Spending a few weeks chopping wood did wonders for my physique.
I used to pay for a gym membership, and then use it a few times a year, but those days are over! I went to the old family hunting lodge to “get back to nature” and spend some time hunting and fishing.
I did not anticipate the plunge in temps, nor the worst snowstorm in 30 years hitting the area. After that I really had to “get back to nature” including chopping firewood, because the electricity and the natural gas heater were both offline. The natural gas heater actually doesn’t require electricity to run, which is what makes it so reliable. This is how bad the storm was, and how deep the snow was, that it took out both the power and the heater! Thankfully there was an old brick fireplace in the back of the kitchen. This cabin is several decades old, and for much of that time there was no electricity at all, this fireplace provided all the heating for the home and the kitchen. If you have never used a fireplace for survival, it turns out they are a lot more work-intensive than you think. I spent a couple of hours a day chopping firewood just to make sure the brick fireplace never went cold. This is how I lost so many pounds in such a short amount of time. The old brick fireplace was pretty amazing, and not only kept me warm but also provided enough heat to cook my food and boil my water.