NUTRITION
Mountain athletes need plenty of calories to fuel their activities. Depending on the difficulty and length of a hike or climb, an individual can burn anywhere from 2500 to 5000 calories per day. Not eating enough will have a negative impact on your performance. Repeated days of negative caloric balance during training, climbing, or recovery can have a significant impact and can lead to a deficit in your stored energy, affect your muscle strength and recovery, impact your immune system, and negatively impact your body’s ability to create ATP when you need it.
Combining training with low calorie diets is a big no go. While this is what is commonly adopted for weight loss, even one workout while on a restricted calorie diet will depress your immune system. Continued restricted caloric intake while training will increase your risk of injury, increase fatigue, decrease muscle mass, and severely limit or negate any benefits you may have seen from your training.
Avoid low calorie diets. If you are trying to lose weight, focusing on what you eat and on eating the right amount alongside your activity level will naturally lead to sustainable weight loss and you will have the power and energy you need for your backpacking and climbing.
Eating and hydrating well is critical to your ability to adapt to and see improvements from aerobic and anaerobic training. It is frequently said that nutrition is 60% and exercise is 40% of the equation in achieving optimal levels of fitness for your sport.
Eating During Scrambling
Planning what food to bring
General rule of thumb is to bring more than you think you need
Need to consider weight and how it is packaged when backpacking
Need to consider how palatable it is when higher altitudes are involved
Dehydrated meals can be easy and are very lightweight. Don’t have the first time you are eating these be while out backpacking or climbing. Some people do experience digestive upset with these meals and you will want to know that ahead of time
Fresh food is nice to have – fruit packed in Nalgene bottle, mini oranges, apples; prepared meals in ziplock bags; sandwiches, etc.
Trail food for snacking is important – should be easy to digest, easy to eat, and something you would want to eat. Package in smaller sized portions for ease of eating on the trail
Food safety
If you are bringing fresh food that can spoil you need to ensure it can be kept at the proper temperature or you will risk getting sick from it
Keep your food protected from wildlife and away from your tent so that wildlife isn’t attracted to where you are sleeping. Use Urk sacks or bear canisters when appropriate
Altitude considerations
For the purposes of this, “altitude” is considered 8000-11,000 ft and “high altitude” is 11,000 ft or above.
Altitude will impact what your body needs and how you feel. Your caloric needs will be increased at higher elevations, but your appetite and desire to drink will decrease, sometimes significantly. This altitude “anorexia” becomes especially pronounced at elevations of 11,800ft or higher.
There are several ways to combat this effect and ensure that you are giving your body what it needs so you can minimize the impact on your performance.
Choose foods that are palatable, satisfying, easy to digest, easy to prepare, and energy dense
Mix electrolytes and a carbohydrate solution into your water for both hydration and energy
Start your day with a meal that is rich in protein and fat with some carbohydrates. As the day progresses and slowly increase your percentage of carbohydrate intake. By the afternoon, your snacks should be carbohydrate rich, with minimal fat and protein. Recovery meal at night should have a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates
As the altitude increases, your body will shift towards what is known as “oxygen efficiency” – or find the easiest way to get your body the energy it needs. This means that it will shift towards more carbohydrate utilization for fuel (versus fat) because it will require less oxygen and is more economical than using fat for fuel. This means that you will have to eat enough carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen stores
High altitude tips
Try to drink a little every 15 minutes (this is easiest with a hydration bladder)
Try to eat every 30 minutes (always drink a little every time you eat). Some people set an alert to go off on their watch or phone as a reminder during those more strenuous hikes/climbs
Gels. These can provide easy access to nutrients while on the go, however there are some considerations to keep in mind if you plan to use these
They need water to absorb. Approximately 4oz of water (1/4 cup) per gel pack at a minimum. Too much gel and too little will upset your stomach and you won’t get the fuel you need because it won’t absorb into your system
Don’t mix with sports drinks – it can upset your stomach
Best way to utilize is to take a swig of gel with a drink of water every 5 minutes or so until gone
Fueling and hydrating endurance activity – how much do you need?
A higher-than-average carbohydrate diet in the days leading up to a multi-day backpacking trip or climb have been shown to provide the best energy for the morning you are starting out
Hydrating prior to your climb: a 150-pound person would want to drink approximately 1.5-2 cups of fluid 4-hours prior to the start of the activity
30-60 grams of carbohydrates every hour. (could be less or more depending on intensity)
20-30 ounces of water every hour
Every 7g of carbohydrates try to drink 3-4 ounces of water
Recovery Nutrition
The most important time to fuel your recovery is within 30 to 60 minutes after your activity or training. You will need to eat a combination of protein and carbohydrates and rehydrate (with electrolytes) during this period.
Carbohydrates (0.4 grams per pound) - A 150-pound climber will need approximately 60 grams (or 240 calories) of carbohydrates in this 60-minute window to replenish their glycogen stores. For the best recovery, repeat this intake once every two hours for up to 6 hours (so three times) to re-stimulate your glycogen synthesis
Protein - Consuming protein after a workout or intense activity will help your body repair damaged muscles. Timing with protein intake isn’t as critical as carbohydrate intake, but protein intake is critical for recovery. 10-15g of protein during this recovery window is sufficient. Eat a higher protein meal later in the day to continue to provide what your muscles need to rebuild
Hydrate with electrolytes or drink water with a salty snack to replenish fluid lost