How's The Weight?

I've had this question asked of me many times since arriving back.

To catch everyone up, one of my concerns in preparation for the climbs was my weight. It was it's own type of struggle to put weight on before leaving, add to that my training regimen, and a metabolism that just wouldn't have any of it.

During it all, I stopped enjoying food, and would just be eating on schedule because I had to. With one bout of the flu, I lost what I had gained, and another 4-5lbs, and near the end I dipped as well. After 6 months of eating approx 2x the calories I would normally consume, I put on a big 5-6lbs.

Knowing what I was in for, I ate as much as I could whenever I could (with few exceptions), especially on the mountains. I think my group would agree that I probably ate more than anyone in our group on Kilimanjaro. Some people would be heading to bed while I'd still be filling my face.

Though there were no scales in Tanzania, I could still guess the old fashioned way... Coming down Kilimanjaro the last day, my pants were half way down my butt, likely signaling my lowest point of the trip. My guess here is that I'm about 10lbs from my peak at this point, 5lbs below normal. Fear not, as the food on safari was unbelievable, and I ate it all. Food was good again! I'm sure that on more than one occasion, while passing by the food and the cooks before dinner, I could be quoted as saying 'I am going to eat all of that.' I kept my word as best as I could. :)

After arriving back in Canada, I was back to my normal weight, no more, no less. A thank you goes out to the fantastic cooks on the mountains and the safari lodges, without who I would be (more) stick & bones.

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