Ideal Body Composition for Start of Thru?

[jred321]

What would the ideal body composition be for the start of a thru? Fit but with a few extra pounds? Low body fat? Muscular (higher calorie requirements?)? I'm looking to plan for a 2015 thru and am looking to see should I get back into my normal lifting schedule after finishing a marathon or should I actually try to limit muscle mass in the interest of knowing that more muscle mass requires more calories just to subsist. Then should I diet and drop a few pounds or should I actually try to gain an extra 5-10 for the start knowing I'll be running at a caloric deficit. So what would be the ideal start body composition?

[rafe]

I'd be more concerned about what's in my head. That has a much greater impact on whether you'll succeed or not.

[10-K]

No doubt about it - I hike stronger 5ish-8ish lbs over my everyday weight.

[Trance]

Long distance hiking is 90% mental. The other 10% is physical. Obviously a bum knee, or being obese will lower your chances of success.

Don't kid yourself though. Don't try to overthink hiking.

This forum is full of good and also dumb questions. Many of the people asking questions probably are couch hikers who never actually make it to the trail but have seen a Nat Geo special on it and want to romanticize the journey.

Carry a reasonable pack, be in reasonable shape, know what you are getting yourself in to. You are going to be hiking, dirty, sweaty, and eating trail food for weeks at a time. Down south it can be a party with all the trail towns and hostels.... but as you creep north, it's more living in the woods.

[jred321]

Understood that it's mostly mental, but I also don't think the mental side and physical side are totally separate. I'm someone who is used to exercising 5+ times per week. I'm trying to figure out what the next 6 months of working out and diet should look like since I'm going to be exercising anyways and having a goal is better than just randomly doing stuff. Are my goals to slim down to be more nimble, gain more muscle to make carrying the pack easier (and allow the muscle to serve as fuel on those long days), gain some fat to help with the caloric deficit, or some combination of them. For people who have completed a thru or long section, what kind of physical shape do you think would be ideal?

[Rain Man]

... For people who have completed a thru or long section, what kind of physical shape do you think would be ideal?

Ideal? About 30 years younger and 30 pounds lighter than I am. But I don't intend to throw in the towel because of that!!! ~wink~

Believing in moderation, I'd say be like Goldilocks, not too muscular, not too soft, not too skinny, not too fat. Aim for a middle ground. Other than that, the best conditioning is hiking with a pack.

RainMan

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[Trance]

I've done 700 miles on the trail in two sections. I've also done the whites and parts of maine on multiday hikes.

You in already ahead of the game in fitness if you are working out 5 days a week. When you get to Springer and see the shape some people are in, you'll understand..... by the time you get to Gooch Gap shelter... you'll really start to see who cant handle it.

You will almost always be at a calorie deficit. However.... I hiked from the NOC to Fontana in a day (approx 30 miles) and ate two 280 calorie protein bars, a scoop of peanut butter, and like 128 oz of water/gatorade mixture. I didnt feel hungry.

That being said... I did go in to Gatlinburg and ate a huge meal at a BBQ place of probably 2k calories before heading back in.

Being a few pounds over will not hurt you. If you are worried about conditioning.... this isnt like running an ultra marathon. You put one foot in front of the other until you feel like you are done for the day. Every pound you take with you is a pound you haul up the mountain.... I caution people to only carry what they really need.

I'm 190 and 6ft. I workout also about 5 days a week with weights.

[rafe]

Understood that it's mostly mental, but I also don't think the mental side and physical side are totally separate. I'm someone who is used to exercising 5+ times per week. I'm trying to figure out what the next 6 months of working out and diet should look like since I'm going to be exercising anyways and having a goal is better than just randomly doing stuff. Are my goals to slim down to be more nimble, gain more muscle to make carrying the pack easier (and allow the muscle to serve as fuel on those long days), gain some fat to help with the caloric deficit, or some combination of them. For people who have completed a thru or long section, what kind of physical shape do you think would be ideal?

You're overthinking it. Physically, you're more than capable, right now, of walking the entire AT. Probably in far better shape than most who try.

To improve your odds, maybe try some real hikes in tough terrain (say, the northern Long Trail) with multiple nights in the woods... maybe even in foul weather, to really get a taste of what you'll be up against.

[jred321]

You're overthinking it. Physically, you're more than capable, right now, of walking the entire AT. Probably in far better shape than most who try.

I understand this, though this post is only about the physical side of it. If I can avoid being sore for the first few weeks, or zonking because your body has no more energy to burn, or having extra joint soreness for the first few weeks, or any number of other little physical annoyances by doing physical prep now, why not do it? On the mental side, I'd rather start the trail thinking that I'm totally physically prepared and not even thinking about that aspect than questioning my physical preparedness. One less thing to worry about.

