Food for thought

[carole]

Sometimes I read posts and wonder how much good nutrition figures into people’s daily life and how that affects their hiking. A lot of attention is focused on good gear, right technique, building endurance, fluid intake, proper planning, strength training, and food for the trail, among other things that help us get the most out of our hike. But what about how we nourish our body on a day to day basis so that we function well when we get out on the trail?

It could be like our vehicle that we depend on to get us to the trailhead. We could keep it shiny and clean, in good working order, check all the fluids…but if we consistently put in bad gas (or not use the recommended gas for our vehicle) we may find it running poorly or gunk up the engine enough it just doesn’t run right. They are working on vehicles to run on alcohol but I don’t think it works for humans . And who is going to dump sugar in their gas tank?

I know there is lots of information on good nutrition and sometimes the experts don’t agree but think about how much sugar you put in your engine (body), how much alcohol, how much refined and processed foods, how much bad fat (not all fat is bad), how much junk really…and then hope it will fuel your body to the summit and then help it recover the next day. It usually catches up on us if we ignore it long enough.

So what about you? Could you do better? Or do you have a good system going that is working for you? I think we can all benefit from some healthy ideas.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I'm not sure how to answer. Technically, I think I eat pretty good. I tend to like good foods, and, except for the occasional Jos Louis, I don't like junk food. I like to make my own things, and I know what goes into it.

But I don't pay attention to its health side. So, in a sense, I'd answer "food is food"... I don't pay attention to what I eat, but for the most part, it happens to be fairly healthy stuff.

It's a similar thing with my cycling. I cycle-commute every day. I do it because I like it. Oh.. It's good for me. I guess that's good.

 

[prino]

I'm kind of like Pete too. I eat lots of "good " food and a fair amount of "not so good" food. A balance of Proteins, Carbs and Fats too, is important.
I love Salmon, Trout, Steak, French Fries,(occasionally) Cheese, Sausages, Pasta, Potatoes, Rice, (Brown and White rice) Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Asparugus, Apples, Oranges, Grapes, Green and Red Peppers, Artichokes,
INDIAN FOOD with lots of good spices....

This is taking too long so Check this link ... It's all good! The World's Healthiest Foods

High energy output hiking, especially in winter, deserves some high energy input.

Guinness is a good food too. Happy St Paddies day on Monday!!

 

[NewHampshire]

My mother and sister have gotten the whole family onto a non hydrogenated oils, no trans fat diet. I won't say I eat the greatest and healthiest, but lately I have started moderating more. Between eating better, exercising more (15 minute walk at work during lunch followed by 1/2 an hour on the treadmill at home including the occasional short jog during said 1/2 hour) I am hoping to cut a good chunk of excess poundage off. I have a tough (for me that is) summer hiking schedule I want to attempt, plus next year I am hoping to finish my winter 48 (at 32 peaks left) and I hope to build the stamina up while dropping the weight since I am by far a speed hiker or one tough SOB like Mats Roing ( ) so will probably be hauling a full backpacking pack for days at a time, week after week until winters finish.

Brian

 

[Gris]

Hmmm...........

I'm eating a bowl of my wife's Guinness Irish stew and sipping an extra stout at the same time - nuff said...

 

[trailbiscuit]

Does it have bacon in it? If not, I'm not interested.

As long as I'm burning the calories that are going in, I consider it an even trade. If it's "healthy", then it's a bonus.

Then again I drank beer and ate donuts at the same time the other day...

 

[rocket21]

I like McDs and KFC - and when I'm not exercising enough, it shows.

 

[Lou Hale]

Then again I drank beer and ate donuts at the same time the other day...

I have not had a beer and donuts breakfast since college, that brings back some memories.

We tend to eat healthy for the most part, lots of low fat natural foods. we usually try to justify eating crappy food by planning a hike or some other exercise. It doesn't always work out that way but at least we try

Did any one else see the NECN story on Boston banning tans fats and what mikes pasteries is going to do about making canolies ? I am ok with some things being bad for me as long as they taste good

Lou

 

[onestep]

I'm on a seefood diet... I see food, I eat.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I try to adopt the "everything in moderation" rule. I eat stuff that's not so good for me, but not very often. I won't rule out eating it though because I enjoy it. If I live to 80 and enjoy what I eat, that's better, in my mind, then living to 85 and not enjoying food. I love to cook and I love to eat.

Trans fats taste good! Once a month or so I will have a donut or two (sadly, Dunkin' Donuts donuts have gone downhill since they stopped making them in-house - "Time to make the donuts".) I will make fettuccine alfredo on occasion. I like a marbled steak. To borrow a line from Emeril Lagasse - "Pork fat rules". I love ice cream.

