Low carb and backpacking

Cheesy567

Any ideas on balancing a low-carb diet while backpacking?

Or, more generally, how does your diet or macros change while you're on the trail?

cindytw

They shouldn't have to. If you are keto (fat adapted for fuel) you should have no issues other than eating enough to sustain activity. If you are concerned about what to use, then that is another topic. Private message me I may not see the replies to this.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Since I'm also a type 1 diabetic, my carb intake needs to be higher when exercising a lot. Even an exhorbitant amount of protein every 2-5 hours (the time it takes for protein to break down into glucose and be absorbed... but only about 60% of protein becomes glucose while 100% of NET carbs becomes glucose) is not enough to keep my blood sugar stable. So I have to eat a lot of carbs throughout the day, and a whole lot of carbs when I'm low.

I don't go backpacking too often, but last time was in Nov. I was with my brother, who didn't have any winter backpacking experience. It was about 0 degrees F, and he just couldn't get and stay warm. So we decided to hike out by headlight... it was actually only a few miles, so no problem. Well... my BG was high when leaving camp (300's mg/dl) and was in the 30's when we got to the car. So of course I ate some carbs at the car. If I hadn't left high, I probably would have had to eat carbs throughout... because 30's is already pretty dangerously low (I've passed out at that level before).

So I realize my situation may not apply to most/all others on this group. However, if you are on mid to long-term backpacking trips, I would imagine a similar (thought less extreme) situation would apply for your glycogen stores. When backpacking a lot of miles, your muscles will use glucose. A lot of people talk up protein and fat because protein takes longer to convert to glucose and fat takes even longer (thus giving energy in small amounts over a longer period of time than carbs). However, with protein converting to glucose at about 60% and fat at about 10%, you need to carry and eat a whole lot of protein and fat just to feed your muscles properly for the cardio you are doing. When you don't eat enough, you will dip into glycogen. If this goes on for several days into weeks, at some point your glycogen stores become low. That isn't to say protein and fat are not important, but that carbs are also important. So it just doesn't make a lot of sense to go low carb on extended trips. You may not need carbs often like me, but eating rice and beans along with your meats/fats should help keep you going better and stronger for longer periods of time.

kasaz

I hit the wall when I don't have carbs for fuel when hiking. I eat a very healthy diet and get lots of protein, but I typically do lots better with oatmeal for breakfast than eggs.

jenglish712

I typically have the most trouble hitting protein numbers... and going WAY over on sodium. Fats are probably your best weight to calorie ratio, but isn't very filling to me. I tend to hit way higher carb numbers when backpacking.

But pouches of tuna or chicken and various jerkies are great ways to hit protein numbers. You can clarify butter so it doesnt spoil (or just take liquid veggie oils). I often take individual pouches of black olives packed w/o juice, Peanut Butter or PB2. Remember hard cheeses can last days to weeks at trail temps.

I am technically low carb at 40% calories, but nowhere near keto adapted. I hit my regular numbers of fat and protein by gram (or try to) and just make up all the extra calories with a crap ton of carbs... that I am burning.

Crossfitand5ks

I have kind of a weird situation. I had gastric bypass a year ago so I have to have at least 50% of my calories from protein. I'm not sure exactly what to take that is still light.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Crossfitand5ks wrote: »

I have kind of a weird situation. I had gastric bypass a year ago so I have to have at least 50% of my calories from protein. I'm not sure exactly what to take that is still light.

Tuna pouches, meat sticks (like jerky, sausage), peanuts (peanuts are a majority fat, not protein, so will have to supplement protein with other foods). Or bring protein powder to increase protein to get to your 50%.