I feel blessed to have found your channel! I hope to turn 70 next year on the Camino, in April. This is the third time I have lost a significant amount of weight, and also the third time I seem to stop when I am about 20 lbs away. I am up to 9 miles of walking, but sometimes body seems to take over and wants to replace those calories! My goal is to get at least half of the remaining 20 pounds before walk.
This really hits home with me. I went from being a skinny teenager who could eat whatever he liked to an overweight adult almost overnight. I found I could put on weight so easily, and have struggled ever since. I’m now in my late 50s, and feel I’m at a crossroads, when it’s now or never - lose weight while my body still has some miles left to walk, or give up. Pilgrimage to Canterbury is the spiritual kick in the pants I need to start losing the pounds, or I’m not going to make it there. I’m currently about 50 lbs (or a sack of spuds) overweight - I am ashamed to admit how I let myself go, but my eyes are fixed firmly on making this journey. I know I may walk alone, but I know I’m not alone in spirit.
That’s awesome. It sounds like you are starting a little older and a little better shape than I was. I know it’s harder as we age but I will bet you can get it in order. When I did my first 6 Caminos, I did little to get in shape. But it is MUCH easier at lower weight.
Thank you for broaching this subject. I believe it is something that a lot of people have in the back of their mind regarding Camino. I know I do, and I really appreciate any insight in looking at the whole journey with a spiritual lens.
Thank you for sharing. I am on this same journey, have been since 2018, and part of my "why" was because I wanted to be able to walk The Camino and finish. I'm down 89 pounds, slow and steady, and of course had some bumps in the road (arthritis diagnosis in my knees and feet) over the last 4 years but making my way. The Camino as my motivation is truly helping. Crossing fingers for a Camino experience this year!! #Camino2022 Lets do this!!
An excellent video with insight based on your own experiences. Your 4 main points are very relevant, although people may have quite different reasons for walking a Camino. The same would go for weight-loss objectives, although many would say that their overall health is the primary reason. I think you could possibly add a 5th key principle too: connection. While doing and experiencing the things you mentioned, we are also connecting with nature more, connecting with others more, connecting with history and the past and contemplating our existence. The inherent difficulty of the Camino seems to strip away layers of comfort to expose us to ourselves. This exposure, or self-realisation, is the fuel of change/transformation. We can either accept it with grace or whinge about it or runaway from it. This can also apply to any discipline we would rather not be doing, but could ultimately help us to live healthier and more balanced lives. Our enemies on these paths may take many forms, but the signs are normally evident if we really look at ourselves. We often need motivation and encouragement from somewhere to get us to "do the work", whatever it may be. On the Camino we get encouragement from those sharing the journey with us, but away from Camino it can be more difficult to feel that support and connection once we slowly slip back into our old routines. We can find ways to change those routines, replace bad habits with good ones. Excess physical weight is not the only thing in life that weighs us down, so there is much work to be done. It may be grim at times, or often even, but if we can face it with a smile and a yielding heart, then the path may be made more bearable. Sometimes it's better not to have any choice, then we just have to get on with it. Having too much choice will spoil us more often than not.
Mark, I’ve been thinking a lot about your suggestion that “connection” is a common element of pilgrimage. That seems to be a broad enough term to encapsulate what many expect of pilgrimage. I may be integrating this into my future discussions of pilgrimage.
@@CaminoGuide Yes, for me the "connection" is in many ways a return to something we have lost, something we have become disconnected from. The modern world has played a big part in disconnecting us from many things, so part of the struggle in life will usually manifest itself in looking for what we've lost, to try and reconnect with our inner nature. Much of what many of us do is usually the opposite, as we allow ourselves to be absorbed by a material world that places more importance on wealth and power, however fleeting it may be. When people go on a pilgrimage, it's a great leveller and it enables us to relate to our fellow pilgrims no matter what their background or culture. It's this "connecting process" that we miss in our normal daily lives, as we are far too often only thinking about ourselves and how we can "progress" in society.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge on this journey. I am a Buddhist monk, I am planning to walk "El Camino Walk, The French Way" when the pandemic is over. Meal time is one of my concerns as I planned of doing this long walk for over 500 miles across Spain. According to my monastic discipline rules, I have to finish lunch (last meal of the day) by noon time which is around 12 pm, I can stretch out to 12:30 pm for my lunch time. My question is : Can I find some place to have lunch during 11 am to 12 pm of each during the walk? Thank you again, I watch almost every episodes of your program.
