You see, when you are hiking 12-20 miles a day for months at a time, you tend to burn more calories than you consume. And you tend to be able to eat anything that you want, even the crappy processed food, without gaining any weight. I'd say it's a miracle, but it's not. You're just working out for 8-10 hours a day which is insane by any normal person's definition, but completely normal on the trail.
It seems like during my initial days I ate a good amount while my body got over the shock of climbing mountains every day. In month two my hiker hunger hadn't fully kicked in yet, so I took in a little bit less food, probably because my body was used to hiking and no longer freaking out. Then month 3 happened. Month 3 is when my views on food shifted and I was always hungry. Even after I finished a meal, I was hungry again 20 minutes later. That, my friends, is hiker hunger.
Pre-Trail Consumed (Food): 1600 Burned (Exercise): 400 | Weeks 1-3 Consumed (Food): 2227 Burned (Exercise): 3201 |
Month 2 Consumed (Food): 1966 Burned (Exercise): 3374 | Months 3+ Consumed (Food): 3067 Burned (Exercise): 3954 |
We typically spent one day in town before heading back to the woods so even with my non-stop cupcake and pizza party in town, I still ended each week in a deficit of about 2,000 calories. See why we still yearn for those good ole days?
Weeks 1-3 Consumed (Food): 3754 Burned (Exercise): 954 | Months 2+ Consumed (Food): 5051 Burned (Exercise): 1201 |
Once I figured out the system that worked best for me I stopped being excited about food on the trail. It was just fuel for the hiking and I definitely enjoyed eating, but it wasn't a gorge fest like it was in town. I was all about how to get the highest number of healthy calories for the least amount of weight. When I got to town though, that was a free for all.
Pre-Trail Breakfast: Oatmeal or Smoothie & Coffee Lunch: Salad & Veggie Burger or Omelet Snacks: Apples & PB or Yogurt Dinner: Couscous, Veggie Burger or Tofu | Weeks 1-3 Breakfast: Granola Bars & Coffee Lunch 1: Avocado & Cheese Sandwich Lunch 2: Granola Bars & Chocolate Snacks: Granola Bars Dinner: Lipton Side Pasta & Chocolate |
Breakfast: Raw Revolution Bars, Pop-Tarts and/or Donuts & Coffee
Lunch & Snacks: Huge Ziploc Bag of Nuts, Dried Fruit and PB M&Ms (I snacked on it all day long)
Dinner: Couscous, Raw Garlic and Cheese with Mama Garlic Seasoning & Riesens Chocolate Candy
(You can read more details in this post)
Breakfast: Egg and Cheese Biscuits, Yogurt, Fruit & Coffee
Lunch & Snacks: Chex Mix, Cupcakes, Cheese/Crackers, Fruit
Dinner: Pizza & More Cupcakes