Weight Loss on the Trail- How much did you lose?

[threepointrest]

I'm planning a thru-hike hike for next year, and there's one issue that I keep worrying about.

At 5'8'' and 125 lbs, I'm pretty twiggy. I've read that people can lose anywhere between 20 and 40 lbs on the trail.
That seems excessive to me, but is still a bit of a worrisome number.

How much can I expect to lose, on average?
Should I try to put on a few pounds before I leave?

[gypsy97]

I attempted a thru hike in 1997 (completed about 900 miles). I started off at about 138 and lost at least 20#. My dog, a 65# black lab, also lost weight. My thought is that you should try to bulk your weight up a little, as it usually takes a couple of weeks to get your trail appetite, and you will probably lose some weight before that happens. One of my problems was that I could't carry enough food to fill me up for the time between resupplies.
Gypsy

[Pedaling Fool]

Don't worry about it. I lost 50lbs, but I had it to lose, but you don't have it to lose so you're weight loss will be a lot less, if any; some people actually gain weight.

Just watch the Biggest Loser show, in the beginning they're dropping big weights, but as the weeks go by they're actually doing more work in the gym (as their fitness improves), yet they are losing less weight.

[Pedaling Fool]

One of my problems was that I could't carry enough food to fill me up for the time between resupplies.
GypsyThat's exactly why, most are not taking in the same amount of calories they are burning and that's why there is such a thing as Hiker Appetite, but that's what's great about hiking long distances, IMHO.

It trains the body to become more efficient. Learn to love the hunger.

[max patch]

I lost a pound a week for 3 months. At that point I had no extra visible "belly fat". The remaining 2 months I stayed the same.

I wouldn't put on weight just for sake of putting on weight. If you gain muscle weight from weight lifting thats a different matter.

[Pedaling Fool]

I wouldn't put on weight just for sake of putting on weight. If you gain muscle weight from weight lifting thats a different matter.Mark Allen would agree with you...add muscle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDCN58oI6T0

[m_factor]

Most people lose weight because they have the weight to lose. You are likely to be among those that gain weight by developing more muscle. If you bulk up before the trail, do it with exercise to gain muscle mass. Bulking up with fat just means carrying extraneous weight. It's like putting unnecessary gear in your backpack.

Do your research. In general, if you are having problems maintaining your weight, learn which foods to carry to give you the most calories per ounce carried. Fats are the way to go. Unless it's hot enough to melt, butter works well. It doesn't need refrigeration and makes everything taste good. Nuts will have more calories than dried fruit, etc.

If you are still losing too much, take some time off in town. Eat as much as you can. In town, you don't have to carry the food.

There are many people who get tired and don't feel well when they aren't eating enough. This is especially true in the Whites. Many hikers don't account for the extra calories necessary to hike the more difficult mountains. Once again, take the time to eat more in town and if possible, carry more calories or resupply more frequently.

Enjoy your hike!

[Lady Grey]

I lost about 20 pounds last year; some hikers lost none and others lost much more. It was a novel feeling to be able to eat whatever I wanted and still lose weight!

AT NOBO '13
www.trailjournals.com/LadyGrey

[Dogwood]

Love the Jim Whittaker quote but he probably got it from George Mallory.

George Mallory's question and answer: "Have we conquered an enemy? None but ourselves,"

Around the same time, usually a little after Whittaker, Sir Edmund Hillary also said: "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."

Regardless, of who first said it, I like it and I'm glad you have it in your avatar.

Here's another way of looking at the losing wt on a hike possibility. Don't be like those who lose 20-40 lbs. Don't be average. If you will be alert to your body wt and energy levels on a hike make the adjustments. Don't ignore, don't be complacent about those issues. Increase caloric consumption, look for highly nutritious trail foods, etc. Bodies can adjust some. Yours will likely too. Making adjustments and managing your hike, this includes managing yourself, your body and mind, is a necessary part of doing a thru-hike.

[sparky2009]

That's how much I weighed when I was your age! Same height too. Now, the height's the same but the weight.... Anyways, like the others said, don't worry about the weight loss or gain. Make sure you get enough nutrition and calories to keep you moving. Not a bad idea to eat like crazy when you get to a town. Buffets are your friend. I found that I had to toward the end and I still didn't feel like I was keeping up. Best wishes for your hike

[CarlZ993]

I started the trail @ 192# (at 6'1"). I lifted weights & ran regularly. The amount of weight loss I could document was 12#. I had trouble finding scales on the northern half of the hike. I definitely lost muscular size in my arms, chest, & shoulders. My ribs prominently showed as well.

The guys seemed to have a more pronounced weight loss than women. And that includes the skinny guys at the beginning. One of my hiking buddies in Maine stated that he hadn't weighed that light since 8th grade. He was lean when he started.

[Malto]

I started the PCT at 187 hiking 30mpd. By mile 1100 I was down to 175 and finished the trail at 174. Why the difference? The second half I was eating well over 6000 calories per day. My weight was down and thus burning less calories. Further, I firmly believe as you hike more you become more efficient with less wasted motion. The combination of these three factors were the key to the weight lose difference. For you I would NEVER put on extra fat. Instead of ten extra lbs, carry 5 extra lbs of food at each resupply. It's a lot more fun to eat than to carry dead weight.

