Bob Baldwin, Founder and CEO of BowhuntingINFO.com, has been working hard this year to get in shape.  Bow hunting since he was 12, Bob is more ready than ever to meet the physical challenge of the hunt. 

With a number of hunts planned this fall including elk hunts in Colorado and New Mexico, at age 51 Bob knows he has to be ready for whatever the hunt throws his way.

That takes us back to my first article.  In that article, I wrote about the rigors of elk hunting and how preparing for the hunt physically could mean the difference between making the shot or having to come around on that bull for the second time because you were too winded to draw your bow.

At the writing of this article Bob has lost at least 30 lbs and is ready to take on challenging terrain and high altitudes.

I asked Bob if he would share his accomplishments.  

His story begins in the year 2000…

 In the fall of 2000, I hunted Elk in Colorado in some really rough terrain.  I tried to get in shape for that hunt, but I knew going in it was going to be tough.  I was right!  Hunting between 7500 and 9000 feet, every uphill step was a challenge for me.

Planning a number of hunts this fall including elk hunts in Colorado at up to 11,700 feet, and New Mexico at 7000 feet, I was determined to be in better shape.  I started in early February.  When I got on the scale February 5, 2002 I found I was carrying 244 pounds on my meager 5’8” frame. 

Recognizing that exercise is all work if you don’t enjoy it, I knew I would have to find something I liked to do or it wasn’t going to happen.  I found that enjoyment in Racquetball.  I arranged to play three days a week.  I always played hard and for never less than an hour.  Needless to say, I was always totally wrung out by the end of the session.

Problem was, I had played racquetball before and not lost much weight.  I knew I had to do something about my eating habits as well.  My doctor, “suggested” (ah…”demanded”) that I lose some weight and keep it off.  He suggested that I cut way back on starches and sugars.  Shortly thereafter an outfitter friend, Louie Horwath from Louie’s Outpost and Timber Wolf Air, suggested that I try the Atkins diet, as he, while on the diet, had lost some 26 pounds.

Basically, the Atkins diet cuts carbohydrate consumption way down, less than 20 carbs per day for the first two weeks.  Although I didn’t adhere exactly to Atkins, I really worked hard at cutting carbs.  I virtually eliminated any sweets, including the nectar of the gods, Pepsi (boy was that a challenge). 

 I made sure I ate fresh vegetables each day, but in limited quantities, staying completely away from breads, potatoes, rice and sugars.

The combination of playing racquetball and changing my eating habits has paid off.  By July 4^th 2002, I had lost 30 pounds and dropped to 214 pounds.  I could fit into size 38 jeans! That’s something I hadn’t been able to do in quite some time.

Since July, I have been on the move, traveling.  I haven’t had the opportunity to play racquetball, so I had to find a substitute.  My options were very limited. I didn’t have a bike, but I knew I needed to improve my lung capacity.  I also knew I needed to work on my leg and upper body strength.  Although, I probably should have done some weight training, it was just not convenient.  As a substitute, I have tried to do two things daily, or at least 5 days a week.  In San Diego, where I am currently working, I found an open archery range with 15 dispersed targets over varying ranges and terrains.  There are a lot of ups and downs and it is good exercise for my legs.  Shooting 60 to 70 arrows a day was good for my upper body strength, and I could see the improvement in my ability to steady my shot.  But still, I needed some aerobics as well and I was determined to walk and run (Yuk!) every day.  While staying in San Diego, there was a significant hill right outside my door.  The motel sits at the base of a plateau, and by following the road and making a horseshoe, I could get about ¾ of a mile uphill, with an altitude adjustment of probably 500 feet or more.  When I started this routine, it was all I could do to get to the top without stopping but I refused to give up.  As my wind increased, I started extending my walk beyond the top of the hill, and then starting to jog some of my trek.

Each day, I would make every effort to do no less than I had the day before, and every 3 or four days, I would try to extend my workout, either in length or speed (more jogging).  My daily regimen now consists of over 2 ½ miles a day, ¾ of it up a fairly steep hill, and jogging another ½ mile before my walk back down.

I haven’t been on a scale in about a month, but I can tell I am still losing weight.  My belts are all too big for me!

Congratulation Bob!  There’s no doubt Bob feels better and is healthier for his efforts.  You can feel his excitement in every word of his story.   Improved health, stamina and endurance are great rewards for the bow hunter!  Especially a bow hunter getting ready to tackle the rigors of the Rocky Mountains! 

By the way, I did the Atkins diet a few years back and stayed on it for about 8 months.  Because of all the fat and protein you eat while on the diet, I was concerned with cholesterol levels and other issues.

After six months, I went to the doctor and had all my blood levels checked.  To my amazement, my cholesterol level, everything was just where it was supposed to be!

I lost 11 pounds in the first two weeks!