View Full Version : Hungry Hiker - How many calories should I be hitting on the AT / day.
Fletchlives1234
03-18-2014, 08:34
Hello hello.
I am less than 2 weeks off hitting the trail and I can't wait. I have been going through my pack, refining things and obsessing for too long now.
I thought it best to get some info on food before I hit the AT.
I was thinking about stocking up on Mountain house style meals before speaking with survivor dave who advised me that they will be dead expensive and high in salt. I have looked on Youtube and I am quite happy with the meal choices I have found. Including things like chirizo, jerky, nuts, dried apricots, trail bars, chocolate, mac cheese style meals, tuna and chicken pouches, cheese, pasta, ramen noodles etc.
Today I stumbled across this blog which also has some good ideas. The thing I want to question is will I be able to source all this stuff from Wallmart and exactly how many calories do you think I will need to consume / day whilst doing the AT?
The link I talked about is as follows: http://blackwoodspress.com/blog/16547/ultralight-backpacking-meal-plan/
It talks about consuming approx 2lb of food / day at 3500 calories.
I understand that it varies from person to person, but any advice would be appreciated.
Fletchlives
Bring stuff you want to eat. I usually carry tons of Cliff Builder bars, a small jar of peanut butter, higher calorie freeze dried meals.... like banana pudding. Lipton rice meals..... a small vial of olive oil for joints/calories.
As for how many calories a day.... honestly... it's different for different people. I've done 28 mile days and eaten 900 calories but consumed 100+ oz of water. The more food you carry, the heavier that bag is too. I usually try to eat about 2k calories (I'm 180pds, 36 yrs old) a day... then I eat a ton when I hit a hostel or town... and even bring a few slices of pizza or a sandwich with me before I pack up to continue. It all seems to work out.
You're going to lose weight regardless.
colorado_rob
03-18-2014, 09:10
Obviously, YMMV, but just one data point here: I actually like the freeze dried meals and don't mind the high salt content (AKA electrolytes, a much needed substance!), so generally eat one of those on most days, some evenings just some sort of soup or noodle dish. I consume right at that 3500 calorie figure, but get there with roughly 1.75 pounds of food a day. I'm 6'1" and 180 pounds, for reference. Lots of pure sugar foods for snacking while hiking, then higher protein/fat foods in the evening. At this 3500 calorie figure, I do run at a slight deficit, but make up for it in towns. Again, just one more data point.
Odd Man Out
03-18-2014, 09:30
Obviously, YMMV, but just one data point here: I actually like the freeze dried meals and don't mind the high salt content (AKA electrolytes, a much needed substance!), so generally eat one of those on most days, some evenings just some sort of soup or noodle dish. I consume right at that 3500 calorie figure, but get there with roughly 1.75 pounds of food a day. I'm 6'1" and 180 pounds, for reference. Lots of pure sugar foods for snacking while hiking, then higher protein/fat foods in the evening. At this 3500 calorie figure, I do run at a slight deficit, but make up for it in towns. Again, just one more data point.
I have a MH Pouch someone gave me and will take on my section hike this summer. I did enjoy reading the nutritional info where it said "Serving Size 1 cup - 2.5 Servings per Pkg". Yeah right.
Just Bill
03-18-2014, 09:51
Fletch-
You're in UK- so maildrops (using the post) are not really an option and you'll be shopping as you go.
First few weeks you'll eat a bit more than at home.
More importantly- how old are you?
Sometime in our mid to late twenties men loose thier garbage dump abilities and need to pay more attention to what we eat. If you are still young enough you can eat Gummie bears, Fritos, peanut butter, sausage, and put all of it on a tortilla and be happy.
Nothing wrong with MH or other meals- just mix it up a bit. Broccolli is healthy but if you eat it everyday for a month you will not be.
Just hit the trail- you'll figure it out as you go and see what us A-hole american's are eating along the way and get the hang of it.
Good to have one of those Mountain House meals for days when you want a hot meal with minimal fuss and bother. But they'd be insanely expensive, and not very nutritious, day after day. Surprised you're just now (2 weeks from starting) thinking about your diet on the trail. But you'll figure it out... or you won't.
The current trend for AT thru-hikers is to get most (75-100%) of their food locally, and to eat heartily at town stops. Mail drops are a pain and town stops are generally not more than 4 or 5 days apart. Mail drops can provide rare and special stuff that's just-for-you, but they tie you down and constrict your schedule.
It's darn-near impossible to get all the calories you need for 15-20 miles per day, every day. Most thru-hikers lose weight on their hikes.
Damn Yankee
03-18-2014, 12:06
I have done a lot of reading and to maintain your weight on the trail, you would have to consume 5000-6000 a day. I understand that most times this would be near impossible but, if you eat often you may get close. Either way, I think you can count on losing some weight. Also, be careful how much junk food you eat in town. After you body gets used to eating the trail way, you may end up getting sick. Most people from what I read carry 2lbs. per day of food and up to 4-5 days worth.