[HighLiner]

I hiked 275 miles over 3 weeks in July last year. I started at Kinsman Notch and ended at Monson. Not a thru hike but lost 12 pounds. I was finally getting in hiker shape.

[4shot]

started at 210, finished at 170. Probably 180 - 185 is a 'good" weight for me. a guy who I met on day 1 at Springer also summited with me, although we didn't hike together the whole way. he was very stocky in stature and did not lose much weight. he used to get mad towards the end because people were skeptical that he indeed walked from Ga. because he didn't have that "look' about him.

[fiddlehead]

I'm skinny too and normally try to put on as much weight as I can before a thru-hike.
But whether I do or not, I usually lose about 5-10 lbs on each thru.
My high school weight was 145.
My normal weight now is around 155.
After a thru, my weight is usually 145.
Have fun.
Eat what you crave, when you can.

[garlic08]

If you eat enough to support your work output, you'll do fine. A few pounds of fat at the start won't hurt, like Dogwood says, but it'll be gone in a week. If you bonk, slow down or eat more. I finished the AT a few pounds below my starting weight, around 150 on a 5-9 frame. I actually gained weight in the mid-Atlantic states (the "deli-a-day" walk), then lost it again in the Whites. There are at least a few people every year who start hiking the AT with a healthy body weight and they don't lose as much as you normally hear about.

[soilman]

I started out at 183 and finished at 150. I was down 20 pounds by the time I got to the Partnership shelter even though my food bag was huge and I ate as much as I could when I got into town.

[The Solemates]

Contrary to what most have said on here, weight loss for me was an issue. I was 8-10% body fat when I started. So I did not have weight to lose on my hike, yet I still lost 40 pounds or so. I was a weightlifter though. I had never been that weight my entire adolescent or adult life, and still have not been since. I dont think mine was a healthy loss.

[sadlowskiadam]

I'm planning a thru-hike hike for next year, and there's one issue that I keep worrying about.

At 5'8'' and 125 lbs, I'm pretty twiggy. I've read that people can lose anywhere between 20 and 40 lbs on the trail.
That seems excessive to me, but is still a bit of a worrisome number.

How much can I expect to lose, on average?
Should I try to put on a few pounds before I leave?

On my 2013 thru hike a started at 197 lbs and finished at 165 lbs. I'm 5'9" and had some fat to lose after sitting behind a desk for 10 years. If possible, try and add 10 lbs to your weight before you get started. Good luck,

-Counselor

[sadlowskiadam]

Most people lose weight because they have the weight to lose. You are likely to be among those that gain weight by developing more muscle. If you bulk up before the trail, do it with exercise to gain muscle mass. Bulking up with fat just means carrying extraneous weight. It's like putting unnecessary gear in your backpack.

Do your research. In general, if you are having problems maintaining your weight, learn which foods to carry to give you the most calories per ounce carried. Fats are the way to go. Unless it's hot enough to melt, butter works well. It doesn't need refrigeration and makes everything taste good. Nuts will have more calories than dried fruit, etc.

If you are still losing too much, take some time off in town. Eat as much as you can. In town, you don't have to carry the food.

There are many people who get tired and don't feel well when they aren't eating enough. This is especially true in the Whites. Many hikers don't account for the extra calories necessary to hike the more difficult mountains. Once again, take the time to eat more in town and if possible, carry more calories or resupply more frequently.

Enjoy your hike!

I agree completely with this post. I crashed in the Whites last year, in part, because I wasn't eating enough food. Once I doubled my breakfast and dinners, I regained my mojo and finished the thru hike strong.

[soulrebel]

I lost 5 lbs in 5 months of walking 1600 miles and I started in the first week of March.... Recently, I rode my touring bike 200 miles and gained 3lbs over a couple days... I eat and eat and drink and drink.

[swjohnsey]

'Bout 20 pounds.

[Different Socks]

On both of my hikes on the AT and PCT I lost about 30 pounds. Went from 190's to 160's. However, on the PCT I plateaued and actually went back up 10 pounds once my body got used to the miles and carrying the pack, but not diminishing my food intake.

[jdc5294]

I'm 6'0" and I went from 175 to 145

[Kembo]

I started at 142 lbs. By the time I got to Damascus I had lost over 20 lbs. I'm 5'8" I was 19 years old. From then on I started eating better and by the end I weighed 155.

[evyck da fleet]

I'm 6'0'' and went from 172 to 160 by the time I got to NOC. I quickly realized I needed to eat a lot each time I stopped in town if I didn't want to lose weight/muscle. A large pizza for dinner, a pint of Ben & Jerry's w/ breakfast and an AYCE lunch usually got me back up to 165-167 before I got back on the trail. Most hikers don't get enough calories on the trail. Its common for the young ones with high metabolisms who are trying to hike cheaply to lose a lot of weight.

