Traveling Lite, but Well, on the Trail

Get off your duff and get on the trail, road or river. That's the best prescription a doctor can give a Baby Boomer—male or female. We know we need to exercise more and eat smarter. Hips and thighs revealed to the world in all their Spandex-wrapped glory bring an enlightened knowledge of the forehead-slapping, cringing sort.

In that blinding moment of revelation, we know we need to get the old internal fires burning hotter to melt off the lard and tighten up the muscles we've ignored in our quest for success. We know that no matter how hard we try, that last five...or fifteen pounds...will be impossible to lose simply by wishing. We know that we have to get fit or stay fat.

Full of new resolve, we rush off to the local outfitter and drop some Ben Franklins on the latest gear. Then we plan a trip. Just a few short days in the country. And, of course, we have to go to the store to shop for food for the weekend. Something easy...something tasty...something probably loaded with fat and sodium.

That's the contradiction in the crusade to get trim. We're all pretty good about cutting fat out of the meals we eat at home, but the moment we head outside, our conviction evaporates. Maybe we think it's too hard to cook lighter on the trail. Maybe we are unconsciously compensating for the hard work of kayaking by "treating" ourselves. Maybe we are rationalizing by saying, "I'll burn it off." Or, maybe we just don't know any better.

Whatever the reasons, you're sure to sabotage your best efforts to firm up through exercise and hard work by eating the wrong foods.

Dietitians will start you on the road to better eating by reducing calories and by limiting your fat calories (one gram of fat contains nine calories) to less than 30% of that total. That's smart, whether you need to lose weight or not. But, if you want to drop a few pounds, you have to cut your fat intake even further and increase your exercise regimen. People of the human persuasion require about 12 calories per day per pound to maintain weight. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you'll need about 1,800 calories.

But, if 140 pounds—and not 150—is your healthiest weight, you should do two things. First, take in the same amount of calories you would if you weighed 140 pounds. Using the aforementioned calculation (12 x 140), you would have to take in 1,680 calories instead of 1,800. If you took in only 1,300, you'd lose weight faster, right? Not likely. You're dealing with a case of the unconscious mind over matter.

Current research indicates that even if you have decided that 140 pounds is your healthiest weight, taking in fewer than 1,680 calories may be misinterpreted. Your survival centers will conclude that you are starving. Your body, heedless of well-intentioned weight loss efforts, will then slow your metabolism to conserve calories. The wisest rule is to consume the ideal amount of calories every day.

Second, break out those 1,680 calories in such a way as to get 20% or less of them from fat. That would mean, for this example, you would get 336 calories from fat (1,680 x 0.20). 336 calories w 9 calories per gram, or 37 fat grams.

Both authors are examples of exactly how well this system works. You'll get enough calories so your body will not think it's starving, and you'll reduce your fat intake to a very healthy level.

One word of caution: Do as we did. Make an appointment with your doctor or health care professional. Discuss your goals and plans with them. Chances are excellent they will applaud your decision and assist you in attaining your goal. Your physician knows your health history and can make the proper call. Don't let any book be the last word. Include your doctor in the decision-making process.

Let's be clear about one thing, though, before we go any further. We are not suggesting that you go out "mudding" it with the expressed intent of losing weight over the weekend instead of losing it all week. Deprivation dieting is probably more foolhardy on the trail than at home because you are demanding a lot more of your body. There is no way you will have an enjoyable outdoor experience if you are hungry, worn out or just plain sore.

The 2,500 Calorie Dilemma

Men may need 2,500-or-more calories a day to maintain an energy level consistent with increased activity demanded by hearty trekking. Women require somewhat less, but still much more than they regularly take in. You also want to remain consistent with the dietary philosophy you have established within your daily life. If you are low-fat at home, you want to remain low-fat on the trail.

But, reality checks in if you go overboard to eliminate the spare tire. A 35-pound pack will weigh a lot more on Sunday if you've starved yourself on Saturday.

That's because activities like hiking, cycling, canoeing and kayaking go beyond fun and actually become work—work for the body on a level that exceeds appropriate energy depletion to promote weight loss. Work that makes you ache. Work that leaves muscles calling out for replacement protein and new fuel.

You have to walk a fine line between getting trim and getting sick. Don't cut calories and radically increase the exercise load at the same time...especially on a trek. Personal experience shows that lugging a canoe and a 30-pound Duluth pack over a 100-rod portage will contribute to weight loss even with 1,000 calories taken in at each meal. If you hold your intake to 2,000 or 2,500 over the day, you may discover a pleasingly significant reduction in waist and thigh lines.

We've all been around this type of "outdoorsman." You know, the one who buys a six-pack, some cold cuts and bread, and he's ready for the road! True, you can pick up 2,500 calories by eating five bologna sandwiches (yuk!) in a day.

Bologna Sandwich

Item
Meat x 3
Bread
Miracle Whip

Calories/Serving
90 (slice)
80 (slice)
70 (1 tbsp)

Fat/Serving
8 grams
1 gram
7 grams

Total Cal/Fat
270/24
160/2
70/7

Grand Total: 500/33

If you somehow ate nearly a pound of bologna, you would manage to generate 1,485 calories from fat...60% of your daily calorie demand. A chest-clutcher, for sure! It's even worse when you figure that of the bologna's 120 grams of fat, 50 grams are derived from saturated fat. Saturated fat has been linked to many health problems. Why foul up a good thing with a meal dripping in grease?

On the other hand, you could create a wonderful calorie-packed meal that is also worthy of the "low-fat" label. According to the federal Food and Drug Administration, such a meal generates 30% or fewer of its total calories from fat. Look at this sample recipe.

Primary Poulet & Pasta

skinless boneless chicken breast (about 4 oz.), cut into chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon dried basil, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder
salt to taste (optional)
1 medium sweet green pepper, diced
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced cup baby spring peas
1 cup precooked macaroni
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

In a bowl, mix oil, spices, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Add chicken and stir together. Cover and let sit for ten minutes. Over medium flame, heat pot and place chicken in to brown and cook. Tend regularly to avoid burning. Reserve marinade. When chicken is white throughout (10 to 15 minutes), add oil and spices to pan. Put all vegetables in the pot and saute for two to three minutes only. Add macaroni and warm for one minute more. Remove from heat and add cheese. Toss to mix.

All told, including prep time, this dish takes about 35 to 45 minutes to make in one pan. A lot more appetizing than mystery meat on bread. And a lot better for you. How much better? Let's look at the numbers and see.

Item
1 medium green pepper
1 medium red pepper
1 medium carrot
1 cup baby peas
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 C Cooked Macaroni
1/2 chicken breast
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Calories
13
19
25
58
83
220
124
13.4

Fat (grams)
0.1
0.1
0.1
9.0 (1.2 saturated)
0.9
1.6 (0.4 saturated)
1.5 (0.1 saturated)

Total: 565

Remember that these are ideal figures and could vary somewhat depending upon raw materials. Talk about some good eating, though! Only 21.3% of this dish's 565 calories (13.4 grams x 9 car/gram = 120.6 calories) come from fat. You are getting 65 more calories than a bologna sandwich with 19.6 fewer grams of fat! By comparison, a one cup serving of a freeze-dried rice and chicken entree weighs in at just 400 calories of which 29.3% of the calories come from fat. You can max a Primary Poulet meal at more than 800 calories by adding two slices of bread (140 calories, 2 grams fat) and an apple (81 calories, 0.5 grams fat). Overall, you'll get 18.2% of your calories from fat. Do that three times a day (2,400 calories and 47.7 fat grams total) and you'll really be ready to travel. We wouldn't call that deprivation dining would you?

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