FarmerChef
03-18-2014, 12:32
Lots of good advice so far. Average of 2lbs of food per day and around 3,500 calories. You typically need the 5000-6000 calories average per day as Damn Yankee points out. Good thing there are town along the way where you can eat 10,000 calories per day and balance out the 2,000 calories per day you averaged as you ran out of food short of your resupply ;). In all seriousness, it's an average. Eat what you want to eat and what you want to carry. Over 5 to 7 months this will evolve with you as you hike and you'll look forward to filling that craving for "x" at the next town grocery store.
Don't bother with mail drops unless they contain very unique items you just can't live without. 99% of what you will need can be bought in a grocery store or outfitter, sometimes even just the gas station.
Slo-go'en
03-18-2014, 13:08
Unless your already skinny as a rail, your not going to be exceptionally hungry the first week or two as you burn off your winter fat. Most people aren't all that hungry the first couple of days out as you get used to walking all day.
In about 6 to 8 weeks, starvation sets in and you can't eat enough.
The main problem with MH meals is they are so darn bulky. They just take up way too much room in the pack. And at $6-7 dollars a meal, they get really expensive, really quick. Sometimes you have little option but to buy a few of them to get you through a few days if you have to shop at an outfitter, like at NOC.
When you have a chance to go to a Walmart, they carry Coleman brand freeze dried meals which are more compact. The selection isn't great, but I like to have one in my food bag at all times just as an emergency meal.
Krorr Pasta or rice Sides with tuna is a popular dinner, as is instant mashed potatos. These fill you up at reasonably low cost and weight. Although I'm getting really sick of eating the Cheddar Broccoli with pasta and tuna.
I typically go with a big dose of suger (honey bun) in the morning and peanut butter for lunch, with GORP for snacking on during the day. Maybe that's why I only last about 6 weeks at a time out there...
I have a number of food lists and calorie analysis for hiking. If these might be helpful, send me a PM with your email address and I will forward, Good Luck.
Odd Man Out
03-18-2014, 17:25
...The main problem with MH meals is they are so darn bulky. They just take up way too much room in the pack. And at $6-7 dollars a meal, they get really expensive, really quick....
Since one was a gift, price was not an issue. I will use it for my section hike, but probably not buy another. My plan is to repackage in a ziploc bag before I go to cut down on the packaging bulk. I cook in my pot and have a cozy for it, so I don't need the pouch for reheating. Looking at the nutritional info, I don't think the MH meals are substantially better or worse than most other pre-packaged stuff hikers reheat (pasta sides, ramen, rice a roni, mac and cheese, etc...). can comment on taste after it's eaten.
Slo-go'en
03-18-2014, 17:49
Back when they first came out, MH meals tasted like sawdust. Today they actually taste pretty good...
For me Trail Meals Vary from resupply to resupply but i do try and eat around 2,500 to 3,000 carlories a day. but like Slo-goen said your first week you want hardly eat anything but after that GAME on.
Fletchlives1234
03-18-2014, 18:10
Thanks guys. Some great advice. I think I will spend the fist afternoon in walmart stocking up on goodies. But as advised I wont go too mad as what with all the excitement about finally starting the trail I think my appetite will be playing catchup.
Do ou know ifI can get Mountain house fodda in Wallmart?
Matthikes
03-18-2014, 18:55
They only have a few selections of MH at Walmart. A place like Academy sports or an outfitter would have more selections.
You can buy MH online as well, that's one way to cut the cost a bit.
Odd Man Out
03-18-2014, 20:31
Unless your already skinny as a rail, your not going to be exceptionally hungry the first week or two as you burn off your winter fat. Most people aren't all that hungry the first couple of days out as you get used to walking all day...
I was wondering about this. I am planning about a week (72 miles) on the AT this summer. Hard to know how much food to pack. It's a section without a lot of resupply options too.
I'll second what Slo-go'en says about the first day or two out on the trail. On short sections and especially on weekend hikes, I always seem to over-estimate my food consumption. It seems to take a week or more for the serious hiker-hunger to kick in.
Drybones
03-18-2014, 21:02
If you're like me you wont be hunger that much the first 5 or so days and if you don't eat you'll lose body fat you will need later on...so...take stuff you enjoy eating for the first part of your hike, that's the only part you can truely control what you eat, the rest is a matter of whatever you can find.
In my experience, on a thru hike the food pyramid is inverted. My body clearly signaled to me that it wanted copious amounts of fat and carbohydrate, and it wanted it now. Once while eating alone in town, I believed that someone had eaten my large three meat pizza.