Food...stoveless...

[Bubblehead]

I hiked Springer Approach to Pearisburg last year. Hiking Pearisburg to Wingdale, NY this year. I lost 40 pounds in 2 months last year....the main reason I got off the trail in Pearisburg. Legs and feet...no problems. Keeping on weight...big problem.
Thinking about going stoveless this year thinking hot meals on the trail won't be a big priority, since I'll be hiking June, July, early August time frame.
I'd like some advice on good foods (without stove) to carry with me on trail that will help keep my weight on a little better.
Have read where trail mix, jerky, cheeses, etc. are good. Any other advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks, Bubblehead

[royalusa]

You might want to check out this: http://www.thru-hiker.com/articles/pack_light_eat_right.php

IMHO, your weight loss COULD perhaps be better controlled by more fats in your diet. There seems to be a lot of focus on protein but as the article mentioned above states, perhaps the focus should be more on fats for long distant hikers.

Here's our sample meal cookless plans: http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=408017 and http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=477520

For us the weight of our food stayed the same, regardless of whether we had a stove or not, as we ate exactly the same foods.

[CalebJ]

Focus on healthy foods that you like to eat long term. You need lots of fat and protein (carbs tend to be an automatic part of any trail diet, so I don't really worry about them). Find ways to add in calories to what you're eating. A spoonful of coconut or olive oil in your morning oatmeal, and add in some whole fat powdered milk. Sliced up jerky or summer sausage in your evening meal. Nuts and other trail mix snacks as you walk. If you lost 40 pounds in 8 weeks, you were operating at a 2500 calorie per day deficit. Some of that will stabilize as your body simply becomes more efficient at movement, but clearly you need to increase your intake.

[HooKooDooKu]

Chocolate. Tastes good and high in calorie density. Some of the forms of chocolate I hike with: M&M's, Oreo Cookies, Little Debbie Brownies.

[Slo-go'en]

PB+J sandwiches.

I did many miles with GORP for breakfast and lunch, Snickers bar in the afternoon and PB+J sandwiches for dinner. I had been eating mostly pasta for dinner for a few weeks prior and was loosing weight big time. That stopped when I went the PB+J route. Plus you can get those ingredients anywhere, even two bit convenience stores which have little more then beer and chips.

Not sure I could stand to do that again, but I still eat a PB+J sandwich for lunch most every day.

[bigcranky]

Nuts, nut butters, cheese, etc. - I like to keep the fat and protein ratio pretty high. I've given up cooking in the summer, I just carry more of the sort of things I eat for lunch, and I take care of my coffee addiction with the Starbux Iced Via.

[Venchka]

A gallon of various nut butters per resupply should help.
Wayne


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[Venchka]

Looks like I'm late with the nut butters. 70% Cocoa Chocolate is really good. Let it dissolve in your mouth, don't chew.
Wayne


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[garlic08]

Another mention here for nuts and nut butters.

I make a high fat, high protein, whole grain muesli out of rolled oats, walnuts, and raisins every time I see a grocery store. That's my go-to cheap, efficient fuel for my thru hikes. I can't stomach chocolate when I hike, but after a while flour tortillas with cheese tastes like cake. Peanut butter out of the jar tastes like ice cream.

Instant mashed potatoes is one source of pure carbs that rehydrates in cold water. But as everyone says above, work on healthy fat content.

Don't neglect nutrition in your search for calories. Fresh fruit and greens are important in the long haul.

[Wyoming]

I have not carried a stove in years. It is just so much more convenient and it actually makes it easier to resupply. Gives you that much more space and weight for food too :)

Add in summer sausage and fritos and you will get a ton more fats and protein as well as some great taste. If all you have for a resupply option is the 7-11 they always have some kind of cured sausage, frozen burritos (will last for a couple of days), slices of pizza (wrap in a plastic bag and into the pack - I sometimes buy an entire large pizza and throw it in the pack), i buy a sack of egg mcmuffins and throw them in the pack, a big hamburger and fries to go, foot long sub sandwiches. anything like that. Don't worry about how much your food weighs as that is the least important weight issue you have unless you have a 5 day food carry or more and then try and conserve weight. If you think you over bought on food? Eat like a pig and you will be happy.

[Dogwood]

I hiked Springer Approach to Pearisburg last year. Hiking Pearisburg to Wingdale, NY this year. I lost 40 pounds in 2 months last year....the main reason I got off the trail in Pearisburg. Legs and feet...no problems. Keeping on weight...big problem.
Thinking about going stoveless this year thinking hot meals on the trail won't be a big priority, since I'll be hiking June, July, early August time frame.
I'd like some advice on good foods (without stove) to carry with me on trail that will help keep my weight on a little better.
Have read where trail mix, jerky, cheeses, etc. are good. Any other advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks, Bubblehead

Were you over wt to start? If so by how much?

Some good post suggestions to your question of keeping wt on if you are mostly set at the body wt and % body fat going at teh starting TH.

However, if you didn't have the wt, muscle mass maybe also, to lose change the diet up sooner before reaching a wt loss landslide of 20 lbs in 30 days or 40 lbs in 60 days that it takes you off your hike. 4 lbs of wt to lose per wk after wk after wk....not everyone handles so well or is in line with their optimal performance goals.

