I just backpacked the Grand Canyon. Why didn't I lose any weight?
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I appreciate all those that posted about the water retention during muscle repair when changing activities. I had never thought about it like that before, and those were very helpful responses to the OP's original post that also educated me!
I actually hiked to the base of the canyon and out again in one day in my 20's. It was a "Grand" (pun intended) experience, and I'd recommend it (hiking into the canyon, not necessarily doing it in one day) to everyone to do at least once in your lifetime. Great memories.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »
Most backpackers eat pre-packaged, freeze-dried slop. It comes weighed and calorated. It's unpalatable, so you don't really eat a lot of it.
Hopefully the OP ate better than Mountain House but:
Nonsense. Hunger -- especially one created from a 20+ mile hike -- makes these things taste delicious!4 -
lovetolose20 wrote: »I just backpacked the entire Grand Canyon, it took 3 days. My pack weighed 20-25 lbs and I figure I burned about 3,000 calories each day minimum. I consumed an average of 2,000 or less calories a day.
I weighed 190.0 when I left and 190.0 when I got back. I'm still trying to lose 20 more lbs. I'm a 5'10", 38 year old female.
I'm just curious if any of you have an answer for this, I just don't understand.
Thanks for any replies.
Hello Lovetolose20,
After speaking to a personal trainer, he mentioned that only professional athletes burn 1500-2000 calories in their workouts and even then, it's not every workout or everyday. So many on MFP post how they're burning thousands of calories but either they've deceived themselves or their technology isn't working correctly.
I'm glad you hiked and that must have helped to burn some calories, so I'm glad you enjoyed it and that in itself is a NON SCALE VICTORY!!! Congrats!
Sugary Sweet
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lovetolose20 wrote: »Wicked_Seraph wrote: »OP, serious question:
What did you expect to happen?
Did you expect to drop five pounds over the weekend because you did a bit more hiking? I'm not trying to be an @$$, but you may enjoy your next trip more if you don't give yourself unrealistic expectations.
Weight loss can be super slow. It often is. Focusing too much on numbers can be incredibly discouraging if you expect them to do unrealistic things.
I've never understood why people feel the need to comment on posts and be rude and try to make the original poster feel stupid. Isn't this suppose to be a website where people come to learn and support each other??
I obviously don't understand how it works. I honestly thought I would get on the scale this morning and see a little drop in weight. That is the reason I started the thread. I wanted to get a little input and wisdom from people who know and understand weight loss better than I.
You must not have read all of the things that I wrote, because I said that I didn't hike it to lose weight, I hiked it for fun and I just thought it would be great to lose a little weight as a bonus.
Well, if you want to police everybody's posts until they meet your standards then have at it. People post what they want, just as you did. Some considered your post ridiculous and told you so, feel free to ignore them. Jumping on how "rude" they were makes you seem like some princess that's overly sensitive and requires special handling.
You straightforward answer that you were just curious was really all you need to say. Just sayin'.
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A much better reply is: You hiked the Grand Canyon! Totally Freakin' Awesume. You are part of the small percentage of persons who visit the Canyon that actually got to see it from the inside. What trail did you take down? What trail out?0
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NorthCascades wrote: »lovetolose20 wrote: »I like the down quilt idea. I feel too restricted in my bag, I may try that.
Mine looks a lot like this. It opens completely flat, like a blanket at home. So when I camp during a heat wave, I don't get too hot and stuffy at night. When it's slightly colder I close it around my feet but leave the top open. Only when it's really cold will I close it up around me. It's so much more comfortable than a mummy bag I can't believe it. Also weighs a pound less. I don't like camping near the road, I prefer to hike into the wilderness and find a place to sleep, so light weight is the same thing as comfort for me. I use this with a NeoAir XTherm inflatable sleeping pad. Just a wonderful system.
If you look close, you can see my tent in the bottom-right corner of this picture. And a mountain goat to the left. This was Sahale Glacier Camp, it was a 7 mile hike and 4,200 feet of elevation gain to get there.