To improve your odds, maybe try some real hikes in tough terrain (say, the northern Long Trail) with multiple nights in the woods... maybe even in foul weather, to really get a taste of what you'll be up against.

Planning on it now that marathon training is over. At least until real winter gets here. I even have bruised toes so I get to experience that part too And in winter, I'll do various other activities to keep busy (trying to convince people to do the 3 day course EMS offers for winter hiking where on the third day you summit Washington).

[jred321]

Every pound you take with you is a pound you haul up the mountain.... I caution people to only carry what they really need.

So by that theory, losing weight would be good. But if you lose weight and have minimal body fat left for your body to consume as fuel, is that a bad thing? I'm about 5'9" and 180. When I exercise and diet I get down to abou 170 and maintain similar strength, but I have minimal fat left which I'm not sure is such a good thing.

[Trance]

Dude, if you can run a marathon... you're fine.

Wait till you see some of the Mountain trail Bears that hike every year. I had a big guy with me from Clingmans to Newfound that we had to lay in the grass at Newfound b/c he thought he was having a heart attack.

[Seatbelt]

Dude, if you can run a marathon... you're fine.

Wait till you see some of the Mountain trail Bears that hike every year. I had a big guy with me from Clingmans to Newfound that we had to lay in the grass at Newfound b/c he thought he was having a heart attack.

I agree. trail running realy helped my hiking from a cardio standpoint, quad workouts would be in order as well, because the quads will be depended on more than in a street marathon.

[mdbamabrad]

physical edge would help. I would actually suggest to be carrying a gentle amount of body fat to start. However, your body will find its own natural weight after a few weeks. I was in great physical shape entering and I only made 10 days. The truth is, I had other things on my mind.

[Malto]

Having completely overthought the physical aspects of my thru hike I will agree that you are overthinking this. Stay in decent shape and I don't believe carrying around even a single pound of extra fat is worthwhile. Carry an extra pound of food, then carry out another extra pound of food from the next next resupply.

[brian039]

Start out in the best shape you can and leave a little gas in the tank each day for the first 2 or 3 weeks before you start trying to push the mileage. You'll cruise all the way to the Whites, then I'd suggest you take it easy because the down hills start to get nasty.

[colorado_rob]

So by that theory, losing weight would be good. But if you lose weight and have minimal body fat left for your body to consume as fuel, is that a bad thing? I'm about 5'9" and 180. When I exercise and diet I get down to abou 170 and maintain similar strength, but I have minimal fat left which I'm not sure is such a good thing.

I hear ya and I definitely use what I think you propose as my own M.O. for long hikes and climbs; I "fatten" up just a tad, 3-5 pounds or so, and I do believe this helps me through the "lean" times on the trail. A few extra pounds distributed all over your body is easier to carry that a few extra pounds on your back, and it's all fat, the most efficient food calories possible. Three pounds is over 10,000 food calories available for "backup" use.

Overthought? Perhaps, but this works well for me.

[Bati]

should I actually try to limit muscle mass in the interest of knowing that more muscle mass requires more calories just to subsist.

Your body can burn muscle mass as fuel if you can't digest enough calories and have lost most of your fat. As a Northbounder in a cold year, I first noticed muscle loss in my legs before I entered the Smokies. It depends on you, how cold it is, how many miles you hike each day, how difficult those miles are, how much weight you carry, and how well you eat. I would be more concerned about making sure your feet are in shape and that you pack fits, etc., as long as you are in shape.

[rickb]

It's a very interesting question.

I don't have a clue, but fact of the matter is you won't be on the trail all that long. As such, I thought you might be interested in this, too.

http://cduane.net/WhyHikersGetFat.html

You don't want to win the battle and lose the war!

[garlic08]

I agree with the "fit, but with a few extra pounds" approach.

What's more critical, though, is what you do when those few pounds are gone, which may be only a few weeks. If and when you get down to essentially zero reserves, you'll have to modify your hiking style or your diet or both to keep things sustainable. Luckily, on the AT, that's about when you get into easier hiking in the mid-Atlantic states--and start seeing more delis!

Don't hurt yourself with malnutrition out there. Eat and rest well, and hike sensibly.

[Cedar1974]

I'll admit I am not in any shape to try the trail right now. But just remember every ounce counts, and that includes your body weight too. I think getting your gear together and just hiking will get you to where you need to be physically. Though you sound like you could probably do it now if you just finished a marathon run.