOT drinking anything with any kind of sugar and drinking LOTS of water while using NOTHING BUT an eliptical trainer at the spa.

I simply did what I could, recorded the time, and beat that time the next trip.

All spas have them and normally in front of a tv which makes it easier for me when I got to 45 min or so.

Gotta do it again.

Injured at work last Oct, continued to work while it got worse...long story short, terminated at work BECAUSE of it even though I was NOT missing work so in the middle of a big legal mess.

IN the months of not being able to do much of anything, I gained almost 40lbs.

Pain has lessened enough I get around pretty good now but things like mowing the yard tear me up for days. (Work comp dumped me saying they cant help so no more medication either, lovely)

Hoping the eliptical trainer will still work (has bars to LIGHTLY hang on to, not help take the load off your legs), so hoping.

For those serious, ask the local spa about an eliptical trainer. It's adjustable to start where ever you wish or need to, and time, speed and even resistance is adjustable.

Keep records and "beat yourself".  It's worked fast for me, even though in my mid 50s.

Just my experience. I'm sure other things work but this is a "low impact" exercise that works the larger muscle masses safely without pounding your ankles and knees.

Wish all luck. It's a never ending battle for me it seems. I have other things Id rather do. lol

one word. crossfit

I bust my rotator cuff in my right shoulder lifting an old wooden army table in February setting up the tea tent for my archery clubs open shoot day.  That was my wake up call to get a lot fitter.  Years ago i used to lift the same tables when i was in the army with no problems at all, now at 44 (45 in October as well) i found my all round fitness and strength seriously lacking at the wrong time - when i was lifting tables - and i ended up hurting myself really badly.

I ended up paying for the physio course at...  http://www.curerotatorcuffinjury.com/  and started that in March.  It's a fantastic course and has enabled me to start shooting my bow again two weeks ago, although my strength pulling the bow is about where it was last November, so effectively i lost 9 months from my archery.

The course above had plenty of follow on exercises once the main physio repair bit was over, and i've put myself together what i consider to be a very good all round upper body weight training regime from that which i do every other day after shooting my bow.  I tend to do about an hour on bow and then about an hour and a half weight training and stretching.

The day in between that i do lower body, which basically consists of walking down the beach and up over the 200 foot cliffs behind the beach, usually with weighted pack.  The beach is great cause it's four miles of soft sand so really low impact, but incredibly hard work.  It's about 9 miles round trip.

With hindsight, i think the injury was a good thing because it made me realise that if i want to do things like trad archery and enjoy life to the full for many years to come, then now was the time to start working on my fitness and well being.

As someone said above, getting fit is the hardest bit, once your fitness starts to improve you really begin the enjoy the exercise and now i even look forward to it.

Good luck.

Stan

When you work 5pm to 5am in a warehouse environment, finding time to exercise is tough, especially when family needs are a constant.

However, at 57 yrs, I'm no longer 145 lbs with a tight waist. I've been 160 for 3 yrs now but maintain the weight. I eat 2 medium size meals a day, 1pm and 11pm at night. I throw around some heavy boxes/crates at work and this keeps the upper body pretty much in tune.

For my legs...I stopped jogging years ago and concentrate on plenty of walking, especially up hills. Its important to keep the calf muscles in shape. I also put about 30 pounds in my backpack and walk up and down hills with that. By the time Sept deer season hits, my legs and lungs are in good working order.

As far as any weight program...not enough drive nowadays. My hardwork, ball playing days are behind me and I'm satisfied with my present conditioning. NOW..if I was to head out west for Elk (if I draw a dam tag), I would visit the gym and use one of those step machines 4 times a week to get the legs in "climbing shape".

It pays to stay in some sort of shape, maintain a certain diet (Sorry Biggie) because the older we get, we risk too many health factors. Every year we hear of hunters having heart attacks while either climbing or dragging deer out. Just my 2 cents....Keep the Faith.........   :cool:

Sounds like I'm not the only one who needs to get off my but.

Several of you have mentioned the crossfit.  I think I've heard the name but don't know what it is.  Is it some sort of machine like a bowflex?  Not sure if I want a machine.  I've got a full free weight set along with bench, squat rack, pull up bar, lat pull down etc.  Heck, if I put all the bows, arrows, camo, etc away that's piled on it, I could even use it!

