Health Benefits of Thru-Hike Gain vs. Loss

[irritable_badger]

After spending an embarrassing amount of time reading the forums looking myself, I had to break down and ask. What health benefits can be expected after completing a thru-hike? What about damage to your health? If you read enough of the forums you begin to see a large number of fairly significant and quite a few odd physical injuries, malnutrition, permanent mutations, and multiple instances of psychological trauma. What about the positive effects of the journey, both physically and mentally? I feel certain the benefits outweigh most any possible negative implications but I am curious as to what people think those benefits are. What physical and mental benefits/damage did you obtain/sustain on your thru-hike?

[Cuffs]

With IB's permission, Im going to add to these questions...

Weight loss/gain? How much is expected? I would like to lose several pounds between GA and ME, but while consuming soooo many calories is that feasible?

[Red Hat]

Depends on you and what you weigh to start... Plan to lose if you are male, but you may gain if you are female (muscle mass). I was the same weight when I got off that I was when I started.

That said, the problems come after the hike. You are used to eating and it is quite difficult to stop after the trail. Most folks put on a good bit when they go home. I did!

[Blue Jay]

Exercise is always positive. You are doing exactly what you body evolved to do, carry weight over long distances.

[skylark]

I worry about diseases carried by ticks.

[irritable_badger]

I worry about diseases carried by people.

And I question the statement that exercise is always positive. I have some friends who are "Ultra Runners" (run 100+ miles in 24 hours without stopping) and they are all screwed up. Sure their cardio health is impeccable but their joints are falling apart at 38 years old...

[weary]

After spending an embarrassing amount of time reading the forums looking myself, I had to break down and ask. What health benefits can be expected after completing a thru-hike? What about damage to your health? If you read enough of the forums you begin to see a large number of fairly significant and quite a few odd physical injuries, malnutrition, permanent mutations, and multiple instances of psychological trauma. What about the positive effects of the journey, both physically and mentally? I feel certain the benefits outweigh most any possible negative implications but I am curious as to what people think those benefits are. What physical and mental benefits/damage did you obtain/sustain on your thru-hike?

If you use common sense. Start slow. Build up to big miles. Eat enough and wisely. Listen and act on what your body tells you, rather than on preconceived goals, you'll almost always emerge from a thru hike in better health than when you started.

I asked my doctor, who had specialized a bit in outdoor medicine, if it was wise for me, a month shy of age 64, to attempt a 2,000 mile walk on the trail. His reply? "It's the best possible thing you could do. He was right. I left the trail healthier than I had been in years.

Thirteen years later I remain reasonably healthy, except for medicine induced fibrosis of the lungs. DEspite that, I can out walk and out work nine out of 10 people I meet who are anywhere near close to my age.

Nor did I begin with any special physical ability. I went to high school during World War II when the emphasis was on physical training and testing in preparation for service in the Army. I never played sports and ranked well towards the bottom of a class of 125 males. I was at a 60th anniversary high school reunion planning meeting a few weeks ago. Several of the school football and basketball stars of six decades ago hobbled in with their canes. All profesed they couldn't possibly walk a half mile in the homecoming celebration parade. I had walked five miles that morning on a rough woodland trail.

Exercise is invariably (well almost always, anyway) healthy. The more you exercise, the better off you'll be -- providing you use some common sense about it.

Weary

[amoebagirl]

I too am curious about weight loss. Alot of threads talk about trying to not lose weight...strange. I'd think that one of the benefits of a thruhike would be weight loss. In Bryson's book, he noted a successful thruhiker who did it solely to lose weight. I would appreciate answers to the following questions from those that completed a thruhike:

1. what were your pre and post weight?
2. Did you want to lose weight or stay the same?
3. If you didn't lose weight, did you at least lose fat while gaining muscle mass?

Thanks.

[Lumberjack]

Men lose more weight on the trail but gain it all back.
women offset the loss of body fat with a gain of muscle mass. they also are better at returning to a normal diet after the hike then men.

losses of 30 to 50 pounds are not uncommon.

Simply put your burning upwards of 4000 - 6000 calories per day and it is hard not to lose weight. In fact some lose too much weight and prematurely end their hike.

[Lumberjack]

One comment on health - many hikers and athletes screw themselves up with a no pain no gain mentality. They forget that all those little injuries will eventually come back and haunt them later on. Pain also means damage. Stop and fix the problem before it gets out of hand.

[weary]

I too am curious about weight loss. Alot of threads talk about trying to not lose weight...strange. I'd think that one of the benefits of a thruhike would be weight loss. In Bryson's book, he noted a successful thruhiker who did it solely to lose weight. I would appreciate answers to the following questions from those that completed a thruhike:
1. what were your pre and post weight?
2. Did you want to lose weight or stay the same?
3. If you didn't lose weight, did you at least lose fat while gaining muscle mass?Thanks.

Almost everyone loses some weight, men more than women. Some lose way too much weight. "Tall drink of water" had lost 50 pounds by the time he quit in Virginia and he was skinny to start with.

