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ridgewalker777
06-09-2004, 16:32
Good nutrition should be second nature for hikers who spend thousands on gear and travel connected to thru-hiking, you'd expect...Sufficient vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbs., healthy fats--you'd expect to be seriously considered and consumed when hiking the A/T. But generally I see the usual junk food--candy bars, pop-tarts, frosting and low-grade spreads for sandwiches as diet staples. Hiking can be the most strenuous, exhausting exercise--to replentish tired cells with substandard fuel is foolish. The air and water are the purest in the East, the visual "nutrition" is the best. But to consume unnatural food short-circuits many of the positives.

DangerPea
06-22-2004, 12:48
Hey Ridgewalker,
I completely agree with your thoughts about diet. Unfortunately in practice I have found that it can actually be a little challenging maintianing proper nutrition while thruhiking. With the intense need for calories it can be pretty hard to meet that need while also eating healthily. Also, packaged and procesed foods seem to be the biggest caloric bang for the weight.
I have had a tough time finding creative (and fast) ways to add nutrition to my hiking meals. Protein doesn't seem as tough to get since shelf safe chicken, tuna & salmon are easy to obtain & carry. But, the vitamins fiber & other nutrients found in fruits & veggies are tough to get. Carbs are pretty easy too, though the more complex carbs are, well, more complicated to work in there.
So, what I am getting at is how do you or others reading this thread maintain proper nutrition while thru hiking while also keeping pack weight down and meeting caloric requirements? This has really been a dilemma for me. Also, does anyone know what vitamins & nutrition are maintained/lost in dehydrated veggies & fruits? I know vitamin C is pretty sensitive to heat... But, are other important nutrients maintained/lost in the dehydrating/freeze drying process???
I know that maintaining nutrition should seem obvious, but for some reason it is evading me! :cool:

Thanks for your creative ideas!

MizWaterfall
06-22-2004, 13:12
I took a multivitamin every day when I was on the trail to ensure that I was getting the vitamins. Fruits and veggies are a challenge when you're trying to keep the weight down. I suppose you could dehydrate things in advance of a thru-hike, and I do know people who do that. I tended to eat lots of peanut butter and beef jerky for the protein while on the trail, and the rest of my diet was, sadly, mostly carbs and fats. When I got to town I would load up on veggies and fruit--was usually craving them by the time I got to town anyway!

ridgewalker777
06-22-2004, 16:31
My concern is that a reasonable level of energy, stength, physical integrity and enjoyment be maintained while hiking. 1000 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day helps with a lot of the physical stress, B 50 complex, 1000-2000 milligrams of calcium, lots of other minerals and healthy natural oils through nuts, sardines, avocados, butterfat---the latter three hard to get except in town. Barley green, spirulina, chlorella, garlic, green and herbal teas, fitness powders with L-Carnitine and other cell-rebuilding formulas--these can all be bagged-up for use on the trail.
The problem to keep in mind, when the body is under a lot of stress free-radicals are generated if you're vitamin reserves are depleted. Free-radicals set up a near chain-reaction and multiply tissue damage. You can prevent this usually by proper prophyactic nutrition.

Miss Janet
06-22-2004, 18:36
I know of a least one hiker strictly following the ultra low carb Adkins diet. He eats only jerky, sunflower seeds and low carb energy bars!

hiker5
06-23-2004, 00:30
Is it just me, or does an Adkins diet on the trail seem like an absolutely awful idea (heck, its debatable under any circumstances)? I'm certainly not an nutritionist, but I would think having complex carbohydrates to use as fuel would be exaclty what the doctor ordered for the sustained exertion a thru hike would call for.

gravityman
06-23-2004, 10:42
Is it just me, or does an Adkins diet on the trail seem like an absolutely awful idea (heck, its debatable under any circumstances)? I'm certainly not an nutritionist, but I would think having complex carbohydrates to use as fuel would be exaclty what the doctor ordered for the sustained exertion a thru hike would call for.

I would have to agree. When exercising over 65% heart rate you burn about 75% carbs, 25% fat, or there abouts... Trying to get all your calories from fat will slow you down to a slow walk... If you are trying to get them from protein, that's bad for the kidneys!

Gravity Man

Ramble~On
06-24-2004, 08:13
Hey....cut it out...you guys are making me hungry...:)
GNC or Health Food stores usually have a staff that know what they are talking about. The good old family doctor and a dietician/nutritionalist are also a wealth of information.
A lot of people spend crazy amounts of money and time on their gear and very little time thinking about food.
The gear part is wonderful but the body carrying the gear needs fuel.
To each his/her own...hike your own way...eat what you want.
For me....without proper nutrition and hydration...backpacking would be too much work...
Now if you'll excuse me...I need to go find my cigarettes. I think I left them out on the table with my potato chips and beer:bse

Jaybird
06-24-2004, 09:11
[QUOTE=ridgewalker777]Good nutrition should be second nature for hikers who spend thousands on gear and travel connected to thru-hiking, you'd expect...Sufficient vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbs., healthy fats--you'd expect to be seriously considered and consumed when hiking the A/T. But generally I see the usual junk food--candy bars, pop-tarts, frosting and low-grade spreads for sandwiches as dietstaples..............etcetcetc................ ....................................QUOTE]



ridgewalker777


just like in times of War...when soldiers were given chocolate bars (WW1 & WW2) & M&Ms (WW2 & Korea conflict)..it's all about CALORIES!

I do commend you for attempting to set the hikers onto the path (is that a white blaze or blue blaze???) of right nutrition.....BUT.......

Hikers are looking to replenish lost calories (in the fastest possible way), not go after the best nutrition!

Come on...most of these hikers, @ least the "20-somethings", along with 75% of all of America, are probably living on junk food & fast food drive-thrus anyway....

if a hiker was to pay attention to CORRECT NUTRITONAL foods while on the trail....you'd have to buy Llamas to carry all of your food. etc.


lighten up...down a Pop-Tart! :D

ridgewalker777
06-26-2004, 12:58
We can aim higher than to accept the dumbed-down, corporate food-monopoly diet. I'm not an Adkin's advocate--the guy's health was as fragile as an egg--he slips on some ice and soon is dead, with a body swolen almost to unrecognizability! Carbs. are essential, but let's avoid the unnatural crap ads have brain-washed people into believing are "food". Take some high-quality vitamins--they add about nothing to pack weight and volume, and be a conscious consumer. Agitate for better food availability in the mom and pop stores, at AMC huts, and hostels. We represent $$$ to the economies of a lot of small towns...