Anybody out there a hiker and/or backpacker?

sonyawhitehead

Hey there outdoor type people! I have recently lost 21 pounds as part of my getting into shape for a ten day backpacking trip in the mountains of New Mexico this July. I think I am maintaining my weight quite nicely, eating about 1400 cals a day and trying to get in weight training or cardio workouts about four times a week. I have cut out all processed foods and added sugars. I am eating only fresh fruits and vegetables and limit my meat to chicken, beef and fish plus additional protein (eggs, almonds, cheese, etc.) My biggest concern is when I hit the trail and have to eat the freeze dried dehydrated backpacking foods. I always seem to gain weight even when I watch the number of calories I put in my mouth. Everyone else tends to lose 5 to 10 pounds. Any suggestions?

VegasFit

I've never done more than day hikes so I can't speak to the dehydrated food but maybe pose the question in this group too? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/547-hikers-and-backpackers

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

I'm guessing if everybody else is losing weight and you are the only one gaining, that they are probably doing more hiking around, have heavier packs, do day trips, swimming, maybe day trips to fish or such and are burning more calories. There is nothing inherently weight increasing about pack foods, and they are usually low calories and weight restricted. Really it's just track calories, eat less and/or move more if you gain. Should be easy to track pack food calories.

sonyawhitehead

I think you have made some assumptions here that aren't necessarily true. Ten days in the back country going from Point A to Point B, as a group, doesn't allow someone to do more hiking than anyone else in the group. Everyone has to carry all of the required personal equipment, four quarts of water, their share of the tent, their share of the crew equipment and food. My pack generally weighs around 38 to 40 pounds, depending on what day it is and when we had our last food pick up. I take part in all the program opportunities such as rock climbing and rappelling, climbing to the top of Old Baldy at 12,441 feet and spar pole climbing. We all hike the same trail with distances from 6 to 13 miles a day. There are no day trips, swimming or fishing. Everyone is given the same quantity of backpacking food at each meal. It is a very high calorie diet of roughly 4000 calories a day necessary to provide the energy needed for an adventure of this kind. This is not my first trip, as a matter of fact it is my twelfth. Hence the question, might it be that I gain due to increased muscle mass more than the amount of fat loss?

scorpio516

You don't have to eat what everyone else buys . You can always buy a dehydrator and make your own! I've got a couple recipe books for just that.
Now, for your bigger question. Assuming person a and person b are identical, and carry the same, and eat the same, there should be no differences in gain/loss. If you weigh less, are a more efficient hiker, or carry less but eat the same, you'll loose less. But you can't gain on a deficit.

MYhealthyjourney70

that is awesome you do that kind of hiking... i am right now am only doing day hikes.. my hubby and i have talked about doing an overnighter.. and i am currently working at doing a fourteneer this summer... as for why you gain i wish i could help... considering how much you are walking/hiking i wouldn't think you would gain unless it's muscle.. good luck and enjoy the hike..

Otterluv

I am planning on doing a lot of my own food dehydration for this year's backpacking trips. I guess it's pretty easy, and opens up a ton of variety in meals. There are lots of resources online to help you figure it out.

I don't plan on losing weight on any of my trips, but, I'm going to figure out my caloric needs for each day and plan my food accordingly. This may entail some tortillas smeared with nutella and peanut butter (nice and calorie dense, but lightweight).

krobak79

The biggest issue with those dehydrated meals is the sodium. I feel that's what causes the biggest weight gain. When I've backpacked in the past, I've found some great homemade recipes online that are healthy and taste great and you only need to add hot water to them to make them edible.