to add weight or stay slim before you start

[Mulungu]

everything i read about this hike tells me that i will loose weight. Both of us are slim fit people. do we add a bit of weight before we start (looking forward to stuffing my face) or do we stay slim and just keep on eating well.

[leaftye]

There's a member here that says he does it, but I don't see how it's worth it. Can you carry and eat a little more on the trail instead?

[10-K]

Just hike and eat..... don't worry about this.

[Ender]

Just hike and eat..... don't worry about this.

Exactly this.

Also, I gained 15 pounds on my AT thru. Started as a skinny guy, ended as a skinny guy with leg muscles.

[lemon b]

Keep doing what your doing. Have fun on your hike.

[Chaco Taco]

Id worry more about getting into shape and getting used to walking

[makincaid]

If you are concerned about weight loss, just carry some olive oil, or other fat.

In my opinion it's much more efficient to carry a few days worth of fat in the food bag, rather than hauling several weeks worth on the body fat.

[Thirsty DPD]

Both of us are slim fit people.

Sounds like you're just right, "fit". Folks that loss 40, or 60 lbs. on their hike needed to lose it whether they were hiking or not. Being prepared & fit will not only minimize weight loss, but also injury & frustration. It will also increase your chances of a completed thru. What a 280 lb. ultralite backpacker fails to understand is even though their Big 4 weighs 4.8 lbs, they're carrying 40 or more lbs they could have shaved at a fraction of the cost. One winter I built myself a custom carbonfiber roadbike. I spent a fortune on titanium nuts & bolts to shave ounces, During the course of building the bike that winter I gained 8 lbs., so much for shaving weight.

[10-K]

Interestingly, I feel like I hike better with a couple of extra pounds than I do at my fighting weight.

I'm talking four or five not 15 or 20.

[The Solemates]

Folks that loss 40, or 60 lbs. on their hike needed to lose it whether they were hiking or not.

I understand your point, but this is not always the case. I was 225 lb and 8% body fat when i hit the trail. I lost 38 lb by the Maine line. Then I gained 10 more back before finishing. My normal healthy weight is 215 and 12-14% body fat, which is what I am now.

[mudhead]

5 extra for you is different than 5 extra for someone else.


5 extra puts your body fat at what 6%?

[10-K]

Are you making fun of me Leon?

[jakedatc]

Sounds like you're just right, "fit". Folks that loss 40, or 60 lbs. on their hike needed to lose it whether they were hiking or not. Being prepared & fit will not only minimize weight loss, but also injury & frustration. It will also increase your chances of a completed thru. What a 280 lb. ultralite backpacker fails to understand is even though their Big 4 weighs 4.8 lbs, they're carrying 40 or more lbs they could have shaved at a fraction of the cost. One winter I built myself a custom carbonfiber roadbike. I spent a fortune on titanium nuts & bolts to shave ounces, During the course of building the bike that winter I gained 8 lbs., so much for shaving weight.

can do both. and benefits both. less weight will always be a benefit.

pro cyclists could all kick our asses on steel commuter bikes with 32mm tires but they still ride the UCI limit because it is easier.

[Whack-a-mole]

I have about 25lbs that you can have!

[Water Rat]

Most people have a weight they are most comfortable with... Everyone's body is different, and everyone reacts differently to losing/gaining weight. Go with what feels right for you. Oh, and to White Blaze! Hope you and your wife have a great (and safe!) hike.

[Starchild]

I am considering dropping 10 lbs before the hike, the reason is that's 10 less lbs to carry. I am in my ideal weight range, and know I can easily accomplish that. I also know how extra weight on my body does make a difference that I can feel, maybe not as evident as extra weight in your pack, but it's still there and still has to be carried.

[Rasty]

Forget trying to gain or loose weight, just have a glass of Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc, you won't find a good South African wine on the AT.

[garlic08]

I'm very slender, too. My last week of getting ready for a strenuous trip usually consists of sitting down and eating. I like to start with a small "cushion". It helps to keep from "bonking" on the climbs if you have a source of fat. After a week or so that's gone, but it's still nice to start with and it's fun eating all you can, especially if someone else is paying for it!. On the AT, I got through the Smokies before I hit that point. After the fat is gone, I have to eat more frequently.

If you find yourself losing any weight, either slow down the hiking or eat more, or both. Excessive weight loss is not good. Listen to your body.

At least that's the way it works for me.

[FarmerChef]

+1 on the wine Seriously though, don't worry about trying to put on weight. I haven't thru hiked yet (emphasis on yet) but do go out for 9 or 10 days at a time. Separately, I have worked hard over a long time to get my BF% down to the 13-16% range and I run about 30 miles a week. Even with town stops and eating well on the trail, I no longer lose weight. But like Ender said, I do come back with more muscle and a lower BF percentage.

...and...half the fun is seeing if you can up your personal record at the next AYCE pizza parlor. Mmmmmm....calorieeees.

[q-tip]

I lost 30 for my 1,000 section ga-wv and 40 for this hiking season---it makes all the difference for me--a pound is a pound is a pound......