Hiking Nutrition, Revisted

I had a glorious hike up to Pollalie Ridge near Salmon La Sac today with hiking friends. It was a hot day and we got a bit of a later start than I would like, but the views were incredible and we didn't see any other people on the Tired Creek trail--amazing! Hope you've been able to get out and enjoy this weather on a trail this weekend. 

I promised in an earlier blog to follow up on the hiking nutrition discussion that an earlier posting sparked. The discussion centered around several points, but one of the main discussion points was the main nutrition components (carbohydrate, fat, protein) and the suggested levels that they should appear in your diet when hiking.  

My initial assertion was one that I had learned several years ago when I was just learning about hiking and that was a 60/20/20 mix or 60% carbohydrate, 20% fat, 20% protein consumed during hiking. As much has been written recently on the proper levels of nutritional components to consume, I thought it would be a good idea to find more recent literature on the subject.  

I chose to see what Mountaineer member and personal trainer, Courtenay Schurman, had to say on the subject in her recent book, The Outdoor Athlete. Turns out the 60/20/20 ratio consumed while engaging in a sustained physical activity (such as hiking) is still fairly valid. However, Schurman does suggest that athletes should experiment with the level of nutrient components to see what they actually feel better with. Some folks may feel very energetic with the 60/20/20 levels, but others may find that their body responds better to raising fat and protein levels 5-10% and decreasing carbohydrate levels correspondingly.  

Some people's bodies convert nutrients to energy very quickly and thus would do better with a higher level of protein and fat in their hiking diet; others are slower and would benefit from the higher level of carbohydrates as they are converted in glucose more quickly than protein and fats. The only way you can tell is to see how you feel after consuming higher protein/fat meals and then see whether you feel energized after doing so. If so, then it would be a good idea to consume a higher percentage of protein/fat (25%/25% or so) in your hiking diet as well and see how your body responds. Others may find that consuming a higher protein/fat level makes them feel sluggish after eating and thus they would be better off consuming a higher level of carbohydrate (towards the 60% level). 

Regardless of the  percentage level of carbohydrate you choose to eat, try to choose those that are complex in nature such as those found in starchy or fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and so on. They require more digestion time and will leave you feeling satisfied longer. Simple carbohydrates (such as my cherished Cheetos), provide very short-term energy and empty calories without useful nutrients (they sure taste good though!).  I would suggest carrying a few simple sugar items to quickly eat in case you start experiencing low blood sugar. Items such as Smarties and workout gels/chews that contain quite a bit of sugar are very quickly converted to glycogen by your body and thus can avert that "bonking" feeling you get when you don't pay attention to eating enough while you hike. 

So my takeaway for you here is to not to take my word (or anyone else's) as gospel on what you should eat, rather you should experiment with different levels of nutrients and see what your body responds to. That was a point that a few commenters to my original blog stressed and that was obviously a very useful suggestion in light of recent research.  

So once again, I would ask that folks who are experimenting with their hiking diet let us know how it goes for them. I myself have been incorporating more protein into my hiking fare including an incredibly tasty nut/fruit mixture that I enjoy as a snack while I hike. I still sneak in some tasty junk at lunchtime (Cheetos or Cheese-its are my favorites), but I just have a few bites of them and pay more attention to my sandwich components (protein and fat included). Egg salad is my current favorite with a healthy does of crunch vegetables to go along with it. Had one on the hike today and it really hit the spot!