[pct-l] Nutrition advice from the ancient Reinhold

[Reinhold Metzger]

David wrote:
Of course once you start hitting those trail towns you'll want nothing 
but greasy cheese burgers and beer.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Yes,
That is because most thru-hikers do not consume enough calories and are 
calorie starved
by the time they get to trail towns and their bodies are craving calorie 
dense foods like
greasy cheese burgers and beer.

If weight was not a factor in thru-hiking a hiker could eat nothing but 
fruit and vegetables and
probably do just fine.
Weight, however is a "big factor" with most thru-hikers and a straight 
fruit and vegetable or
carbohydrate menu would either make for a heavy pack or not enough 
calories for high
mileage days if the pack is kept light, without the body resorting to 
burning body tissue to
deliver the calories needed for high mileage days.

Therefore, in my opinion, fat is a thru-hikers best friend if the goal 
is a light pack and a menu
with sufficient calories for high mileage days.
Carbohydrates and Protein deliver about 110 calories/oz. vs about 250 
calories/oz. for fat.

I know, I know...."FAT" is the curse in the "every day menu".
But wake up,...."thru-hiking ain't every day"....your body will burn a 
whole lot more calories.
That is the reason why many hardcore hikers, including Scott Williamson, 
supplement their
menu with oil....to beef up the calorie count without beefing up the 
pack weight.

Another way of beefing up the calories is by incorporating "Macadamia 
Nuts" into your menu.
At 200 calories/oz they are the most calorie dense trail food I am aware 
of.
You would have to drink straight oil to beat that calorie count.
Besides, "Macadamia Nuts" have a very high concentration of 
"monounsaturated fats" which
is the most benign of fats and does not affect your cholesterol or 
prostaglandins (regulators
of hormone action).
Monounsaturated fats are also found in olive oil.
You can add the olive oil to your meals and eat the Macadamia Nuts as 
snacks to keep that
body calorie fortified all day long.

So my friends, if you want to lighten your packs, and keep you body 
calorie fortified to do high
mileage days,  incorporate Macadamia Nuts into your menu....the more, 
the better.

JMT Reinhold
Your "nutty"  Macadamia loving trail companion