[pct-l] Weight question

Sat Mar 5 13:31:00 CST 2011

That's *exactly* how I feel. I was purely pumped for the AT, mostly ignoring
the trials to come, saying I'll just deal with them and not thinking much
about them. The PCT has me a bit more wary because I know what's coming.

I agree, though, that I know also that I can handle it, so it sorta balances
out.

On Sat, Mar 5, 2011 at 12:52 PM, Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>wrote:

>  Echo was saying last night she is MORE nervous... And thinks it's more
> daunting ... Because she knows what she's in for...
> ... I feel more ready for it, so I guess we all cope in different ways
>
> Sent from my iPod
>
> On 2011-03-05, at 1:38 PM, Brandon McGinnity <bmcginnity at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   True. Obviously body fat isn't a substitute. But you gotta have
> reserves, right, since they say it's impossible to carry as many calories as
> we need. I guess I'm just worried about myself.
>
> One thing about the AT that was better, is all the pains I would face were
> abstract, because I hadn't felt them yet. Now, having one thru hike behind
> me, those trials are more real, and I'll admit it took a year of waffling to
> decide if I wanted to face them again. The hunger, the blisters, pulled
> tendons, sore feet and knees, tired muscles...
>
> Thankfully I've decided that pain is generally a passing thing, and well
> worth it for the benefits, mental, physical, and spiritual, of immersion in
> mountain wildlands. Not to mention the awesome people one meets on there!
>
> Sorry to ramble...
>
> On Sat, Mar 5, 2011 at 12:35 PM, Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>>  I had not intended to imply that you don't want any bodyfat... Just that
>> gaining extra fat is not as efficient as carrying more food... Pound for
>> pound.
>>
>> Yu don't want to hit the trail already starving...
>> You'd want your normal healthy layer of fat, if anything to keep warm that
>> first ten days ; )
>>
>> I think there is a happy medium.  I work outside and in winter I always
>> get a little rig around the middle ... Come spring it's gone.
>>
>> Also the feast and famine argument doesn't help when comparing bodyfat to
>> carrying food.  Obviously if there is no food then bodyfat beats nothing...
>> But this should never be the case on the trail
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPod
>>
>> On 2011-03-05, at 12:56 PM, Brandon McGinnity <bmcginnity at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>   I have to disagree with you all. Of course excessive weight is bad, but
>> humans evolved in a feast and famine world. That's why we gain weight as we
>> do: for the lean times. If you're in good health otherwise, some extra
>> pounds won't hurt you too bad for the trail. But you're right, it will go
>> quick.
>>
>> Unfortunately my system is such that I can't gain, so I'm gonna be
>> bordering starvation again. Ah well, these long hikes, and just being out
>> there, is worth it.
>>
>> On Sat, Mar 5, 2011 at 7:57 AM, Paul Robison <<paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>
>> paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Think of it this way... Bodyfat is ALWAYS straining yur joints... Your
>>> ankles etc.
>>>
>>> ... Instead of gaining ten pound ... You could just carry more food, the.
>>> At least close to the next town your not carrying the weight.
>>>
>>> The food bag gets lighter much faster than a beer gut does
>>>
>>> ~Paul
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPod
>>>
>>> On 2011-03-05, at 1:20 AM, Scott Williams < <baidarker at gmail.com>
>>> baidarker at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> > The lighter you are, the easier it is from the start.  Don't gain
>>> weight
>>> > before you start.  Even the skinny people I hiked with lost weight on
>>> trail,
>>> > but they did just fine, and finished with those of us who had a bit
>>> extra
>>> > when we started.
>>> >
>>> > Shroomer
>>> >
>>> > On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 6:30 PM, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <
>>> > <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> I don't think it's worthwhile to put on weight before the hike.
>>> >> You'll lose all your excess weight in the first few weeks. I met a
>>> >> guy near Tehachapi who had lost 50lbs. I, a woman who is
>>> >> metabolically gifted for long distance hiking, lost 25lbs by Big
>>> >> Bear. If you are metabolically gifted for sitting on your butt eating
>>> >> potato chips without looking like you do, you'll lose any extra
>>> >> weight in a week.
>>> >>
>>> >> Unless you can keep extra weight on longer than a couple weeks, it's
>>> >> probably not going to help you.
>>> >>
>>> >> Diane
>>> >>
>>> >> On Mar 4, 2011, at 4:53 PM, <pct-l-request at backcountry.net>
>>> pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>> But not packweight - this one is querying those experienced thru-
>>> >>> hikers:
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Is it better to put on some bodyfat before hiking the trail?  I can
>>> >>> gain and
>>> >>> lose weight pretty easily, so I was wondering if people found it
>>> >>> was better
>>> >>> to lose weight to have less to cart around on the trail, or to gain
>>> >>> a bit of
>>> >>> fat they could then burn off while hiking and not be as hungry/rely
>>> >>> on if
>>> >>> they didn't have enough food.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Thoughts? Opinions?
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Thanks!
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Regards,
>>> >>> Eric
>>> >>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> ~ Moccasin
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> ~ Moccasin
>
>

-- 
~ Moccasin