My basement looks about like Mr Whoopies closet if any of you remember the old Tennessee Tuxedo cartoons.... Of course we're gonna do a yard sale next weekend so maybe I could sell a bunch of the non hunting related junk I've aquired over the years to make some room.

I was also thinking of maybe an online "incentive program" for some of us here at tradgang.  One place I worked years ago, I saw guys get together to motivate each other and to make it a little more serious, each guy threw $100 into a kitty and they all agreed that they person who lost the most weight by a certain date would get the money.  It was actually quite interesting to see even as a spectator.  Really kept them guys motivated.  I think there were 5 of them so the $500 prize was serious incentive.

Im 41 yrs old and i have always been able to eat what i wanted when i wanted it. Well let me tell you those days are gone, just in the last yr i have went from 185 to 230 OUCH. I guess it time to start taking care of myself a little better.

The IPOD is the best weight loss aid that was ever invented.  Without it I have to make myself run.  With it, I have to make myself stop.  It is amazing what music can do for your attitude.  

Watch Last of the Mohicans.  Slip your sneakers and IPOD on and head out for a run with the theme music playing.  You will amaze yourself.

As for diet-concentrate on replacing certain foods.  I have cut candy bars, coca colas, and mayonaise from my diet.  I thought I would die without them.  I substituted healthier alternatives and now I much prefer them to the originals.

At 56 I am 6' 2" and 205 not to bad (Should still get rid of another 15#). I have to work out daily or my back goes bad. I walk and use an old Nordic track. Also light to mid level weights 2X weekly.

My back and neck are my problems.

D

I was in the same boat the last couple years,overweight,out of breath! This last years hunting season was rough on me so I quit smoking,started walking 5 times a week for 3 to 5 miles at a quick pace, lost 30 lbs and feel strong and better than ever, Except for a couple bad disks in my lower back that have been bothering me for 7 years, but that doesn't stop me or slow me down to much! I don't hunt from the trees any more, all at eye level,ground blinds or still hunt/spot and stalk!! Jim

NOPE...and going to buy a gamecart to help drag out my deer.

Going to rent a fit guy to haul my deer.   :saywhat:

1+ for the P90X.  
My wife and I got it a while back and we both like it a lot.  Pretty simple concept, ie. do pushups and pullups for 45 minutes every other day and surprise your arms get ripped.  Great program that provides a lot of variation and gives an extremely well rounded workout.  You will get out exactly what you put in but pace yourself becuase it is tempting to push beyond what is prudent.  Plan to spend 45-75 minutes per day.  Best total fitness program I have ever seen.

QuoteOriginally posted by gregg dudley:
The IPOD is the best weight loss aid that was ever invented.  Without it I have to make myself run.  With it, I have to make myself stop.  It is amazing what music can do for your attitude.

There's podrunner...   http://www.djsteveboy.com/podrunner.html

Click on the archive button and it lists a load of mixes all at different bpm.  It's all techno-ey stuff, but if you can live with that it's good for repetative exersize where you want a set beat speed the whole way through, like treadmill, cycle, rowing, skipping etc..  Each mix is about an hour long.

  :)

I am now and getting fitter. I am 54 and back in December the Doc said my blood sugar was heading to diabetes stage. Before that the Doc had put me on high blood pressure meds and then high cholestrol meds so the diabetes was a third strike. I started the gym in January at 264lbs(5'10"). I go Mon thru Thru for 2 hours. 30 min tread mill, 30 min lift weights, 30 more min tread mill, and 20 minutes excerising in the sauna. Then I go home and after some food run 2 miles at noon in the Alabama heat. Down to 240 lbs now with some beer belly to work off. Hope to get down to 220 by Jan. Doc has cut my blood pressure meds in half and my blood sugar is back in the normal range again. Just got back from Elk hunting in Colorado 8000 to 11000 ft. One day hunted/walked 11hours. Covered alot of ground and found some Elk and Moose. Glad I have been working out or it would not have been so good. Long term goal is to get off meds and be at 199lbs. Excercise....It is worth it!

