Hiking advice please.

[Sunflwrgirl]

Petro - This is what I pulled from that post also.

The rest of the recommendations there are correct. If you're running, biking, and doing cardio at the gym you'll burn through your glycogen a lot faster than you will hiking. The carb/fat mix your body burns depends on intensity. To spare the glycogen, just eat more sugar or starch. Sports drinks or gels come to mind, but when I hike I prefer cheap and tasty raisins or other dried fruit. I guess the maltodextrin in sports gels is technically a starch so you can say you're a starch-powered athlete.

I figured that I need to eat more when I am planning to be at the gym or doing a (strenuous to me) hike / walk. Other than that I don't need to stress the food so much. But I seldom eat if I am not hungry and I will say that I eat more carbs than I do veggies. Will sometimes use more veggies but only to be sure I am getting enough veggies. But I do eat whenever I am hungry and am not even counting calories. My weight is at a good spot so I am not rushing to lose like I was in the beginning. Long as I see a difference ( in a good way lol ) ever so often I am happy. Like maybe 3-5 pounds a month or even just in shape and size. Shape and size of course is best in my thoughts.. haha

I also notice you are fond of the gels and sports drinks. Do you have certain brand you are more fond of than others. I never have really used them before. Thinking you probably know which ones are more compliant or even taste good.

I have a garmin heart rate / gps I am going to where more while I am hiking so that I can at least be aware of how strenuous things really are. Least so that I can be sure that my body is not working harder than I realize and that I should be eating more when I am not.

[petero]

I also notice you are fond of the gels and sports drinks. Do you have certain brand you are more fond of than others.

I use Hammer because they're lower in sodium than Clif, and I'm one of those weird sodium haters. They also have more maltodextrin (the simplest possible starch, with two glucose molecules) vs. sugar than Clif, if I remember right, but not all of their flavors are vegan. I believe Clif products are all vegan. Hammer sent me a sample of their "Nocciola" hazelnut-chocolate flavor and it has dairy. Which sucks because it sounded delicious and exercising is a great excuse for eating something a little iffy.

I didn't start using these things until I started running (with one exception a few years ago), and even then mostly because of convenience and because Hammer was going to be at the aid stations for my now-impossible marathon. Studies show that raisins are just as effective as some of these products. I don't eat anyway unless it's more than 10 miles, even a run. Another user here, Spiral, doesn't eat or use any sports drinks--or water!--even during a half-marathon. A couple of months ago, I did a long day-hike on the Sugarland Mtn Trail up to the AT and it was powered by raisins, pretzels, and water. (What works for me is just a story to you, of course.)

I also don't like the idea of spending a lot of money on things I can do with regular food. I have to admit I just invested in some NOW® brand "Carbo Gain" (maltodextrin powder), corn syrup solids, and molasses, hoping to roll my own cheaper version, because I can fill one of the bottles on an ultra vest with about at least 1000 calories. Not sure if it's worth it though. Hammer does have a quantity discount but you still pay for shipping.

I'm sure Vegpdlr knows a lot more about sports drinks and foods than I do, he actually needs them.

[petero]

I have a garmin heart rate / gps I am going to where more while I am hiking so that I can at least be aware of how strenuous things really are. Least so that I can be sure that my body is not working harder than I realize and that I should be eating more when I am not.

Again, it's just my personal experience, but I don't worry about any of that when hiking, and just eat when I'm hungry. Hikes last a long time so I do get hungry. People who have specific goals might find heart rate training useful. I try not to get into a debate about that because I'm not at the level I think would benefit from such precise training metrics, nor do I know enough about it or have enough experience to comment beyond just shooting the breeze.

One thing I will say about training for hiking is that you'll read a few posts on Whiteblaze and other forums from people who didn't care to do any training before their thru-hike attempt. Don't listen to them. You'll get a lot more out of the hike, and make some other people jealous, if you hike a lot before you start. The people I've met on trail who are enjoying it the most always did some preparation. (Also don't listen to people who laugh at your external frame pack )

Well, two things. It might pay to have a "leg day" where you do high-rep exercises and plyometrics to strengthen yourself from the core on down to the feet. Personally I'll never skip it again, I've had too many problems.

[RobinD]

You might want to check out this blog: http://www.nourishingjourneypct.com/nut ... posts.html

Bug and Mud are vegan distance hikers and have done the PCT multiple times. Bug has also recently taken her board exams to become a registered dietician. Their blog is great fun to read, and you will probably get some worthwhile ideas to adopt or modify.

I have never done hiking on their scale, but some of my favorites trail foods include sweet-potato "leather" (smashed up sweet potatoes that I have dehydrated) because I can either munch on it dry or rehydrate it when we make a meal stop. Dehydrated beans are also wonderful - throw them in your Jetboil or cook pot with instant mashed potatoes and water and the result is filling and delicious!