Sunday, November 23, 2014

Calorie Meltdown

Monte Belle Wilderness Map check

Active rain or shine, hikers know they can pile on the calories and stay in shape.
But, what happens during the holiday season, post long distance hike?

You eat. And eat. Seems the body is making up for days of ramen and oatmeal by stuffing down turkey and pie.
So what's a hiker to do if they want next season to open without an extra ten or twenty pounds around the middle? That extra load will kill your knees, fight you every ascent, and demoralize you when your favorite pieces don't fit.

Its a struggle. A hard one. Your stomach is growling. All those muscles you put on last summer want Food!

Time for activity. Get out and ski, walk, lift weights, snowboard, swim. Yeah, right.
Somehow I can eat a million calories and wear off 423.
Stevenson Island Ski (Lake Yellowstone, 325 feet of thermal hot spots surrounded by square miles of water)

I get it. 
Food choices.
Find the food you love, but portion control that baby. Eliminate the butter, oil and gravy. 
Stay away from beer. Beer makes beer guts.
Wow, and wine. Wine is sugar left to its own devices. Perfect. Just what I need.

No, seriously. Home made vegetable soup, lots of hard crisp apples, butter free popcorn (dry filler, I know), rolled oats (not the prepackaged cereal with 160 calories per infant serving.)

It's hard, but way harder to get those pounds off. 
Happy holidays. 

4 comments:

  1. Crater Lake at Maroon Bells! What a cold swim I had in that lake after our four day hike. So glad I got this great shot of you map reading on our first day. #stealthphotographerflo!

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    1. Yeah, thanks Flo, it was quite the adventure. I still brag about you puking your guts out that first night, but bucking up and doing the whole thing regardless!

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  2. Going from 1000 feet to 12,500 feet in two days to acclimate was not one of my better ideas! Carried too much food, glad Winnie helped me out. Good dog! By the fourth day I felt great. Two weeks later Clingmans Dome and the Alum Cave Trail to Mount LaConte was a breeze at less than 7,000 feet.

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  3. Well, you won five stars as a hiking partner who wouldn't quit in the rain.

    Good Job! :)

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