I thought I was fit enough to hunt until this Monday, now I'm just fit to be tied. I'm sitting here at my pc with with a back belt on & dosed up with Fexeril & Valium (Doctor prescribed, of course) recovering from lower back spasms. I've gotten a bad case of this every 3-5 years or so, since I was 25 years old. It comes on when I least expect it. For those who have suffered from lower back spasms, you know how deblitating it can be. In the past, I've usually gotten back to normal in a few days, but this time it seems to be taking more time to heal. So, this time I've resolved to drop some body weight, do regular back stretching exercises & more walking on a year round basis. Meanwhile, I'll soon be logging off to lie flat for a while.

P90X works great. I've dropped from 246lbs down to 170lbs since June of 2008. Lost it all in less than a year, and have been doing P90X to maintain my weight and regain muscle. Just can't seem to finish a 90 day series. Every time I get going, I make it through 30 or 45 days then something always happens to stop me for a week or two so I just start over.

The program is great for getting fit or maintaining  fitness, I lost my weight first by cutting out everything that contains High Fructose Corn Syrup, eating less than 1 1/2 pounds of meat a week, less starches, and fill up on veggies.

I expect to be able to set up my tree stand as fast as I did in my twenties this year. Getting around is a lot easier than it was prior to June of 08, and the blood tests are all normal now.
Shooting is also easier and I'm back to drawing 90# if I want.   :archer:

Oh Yeah, I'm also 54 years old.

I'd love to find a program for a 56 year-old with a prosthetic knee! All of these fitness programs look great and probably work great as well, but nearly all of them contain running, jumping, jogging, twisting, and/or squatting. All of these, along with lifting over 50 pounds are on the list of things I'm not supposed to do. I do need to get fitter and thinner, but I need something different. I looked at the information for P90x, Crossfit, and Pace. All of them progress to and through activities I am no supposed to do.

My artificial knee has allowed me to return to the woods and streams I love, but I'm going to have to walk and bike my way into shape I guess. I am intrigued by the elliptical idea, as it looks like something I could legally do and up the intensity level without doing any damage. The greatest challenge is fighting off boredom with most low impact programs.  Finding time with my busy schedule is another challenge (maybe excuse) that I have to overcome.

Listen up ladies! (I'm channeling R. Lee Ermey.)

P90X is a pretty good program (I've gone through it.)  You're not going to get big and strong doing it; yes you'll get stronger if you're a newbie, but it's not a strength program.  It's more like morning PT (calisthenics) minus the run and adding some dumbbell work.  Watch your diet and you'll see results.  Yoga's going to kick your butt.

I've been doing Rippetoe's "Starting Strength" for about 3 months now and it's a great program.  Bill Starr's 5X5 is also good.

As for crossfit ... type "the truth about crossfit" into google and read if it's for you or not.

Lots of free workout info./routines on the web.  Almost anything that gets you off your butt is good.

Airborne All the Way!  Carry on.

Dave I am two days older than you and although I havent put on the weight (that is simply genetics) I am not in the shape I want to be in with an Elk Hunt coming up this week. The stairs I run up and down at work are probably my only saving grace.  

I am about to start a workout regimen with my Detectives who are  on the SWAT team called Crossfit. My son in the Army beleives it will Kill me. These guys had done the P-90X with mixed reviews but love the Crossfit routine.  

Best of Luck/Semper Fi

Learn to eat whole foods and follow a crossfit style workout regime.  Scale it to your reality but try to follow the basic approach.

I don't go to a Crossfit gym and that "truth about Crossfit" article doesn't reflect my experience with the program.  I only follow the daily workout posted at Crossfit.com.  P90X is probably very good but I don't like diets or workout "programs" and really don't want to dance in front of the TV.  I think it is focused more on getting "six pack abs" than making you a mountain goat.

Crossfit.com has been a life changer for me.  If you take the deadlift, back squat and barbell overhead press (the Crossfit total), I've added about 250 lbs to that total in 8 months.  I ran 3 miles on Friday in less than 22 minutes.  I haven't gained any weight, still 165lbs like when I started.  I work out about 4 days a week and the average work out lasts 20 minutes.  That is my truth about crossfit.  It can be very simple, very affective, very primal and very worthwhile.  Sounds like trad bowhunting to me!