Thank you so much for watching! I don’t think you will be troubled to eat a good lunch before 12 each day. In general, lunches are not as hearty of meals as dinners there, so you may have to take care to get a good meal each day when you are burning so many calories. But food service starts before non for sure. Many pilgrims eat at least twice before lunch too. Your bigger issue may the kinds of food. Are you also vegetarian? There are plenty of vegetarian options, but a great deal of the food on Camino has meat.
@@CaminoGuide Thank you for your prompt response, I consider myself as "a part-time vegetarian", LOL! Your answer indeed helps to ease my concern. I can't wait to walk on the Camino. Your endurance on the walk is encouraging for many of us.
First check flights from you to Biarritz (airport BIQ). That is a small airport that’s one hour from SJPDP. If that is cost prohibitive, you can fly to Paris and get a train or plane to Biarritz (Ryanair has several cities that fly to BIQ cheaply). Madrid is also okay…it takes a train to Pamplona then a bus to SJPDP. The only advantage is flying out from the same. Preference for me? Just buy a ticket into Paris. Then use Ryanair to fly to BIQ and then train from Biarritz to SJPDP.
@@LbEternity check for cheap flights to Dublin and London. Sometimes those are cheap cities from USA. And you can fly Ryanair direct from those two to BIQ
I feel blessed to have found your channel! I hope to turn 70 next year on the Camino, in April. This is the third time I have lost a significant amount of weight, and also the third time I seem to stop when I am about 20 lbs away. I am up to 9 miles of walking, but sometimes body seems to take over and wants to replace those calories! My goal is to get at least half of the remaining 20 pounds before walk.
This really hits home with me. I went from being a skinny teenager who could eat whatever he liked to an overweight adult almost overnight. I found I could put on weight so easily, and have struggled ever since. I’m now in my late 50s, and feel I’m at a crossroads, when it’s now or never - lose weight while my body still has some miles left to walk, or give up. Pilgrimage to Canterbury is the spiritual kick in the pants I need to start losing the pounds, or I’m not going to make it there. I’m currently about 50 lbs (or a sack of spuds) overweight - I am ashamed to admit how I let myself go, but my eyes are fixed firmly on making this journey. I know I may walk alone, but I know I’m not alone in spirit.
That’s awesome. It sounds like you are starting a little older and a little better shape than I was. I know it’s harder as we age but I will bet you can get it in order. When I did my first 6 Caminos, I did little to get in shape. But it is MUCH easier at lower weight.
Great topic! And true for so many of us. I really like where you talk about it is a lifetime journey.
Thank you!!!
Thank you for broaching this subject. I believe it is something that a lot of people have in the back of their mind regarding Camino. I know I do, and I really appreciate any insight in looking at the whole journey with a spiritual lens.
Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful!
Thank you for sharing. I am on this same journey, have been since 2018, and part of my "why" was because I wanted to be able to walk The Camino and finish. I'm down 89 pounds, slow and steady, and of course had some bumps in the road (arthritis diagnosis in my knees and feet) over the last 4 years but making my way. The Camino as my motivation is truly helping. Crossing fingers for a Camino experience this year!! #Camino2022 Lets do this!!
Lots of prayers as you work it through. As I mention, my ability to KEEP walking Camino is a big part of my motivation.
An excellent video with insight based on your own experiences.
Your 4 main points are very relevant, although people may have quite different reasons for walking a Camino. The same would go for weight-loss objectives, although many would say that their overall health is the primary reason.
