MadRiver
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What is your energy drink or substance of choice?
Energy drinks.
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MadRiver
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I’ve been running out of gas after a few hours and a normal snack is not helping much, so I’m looking for a little pick-me-up.
akafuzzjones
Member
My work schedule is unpredictable and there are times when I work all night before a Saturday morning hike. Have used 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength. It's a small container and seems to work.
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una_dogger
Well-known member
Define "normal snack". ;-)
Not a drink, but Honey Stinger Waffles are awesome on the trail -- they are about all I carry and usually eat three of them over the course of a hike. One thing to point out is that they don't have any electrolytes.
For a daily pickup, I love making iced matcha lattes. My recipe is 2 scoops matcha powder, 3 equal packets, 6 oz water, 6oz unsweetened almond milk, and a few sqeezes of lemon juice. Wisk and serve over ice...Zoom!
I order my matcha from Amazon. I steer clear of the ones that Starbucks makes (marketed and green tea lattes) because they contain TONS of sugar.
There are many health benefits to drinking matcha -- its rich in antioxidants, vitamins a and b's, has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and is linked to preventing many forms of cancer. It contains caffiene, t hough less than coffee and assimilated much more slowly by your body.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/285795-health-benefits-of-a-matcha-green-tea-powder/
I purchase mine through amazon.com
Not a drink, but Honey Stinger Waffles are awesome on the trail -- they are about all I carry and usually eat three of them over the course of a hike. One thing to point out is that they don't have any electrolytes.
For a daily pickup, I love making iced matcha lattes. My recipe is 2 scoops matcha powder, 3 equal packets, 6 oz water, 6oz unsweetened almond milk, and a few sqeezes of lemon juice. Wisk and serve over ice...Zoom!
I order my matcha from Amazon. I steer clear of the ones that Starbucks makes (marketed and green tea lattes) because they contain TONS of sugar.
There are many health benefits to drinking matcha -- its rich in antioxidants, vitamins a and b's, has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and is linked to preventing many forms of cancer. It contains caffiene, t hough less than coffee and assimilated much more slowly by your body.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/285795-health-benefits-of-a-matcha-green-tea-powder/
I purchase mine through amazon.com
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Tom Rankin
Well-known member
Good old Gatorade.
TCD
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There are two categories - "nutritional stuff" and "caffeine and sugar."
All sorts of good nutritional stuff out there, with electrolytes, vitamins, enzymes, etc., and all kinds of research to do to pick what works best for you.
On the caffeine and sugar side, chocolate covered espresso beans and peanut m&ms pretty much have it covered. They're dry, clean, and light, and they work.
All sorts of good nutritional stuff out there, with electrolytes, vitamins, enzymes, etc., and all kinds of research to do to pick what works best for you.
On the caffeine and sugar side, chocolate covered espresso beans and peanut m&ms pretty much have it covered. They're dry, clean, and light, and they work.
dailey7779
Member
Gatorade, PB&J sandwiches, and granola bars!
...if doing a Presi Traverse I've been known to shove a hot dog in my face in about 2.5 seconds while passing by Washington
...if doing a Presi Traverse I've been known to shove a hot dog in my face in about 2.5 seconds while passing by Washington
Neil
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Home-mixed protein drink with frozen berries, ground flax and a shot of table sugar. Provides 30 grams of protein. I drink one in the car on my way to the TH and another on the trail. I started this last winter and it has made a big impact both in energy levels and recovery times.
With all the emphasis on carbs it's easy to forget the increased protein requirements as a result of hiking. About 4% of energy is derived from protein breakdown so if you do a 5000 calorie hike (se TFR's thread) there goes roughly 50 grams of extra protein. (4cals/gram).
With all the emphasis on carbs it's easy to forget the increased protein requirements as a result of hiking. About 4% of energy is derived from protein breakdown so if you do a 5000 calorie hike (se TFR's thread) there goes roughly 50 grams of extra protein. (4cals/gram).
JacobH
Active member
Gatorade, PB&J sandwiches, and granola bars!
...if doing a Presi Traverse I've been known to shove a hot dog in my face in about 2.5 seconds while passing by Washington
This is exactly what I bring.
Usually some gorp to snack on or share too.
Do you drink a lot of plain water? You might be washing out your body's electrolytes. Use Emergn'C or Gatorade. I like the powders because I just add a little to my water bottles; full strength is way too much.
Are your typical trail snacks sweet or salty? Alternate between them.
Are your typical trail snacks sweet or salty? Alternate between them.
