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Nutrition on The Appalachian Trail and for Life
Doing Right by Your Body
If you knew there was one thing, if done correctly, that would be a major factor in your success or failure on a thru-hike, would you do it? Your food needs to be more than just calories, it must contain good and proper nutrition to fuel your body to withstand what you are going to ask it to do. Nutrition is science, follow the science.
Disclaimer:
I am educated and trained as a Chef, have degrees and diplomas in Culinary Arts and Professional Baking and Pastry, and am finishing a diploma in Holistic Nutrition at The Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. As part of my externship, I will be hiking 6 weeks of my total time primarily vegan to document physical and mental changes, body measurements, adjustments to diet, and a host of other metrics. This will be done under the supervision of a Nutritionist.
I have spent the last 3 ½ years studying this stuff. The way I purchase and consume is nutritionally sound, and having free will we all make our own choices. As for products mentioned, I have not received any type of compensation for my personal recommendations and choices. I wouldn’t refuse free stuff. Just saying…
Are You Getting the Proper Nutrition?
Have you wondered how many illnesses or other issues that cause a thru hiker to quit are caused by poor diet? Food for thought, no pun intended. From my schooling in Holistic Nutrition and Wellness I have found a great tool for me to analyze and adjust my diet is a website, My Fitness Pal https://www.myfitnesspal.com. You can sign up for a free account and the tools are there to help you with your overall health goals. There is a section to input the foods you consume, and their database provides choices, amounts, types, and brands for your input. A report can be generated showing calories, percentages, and deficiencies. Coupled with intermittent fasting, and strength building workouts, I have used this tool to lose 20lbs of fat and gain 25bs of muscle in preparation for my thru hike. A USDA website, My Plate https://www.myplate.gov, provides guidelines for healthy eating choices.
I would suggest that you prepare a shopping list for your resupply runs. That’s right! You should have a list in hand before your resupply run so your needs are met before your wants. Feed your body correctly and it will carry you down the trail more effectively!
My Food Bag
I pack my food bag based on daily calorie intake and total nutrition, not by meals and snacks. A 72-hour bag will contain ~12,000 calories containing a balance of protein, carbohydrates, sugars, fats, micro and macro nutrients, and any supplementation required. Knowing that while hiking I may not feel like breaking out the Jetboil for something hot, my purchases are mostly prepared foods, and stove use meals as secondary. Though I am an omnivore my diet is very plant-forward and heavy in grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. The goal is approximately 130 calories per ounce. Rarely do I sit down to a multi-course meal in my everyday life, so eating small portions frequently is part of my norm.
My Product List
I carry Honey Stinger products, Greenbelly Meals, Range Meal Bars, Sans Meal Bars, ProBar Meals, BoBo’s snacks, Nature’s Bakery Bars, squeeze packages of peanut butter, LMNT and Liquid IV electrolyte packets, and a variety of granolas, bars, and fruit and nut mixes. These products provide me over 4,000 calories before I prepare a meal. I’m planning on one purchased backpacker meal for every three days. Again, personal choice. Quality food is expensive compared to “junk” food. To lessen the financial strain, I began my purchases 3 months ahead being mindful of shelf-life. Also, I find online discounts of up to 30% on the more expensive items by searching for discount offers. I wasn’t born with a Titanium Spoon in my mouth, budget, budget, budget. Items from my own recipes for pre-prepared hot meal recipes can be purchased at most grocery stores along the way.
The Sludge and Other Goodness
Normally I start the day with “The Sludge 1600” if I eat a hot breakfast. My creation of quick oats, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dehydrated banana chips, Ka’Chava Protein Powder, and peanut butter powder. The Sludge is 1600 calories and I divide it into two servings one for early morning, and place one in a small plastic container for Elevensies so that I don’t blast my kidneys with 62 grams of protein at once. Another creation consists of Jasmine rice or buckwheat Soba noodles, plant-based meat Korean BBQ, and a shelf-stable Kimchi. This type of meal is light enough to let you sleep and has probiotics to help you digest. A variety of ramen-bomb and stuffing and potato meals, tamale pies, champurrado and others in my repertoire, will be pre-packaged at home to send or assembled after a resupply run. I’ll make sure that I intake green juice, yogurt and other probiotic foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and anything else my body requires while I am in town. This is the way I eat daily at home except using smaller portions of each to regulate calories.
Final Thoughts
Eat healthy and be healthy! The occasional guilty pleasure is a positive. There exists no “Sharing Size” bag of Peanut M&Ms… Mine, All Mine!
See you on the far side! 
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Comments 17
Hi from Oklahoma….
Because of health, I’m not able to hike anymore, although I walk all over the place. I’ll be watching for your posts n pictures n will be curious to see how much you’ll be able to stay with your diet plan along the trail.
Enjoy your hike n stay safe🙂
Hi Sandi! One of Grandmothers was from Anadarko, I’m glad you are still walking, Years ago I had a wrestling coach that told us “If you can’t think of anything to do, do something!” W’ell see how my planning works out as no plan survives first contact with the enemy. I’ll just face each day and try to to a few things meaningfully and deliberately.
