Day Out Preseli Top

[John Fenna]

After too many years of not hillwalking due to pain from knees and hips - plus a surgeon telling me both hips and both knees needed replacing - I finally had the courage to test how well my self treatment had worked by trying the 6 miles and 270m (up and down) of the "Rosebush Circuit" taking in Preseli Top (Foel Cwmcerwyn). My wife 10 years older than me) came with me - just to put my achievement into perspective
My self treatment - to avoid any surgery - involved losing 7 stone in weight and piling the muscle on to support the joints ... and it seemed to work! Although the weather was not great I was never in excessive discomfort (though one steep bit of decent was not too comfortable...) and have even felt good enough to complete my normal daily exercises and even go out for a stroll this evening.
The joy of clean living!

 

[Gill]

Fantastic John ,7 stone is some going ,how long did that take? Great achievment from you both .

 

[John Fenna]

So far - about 4 years. Most of the weight went in the first 2 years but since Covid hit I had more time to exercise and I shed another half stone ... I was a 38"- 40" waist now I am a 28" - 30" waist and have trouble finding Adult trousers with less than a 30" waist. I spent a few hours over the weekend taking in the waists of some of the trousers I made since I thought I had finished losing weight! 2" off some trousers, 1" off later models

Me in 2016 - pulling in my gut for the pictures!

 

[SaraR]

After too many years of not hillwalking due to pain from knees and hips - plus a surgeon telling me both hips and both knees needed replacing - I finally had the courage to test how well my self treatment had worked by trying the 6 miles and 270m (up and down) of the "Rosebush Circuit" taking in Preseli Top (Foel Cwmcerwyn). My wife 10 years older than me) came with me - just to put my achievement into perspective View attachment 67155View attachment 67156View attachment 67157View attachment 67158View attachment 67159View attachment 67160View attachment 67161View attachment 67162
My self treatment - to avoid any surgery - involved losing 7 stone in weight and piling the muscle on to support the joints ... and it seemed to work! Although the weather was not great I was never in excessive discomfort (though one steep bit of decent was not too comfortable...) and have even felt good enough to complete my normal daily exercises and even go out for a stroll this evening.
The joy of clean living!

Well done! It's usually the going downhill that harder on the knees, I find. Where's the carpark you used?

 

[nigelp]

That’s brilliant. What a great walk and a great way to celebrate a fantastic achievement.

 

[John Fenna]

It is in Rosebush - down the side of the Teashop at the end of the public road.
By the way - the lady in the 2016 picture is my late Aunt - not my wife!

 

[oldtimer]

Inspirational!
I recall being impressed when you posted before and after pictures some time ago. At the time, your achievement made me reflect that my life-time quest for lightening my rucksack was a bit pointless when more weight was going onto my body than was coming out of my pack and your example made me change my eating habits.
We have a test walk in the Pyrenees that we do annually to compare our fitness from year to year, but have not been able to do so because of travel restrictions. We are beginning to dread what we'll find when we get back there.

 

[Tony]

Good to see John, you'll be writing walking books again then

 

[Danqrl]

amazing John congrats on your lifestyle change and the walk