rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 26, 2017 9:02:25 GMT -8
I can't get there in less than four days. The real hunger doesn't kick in for me until most of my goals are ticked off and my mind is no longer consumed with calculating time/distance/water for the remaining decision tree. Maybe it's because I'm usually hungry at home, too? Also--we keep most of our trips pretty mellow, so there's not much mental stress over route/water/time to distract me. And when there is, well, I get hungry :D
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Post by peakbagger on Sept 26, 2017 9:45:27 GMT -8
So I'll follow up some. I posted this question because this is an "issue" (to this point it has not caused me real problems) that I've had on multiple trips. In general I struggle to eat much when hiking/camping, though I seldom I spend more than one night on the trail the appetite problems have still been true whether it has been a long dayhike, a single night, or a full week. I shared one example on Kings Peak where I felt I burned enough calories that I should have formed a strong appetite, but it never happened. On this occasion altitude may have been an issue, and I certainly let myself get dehydrated in the second half of the hike (I know I should do better). However, most of my trail time is on the east coast where altitude is not of concern and I watch my hydration closely (Kings Peak is the only time I really have let my hydration go). Despite this I almost never have an appetite while on the trail. As rebeccad mentioned the only thing I can seem to get down is sugary foods.
Breakfast is something I commonly skip, but usually do try to get down before hitting the trails. I was excited to get going on Kings, so I'd say this was a factor for skipping breakfast.
Usually I do what BigLoad said and just don't worry about it.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Sept 26, 2017 9:53:05 GMT -8
Despite this I almost never have an appetite while on the trail. Exertion by itself suppresses appetite in many people.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Sept 26, 2017 17:17:39 GMT -8
I hope this isn't going in too ugly a direction but I was wondering about the effect of pooping has on this issue. It takes a couple of days for me to get comfortable with trail pooping. I would imagine most people wait to get home if they have to poop during a day hike. I wasn't going to post the above but I did do a little Google'ing about what makes you hungry and I liked this article: theconversation.com/chemical-messengers-how-hormones-make-us-feel-hungry-and-full-35545and in there it does seem to indicate that food in the gut can inhibit hunger. If your bowels aren't moving maybe you get trapped in a low appetite state.
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whistlepunk
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Post by whistlepunk on Sept 27, 2017 12:13:36 GMT -8
That is common side effect. Many people do not have a bowel movement for a couple days, then drop a super-sized one. Normal pattern after that. Most of the prepacked freeze dried meals are low in fiber. Could have something to do with it.
I am the opposite. Even if I relieve myself at the trailhead before I start, I have to go again within a couple miles.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Sept 28, 2017 4:43:31 GMT -8
Exertion by itself suppresses appetite in many people. That happens with me. Altitude exacerbates it. So I keep my food choices simple. A light breakfast, followed by nothing but snacks during the day. The first couple days at altitude I live on a well-balanced mix of Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, and Starburst. Once I've set up camp and unwound, I'll try to eat a hearty dinner. Most times I can stomach dinner, rarely I can't.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Sept 28, 2017 18:35:26 GMT -8
but I know that altitude can sap appetite. That's been my experience as well. Rapid altitude gain and over-exertion.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Oct 8, 2017 8:02:29 GMT -8
Okay, after my experience yesterday, riding a century in serious heat, I'm thinking about heat and the effect on appetite, because by the end I was having trouble eating, even though I knew I needed to. Salty foods were key, and under those conditions, I agree about avoiding fats--I couldn't even look at them. At the after-ride dinner I was okay with eating all foods (I'd had an hour to recover and it wasn't hot anymore), but couldn't eat everything I'd been served, though I expected to. There was a huge pile of meat, and that was just too much. Carbs and veggies went down much better.
Just my experience, FWIW. I was dealing with a combo of very strenuous activity and temperatures that were well above what I'm used to (so that huge exposed climb might have "only" been at temps between 80 and 90, but I'm nicely adapted to the 60s).
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davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on Oct 27, 2017 12:34:56 GMT -8
Interesting subject. Note about a decade ago there was a very active thread here on this board on this very subject. The majority of members related they had less an appetite out on trips with some just like the OP relating they eat little. And then there were a few of us like Tigger and Rebecca and this person that were much the opposite. Both I and Rebecca are naturally thin.
