Burning Calories When Hiking

[Solitary]

Aha! So this is why we only see pictures of you with Brutus in front of you!

It's worse than you know: Brutus ISN'T in the picture.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

XC skate skiing burns the most calories of biking, hiking or skiing. Why? Because it recruits the most muscles. My LT (Lactate Threshold) heart rate is a much larger % of my max while skating than cycling or hiking. Skiing up a long steady incline, I can sustain 95%+ of my max HR, compared with 82-85% while time-trialing on the bicycle.

When I used to do endurance rides on weekends (part of the race training) of 3-5 hour, 60-100 miles, I could eat pretty much anything I wanted all week long and not gain a pound. I don't hike every weekend so I can't make the comparison, but I did not lose much, if any, weight since 12/24/09 having done 5 trips in excess of 6 hours each.

A further note - I have used a Powertap hub for power measurement (measures at the hub where power is applied), as well as devices connected to the tire (loses some due to friction), and a Polar HRM for HR measurements (or the ones built into machines at the gym.) I trust the HR monitors (one can verify their accuracy with a stopwatch and your pulse), but I do not trust the formula-based numbers in the machines.

I can lose 2-3 pounds in a hour from sweat on the stairmaster, even while drinking 24 oz of water. I've weighed my clothes and towel before and after

Tim

 

[DreamFarmer]

I'm thinking like Seeker and Sabrina. I don't lose weight hiking (nor do I want to).

I want to provide plenty of nourishment to my body when it is working hard. It keeps me in a good mood and optimistic. And, I figure it helps recuperation. Besides ,I don't want to deplete my "personal storage facilities" (love handles).

 

[halfmoon]

Another Data Point

I'll add another data point, since I recently started keeping track of this information. I have a modern Schwinn exercise bike, and when I pedal balls to the wall over a one hour period I generate about 260 watts. I wear a polar heart rate monitor that "talks" to the exercise bike, and it tells me I burn about 860 calories per hour. My heart rate red lines at this exertion level in the high 170's or low 180's. I am 32 years old, so my maximum heart rate is approximately (220-32) 188, which is amazingly accurate as per the Polar Heart Rater Monitor. If I go in short bursts as hard as I can my MHR goes to 192.

So what am I saying? When I hike my exertion level is much, much, much less than when I am on the exercise bike where I burn 860 calories per hour. Therefore I would postulate that hiking 3 MPH up an Adirondack peak might get me in the ballpark of 860 calories and equivalent exertion level as to when I am on the bike. I am 32YO, 5' 10", 143 pounds.

I used to think I was in very good shape, and I am now humbled (and motivated) by the gentleman who can maintain 320 watts for 60 minutes. That is some serious a-kicking! Nice work!

 

[RollingRock]

Gee...after reading all these posts it seems to me I'll have to ditch my burgers and beer routine after a hike and have a salad

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I'll add another data point, since I recently started keeping track of this information. I have a modern Schwinn exercise bike, and when I pedal balls to the wall over a one hour period I generate about 260 watts. I wear a polar heart rate monitor that "talks" to the exercise bike, and it tells me I burn about 860 calories per hour. My heart rate red lines at this exertion level in the high 170's or low 180's. I am 32 years old, so my maximum heart rate is approximately (220-32) 188, which is amazingly accurate as per the Polar Heart Rater Monitor. If I go in short bursts as hard as I can my MHR goes to 192.

So what am I saying? When I hike my exertion level is much, much, much less than when I am on the exercise bike where I burn 860 calories per hour. Therefore I would postulate that hiking 3 MPH up an Adirondack peak might get me in the ballpark of 860 calories and equivalent exertion level as to when I am on the bike. I am 32YO, 5' 10", 143 pounds.

I used to think I was in very good shape, and I am now humbled (and motivated) by the gentleman who can maintain 320 watts for 60 minutes. That is some serious a-kicking! Nice work!

Recall that I said I don't trust the stairmaster numbers 320 watts on the bike would be almost sprint wattage for me. 360 was not uncommon on short steep hill or in sprints. I believe I once momentarily hit 400 on a computerized trainer, using the PowerTap hub. Elite cyclists can put out 700-900 watts. Monster sprinters like Mario Cippolini can get into the teens.

Note that you don't just wake up from the couch one morning and produce these numbers. It requires interval training and MAXIMUM efforts (to complete failure), recovery and repeat...

For climbing, it is the POWER to WEIGHT ratio that matters. A little guy like Marco Pantani (RIP, Il Pirata) didn't have a huge amount of power, but he was like 5'7", 130#, and was widely regarded as the best pure climber ever.

For sprinting, the weight doesn't matter so much because they aren't going uphill.

You could very well be in good shape. I outweigh you by 60 pounds, it would make some sense my power output would be higher.

Tim

 

[Chip]

I usually loose between 3-6 pounds on a long day of hiking.