[TSWisla]

If you want to maintain a healthy weight, you should avoid refined sugar like the plague. Lean protein sources and high fiber is your best friend. I would add vegetables, but that is all but impossible on the trail.

[Praha4]

Bagels, cheese, peanut butter (including the various popular peanut butter candies: e.b. Snickers, Reeses, M&Ms), pre-cooked bacon, Cliff Bars, protein bars, soft flour or corn tortillas w/tuna packs, etc., summer sausage and/or jerky (although I prefer pre-cooked bacon). I love GORP and/or bags of almonds w/dark chocolate.

congrats on going stoveless, I have gone stoveless the last 2 years on 3-season section hikes....less hassle for sure, and these days you can resupply at most any gas station convenience store or Dollar General. I also like the other suggestion is takeout of donuts, Egg McMuffins, Dunk'n Donuts sandwiches, Subway sandwiches.

have fun

[Venchka]

Sunflower kernels, pumpkin seeds, cooked bacon or sausage, salami, summer sausage. Sun dried tomatoes with or without oil.
Cruise any decent supermarket or Walmart. The places are full of shelf stable (keeps in your pack) foods ready to eat.
Wayne


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[Dogwood]

Try fajita/tortilla roll ups. Smear PB or other nut butter, seed butter like sunflower or sesame butter(Tahini - sesame paste), or dried hummus reconstituted with EVOO and dried tomatoes on tortillas with tuna packaged in oil, alternatively with Baked Tofu or Tempeh found chilled in produce sections near other soft tofu, cheese, fresh spinach, and maybe an avocado. On the side eat a trail mix of roasted unsweetened dried coconut, dried berries, and macadamia nuts. No rule saying you can't sprinkle walnuts or pecans into the wrap as Garlic stated.

I've found Sesame seed paste brands Joyva and Roland in many grocery stores including most Costco's and Wally Worlds.

https://jet.com/product/detail/db4e77c26efe4030aa253352c18f993a?jcmp=pla:bng:jd_g rocery:grocery_pantry:na:PLA_276063436_12083632849 20577_kwd-4579122332315123:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15

https://jet.com/product/detail/c556539ca55f40fd85f5421c8af0b774?jcmp=pla:bng:jd_g rocery:grocery_pantry:na:PLA_276063436_12083632849 20577_kwd-4579122332315123:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15

Fantastic Foods dried hummus powder is usually found in teh International aisle of grocery stores.

https://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-World-Foods-Hummus-Original/dp/B000Y28SXU/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487883443&sr=8-1&keywords=fantastic+foods+hummus

Since I too will consider no cook in the heat of summer it means liquids must be drunk in abundance which goes along with many no cook options anyhow. I like to add a protein powder mix of VEGA Vanilla or AMAZING GRASS Vanilla + protein/greens with a packet of COCO HYDRO coconut water powder into water that supplements nutrition

https://jet.com/product/detail/0a9e7995585c4d0698aa1a4a49ad9107?jcmp=pla:bng:jd_h ealth_beauty:health_beauty_sports_nutrition_diet:n a:PLA_276059168_1214960353622503_kwd-4579534649182937:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15

http://www.gnc.com/Amazing-Grass-Protein-Superfood-Pure-Vanilla/product.jsp?productId=97909186&channel=ppc&utm_term=All_Products&device=c&c3ch=PLA&flagtype=nonbrand&utm_campaign=%20%20Merkle%20PLA%20-%20All%20Products&vendor=AMAZING_GRASS&vendor=none&utm_source=Bing%20PLA&product_id=24249864&creative=78065326067014&matchtype=e&c3nid=Bing-24249864&utm_medium=ppc&eesource=CA_DF:97909186:GNC

https://thrivemarket.com/big-tree-farms-coco-hydro-original-coconut-water?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Desktop-Products&utm_content=1158885260535460&utm_term=%2Bcoco%20%2Bhydro%20original%20coconut%2 0water&device=c

The COCO HYDRO Original, Pineapple, and Lemon mix well with the vanilla protein powders mentioned. Having an assortment of the coconut powder on hands helps with variety.

[devoidapop]

This is a good article about how your body processes different fuels.
https://authoritynutrition.com/6-reasons-why-a-calorie-is-not-a-calorie/

You may want to look at calories from fat in your food choices, not just calories. You don't need to eat junk food, but you will need to eat a lot of fats, possibly less protein.

[peakbagger]

Jello instant pudding, split a package in half in a ziplock, mix in water with Nido in place of milk, mix, let sit and squeeze it out through a hole in the ziplock directly into your mouth. They make a lot of varieties so it doesn't get boring. Plenty of calories.

[Sandy of PA]

Spam singles, spam, spam, spam.

[cliffordbarnabus]

marinara, cheese, tortillas...pizza every night!

also, icing.

[AtWokman]

pizzas good. I use cheese sticks pepperoni sticks pizza sauce and pre made store bought pizza crust.
don't forget cookiebutter. candy.

[Bubblehead]

Thanks to everyone for their input. Lot's of good info! I'll use a lot of it for my upcoming section hike. If anyone's interested, check out mu hiking journal from last year to this year on trail journals.com. It's under Bubblehead...last entry on 1/25.