I've always tended to be hungry after any physically active day which throughout my adult life has been frequent, while noting there have been a few extra strenuous days when indeed my whole body is so warped out all I may initially eat is chicken soup. On days I am just sitting around not doing much that has often been work days looking at computers or sitting at a work bench, I tend to eat modestly. On work or home days, I rarely eat breakfast and then just a light lunch, maybe a PBJ and some fruit. For my main meals, generally eat meat infrequently, and eat smaller quantities even relative to my small size at 66" 137#. At an work lunches, I was almost always the last person to finish whatever menu item regardless of how little haha. In the backcountry, our main meals have tended to be at midday, thus not late afternoon because we tend to base camp and are out busy photographing late afternoon through sunset and dusk. When away from camp beyond noon, always have a Ziplock bag with granola and maybe another with candy.
Now a bit past midday finished my main meal of the day the first of any food eaten today, a half cup of dried white rice with sweet corn mixed in washed down with 1% milk. About 6pm will snack a couple hours, maybe a yogurt, PBJ, more milk, some fruit, nuts. Oh since that bag of Halloween candy is just sitting there on the counter, an occasional few candy corns. Pretty much usual.
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Post by johntpenca on Oct 27, 2017 17:24:04 GMT -8
As bigload states, the important thing is to stay hydrated and keep the electrolytes up. Most of us can spare a few pounds. I once tried to do Whitney with nothing but beef jerky, I've since found candy is a good thing when I have no appetite. Rather than trying to choke down a full meal, just graze all day. Bars, candy, meat sticks, gorp, peanut M&Ms, twizzlers, starburts are easy to eat in small portions and still keep the body filled and energy up. Not exactly the finest diet, but you are burning it all off and it is temporary.
edit: also agree with davidsensac; soups are wonderful. Hydration and nourishment and salts are a good thing.
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Post by johntpenca on Oct 27, 2017 17:41:14 GMT -8
Okay, after my experience yesterday, riding a century in serious heat, Hah! I once did a century in Wichita Falls TX in August called the "Hotter than Hell 100". I was barely able to keep my feet in the peddles at the end. That's when I learned long distance cycling was not my bag.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Oct 27, 2017 20:37:51 GMT -8
I once did a century in Wichita Falls TX in August I have a feeling that was a lot hotter than our century Both I and Rebecca are naturally thin. Dave flatters me. I'm not skinny, even if by modern US standards I'm pretty trim. But it is totally true that I have always had a significant appetite, and for most of my life had no trouble burning it all off. I am still pretty dependent on being fed early and often. I'll endorse the snacking option, especially for the hours between breakfast and dinner (i.e., think in terms of lots of snacks rather than one lunch).
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Post by johntpenca on Oct 28, 2017 19:03:24 GMT -8
I have a feeling that was a lot hotter than our century Probably, my guess is yours had more hills.
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daveg
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Post by daveg on Oct 28, 2017 22:13:36 GMT -8
I lose my appetite for solid food at the start of a hike and it usually takes about 10 days for my hiker appetite to kick in. Since I'm often hiking for two to four weeks, it's something that concerns me. Getting depleted at the start has noticeable consequences later.
I do get thirsty, so now I take plenty of calories I can drink. I take packets of Breakfast Essentials and plenty of Nido (whole milk powder) to mix with it -- one packet of BE/Nido mix for breakfast and another for dinner. I also take Gatorade powder and mix it with my drinking water. More sugar than I would like, but I'm at least getting calories into me.
The first day on the trail (at the very beginning of a hike or after resupplying) I'll take some "non-trail" food with me -- breakfast pastries, a submarine sandwich, fresh fruit, etc. I also take several fruit cups -- they always seem to go down well. These items are comparatively heavy but I'm eating them and they are gone quickly.
I take olive oil and/or butter to mix with whatever I'm having for dinner. Even if I don't eat much, the olive oil/butter adds calories. Often makes the food taste better, too, so I eat more.
I take a wide variety of high calorie foods that I usually like. Cashews, chocolate, cooked bacon, fruit snacks, etc. What I find when I am on the trail is that what looks appetizing changes from day to day. The bigger the variety of food, the more likely something will look good.
During the day I take a break every hour to hour-and-a-half and eat something. Hopefully, something in my food bag will look appetizing. If not, I force myself to eat at least a bit of something.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Oct 29, 2017 7:17:25 GMT -8
I also take several fruit cups -- they always seem to go down well. You should think about applesauce. I make my own, but you could buy whatever kind you like, and it is easy to dry. You then have applesauce leather. Put a hunk of it in a zip-lock, add water in the morning, and by lunch you have applesauce, virtually indistinguishable from how it started. There's your fruit, in a semi-liquid form, without the extra weight, and able to keep for the entire trip.
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