One cook in his off-trail life, seemed to think that portions listed on the packages of Lipton meals were sacrosanct despite the energy expended on a thru hike. He would carefully split a package in half, while I ate the equivalent to two packages some meals. He was forced to quit also after weeks of losing almost a pound a day..

I lost three pounds or so in pre-hike walking and another eight pounds or so on the trail.

Weight loss is a comparable thing. Most of us are happy to lose some weight. The wisest of us try not to lose so much that our bodies are consuming muscle mass.

It takes a few weeks for the hunger to kick in, but when it does, wise hikers adjust their intake accordingly.

Weary

[Blue Jay]

And I question the statement that exercise is always positive. I have some friends who are "Ultra Runners" (run 100+ miles in 24 hours without stopping) and they are all screwed up.

I didn't say compulsive over exercise is always positive. We're talking about walking.

[TRIPNATURE]

I want to eventually hike the AT, but I am into body building/cardiovascular health, and I while I don't care how much fat I would loose/gain (most undoubtably loose), I would not like to loose any muscle. Also I know that any fat/muscle mass you loose on the trail comes back in the form of fat. Also on the trail you have to eat foods that I would consider to be very unhealthy. I eat only natural foods, mostly fresh vegetables/fruit, alot of fish, %100 Whole Grain, Natural juices, some fish and eggs, nuts, (The book Anti-Inflammation Zone will help you appreciate a good diet). I forget why I replied to this post, but I also am very interested in the health aspect of the trail.

BTW

I know from previous attempt to hike part of the AT (several years ago) that hiking to loose weight you must be careful, your burning 2000-3000 calories a day plus the 2000 calories a day you need to maintain your body, we'll just say 4000+/- a day and if you go onto the trail sticking to a diet, the calorie deficit will just keep building up and you will most likely be exhausted after a week or so.

[Cuffs]

Also I know that any fat/muscle mass you loose on the trail comes back in the form of fat.

Fat is fat, muscle is muscle, the cells do not change. Lost muscle mass will not be anything but muscle tissue, it is all in how you develop it. Same goes for fat cells, if you feed them, they will enlarge, if you "starve" them, they will shrink, but they will always and only be fat cells.

[TRIPNATURE]

***... ..............

[weary]

***... ..............

I was puzzled by tripnature's comment a couple of posts back: "I forget why I replied to this post..., " But it does suggest a possible explanation for the above.

I advise care when dealing with some veggies.

Weary

[ScottP]

If you are interested in the health effects of low-level starvation (and dehydration) plus a lot of exercise there are a lot of interesting studies on wrestling.

My summary of the main findings that I can remember--

-your body can get used to performing well while slightly malnourished

-While you may slowly lose strength 'in season,' you will gain it back very quickly after. Total strength gains outpace those who never 'starve.'

-the body uses fat to generate calories if you are ingesting food on a consistent basis, even if it is not enough food. If you rarely ingest food, then your body will use more muscle for calories.

Geohabit is correct--the amount of muscle and fat cells in your body is pretty much set--they simply expand or contract to fit your situaiton.

And from stuies on mice (and to a lesser extent on people)- what we consider low-level starvation can be healthy and extends the lifespan

[TRIPNATURE]

***.. your all crazy... fat comes from eating, your fat cells are made when u have fat, when you dont have fat, your body eats the fat cells (fat cells are regular cells that simply eat too much and are larger then other cells) muscle cells are simply cells that are alot strong then others. your body will also eat these,uscle cells but it takes energy to eat these cells since they fight back to keep from being eaten. so my thesis is this: on the trail you will loose fat and muscle, but as soon as you get back to eating, you will gain weight to the point wher you will weigh 20 pounds more then you weighed at the begining of the trail. as the rasta man bob marley says, if you get down and you quary every day, your singing prayers to the devil, woy woy wooo, help is on the way, woay woay woooaa. make way for the positive day, cause its a new day , new time , and its a new feeling , and its a new day , pickin up now, shala, chala , chala, oh ecks, a chala, a chala, o ecksa, a chala , a chala, o ecksas, rasta man vibration yea, positive, aya ney vibration yea, i eat ice, positive vibration yea, positive, pickin up, are u pickin up now, u pickin up,are u pickin up now, who who who chala, chala chala, oh ecksas, a jala , a jala, oh egsas, a jala , a jala, go texas

[Dances with Mice]

shala, chala , chala, oh ecks, a chala, a chala, o ecksa, a chala , a chala, o ecksas, rasta man vibration yea, positive, aya ney vibration yea, i eat ice, positive vibration yea, positive, pickin up, are u pickin up now, u pickin up,are u pickin up now, who who who chala, chala chala, oh ecksas, a jala , a jala, oh egsas, a jala , a jala, go texas

Rocks'n'Roots! Where have you been, man? We've been missing you.

[weary]

Rocks'n'Roots! Where have you been, man? We've been missing you.

Now that's not nice. R'nR is not into those kinds of veggies. He's actually quite wise as those who listen, and reason, know.