Kindest,
Charles
Hello Charles, I am very happy to read your intros. I finally figured things out nutritionally by immersing into the website Backcountry Foodie, which was created by a licensed nutritionist. Even my classically trained chef husband raves about them. She has a unique way of really packing calories into very lightweight meals that require little water. It has been a game changer for us on the trail–but it looks like you definitely have things nailed down in that category. Congrats on your weight loss! I am excited to follow someone on the AT this season that will be looking at things from a nutritional standpoint. Wishing you clear summits and a time of peace and reflection in God’s cathedral.
Buster,
I looked at the site and find it interesting and informative. I’ll probably order a box or two on the trail for convenience sake. I have eaten my share of military issue MREs over the years so I look forward to a better variety of foods out and about. Thank you for letting be know. My time outside won’t be wasted. The Print behind me in the picture is titled “Charles M. Russell and His Friends 1922” by Charles Russell. You see the Sun River, Sun River Valley, Square Butte which is the core of an extinct volcano, and the Rocky Mountain Front. The right side portion of the Rockies is The Bob Marshall Wilderness. It is the exact view from my property and I feel wonder and awe of the beauty every day. Thanks again!
Kindest,
Charles
Interesting take on hiking nutrition. . .many hikers leave nutrition at the bottom of their hiking plans (along with proper care for feet. . .). I’ll be curious to see how things go for you. Perhaps you will find ways to make your ideas a bit easier & less seemingly complicated on the trail.
I dehydrated as many foods as possible & sent resupply boxes to myself along the trail. I enjoyed all the work of prepping at home. My hiking partner is a retired nurse & she also prepped this same way for our hikes.
Stay warm, January will be cold!
.com
.com,
It should be interesting as I work out the kinks and folds of my logistics plan. Always the unknowns. I tip my hat to you on your dehydration efforts as it definitely broadens the selections available. I will write about how the plan is working.
Correct on foot care. Having been a straight leg artillery forward observer in my younger days you learn to take care of your feet. Fresh socks, and alternate lacing on your leather personnel carriers (boots). There is also the unseemly cure for athletes foot using personally provided urea. My trip to the podiatrist has been accomplished to get inserts for my pronation issues. Thanks for the words, I will bundle up as needed.
Kindest,
Charles
Hi Charles, I enjoyed our interview and hope to chat again. Beacuse of your attention, discipline and history of food intake it sound slike you should do well with that aspect on the trail! The variety and nutrition in your trail diet should make up for that boredom of trail food many hikers get to where when they come into town they gorge on hamburgers, fries and shakes like i did! Happy Trails!
Landslide,
It was great talking with you and look forward to chatting in the future. Everything involved in the planning has brought some brightness to me that I have missed over the past many years. Stay strong and healthy!
Kindest,
Charles
An interesting take on nutrition. Good luck. While section hiking I spent days constructing bacon cheeseburgers I wanted in town. Are they part of your plan? I know I was craving meat.
My family found that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were a great lunch. Any thoughts?
Tentman,
I’m sure there are cravings that will formulate in my mind. There are a few nutrients you can only get from animal protein and I do like a good bacon cheeseburger on occasion. Vitamin K2, iron, and zinc are benefits and since red meat is primarily protein with some fat it is healthy as part of a balanced diet. As for the bread with it, whole grain and pile as much lettuce and tomato as you can.
As for peanut butter, 950 calories in a 6 ounce squeeze tube is a good weight to calorie ratio, and a a plant-based protein it is a go to for me after strength training workouts. Again, whole grain bread and look for no added sugar fruit preserves to maximize the value of a sandwich.
We’ll see how things go along and any changes to be made, but nut and seed butters will be a constant.
Kindest,
Charles
What about Ice Cream?
The Creamery in Vernon is quite the place. If you make it there I will buy you an Ice Cream if we can arrange it.
Good Luck.
Cheers!
The Creamery is in Warwick, NY. Not Vernon, NJ. I was washing dishes hours later when I realized my mistake. Sorry.
I’d like to make that work my friend!
Craving meat while long-distance hiking or cycling or paddling. . .I’ve been there! However I make my own beef jerky & it’s delicious. I found a recipe online few years ago, tweaked it to meet my tastes and now I make batches often to have on hand.
I’m not vegan or vegetarian & respect those who are. Just sayin’.
We had a specific resupply list when we went to the grocery store or other resupply store. We really looked at nutrition for the hike. We pulled from three different sources. Chef. Corso from outdoor eats. Aaron from Backcountry Foodie and Adventure Ready – Katie Gerber and Heather Anderson. Note: we found food deserts in our hike and really made us think where to get nutritional food sources. Good luck on your adventure.
Beth,
Thanks for that! I can use all the information and sources so that there good alternatives. The days are pacing quicker and bins and boxes are ready to start sending. Every day a blessing and every step a new chance. I’ll be looking at your sources to incorporate them into my overall plan.
Kindest regards,
Charles