Appalachian Trail hike through

[Epic Days]

Has anyone here done the 4-6 month through hike from Georgia to Maine through the Appalachian mountains?

I’m planning my resupply points. I dehydrate food and supplies to be mailed ahead to the different towns.

The “proclaimed” calorie expenditure per day is around 4000 calories. This is averaging between 10 and 20 miles a day. I’m KETO and am fat adapted (two years now). The key is keeping my protein high enough, around110 grams plus a day to prevent muscle atrophy. In fact I want to keep my muscle mass the same or even increase it a little. Not much.

So I’m looking for more ways obtain this level of muscle retention and still keeping my pack at 40 lbs or less.

Do any of you have more ideas, outside the box, to maintain this level of fat and protein levels between resupply points?
I’m thinking that I will need to increase the number of resupply points by having more of them. Mailing my prepared supplies to different towns.

I will be doing this solo.

 

[Poonstra]

No, but I just finished the Hadrian's Wall Path (135K in 6 days) in northern England. And I don't know your weight or composition, but the 4000 calories is exactly what I ate. I was just happy not to loose to much. I'm not 100% sure, I still need to get home and use my own scale to know if I lost or gained weight precisely.

I went with a gram of protein per pound of body weight, just like I do in my normal routine. Every 5K I had a 10 minute brake and gobbled down some calories. I ate a lot of chocolate and muesli bars, for the carbs/sugar to keep me going. Had a lot of dried meats.

So, you already got I don't do keto. Doing keto while during the trail will be an extra challenge on top of the "normal" hardship.

But if you want outside the box ideas I'm thinking cured meats. A properly cured piece of meat can be stored of months on end. And I'm especial thinking pork. Pancetta's, slami's and bacons (real bacon, not the store bought crap with an expiry date). Cured pork will give you the protein and fat you are looking for.

 

[Epic Days]

I cure my own bacon (side meat). I appreciate your input. I have a good dehydrator.

Indeed I am curious as to how much muscle mass you lost. That’s the dilemma.

I can bump an 80lbs pack but I don’t want to. Not in the marines anymore.

 

[Poonstra]

Indeed I am curious as to how much muscle mass you lost. That’s the dilemma.

I'll be back home the 10th, so I'll give you an weight and body fat % the day father. Before I left (30 September) I was 80.9 Kg @13% fat.
I have to say that I'll be visiting my niece in London in the mean time, and probably be drinking, which will skew the measurement.

 

[Poonstra]

As promised here's the measurement, this morning I was 82,1 Kg @ 13% fat, so I gained a bit more than a kilo.

My lean body mass has gone up from 70.4 to 70.8, so yes I added some muscle.

I use this site: http://scoobysworkshop.com/body-fat-calculator/
Usually I take 4 measurements (2 on the right side, 2 on the left side of the body) for each of the 3 locations and average them.

 

[Epic Days]

Thanks for doing this for me. Awesome.
I have some more grass fed that I am fixing to dehydrate soon. Stocking up.

I have more fat issues to solve though. If you come up with any more ideas, please post or PM me.

 

[Epic Days]

I’m sure it’s already being taken into consideration, but I’ll stress the importance of injury prevention and care. One bad limp, a slower pace and a significant change in daily caloric needs will completely derail the perfect diet plan.

Agreed. I did Mt McKinley in Alaska a few years back and have done some 14er’s here in Colorado.

It will be my first trek back east. It’s a long haul. But I want to get through it. It will be in season so there will be other through hikers as well as locals. I have no intention of leaving the trail.