I think you could possibly add a 5th key principle too: connection. While doing and experiencing the things you mentioned, we are also connecting with nature more, connecting with others more, connecting with history and the past and contemplating our existence. The inherent difficulty of the Camino seems to strip away layers of comfort to expose us to ourselves. This exposure, or self-realisation, is the fuel of change/transformation. We can either accept it with grace or whinge about it or runaway from it. This can also apply to any discipline we would rather not be doing, but could ultimately help us to live healthier and more balanced lives.
Our enemies on these paths may take many forms, but the signs are normally evident if we really look at ourselves. We often need motivation and encouragement from somewhere to get us to "do the work", whatever it may be. On the Camino we get encouragement from those sharing the journey with us, but away from Camino it can be more difficult to feel that support and connection once we slowly slip back into our old routines. We can find ways to change those routines, replace bad habits with good ones. Excess physical weight is not the only thing in life that weighs us down, so there is much work to be done. It may be grim at times, or often even, but if we can face it with a smile and a yielding heart, then the path may be made more bearable. Sometimes it's better not to have any choice, then we just have to get on with it. Having too much choice will spoil us more often than not.
Mark, I’ve been thinking a lot about your suggestion that “connection” is a common element of pilgrimage. That seems to be a broad enough term to encapsulate what many expect of pilgrimage. I may be integrating this into my future discussions of pilgrimage.
@@CaminoGuide Yes, for me the "connection" is in many ways a return to something we have lost, something we have become disconnected from. The modern world has played a big part in disconnecting us from many things, so part of the struggle in life will usually manifest itself in looking for what we've lost, to try and reconnect with our inner nature. Much of what many of us do is usually the opposite, as we allow ourselves to be absorbed by a material world that places more importance on wealth and power, however fleeting it may be. When people go on a pilgrimage, it's a great leveller and it enables us to relate to our fellow pilgrims no matter what their background or culture. It's this "connecting process" that we miss in our normal daily lives, as we are far too often only thinking about ourselves and how we can "progress" in society.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge on this journey. I am a Buddhist monk, I am planning to walk "El Camino Walk, The French Way" when the pandemic is over. Meal time is one of my concerns as I planned of doing this long walk for over 500 miles across Spain. According to my monastic discipline rules, I have to finish lunch (last meal of the day) by noon time which is around 12 pm, I can stretch out to 12:30 pm for my lunch time. My question is : Can I find some place to have lunch during 11 am to 12 pm of each during the walk? Thank you again, I watch almost every episodes of your program.
Thank you so much for watching!
I don’t think you will be troubled to eat a good lunch before 12 each day. In general, lunches are not as hearty of meals as dinners there, so you may have to take care to get a good meal each day when you are burning so many calories. But food service starts before non for sure. Many pilgrims eat at least twice before lunch too.
Your bigger issue may the kinds of food. Are you also vegetarian? There are plenty of vegetarian options, but a great deal of the food on Camino has meat.
@@CaminoGuide Thank you for your prompt response, I consider myself as "a part-time vegetarian", LOL! Your answer indeed helps to ease my concern. I can't wait to walk on the Camino. Your endurance on the walk is encouraging for many of us.
Which city would you suggest someone who is starting their Camino at St. Jean Pied de Port fly into?
First check flights from you to Biarritz (airport BIQ). That is a small airport that’s one hour from SJPDP.
If that is cost prohibitive, you can fly to Paris and get a train or plane to Biarritz (Ryanair has several cities that fly to BIQ cheaply).
Madrid is also okay…it takes a train to Pamplona then a bus to SJPDP. The only advantage is flying out from the same.
Preference for me? Just buy a ticket into Paris. Then use Ryanair to fly to BIQ and then train from Biarritz to SJPDP.
@@CaminoGuide thx, greatly appreciate it.
@@LbEternity check for cheap flights to Dublin and London. Sometimes those are cheap cities from USA. And you can fly Ryanair direct from those two to BIQ