snuffleupagus
01-25-2004, 00:02
I'm going to be out hiking this Spring. I have some concerns about a medical condition I have with my thyroid gland. I'm 6'4" tall and weigh-in about 320lbs but have managed to remain fairly active, athletically. "I'm a great big guy". (use to play semi pro-football) Some of the concerns I have are in regard to lowering the amount of calories that I take in, as of now, and the meals that I'm going to be preparring on the trail. Mostly the ratio of high carb meals as upposed to a high protein diet and eating nearly anything I want to. I'll be bringing mostly pre-packaged noodles and rice as a staple, and flavoring those meals with tuna, chicken, olive oil and butter and other seasonings. I'll be bringing a lot of granola and power bars. I'm trying to stay away from high sodium gravy mix's some which can contain over 500mg of sodium per serving. (Gives me a raging head aches at night).
My major concern is muscle failure or dehydration. I can overcome electrolyte loss by keeping up with fluid intake. I love Kool Aid for the convenience. Not much of a concern unless all the water sources along the A.T. dry up all at once. But in accordance with my caloric intake, I'm pretty limited to how much food I can carry to in relation to how much I normally eat. As of now 4000 calories is a staple diet for me. 3 meals a day with a good workout in the evening at the gym.
I've just adjusted my work-out at the gym to increase my cardio time to 1:15 + resistance training. I do this on an incline treadmill or stationary bike. When I'm through with my routine my level of consentration is nearly nil. That's a big concern for me as I would prefer not to walk off any cliffs or cross any major highways in this state of mind. Also I've decided to leave my pump type water purifier at home while hiking and use chemical treatments for my water as a measure to lower my pack weight. If anyone has a similar condition is this a smart idea or can you make any suggestions on caloric needs. I'm not on any prescribed medications as of now and I'm hoping that hiking the trail will help me lose the weight I need to maintain a healthy lifestyle without needing medication.
My major concern is muscle failure or dehydration. I can overcome electrolyte loss by keeping up with fluid intake. I love Kool Aid for the convenience. Not much of a concern unless all the water sources along the A.T. dry up all at once. But in accordance with my caloric intake, I'm pretty limited to how much food I can carry to in relation to how much I normally eat. As of now 4000 calories is a staple diet for me. 3 meals a day with a good workout in the evening at the gym.
I've just adjusted my work-out at the gym to increase my cardio time to 1:15 + resistance training. I do this on an incline treadmill or stationary bike. When I'm through with my routine my level of consentration is nearly nil. That's a big concern for me as I would prefer not to walk off any cliffs or cross any major highways in this state of mind. Also I've decided to leave my pump type water purifier at home while hiking and use chemical treatments for my water as a measure to lower my pack weight. If anyone has a similar condition is this a smart idea or can you make any suggestions on caloric needs. I'm not on any prescribed medications as of now and I'm hoping that hiking the trail will help me lose the weight I need to maintain a healthy lifestyle without needing medication.