I'm a little bit tired of the government telling me what's good for me or not. It's becoming more and more invasive every day.

Note--At one time, I weighed 270 pounds and smoked 1.5 packs per day. That was 14 years ago. I'm now a shade under 200.

Tim

 

[dentonfabrics]

Note--At one time, I weighed 270 pounds and smoked 1.5 packs per day. That was 14 years ago. I'm now a shade under 200.

Tim

Awesome job Tim! Two thoughts for the uninitiated -

- Losing the weight is hard enough but keeping it off for 14 years is very unusual. I weighed 250 in 1995, dropped 70 lbs, then gained over half of that back when I quit running.

- I quit a 30 year two-pack-a-day habit in 1997 and I know first hand how tough that can be. I'll bet most people who have quit a serious nicotine addiction will say that quitting was the hardest thing they've ever done.


For me, my diet is okay. Quality of foods consumed is high but so is the quantity. Not working out enough kills me, along with beer and Fox Smokehouse Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Dont ever try that stuff - it's addicting like crack.


bob

 

[Kevin Rooney]

...I quit a 30 year two-pack-a-day habit in 1997 and I know first hand how tough that can be. I'll bet most people who have quit a serious nicotine addiction will say that quitting was the hardest thing they've ever done. bob

I can vouch for this. For me, I quit in 1993 after 25 years and 2-3 packs a day. It took 20 months before waking up one morning and realizing I'd finally gone an entire day without craving a cigarette.

 

[hikrgrl]

I'm relatively health conscious - I make a lot of what I eat from scratch (including my bread)...not only for the health reasons but from the financial aspect and environmental impact, too.

Just like Superman's weakness was Kryptonite, mine is ice cream. I almost never have it in my house...because I've already eaten it.....

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Heh heh... guess where those 70 pounds came from? I always thought a pint of Ben and Jerry's was a single serving. That was a mistake... 1600 calories per.

Tim

 

[trailbiscuit]

I have not had a beer and donuts breakfast since college, that brings back some memories.

Breakfast? This was at 4:30 in the afternoon. Disclaimer: I had done an hour and a half trail run that day.

I always thought a pint of Ben and Jerry's was a single serving.

After a couple days on the trail a B&J's pint is definitely a single serving.

 

[adkpooh]

Low Carb.... hiking nightmare

I have trouble eating the way that is really best for me when hiking. I have made adjustments over the last couple of years to a low carb lifestyle. Smaller portions of protein and a whole lot of vegetables and a few fruits that are relatively low on the glycemic index. No sugars, no flours and no overprocessed foods.
My boyfriend does not follow the same "diet" (nor does he look like he needs to). When he is hiking, he is all about oatmeal, bagels, busted up pop tarts, snickers bars, pasta and gorp (the good old days for me). Between what Dave wants and what I really should have, planning meals for hiking trips and the food I carry -can be a nightmare. Previously, I have even purposely worked my way back into -slowly- eating carbs a few days before a hike- just to save weight, time and attention. It never works out in my favor.... feeling sluggish from the carbs the first couple days out - if not the entire trip.
Any lengthy trip presents a problem- unless your into nitrate filled or canned meats (don't ask what my pack can weigh), cheeses and low carb wraps. (BTW, any suggestions greatly appreciated.) I know that the low carb lifestyle and if it is even healthy is still debated- it is the only lifestyle that I can think of that is seriously hampered by a lack of refrigeration. I am running out of ideas too.

 

[Paradox]

I start off every morning with the following smoothie: 16 grams almonds, 16 grams whey protein, 32 grams dry oatmeal, 9 grams blueberries or blackberries, 300 grams 1% milk, ice. And a V8 juice.

But alas, its downhill from there: lunch is a hodgepodge of fast food. I love chocolate. I have a few scotches after work.

 

[dentonfabrics]

I'm eating a bowl of my wife's Guinness Irish stew and sipping an extra stout at the same time - nuff said...

If you're going to drink beer (and why wouldnt you? ) Guinness is a good choice. There's less calories in a Guinness Draught than there is in a 12 oz can of Budweiser.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I usually try to eat healthy and maintain a somewhat sensible diet. But one reason why I workout the way I do is so I can eat pretty much whatever I want and keep my weight and cholesterol down; so far so good. Needless to say hiking helps with this as well.

 

[Gris]

If you're going to drink beer (and why wouldnt you? ) Guinness is a good choice. There's less calories in a Guinness Draught than there is in a 12 oz can of Budweiser.

Maybe true for draft, but I seriously doubt my extra stout is low cal...