MadRiver
New member
I usually have one or two nalgenes filled with Gatorade and one plain water. I will snack on salted peanuts, Hersey bars, or Clementine’s. Although I carry a sandwich, I am never hungry enough to eat it on the trail for some reason. I have a light breakfast which might be the problem because after about two hours my energy level drops significantly. I might need a bigger breakfast, though I do not normally like to eat in the morning.
IndianChris
New member
I know this was an energy drink thread but...
Less is better...during excercise.
No need to make your body work hard trying to digest all kinds of food when you should be using that energy to get you where you want to go.
Glycogen, I'm pretty sure, is the stuff we use to digest food but it is also used as an energy source. If we use up our bodies glycogen stores trying to digest food, then we are already at an energy defecit before we start our hikes, rides, swims, runs, etc...
Trying to increase my endurance in cycling, I've read that one should'nt eat 3 hours prior to a long distance ride in order to maximze the bodies use of it's glycogen stores.
When working hard, your body can't process more than 200-300 calories per hour anyway.
Less is better...during excercise.
No need to make your body work hard trying to digest all kinds of food when you should be using that energy to get you where you want to go.
Glycogen, I'm pretty sure, is the stuff we use to digest food but it is also used as an energy source. If we use up our bodies glycogen stores trying to digest food, then we are already at an energy defecit before we start our hikes, rides, swims, runs, etc...
Trying to increase my endurance in cycling, I've read that one should'nt eat 3 hours prior to a long distance ride in order to maximze the bodies use of it's glycogen stores.
When working hard, your body can't process more than 200-300 calories per hour anyway.
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The last statement, to me, is very telling. Eat a better breakfast. Many bicycle racing coaches and racers will recommend some combination (or all) of:
Orange juice
Oatmeal
Peanut butter
Yogurt
Egg
When you get carbs, proteins and fat in proper proportions (40/30/30, 50/30/20, 60/20/20, depending on who you believe), you get a long-burning energy source. I've continued to eat this style of breakfast (usually skipping the yogurt and making a single egg) for hiking and it seems to give me a pretty good boost for the day.
Of course, your mileage may vary...
Tim
Orange juice
Oatmeal
Peanut butter
Yogurt
Egg
When you get carbs, proteins and fat in proper proportions (40/30/30, 50/30/20, 60/20/20, depending on who you believe), you get a long-burning energy source. I've continued to eat this style of breakfast (usually skipping the yogurt and making a single egg) for hiking and it seems to give me a pretty good boost for the day.
Of course, your mileage may vary...
Tim
IndianChris
New member
Yes...but not less than three hours before the ride.
MadRiver
New member
My problem, and some might not actually view this as a problem, I live about 1/2 to an hours away from most trailheads so that 3 hour window would be difficult for me.
I cannot eat when I first get up so I usually eat as I am heading out the door, which means I'm at the trailhead an hour after I eat.
I cannot eat when I first get up so I usually eat as I am heading out the door, which means I'm at the trailhead an hour after I eat.
Little Rickie
New member
una_dogger
Well-known member
I agree with Indian Chris -- I don't tax my body with digesting meals while hiking, I opt for a 400-500 calorie breakfast that contains protein like eggs or greek yogurt about an hour before starting off, make sure I'm well hydrated with a liter of water before I start hiking and eat small portions of calorie dense foods while hiking -- a handful of almonds, a honey stinger waffle, a small treat sized candy bar, an Oskri coconut bar -- I generally try to keep my snacks in the 100-200 calorie range. I'd definately feel my energy stores sucked away if I ate a sandwich on a hike. Just enough to keep the engine running and burning my own fat as fuel. I feel WAY better eating this way. Lets face it, none of us are going to "starve" out there on a dayhike.
One thing to consider is that you may be:
eating too little before a hike
drinking too little in general
eating too many calories on your hike
Boy, to me, that seems like ALOT of sugar and that may be your problem right there. I'd feel like crap if I was sucking a steady stream of glucose.
Have you considered keeping a food and exercise journal for a week or two; and try to notice what food/drink patterns increase or decrease your energy levels??
An energy drink might give you a kick in the butt when you are out there hiking (and that's not necessarily a healthy way to treat your body, imho) but I bet that you can find some ways to change your diet when you aren't hiking that will lead to better performance and feeling better, too. Point being, a quick fix might leave you feeling even worse when you come down.
GREAT breakfast. That's very similar to what I eat before a hike and I have all day staying power with just a 3 to 4 100-200 calorie quick snacks over an 8-10 hour day of pretty continual movement. (for the bigger guys this might mean 3-6 200 calorie snacks, I hike all day with Eric and will observe him eating maybe 500-600 calories)
Take away the OJ, PB and you pretty much have my daily breakfast right there.
