[at-l] dietary mix

[Phil.Heffington@oc.edu (Phil Heffington)]

The info I have found so far (not specific to hiking) is that a "normal" diet should not exceed 30% fat.  I also know that some hikers have not taken in enough fat for their dietary needs and have developed some stomach problems because of it.  I have also heard that hikers need a higher level of fat intake because of both their usage of fat and the higher calorie value of fat per ounce.

If all that were to be true then I would be safe in saying that a pound would equal around 2,500 calories when properly mixed with fats, carbs, and proteins.  A lower amount of fats would decrease the calories per ounce proportionately.  

My calculations, according to some rough estimates on other websites, indicate that a person whose total body and pack weight is 190 lbs. would use about 5,100+ calories in 8 hours of hiking.  That would meet the often quoted standard of 2 lbs. of food per day, but not counting packaging.  Higher and lower body and pack weights and total hours hiking during each day would increase or decrease the figures accordingly.

Correspondingly, a person who weighs 200 lbs. and is carrying a 40 lb. pack would use approx. 6,100 calories in 8 hours of hiking.  That person, hiking two miles per hour, would need more than 2 lbs. of food per day to have enough calories to maintain body weight to average 16 miles per day.

In other words, if you are "overweight" you are probably going to lose weight.