Gotta go down

Started running and hiking hills this week.  The first time I went Elk hunting (since college in the 80's) in 2012, I did not prepare at all.  Going from sea level to 8,000 feet without any prep is not a good idea and it obviously hindered the hunt.  The next year I prepared.  I ran, hiked, did the stairmaster, and the treadmill at an incline.  I was in much better shape.  (not nearly good enough but more on that in another post.)  What I did not do is hike downhill and on uneven terrain.  By the third day of the hunt I was so sore!  My muscles were not used to stopping my weight and going downhill.  My ankles and knees were also sore from the uneven terrain.  To prepare for a mountain hunt, nothing beats hiking or running hills.  A uneven terrain is even better.  Going up and down hills get your legs ready is the best way to prep for a mountain hunt in my opinion.  What if you live at sea level and everything around you is flat like I do?  We have one man made hill in my area and I would hike and run that as much as possible.  I also would put on my backpack with weight added, carry my bow, and do step up and step downs on a 16 inch step.  Step up, then step down, turn around and repeat with the other leg.  I would sometimes do this for over an hour.  Really monotonous to say the least.  I would do this in front of the TV and put on Carbon TV or You Tube and watch hunting shows while I did this.  This really helped me get ready for my last hunt and this will be part of my spring and summer prep sessions.

Progress

I will start to update this blog more as I get closer to my hunt.  Workouts have been going good since the fall and my diet has vastly improved in the new year.  16 pounds down since the New Year.  I follow a Paleo diet and do intermittent fasting also.  Paleo might seem new but in the 90's it was the outside ring of the Grocery Store diet.  Eat something that was grown or had a mom and you are in business.  Pick items that have been handled as little as possible by man and machine.  If you need to eat something that was made by a machine, read the labels.  Gluten free, Non GMO, as little as sugar as possible.  It works for me and it is not that hard.
Intermittent Fasting is something I mess with and I have had pretty good results.  I do a 16 hour fast with an 8 hour eating window.  I have more energy when I fast and feel more alert.  I track my calories to make sure I do not binge during my eating phase but also to make sure I am taking in enough calories and Macro-nutrients each day. 
I have also worked to cut down my beer intake.  (A week in Germany was difficult)  As I continue this journey, keeping my beer and wine intake low will be key to my success.