Underweight hikers

[Junglee]

Hi All,

I have been checking out this forum for a few weeks and it's been really useful and interesting! In multiple places I have seen advice for hikers starting the AT overweight, but none for hikers like me who are starting out skinny.

To make a long story short, I got giardia in 2007 and was unable to maintain weight for about a year. I am 5'4" and now weigh about 98lbs. I feel like the giardia is finally out of my system. I am planning to start the AT in 2009 and am wondering if any of you have any advice for a fairly active woman on how to keep or gain weight - healthily. Just eating junk food is not the route I want to go. To complicate the situation, I am vegetarian and the giardia made me lactose intolerant... so, any thoughts? I am planning to start lifting weights regularly, but I'd also like some advice on diet. And, any tips on what foods kept all you ladies with fast metabolisms going while hiking would be awesome too!

[Matteroo]

Not a lady so my advice is only semi-specific. I'd suggest using plenty of olive oil in your food. Making a pesto of pine nuts and fresh basil with lots of extra virgin olive oil is getting fat and calories without eating junk food. I'd suggest doing a basic cardio regimen as that is good conditioning for any active life style, and with the weights, do heavy loads with lower reps (someone can probably give more women-specific advice on the weight-lifting - but do it to 'bulk' I think more than tone). Eat plenty of nuts, refried beans, peanut butter, drink juice (high or 100% juice) instead of water if you want to add calories in liquid form without just downing soda. I don't know where beer fits into your junk-food ideas but if you like/afford/enjoy beer - a few here and there are going to give some calories that tend to stick.

at home, just eat more calories than you burn - and if you're exercising to put the calories in the right places (bulk up & condition for the trail) - you need to eat more. Eat protien before and after working out, and complex carbs when you can.

As for on the trail, most people would agree you can eat absolute junk food and it sustains and gives the calories you need. It seems to be burned well before it can deposit anything. The chocolate chip and blueberry muffins sold at gas stations have about 600 calories in them which are my favorites when on the trail.

[Junglee]

Thanks Matteroo!

On the trail, I will not at all be concerned about eating junk food -- I just wanted to know some good ideas for packable, convenient protein/fat sources.

Your pesto description is making me hungry :)

[Matteroo]

packable, healthy, and vegetarian? hmm.. well one thing we made a lot of once we found it was dehydrated refried beans. We can't find it out here (oregon) but keep coming across dehydrated 'vegetarian' taco filling. We take a baggie or small ziplock tupperware of tortilla chips to compliment it. Energy bars and gorp/trail mix of different sorts will be the most convenient source of both protein and fat, while being vegetarian.

oh, and add salt to any pesto or it tastes really flat!

[Yahtzee]

Canola oil and/or butter. Add as much as you can stand to every cooked meal. Once I figured this trick out, my weight stablized. That is for the trail.

Off the trail? Butter, butter and more butter.

[skinny minnie]

I'm female and a lightweight. I also am super-sensitive to low blood sugar, so when I'm hiking and need more food/energy, I can really tell.

Bring protein powder, chuck it in oatmeal for breakfast. I make homemade powerbars with peanut butter, nuts, wheatgerm, flaxseed, and protein powder, as well as dried fruit. You can buy packets of peanut and almond butter online. I always have baggies of nuts and dried fruit, coconut, etc. Toss that on the oatmeal with brown sugar in the AM. Couscous is good, you can toss in lots of dehydrated veggies. I love larabars when I'm too lazy to make my own bars. Whole wheat pasta, and you can buy packets of pesto and pasta sauce; I found good ones at whole foods. Also lipton sides with extra veggies. When eating legumes, I highly recommend adding brown rice - makes it more nutritious - you could pack the instant kind. I'm going to attempt to dehydrate lentils - really great source of protein when mixed with rice. Any type of bean is really good for you - garbanzo, kidney, black, etc. Pack packets of olive oil, or maybe a gatorade bottle of it. If there is a whole foods or a trader joes near you, I've found tons of instant asian meals there. Tastes good, and really easy to throw more veggies in. And bring bread; naan flatbread or bagels pack well. Lots of health and/or women's magazines and websites will tell you how much of a serving you need per day of fruits, veggies, etc. and what their nutritional value is. When I'm hiking I keep that in mind and just keep tabs on what I eat and try to eat portions of each thing I need throughout the day (several handfuls of dried fruit, nuts, etc,). I take snack breaks throughout the day, even while I'm still moving. If you're a healthy eater and are willing to take the time and effort and spend some money, I think a food dehydrator is awesome. Really helps you have more balanced meals. Also, you can pack shelf stable soy milk if you are willing to lug it (liquid ='s heavy pack). Sometimes there are juice box size packs of it too.

Off the trail I wouldn't recommend solely butter... also focus on more beans, brown rice,couscous, oatmeal, tofu, soy/rice/almond milk, nuts, nut butters and whole wheat pasta, as well as lots of veggies and fruit. If you are a vegetarian that eats eggs, do so often. Lots of whole grains. Smoothies with juice, lots of fruit, and wheat germ and flax seed... also protein powder. I eat dried fruit off the trail as well. Basically the same nutrition applies. You just have to figure out what you can find for dehydrated/dried versions.

