Hiking and unsure about calories

LMarie00

Hya Guys,

I am new to the site today so hello anyone who is kind enough to read this!

Need some help regarding calorie intake.

I am looking to lose 2 lbs a week. However currently I am doing 3 long hill walking hikes a week, 2 walks of 3 hours and 1 walk of 6 hours with a backpack ( a stone ), I am also swimming 3 times a week for 30 mins.

The suggested calorie intake every day is around 1250 I believe.. how do I adjust this?

Would it just be a case of eating additional calories on the 'hike' days? I don't want to end up eating too much, but also need sufficient energy for the hikes

Marie x

cantfail

When you log your exercise, MFP will adjust your caloric requirements for that day.

brianpperkins

I'd recommend deviating from MFP's NEAT calorie tracking and use TDEE to average out intake over the week so you have the energy needed to make the hikes. Failure to fuel beforehand can lead to difficult or miserable long days on the trail.

oldmike1030

Add the hiking into your cardio under the fitness tab. If you search the exercise database you'll find a couple different cross country hiking options that you can review and choose from to add in as exercise based on the time you spend hiking. This will adjust up your daily goal accordingly. I'm sure it isn't perfect as it is only focused on time and not distance and most folks here say that MFP over estimates the calories and seem to feel eating about 1/2 the calories back is best. I usually do a "quick add" of about 1/2 the workout calories that way my remaining calories for the day is still what I want to eat, even if the goal is a bit high.

EllaIsNotEnchanted

If you are looking to cut that much I would honestly not log in the hiking and still aim for the deficit. However, that's what I do already. Be aware that you are more likely going to know the calories you burned if you have a heart rate monitor. The exercise data on MFP overly estimates most exercises and everyone is different. I could possibly jog that 3 uphill hike you are talking about and still burn less than people who hike it and eat on the trail.

knra_grl

use an online calculator to determine your burn and enter it in your exercise diary - this will increase your calories

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calories_burned.htm << I have used this one in the past and find it not too bad

knra_grl

If you are looking to cut that much I would honestly not log in the hiking and still aim for the deficit.

You can still log the hiking and achieve a deficit at the end of the day - I try not to eat all my exercise cals back (usually about 3/4) but you should eat some - Not eating your exercise cals back is bad advice.

edit - you calorie goal set by MFP is already at a deficit set to lose 2 lbs per week if that is the info you entered.

cinnamon0033

I have experimented with this a bit myself and have found that the advice others gave me was pretty much dead on. I only log half of my exercise time. This is a pretty good fit for me. If I eat all of my exercise calories back I tend to either stay at my current weight or sometimes gain just a bit. My advice to you is to start out eating half and gradually move up to the point that your body requires. This is different for everyone because our bodies all are different and react differently. Happy hiking and welcome to MyFittnessPal. This program has kept me strong and most of the people are fantastic.

zichab

First of all, 2 pounds a week is too aggressive for someone who is 31 with only 22 pounds to lose. I am 61 and had a lot more to lose and dropped down to 1.0 pound per week at 40 pounds out and .5 at 20 pounds out and continued to lose just fine, so try not to be in such a hurry. I'd begin by changing that goal because you need more food.

Second, since you say in your profile you want to use MFP, then stick to that for now and don't mess with TDEE yet. Since you are using MFP, when you hike, use the hiking climbing hills and your load i.e. pounds that MFP has in the cardio workouts. I hike the Adirondack Mountains in NY and I can tell you from experience you HAVE TO EAT! Make sure to increase your calories for the day by at least 1/2 of what MFP says for your hike and carry most of that with you. MFP will up your daily allotment anyway, but as everyone says, the calorie burns are on the high side. I eat back 1/2 of what MFP says normally and 2/3 on hiking days. Hiking takes a lot of energy when you are carrying a back pack and your body needs lots of fuel! You will lose weight believe me! I always carry a protein bar and a mostly carb bar with me in addition to my food just in case I start to crash, which you do not want in the middle of the mountain! Can you tell I have been there???? :blushing:

Once you get the hang of this calories in calories out, fueling workouts and lose your 22 pounds, then I would move to TDEE as it will probably work better for you in maintenance that the MFP model. This is just my experience as mountain hiking is my favorite thing in the world to do! Enjoy the climbs!! :happy:

LMarie00

Thanks so much guys.... so much great advise!

I think 2lbs is too much to aim for, there is no rush and a pound a week is fine by me!

I love hiking!!! Just uses so much damn energy ; ) I will make sure I eat more on hiking days