Staying Keto on the Trail

[DragonBlue]

I'm looking for advice from fellow hikers who keep keto on long term hikes.

I will be starting out the trip with a supply of things like pemmican, cashew whip, and dry ingredients for soups - all things that can be stored and/or cooked in a mylar bag. I'm also hoping to have RV support from my grandfather at certain points along the trail so I can resupply myself with such items that require prep ahead of time, though a lot of them can be made on the trail or prepped during pit stops in town.

So my questions for those that do/have done keto on the trails:


What kind of foods do you recommend carrying on the trail?
How do you supplement your fat intake?
Any general suggestions/experiences with keeping keto are welcome!

[Venchka]

Carry ghee. Add it to everything that you eat.
Wayne

[AllDownhillFromHere]

It's not the lightest, but I've read that those "mediterranean" salad bars in grocery stores are a good place to go - tons of olive oil, oil-soaked olives, mozarella balls, etc. I know of one hiker who took that and made a kind of tuna salad out of it, carried it in ziplocks.

[roys]

Actually I'm low to moderate carb throughout the year. While hiking I love, love, love, eating sugar foods. Its fast energy. Makes me feel great. As long as your not grossly over consuming, how can there be a wasted calorie hiking. In my opinion, with the exception of type 1 diabetes, I say go for the sugar throughout the day. I think of breakfast and dinner as the nutrient laden meals. Throughout the day I consume mostly sugar foods with supplements (BCAA's and occasionally with other minerals).
Do a search on this site for posts by Malto, he has very interesting info on this subject.

[gracebowen]

Is avocado allowed? They are high gat and calorie.

[JC13]

Is avocado allowed? They are high gat and calorie.

Yes, avacado is definitely allowed. Last time out, the guy I was with carried at least 1-3 with him.

[Starchild]

The amount of energy one uses on the AT thru will keep one testing positive for ketones pretty easy with a moderately low carb diet, no need for the extreme low carb that is required off trail. It's even possible to eat a regular diet and achieve a state of ketosis. As such you have a lot more leeway. As for foods cold cuts & cheese do go along way to that. I've even brought eggs to cook on trail. Nuts, jerky for snacks.

[Dogwood]

The amount of energy one uses on the AT thru will keep one testing positive for ketones pretty easy with a moderately low carb diet, no need for the extreme low carb that is required off trail. It's even possible to eat a regular diet and achieve a state of ketosis. As such you have a lot more leeway. Nuts, jerky for snacks.

Exactly my thoughts.

[Venchka]

Precooked bacon bits. Add to Mac&Cheese, Knorr Sides, instant mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.
I thought that “keeping keto” might be related to the “keeping cute” thread. Who invented this new language? Where did this Keto diet thing come from? Why? Enquiring Geezers want to know.
Wayne

[perdidochas]

Precooked bacon bits. Add to Mac&Cheese, Knorr Sides, instant mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.
I thought that “keeping keto” might be related to the “keeping cute” thread. Who invented this new language? Where did this Keto diet thing come from? Why? Enquiring Geezers want to know.
Wayne

Keto is ultra-low carb. Your body goes into ketosis, which helps burn body fast faster.

[Dogwood]

Keto is ultra-low carb. Your body goes into ketosis, which helps burn body fast faster.

Yes, typically carbs are in the 5-10% range of total daily caloric intake. Fats are about a whopping 70% of total daily caloric intake. Protein is 20%. In short, the keto diet is another rebranded tweaked high fat low carb(extreme low carb) diet.

That's not normal folks unless youre in a category like the eskimos. And, despite myths the eskimo way of eating, diet, certainly has resulted in negative health and medical consequences.

[Riocielo]

Precooked bacon bits. Add to Mac&Cheese, Knorr Sides, instant mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.
I thought that “keeping keto” might be related to the “keeping cute” thread. Who invented this new language? Where did this Keto diet thing come from? Why? Enquiring Geezers want to know.
Wayne

I don’t know where it came from, but I’m sure glad it did. It has been the only thing to keep my insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and body weight under control.

Now all my labs are normal, my weight is 64 pounds lighter, my body fat has dropped from 48% to 11%, and I feel great. I, too, am very interested in keeping lower carb on the trail, so I am thankful for this thread.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Heliotrope]

I don’t know where it came from, but I’m sure glad it did. It has been the only thing to keep my insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and body weight under control.

Now all my labs are normal, my weight is 64 pounds lighter, my body fat has dropped from 48% to 11%, and I feel great. I, too, am very interested in keeping lower carb on the trail, so I am thankful for this thread.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Exactly where I was going with this. The OP has his reasons. If the effect of this diet is keeping his body within normal ranges for insulin and sugar then there is very good reason to think about ways to maintain the good results on trail.

It is possible. May be more challenging. I would not attempt to diagnose or treat anyone online. However, the amount of continuous exercise on a LD hike may allow one to maintain healthy ranges of blood glucose and insulin with more room to eat less than perfectly Keto. Exercise is the other factor besides insulin that allows muscle to take in blood sugar (keeping the levels healthier).

The challenge when exercising this much (hiking)is consuming enough calories. As long as you can meet the demand with Keto friendly foods then you should be in great shape.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dogwood]

...the challenge when exercising this much (hiking)is consuming enough calories. As long as you can meet the demand with Keto friendly foods then you should be in great shape.

NO! Getting calories is easy. It's as easy as throwing a bottle of coconut oil, EVOO, or a squeeze bottle of Mr Parkay margarine in your pack. It's proper nutrition that is much more elusive.

As said previously one certainly can consume a strict keto diet of nutrionally dismal food. One can be keto and not get the nutrients there body needs.