[Hoop]

I'm a guy, always real skinny (Mom said 'lean'), tried it all, weights, supplements, good food/bad food, being inactive, etc. Just eat like a pack mule & drink plenty. Above post is good advice. Lotta protein for the weight in jerky if your resolve wavers...

[jesse]

[quote=skinny minnie;677723...I make homemade powerbars with peanut butter, nuts, wheatgerm, flaxseed, and protein powder, as well as dried fruit. ..[/quote]

Could you post that recipe?

[KarenM982]

I've been thin my whole life and its really hard for me to gain weight. I'm 5'6" and weigh between 120 and 125. I'm not considered underweight, but if I don't pay attention I'd probably be borderline. I do lift weights at the gym a few times a week, and if I do cardio workouts at the gym, I be sure to replenish the calories right after. For example, if I burn 250 calories, I'll eat a Clif bar when I get home (which has about 250 calories) in addition to having what I was already going to eat for breakfast, lunch, or whatever. The key is to not burn more calories than you can take in, or you will lose weight. I have a super high metabolism, so I try to eat as often as I can and not skimp on second servings. Even small snacks such as peanuts or yogurt-covered raisins are maybe not that filling but are high in calories or fat. I'm nervous about losing weight on my 2009 thru hike which is why I'm dehydrating a lot of my own meals (plus I'm a vegetarian and think I'm slowly becoming lactose intolerant)...some of the meals I make have 700+ calories, whereas Lipton sides may only have 400 or so and generally arent that good for you. I also try to eat later dinners so I don't burn off all the calories before going to bed (I know they say eating before bed isnt good for you, but hey, I do what I gotta do). Hmmm...what else...oh yeah, I also try to eat lots of avocados (2-3 per week)...they are loaded in "good" fats and are high in calories.

[Mercy]

For putting on weight before the hike... think smoothies.... fruit thrown into a blender with just enough liquid of get the blending going. You can add your powdered protein if you want.

The fruit is high in natural carbs, good vitamins, tasty...

Downside? Smoothies are addictive, and you probably won't find many when you start hiking!

Mercy

[Junglee]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the responses and great ideas. I will definitely be trying at least some of them out.

[skinny minnie]

both of these recipes are adapted from www.101cookbooks.com - a great site with tons of amazing healthy recipes; search powerbars and both of the original recipes will come up. the original cherry pistachio recipe is a bit different - uses expresso powder and no cherries or pistachios. the peanut butter recipe is fairly similar. Other good combo's would be dried pineapple, cherry, and coconut. Or espresso & choc chip. Or cinnamon apple cranberry walnut. I can't vouch for the exact measurement of dried fruits and wheat germ, I usually don't use measuring cups... but from what I can recall this seems right.


Cherry pistachio power bars


1 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped small
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped small
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups unsweetened crisp brown rice cereal (check the organic health aisle... but if you can't find this just use regular rice crispy cereal, I also like to crush up other cereals and mix some in)
1 cup brown rice syrup (found at whole foods or a health/natural grocery store)
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking pan with any of the following: spray, butter, or coconut oil. For thick bars use an 8 by 8-inch pan; for thinner bars, use a 9 by 13-inch pan.


On a rimmed baking sheet toast the pistachios until lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Toss once or twice along the way. Mix the oats, toasted nuts, dried fruits and the cereal, together in a large bowl and set aside.


Combine the rice syrup, sugar, salt and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, add about a 1/2 cup of protein powder (I use vanilla flavored) and stir constantly as it comes to a boil and thickens just a bit, about 4 minutes. Pour the syrup over the dry ingredient mixture and stir until it is evenly incorporated.


Spread into the prepared pan - will be very sticky, use a spoon or waxed paper to press down. Cool to room temperature before cutting into whatever size bars you desire. Bars will be slightly sticky after cooling - I tend to wrap mine individually in parchment paper


Makes 16 to 24 bars.


Peanut power bars


1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup shelled peanuts (or to save time, same amount only use roasted unsalted peanuts)
salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 cup raisins (I use chocolate covered)
2 cups 1-minute rolled oats
2 cups puffed rice cereal or rice crispy cereal (I use rice crispy cereal)
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup maple syrup or honey (I use honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Spread the sunflower seeds and the peanuts in an even layer on separate baking sheets and toast in the oven - the sunflower seeds will take about 6 minutes and the peanuts will take 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let cool; salt the peanuts lightly.


Mix the wheat germ, sunflower seeds, peanuts, raisins, oats, and puffed rice in a large bowl. In a separate bowl that fits your microwave, mix the peanut butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup (or honey); microwave on high for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and stir until well blended. Pour over the dry ingredients and fold in until everything is evenly coated.
Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan and transfer the mixture from the bowl. Cover the surface with waxed paper and press it down firmly. Refrigerate until completely cool. Cut into bars. Makes 8-12 bars.

[skinny minnie]

oops. protein powder is optional on the second, but I typically toss in half a cup with the dry ingredients. enjoy!