[Spirit Walker]

I didn't lose all that much weight, but my husband did, on each of his hikes. However, he started each hike with a lot of weight to lose. What usually happens is you reach a point where the weight loss feels significant and you start to eat more. Plus, after a few weeks on the trail, hiker hunger sets in and you want to eat more.

One thing I noticed is that the people who ate better quality food, generally lost less weight. They also lose less muscle, which can be a problem.

When we started increasing the protein we were eating, we weren't as hungry. We also ate a lot of calories in town - especially ice cream. Nuts and seeds are heavy, but they do provide both calories and protein that can help keep you going.

[George]

I'm planning a thru-hike hike for next year, and there's one issue that I keep worrying about.

At 5'8'' and 125 lbs, I'm pretty twiggy. I've read that people can lose anywhere between 20 and 40 lbs on the trail.
That seems excessive to me, but is still a bit of a worrisome number.

How much can I expect to lose, on average?
Should I try to put on a few pounds before I leave?

if you have that build, at your age good luck trying to add weight - I never could until I had a couple years when I was a daily drinker

I do like to start a long hike with about 10 extra

in your case I would set a bottom line, if/ when you hit it do whatever it takes to stop further loss - slow down, take longer town breaks etc - there are enough problems/ health risks from over weight loss to make it worth avoiding

[criley84]

In '08, I lost 55 lbs from Springer to Daleville. I came on to the trail at 250 (Im 6'3 male). I took my time and still ate everything I could get my hands on.

[Last Call]

4 lbs. ....

[Bronk]

I weighed 144 pounds when I enlisted in the Army...I weighed 175 when I finished basic training. When I started the AT I weighed about 220...when I got off the trail I weighed 167. Those who need to gain will gain and those who need to lose will lose...either way, you can pretty much eat whatever you want.

[aficion]

At your size/weight your base weight will be a higher percentage of your body weight than most. Your hiker hunger may kick in sooner than most as well. I would try to get my base weight between 12 and 15 lbs and plan to carry 2,000 calories per day out of the gate. I would up that to 2,500 calories/day in week two. By the end of week three you will have your hiker legs, your hiker appetite, as well as a read on how often you want to go to town. You can adjust the calories you carry accordingly. Eat well and have fun!

[Happy44]

doing 100 miles a week, for 5 weeks l lost 50 pounds! duncannon to pairsburg, week 3 i dropped 20 of the pounds

[kycali]

I gained 7-10 lbs and it certainly wasn't all muscle. I'm female which I think makes a difference. I was also in good shape going into it and I didn't skimp on carrying food. The good news is for me is that I avoided post-hike weight gain and actually lost it all.

[Blissful]

I lost 30, my son lost 50.

[Draggin]

I lost 20 lbs on my 05 thru-hike started at 235 and finished at 215, I probably would have lost more but those nutty bars and prime ribs took care of that!!

Draggin

[Hot Flash]

I'm planning a thru-hike hike for next year, and there's one issue that I keep worrying about.

At 5'8'' and 125 lbs, I'm pretty twiggy. I've read that people can lose anywhere between 20 and 40 lbs on the trail.
That seems excessive to me, but is still a bit of a worrisome number.

How much can I expect to lose, on average?
Should I try to put on a few pounds before I leave?

I'm your same size. I don't lose weight on the trail, even hiking long distances.

[Prime Time]

I'm 5-9 and I started at 155 lbs and finished at 151. Right now, 5 months later, I way 156. If you don't have a lot to lose your won't lose much as long as you eat well whenever you have the chance. In between towns I had 2 packets of oatmeal for breakfast, a bagel with lots of peanut butter or a bagel packed with cheese and some kind of cured meat for lunch, and for dinner a huge portion of grains like Quinoa, brown rice, pasta or cous-cous with loads of cured meat like salami and tons of cheese. Before dinner I had a large portion of salted almonds to take a bit of the edge off my hunger and after dinner I had a big piece of chocolate. While hiking I ate an average of about 5 bars a day like snickers, protien bars, Paydays, etc. In town I would load up on protein and fat. Also, I drank between 4 and 7 liters of water a day on the trail. I never felt stuffed or starved. Just always somewhere between mildly hungry to satisfied.

[Misery]

I started at 165. The first 500 miles I lost 5lbs. Then for some reason the second 500 miles I lost 20lbs. I hadn't changed my diet, I was doing about the same miles in the same amount of time. Then I almost stopped losing weight and over the the last 1000. I ended at 135. It didn't take long for it all to come back (thankfully) when I was done though

[rusty bumper]

Started at 163 and finished 5 months later at 143.

[wookinpanub]

I am 6'2" and weighed 175 lbs when I started southbound. By Hanover I was down to 157 and felt miserable. The Whites beat the ever-lovin' dog mess out of me. I went Gorham to Hanover with no resupply and it was a huge mistake. VT allowed me to find a groove and by the time I finished I was back at 175 lbs, though it was distributed a little differently. It's amazing the way your body adjusts.