Sustaining these diets requires long term lifestyle changes. More folks fail at this than succeed. Then, off to buy into the next temporary dietary fad. It's the same scenario with fitness equipment purchases and gym memberships.

A calorie isn't some magical energy thing or measurement that can be had on its own. A calorie is somthing that requires a carrying case called food. Food is never just a calorie. That carrying case - food- has far more other things in it than just a calorie. Those other things play significant roles in realizing energy, health, and we'll being.

[kestral]

Another small point concerning ketosis which you probably already know, but just in case. You will become dehydrated more easily while in ketosis, be careful to monitor you skin turger and feeling of headache which will worsen if dehydrated. You may need more salt than most. A fat pinch of sea salt to your water bottle will help. Probably won’t be an issue if you have been following diet and excercise pattern for awhile, may happen with new hikers.

[Dogwood]

I don’t know where it came from, but I’m sure glad it did. It has been the only thing to keep my insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and body weight under control.

Now all my labs are normal, my weight is 64 pounds lighter, my body fat has dropped from 48% to 11%, and I feel great. I, too, am very interested in keeping lower carb on the trail, so I am thankful for this thread.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So, I beg to ask. Are the diet changes the sole cause , the only changes, you've made that can be correlated with the better numbers and med condition. What I'm asking is have there been any other changes in your life that isn't ket related that could also explain the improvements.

Lastly, if keto is resonsible for these improvements I assume to make them long term realized keto is not perceived as a temporary dietary change? So, is your life
Or at least what you consume, going to revolve around keto? Can you FT transition to and long term sustain a keto diet? If not you could be setting yourself up to regress to your former condition.

I hear this so often including from loved family and friends. Look what I've achieved on so and so a diet. But, they can't usually sustain such drastic dietary nor lifestyle changes. And, I point out maybe the improvements shouldnt be perceived entirely as a result of the diet because at the same period you started yoga, meditation, running, consistently hitting the gym, you are getting massages twice a wk, you're now riding a bike more, you went Organic, no longer have tap water as your drinking water source, you reduced or are no longer on prescription meds or taking OTC drugs, etc. All these changes can have positive effects in themselves that possibly can explain all or part of the improvement.

It's like when we see the fitness actor athlete marketer promoting a new get rockhard abs equipment as he or she are showing off their 6 or 8 packs. It's likely they didn't achieve those abs simply by buying and utilizing that piece of fitness equip they are marketing.

[Riocielo]

So, I beg to ask. Are the diet changes the sole cause , the only changes, you've made that can be correlated with the better numbers and med condition. What I'm asking is have there been any other changes in your life that isn't ket related that could also explain the improvements.

Lastly, if keto is resonsible for these improvements I assume to make them long term realized keto is not perceived as a temporary dietary change? So, is your life
Or at least what you consume, going to revolve around keto? Can you FT transition to and long term sustain a keto diet? If not you could be setting yourself up to regress to your former condition.

I hear this so often including from loved family and friends. Look what I've achieved on so and so a diet. But, they can't usually sustain such drastic dietary nor lifestyle changes. And, I point out maybe the improvements shouldnt be perceived entirely as a result of the diet because at the same period you started yoga, meditation, running, consistently hitting the gym, you are getting massages twice a wk, you're now riding a bike more, you went Organic, no longer have tap water as your drinking water source, you reduced or are no longer on prescription meds or taking OTC drugs, etc. All these changes can have positive effects in themselves that possibly can explain all or part of the improvement.

It's like when we see the fitness actor athlete marketer promoting a new get rockhard abs equipment as he or she are showing off their 6 or 8 packs. It's likely they didn't achieve those abs simply by buying and utilizing that piece of fitness equip they are marketing.

Frankly, except for walking, I am exercising less since starting keto. Not by design, but my gym closed and I haven’t found a replacement. No other changes.

I feel so much better on keto, it is great incentive to continue. I dont find it difficult to maintain, even when eating out, because there are so many other choices. (Well maybe not if eating at a Mexican restaurant.)

I do intend this to be a life time change, mainly because I know of no other way to keep my insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance under control on a long term basis. I don’t think though that my life does or will “revolve around keto.” It is more that I make different food choices than I used to.

At 64 pounds lost, I am now actively trying not to lose anymore weight. This simply means eating more non-starchy carbs. For the first time in my adult life I feel like I have a real chance of keeping my weight down. It sure makes hiking easier!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[TexasBob]

....... I don’t think though that my life does or will “revolve around keto.” It is more that I make different food choices than I used to. At 64 pounds lost, I am now actively trying not to lose anymore weight. This simply means eating more non-starchy carbs. For the first time in my adult life I feel like I have a real chance of keeping my weight down. It sure makes hiking easier!.............

Many people would love to lose the weight that you have been able to lose and you should be very proud of your accomplishment. It is not easy to change your eating habits. I am sure you feel better and see a new you whenever you look in the mirror. I hope that you keep the weight off over the next few years as it is easy to forgot about those different food choices and fall back into bad habits. Now that you know what habits are healthy for you and what wasn't it will be easy to know if you are getting off track.

[Venchka]

Is avocado allowed? They are high gat and calorie.

Google avocado chips. Apparently they can be dehydrated.
Wayne

[centerfieldr162]

I did a week long trip in the smokies after giving up carbs for lent last year and carried a jar of peanut butter, nuts, low carb tortillas, cheese, jerky bites, and coconut oil. I had no trouble staying in ketosis. I did, however, have trouble staying with keto after 2 months of it. More power to yall.. I need carbs!!!