One thing to consider is that you may be:
eating too little before a hike
drinking too little in general
eating too many calories on your hike
Boy, to me, that seems like ALOT of sugar and that may be your problem right there. I'd feel like crap if I was sucking a steady stream of glucose.
Have you considered keeping a food and exercise journal for a week or two; and try to notice what food/drink patterns increase or decrease your energy levels??
An energy drink might give you a kick in the butt when you are out there hiking (and that's not necessarily a healthy way to treat your body, imho) but I bet that you can find some ways to change your diet when you aren't hiking that will lead to better performance and feeling better, too. Point being, a quick fix might leave you feeling even worse when you come down.
GREAT breakfast. That's very similar to what I eat before a hike and I have all day staying power with just a 3 to 4 100-200 calorie quick snacks over an 8-10 hour day of pretty continual movement. (for the bigger guys this might mean 3-6 200 calorie snacks, I hike all day with Eric and will observe him eating maybe 500-600 calories)
Take away the OJ, PB and you pretty much have my daily breakfast right there.
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hikerbrian
Active member
Your muscles contain enough glycogen for about 90 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, after which time you need to either supply your body with additional sources of carbohydrates, or burn other fuel sources, such as fats and proteins, which are converted to energy less efficiently than carbohydrates. Choosing not to eat before and during exercise is the surest way to an energy deficit and bonk. In the winter, that strategy is downright dangerous. Your body can only produce heat through exercise and through metabolism; without food, you can't do either.
A loss of energy at the 2 hr mark is consistent with depletion of glycogen stores. To avoid this bonk, start eating as soon as you get on the trail. Eat a mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats and eat it constantly. If you wait for the bonk before eating, you've already depleted your glycogen stores and you're going to find it difficult to regain your energy.
One other strategy is to get better at utilizing non-carbohydrate sources of fuel. This ability generally comes with improved endurance - there's no easy way to train your body to burn fat, in spite of what the ads would have you believe.
I carry, in easily accessible pockets, string cheese, pepperoni, cookies, trail mix containing nuts, chocolate and dried fruit and marble poundcake. I eat at least a handful of something every hour, usually more often than that.
Una-dogger, I largely agree with your post - maybe I'm misreading IndianChris's post. Sounds like IC is suggesting abstaining from food, which is a strategy that I strongly disagree with. As far as your listed caloric requirements, everyone is different, so I'm sure that works great for you. I definitely need more calories than what you're describing, otherwise I'm really at a deficit by the end of the day, which IMHO is dangerous. You might not starve, but hypothermia will arise MUCH more rapidly if you're undernourished.
I suspect the OP is suffering from not enough food. It's very common to not feel hungry during exercise, but this is one of the rare occassions where your body's cues might lead you in the wrong direction. Most if not all endurance atheletes describe, as part of their training regimen, training their bodies to assimilate food during exercise. If you know any ultramarathoners, ask them about the role that nutrition during their races plays.
IndianChris
New member
Didn't mean abstain. Abstain means "don't eat." Don't eat and you'll bonk.
I meant just don't pig out.
una_dogger
Well-known member
Ok - just re- read IC's post -- agree with less is more during exercise -- IMO that means eating frequent small nutrient dense foods as opposed to breaking mid hike for a 600-700 calorie lunch. I think we are on the same page here.
I did misread the comment about not eating for 3 hours beforehand -- on an all day moderate intensity endurance event like hiking I think that strategy would spell death for me!
If I'm reading Mad River correctly, he isn't a fan of breakfast and relies somewhat heavily on simple carbs during his hikes. Maybe toss a couple hard boiled eggs in your pocket for the ride to the trailhead and lay off the Gatorade until the middle of your hike (just drink water until then) and see how you feel?
Regarding not eating enough - ha ha- have yet to meet a hiker who falls into this category -- maybe some of you young whippersnappers with high metabolisms, maybe ......
I did misread the comment about not eating for 3 hours beforehand -- on an all day moderate intensity endurance event like hiking I think that strategy would spell death for me!
If I'm reading Mad River correctly, he isn't a fan of breakfast and relies somewhat heavily on simple carbs during his hikes. Maybe toss a couple hard boiled eggs in your pocket for the ride to the trailhead and lay off the Gatorade until the middle of your hike (just drink water until then) and see how you feel?
Regarding not eating enough - ha ha- have yet to meet a hiker who falls into this category -- maybe some of you young whippersnappers with high metabolisms, maybe ..
....
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