I love that bottom picture, did you take that? It's gorgeous!! Bet that was an awesome trip.0 -
NorthCascades, thank you for the picture of the bag/blanket, that's really awesome! I Definitely want to try that.
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Yep. I took the bottom one, not the top. You should come visit Washington some time, backpack in North Cascades National Park. Do the Cascade Pass trail.
Here's another shot from lower on the trail.
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You most likely lost fat and gained muscle. Muscle weigh more than fat.0
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Adding that to my bucket list. One of these days we'll definitely get up there. My husband grew up around there.
You take great pictures!0 -
Backpacking is so fun
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SugarySweetheart wrote: »lovetolose20 wrote: »I just backpacked the entire Grand Canyon, it took 3 days. My pack weighed 20-25 lbs and I figure I burned about 3,000 calories each day minimum. I consumed an average of 2,000 or less calories a day.
I weighed 190.0 when I left and 190.0 when I got back. I'm still trying to lose 20 more lbs. I'm a 5'10", 38 year old female.
I'm just curious if any of you have an answer for this, I just don't understand.
Thanks for any replies.
Hello Lovetolose20,
After speaking to a personal trainer, he mentioned that only professional athletes burn 1500-2000 calories in their workouts and even then, it's not every workout or everyday. So many on MFP post how they're burning thousands of calories but either they've deceived themselves or their technology isn't working correctly.
I'm glad you hiked and that must have helped to burn some calories, so I'm glad you enjoyed it and that in itself is a NON SCALE VICTORY!!! Congrats!
Sugary Sweet
So if a non athlete male weighing 220 pounds exercises at a reasonably intense rate, say cycling at about 15 miles per hour, for 2-3 hours your personal trainer would say that simply because they are not professional athletes they are not burning 1500-2000 calories? If so he is simply wrong. While I agree many people here seem to have overly optimistic calorie burns, at the same time, many people in my friends list only have burns like that from 2-3 hours of working out, and that is far from unrealistic.3 -
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Likely because you passed near Sedona and the Vortex there doesn't allow weight loss.
Just cause one exercises, DOESN'T always correlate to weight loss. That's more about CICO. It's EASY to eat what you burn.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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lovetolose20 wrote: »Adding that to my bucket list. One of these days we'll definitely get up there. My husband grew up around there.
You take great pictures!
If you do, please feel free to send me a PM and I'll recommend some trails for the two of you. 0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »lovetolose20 wrote: »I just backpacked the entire Grand Canyon, it took 3 days. My pack weighed 20-25 lbs and I figure I burned about 3,000 calories each day minimum. I consumed an average of 2,000 or less calories a day.
How in gods name did you do this with a 25 pound pack? You must have had to carry water most of the way.Colorscheme wrote: »How can you be sure how much you ate and how many cals? if you didn't weigh your food while hiking then you can't be a hundred percent sure that CI<CO
Most backpackers eat pre-packaged, freeze-dried slop. It comes weighed and calorated. It's unpalatable, so you don't really eat a lot of it. The whole time you're out you dream of raspberries and veggie burgers, but because you're carrying your tent, sleeping bag, extra clothing, cooking gear, water filtering gear, and everything else you need, luxuries like an orange just aren't worth the added weight.
...food is a luxury when backpacking?! There are so many scrumptious foods, you don't have to eat freeze dried everything!
Take the raspberries & the orange...no trash left over! Even the veggie burgers, easy to heat & pack. Smaller, less bulky And less weight on the way hiking out.
OP- I also backpacked the Canyon but in 2 days (1 over night). I wasn't trying to lose weight back then, and doubt I did. What I gained was an amazing experience and hope you did too!! Keep at it!0 -
NorthCascades, I'll definitely contact you when we go. Thanks for your help 0
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can I say. really?0
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NikkiMichelleS, the first time we hiked the Grand Canyon we did it in 2 days. This time we just took a little more time and enjoyed it. Such a great experience. Hope to do it many more times!0
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