A pound is 3500 calories. To actually lose 3 to 6 pounds (permanently) you'd have burned 10,500 to 21,000 more calories than you took in that day. I'm thinking you're 3 to 6 pounds is primarily water weight and an empty digestive track, which would return to normal within a day or two. At that point you could weigh yourself.

 

[grouseking]

A pound is 3500 calories. To actually lose 3 to 6 pounds (permanently) you'd have burned 10,500 to 21,000 more calories than you took in that day. I'm thinking you're 3 to 6 pounds is primarily water weight and an empty digestive track, which would return to normal within a day or two. At that point you could weigh yourself.

Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Never weigh yourself after a hike. I dropped 10 pounds in one hike once, and was on top of the world! Man, I really do sweat a lot.

 

[Cymbidium]

I'm with Chip. 1,000s of cals an hour is just not possible on winter hikes in the whites. I am 5'4 115 lbs. Hike twice a week and my weight stays relatively the same.

 

[Puck]

Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Never weigh yourself after a hike. I dropped 10 pounds in one hike once, and was on top of the world! Man, I really do sweat a lot.

The water loss is not only sweat. The body burns glucose then converts stored glucose in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles into glucose. This metabolism releases water in the process. As you rehydrate and eat carbs you will return to your previous weight as your glycogen stores are restored.

Like Chip said a pound is 3500 calories so if you burn or eleminate 1000 calories a day you will burn two pounds of fat a week. However, there are many confounding variables in all this...

 

[grouseking]

The water loss is not only sweat. The body burns glucose then converts stored glucose in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles into glucose. This metabolism releases water in the process. As you rehydrate and eat carbs you will return to your previous weight as your glycogen stores are restored.

Like Chip said a pound is 3500 calories so if you burn or eleminate 1000 calories a day you will burn two pounds of fat a week. However, there are many confounding variables in all this...

Interesting! Thanks for the info. BTW, is your avatar a pic of the "puking pig" in Lyndonville?

 

[adktyler]

A pound is 3500 calories. To actually lose 3 to 6 pounds (permanently) you'd have burned 10,500 to 21,000 more calories than you took in that day. I'm thinking you're 3 to 6 pounds is primarily water weight and an empty digestive track, which would return to normal within a day or two. At that point you could weigh yourself.

Right, that makes sense. I drink a lot while hiking, but don't eat all that much. The pounds are usually put back on within a day or two.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Right, that makes sense. I drink a lot while hiking, but don't eat all that much. The pounds are usually put back on within a day or two.

Strange, but I usually weigh more the morning after a big hike, (which usually includes a big meal and a few cold ones! ) but then the day after that I am down a pound or so.

 

[marty]

Strange, but I usually weigh more the morning after a big hike, (which usually includes a big meal and a few cold ones! ) but then the day after that I am down a pound or so.

Interesting. Are the "cold ones" Milk of Magnesia or Miralax, perhaps?

Marty

 

[DougPaul]

Strange, but I usually weigh more the morning after a big hike, (which usually includes a big meal and a few cold ones! ) but then the day after that I am down a pound or so.

This might also be affected by your salt intake. Excess salt can cause you to retain water for a day or so.

Doug

 

[Stash]

You guys think way too much about this stuff.

 

[Viewseeker]

When the question came up last weekend, I said 600-800 / hour..I got this info from a friend whos into that stuff for work.. I think she was Spot on..those silly machines just seem to burn more than you do... I think they are meant to make you think your working harder than you are. I just workout at my own pace, harder at times and 180 degrees...

 

[una_dogger]

I can lose 2-3 pounds in a hour from sweat

Tim

I have seen him sweat while hiking. I think its safe to verify that Tim sweats this much.

Strange, but I usually weigh more the morning after a big hike, (which usually includes a big meal and a few cold ones! ) but then the day after that I am down a pound or so.

Me, too. My scale goes up for 24 hours or so after a hike, then down. I figure (anectdotally, of course, because I don't bother with the effort to learn any of this stuff anymore !) that its inflammation. Those of us with the older, hurting bodies and damaged joints maybe can weigh in on this phenomenon.

After hike big meal? What are those? Usually I am racing midnight to get my @rse home on a long, dark lonely drive! I'm lucky if I get something from a gas station!

 

[Neil]

How many calories do you think one burns/hour in the winter hiking a 4k peak?

Cascade over a hardened trail?

Allen in 2 feet of heavy unbroken snow?

The answer to each and every question one may ask regarding health or physiology always starts with the same 2 words:

It depends.

 

[1ADAM12]

Cascade over a hardened trail?

Allen in 2 feet of heavy unbroken snow?

The answer to each and every question one may ask regarding health or physiology always starts with the same 2 words:

It depends.

Well GEEEEEEEEEZ Neil thanks for clearing that one up

Thanks to all for the great info and for the laughs