I remember doing a hike with my dad on a route that briefly overlapped the Appalachian Trail. We got to talking with a group of hikers who were doing the whole trail (~2200 miles) and they said they burned so many calories each day that it only made financial sense to eat at all-you-can-eat restaurants, and they claimed that at least one such restaurant offered to give them their money back to leave, after the owner thought they were eating eat too much food.
At one time I researched hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. It was recommended to plan for a 4000-5000 calorie / day diet. But most thru-hikers found it was physically impossible to carry enough food and they lost 30-40 pounds on average over the course of the hike.
Appalachian trail is a little bit easier in terms of access to civilization.
I said beyond a certain point. Your body is very good at preserving calories. Unless you’re starving yourself while training you shouldn’t need like a megadose of calories.
I’m not either but biking 30 miles to get groceries in the mountains made me feel so hungry like I was desperate for water in the desert. I would eat beforehand, eat 3-4 chicken sandwiches when I got into town, and then eat a ton afterwards. If I didn’t eat snacks on the road, I would have to walk up the hills and of course there was plenty of lay down in the street cramps from hell. You’d be surprised how many calories rigorous exercise burns. I’m not talking about light hills, it’s the if the bikes brakes fail, the helmet ain’t doing much and I probably would die. But hey I got great pictures.
I remember doing a hike with my dad on a route that briefly overlapped the Appalachian Trail. We got to talking with a group of hikers who were doing the whole trail (~2200 miles) and they said they burned so many calories each day that it only made financial sense to eat at all-you-can-eat restaurants, and they claimed that at least one such restaurant offered to give them their money back to leave, after the owner thought they were eating eat too much food.
I mean I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think that’s how calories work beyond a certain point.
You could have just stopped there before embarrassing yourself.
Thanks for your input
It was to be fair some very good input.
At one time I researched hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. It was recommended to plan for a 4000-5000 calorie / day diet. But most thru-hikers found it was physically impossible to carry enough food and they lost 30-40 pounds on average over the course of the hike.
Appalachian trail is a little bit easier in terms of access to civilization.
Alright that is a lot more than I would have thought. I guess I’m just used to strength training and running around.
You don’t think that people who burn more calories through physical exertion will need to consume more calories through food?
I said beyond a certain point. Your body is very good at preserving calories. Unless you’re starving yourself while training you shouldn’t need like a megadose of calories.
Do you even know that calories are?
Yes and I promise they’re not as simple as the mental model you have in mind
Looking through this thread with actual trainers and doctors dramatically suggests otherwise.
You don’t want to get them in a single meal though. Because a lot of them will end up being wasted instead of completely absorbed.
I’m not either but biking 30 miles to get groceries in the mountains made me feel so hungry like I was desperate for water in the desert. I would eat beforehand, eat 3-4 chicken sandwiches when I got into town, and then eat a ton afterwards. If I didn’t eat snacks on the road, I would have to walk up the hills and of course there was plenty of lay down in the street cramps from hell. You’d be surprised how many calories rigorous exercise burns. I’m not talking about light hills, it’s the if the bikes brakes fail, the helmet ain’t doing much and I probably would die. But hey I got great pictures.