[pct-l] Weight lose on a thruhiike

["Joanne Lennox" <goforth@cio.net>]

I gained four pounds over the last month, mostly around the Thanksgiving
holidays.  Actually, I think I just had a higher metabolic spin going from
my 57 peak thing this summer, and the muscles and metabolism have both
finally fallen off, so that I need to be a little more careful of what I
eat or I end up wearing it.  I walk 2-3 times a week about 5 miles at a
time, and I  will be upping the mileage, but it seems to make me hungier
than the metabolic need the exercise requires.

At any rate, I was thinking about trying to get somewhat closer to my"
racing weight" which is 15 pounds under what I am at present.  I figured
that even if I lost half of that, I would feel better starting my thruhike
in April.(I feel lighter,it is easier on the joints and tendons, I take the
heat better, and proportionately get more oxygen to my muscles without
having to carry and feed extra fat ).  I am trying to be scrupulous about
every ounce I put into my pack, it seems to be counterproductive to start
out carrying an extra 10 pounds on my body.

However, it sucks to try to lose weight by going on a diet at home.  And I
historically I  have always lost weight on a two week trip.  I really don't
want to lose more than l5 pounds on the trail, and it seems that a lot  of
people are taking about more than that.  On the other hand,I have never
done the resupply thing or had non trail food available about every 5 days.

What are the guy's experiences? What are the women's experiences?  If there
is a large weight lose, how much was it and when on the thru hike did it
peak; when did the weight lose start to taper off? Was there a period of
weight gain as well and/or a stabilization period afterward?  During these
periods, what things were changing in the diet to create the conditions
that were happening? Once the in town "see and eat" diet (Brick) kicks in,
is it there for the duration or does that taper too?  In some of the
accounts that I have read, I have a feeling that multiple lay over days at
resupply points are necessitated as much by an energy deficiet (and the
addition of large multiple meals), as by rest that is needed by the body
and mind.

Peace 
Goforth   


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