[at-l] Optimum Weight maintenance on a Thru=-Hike

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

I have never been light.  Always been a heavy eater.  Then I hit the trail
for a long-distance hike.  Lost 20 pounds plus the first week or so -- even
though for several months I had been spending 1 to 4 hours a day at gym:
Usually about 2.  And often I walked several miles a day -- 3 miles to work
and another mile to the gym -- that for about 5 years.  But I still
"sweated" a lot of weight off.  

Every town or crossing that I hit, I'd eat.  At Walaysi (sp?) I bought a ton
of goodies.  And still loved the complimentary platter the hosts brought
down.  There were only 2 of us there but we ate.  And later they brought a
2nd platter since the couple in another room were out driving around.  

During the hike I started getting weak and felt "fluish".  Went into Hot
Springs and found I wasn't eating enough!  Later found out that the average
hiker with a full pack burns 4000 to 6000 calories a day or the equivalent
of running two marathons in the same day.  

When I got back "home", I pigged out constantly for awhile.  I just could
not get my metabolism to slow down.  I had to eat.  Later I read that long
distance hikers who are male tend to lose weight quicker, but tend to gain
it back faster.  While females have smaller losses and tend to keep it off.

As to "grease" in any form: It packs more calories per weight than do carbs
and protein.  And if you're truly hiking with a full pack, you should burn
it off.  But it does lack some of the other nutrients that you need.  I'm
switching from Wesson to good olive oil for dipping "bread" in and for LDHs
I think I'll find a good cheap supplier of summer sausages: Right after
Christmas a lot of big stores and chains put them on sale.  And at supply
stops, I'll look for flour tortillas and wrap hunks of cheese in them.  

William, The "Is that a Pizza?!!!!!!" Turtle  



-----Original Message-----
From: Jan Leitschuh [mailto:janl2@mindspring.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 10:17 AM
To: AT-List
Cc: Phil; Laura Gingerich
Subject: [at-l] Optimum Weight maintenance on a Thru=-Hike



Here's a thread I'd love some serious feedback on: 
maintaining an optimum weight.

>  "I've lost more than 30 pounds. I'm a boney mess, and
> I'm  not sleeping well. I need more padding again." 

I've heard other thru-hikers speak of this as well. While I'm sure we all
can afford to lose a few pounds in our "town" state, I don't think I could
keep hiking on a thirty pound loss - would be into muscle mass, digesting
the "engine." 

Can I hear some stories on how peoples' bodies changed on their thrus and
what they did to keep hiking? Mark Rebuck's thread about how his sleep
system changed as his needs changed was excellent. 

How did your appetite change from start? Thru the heat? To the finish? 
How did your cravings change? Did you find something that really worked to
keep your energy up? (I'm thinking olive oil will help, butter and cheese in
the cooler months. Of course, pizza and ice cream in all town stops!)

And how did it feel to have a six pack, tight butt and cute, iron thighs and
muscled calves again?! ha!

-- 
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    	Jan Leitschuh Sporthorses Ltd.

	Website:  
	http://www.mindspring.com/~janl2/index.html

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