How Many Calories do I Eat as a Hiker?

[@renaudgenest2584]

The mental strength you need to eat 3 m&m's at a time... impressive !!

[@nunodfes2]

😂

[@mountainmorgy]

Came here for this comment 😂

[@cherylkolb9984]

I don’t trust anyone who can eat 3 m&ms as a snack 🤣

[@laggmonkei]

Ohh a romantic! Having several dates in the mountains.

[@GregVidua]

There's no better trail food than dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, dry fruit, grains and oils. Oats + a small scoop protein powder + few nuts (I recommend Brazilian nuts, walnuts or pecans) + some dry fruit (dates, prunes, figs) - easily can be 1000 kcal and 40 g of protein in a single meal while being lightweight and able to be cold soaked or cooked depending on conditions or preference. Similarly any pasta (preferably whole grain), brown rice, lentils or sorghum meals with added extra virgin olive oil for calories and carrying the taste of spices and TVP for protein can pack a similar punch. Get some dark chocolate for quick snack and extra energy. It's not only more calorie dense than Oreos but also comes with significant amount of micronutrients, especially iron. As you're moving a lot of oxygen during a day of hiking, you'll feel so much better if you eat dark chocolate instead of M&Ms. Eat nuts, seeds, dry fruit, whole grains and added fat. You can purchase those anywhere, they won't go bad in a backpack no matter the weather and you won't feel like trash eating this way. You don't need fresh fruit and vegetables to keep eating healthily on the trail. Grab an apple, peach and a banana where you're resupplying but don't worry about carrying some at all times.

[@GregVidua]

@Jeff Hook no, it’s not.

[@justagirlandilikeit]

Why would protein powder be so bad for hikers? I'm curious to learn your sources

[@jenniferw2725]

This is one of the most entertaining things I’ve watched today! That dessert presentation and the Final Countdown with the backup frog vocals made my day! Thank you for the smiles.

[@Serendipix]

I enjoy long romantic walks to the fridge.

[@snowonher6968]

Your breakfast was the most calorific and nicest looking thing you ate. If I was cold soaking, I'd be tempted to have 3 of those (2 thousand calories) throughout the day, snack on the nuts/fruits/coffee and have the cold soak meal at the end of the day. Should be easier to get the calories, healthier and I reckon should feel fuller. Defo gonna steal that recipe!

[@daneshipway581]

Bro im planning 5000 calories a day. Over 10 days. I eat more than 3000 calories on a regular day. 181cm 92kg 14% body fat. Not a bad video but not informative for novices if I planned around your intake I would be famished by the 10th day

[@mountainmorgy]

Love that this is easily doable for both celiacs and vegans! Most other “autoimmune” or specialist food diaries for the mountains are a little bit inaccessible or ridiculous - this is super useful, thanks Chase 🎉

[@AuthorLindsay]

What kind of maniac only eats 3 m&m’s 😂😳❤️

[@ChaseMountains]

It does seem a bit stupid now that you mention it 🤣 I think that's my key to hitting 3500 tho. I have to break that 3 m&m barrier

[@AuthorLindsay]

@@ChaseMountains yesss! Throw caution to the wind and just eat a handful ❤️

[@rikvdmark]

Going a my first multi day hike in Switzerland in September. This is perfect info for my preparation on what to bring along. I was very impressed by seeing you spread out the calories throughout the day and eating small portions at a time. I usually wait way to long and eat a lot at once. What you did feels a lot more sensible ^^

[@hnahler]

I always end up not eating enough on the first day of a thru hike. Thank you for your suggestion about salt intake. I have been caught out so often with lack of salt/electrolytes. I carry a salted nut mix (yes, junk food) as snack to keep the calorie and salt intake up. It’s fairly easy to estimate the base metabolic rate if you have an idea of your body composition. For me (185cm, male, 83kg, 19% body fat) that’s about 1,800 kcal. An hour hiking with a backpack burns an additional 300 - 400 kcal (that’s on top of base metabolic rate) depending on terrain. On a thru hike, I’ll typically walk for 8h per day, so 4,000 kcal is really the minimum intake to sustain. - I always find myself not eating enough throughout the day.

[@Arbie812]

Awesome, Chase. Thanks for consistently bringing the A+ content.

[@CalvinStoneTalks]

Brush nobody is showing what I need to see man I'm not going to be hiking for 1 day I'm going to be hiking upwards of 400 miles in 1 go how can I carry enough food to Finnish this trip I weigh 120 and am very strong I feel comfortable with 50 pounds on me walking all day. Should I bring a rifle in case I need extra for is it worth the extra weight??? Why do all these KZbinrs seem like the re e putting on a show and going right back home

[@takeahike2993]

😂 My Garmin claims I burn generally over 1200 in rest mode. Working on getting my I take down as I increase my exercise. 🤙🏻Enjoy the Range.

[@Stilez]

All i see is a bunch of empty carbs, not enough healthy fats or protein. Empty carbs are like gasoline on a fire. They give you a quick burst of energy because they burn fast, but not long. You need to place a log on your fire that is your body. Something that lasts long & burns slow, plus heavy in calories.

[@landstreicher4752]

Hmm, I am wondering how that kind of diet will work on a thru hike without sending yourself resupply boxes. Most of the ingredients are hard to get on trail in reasonable sizes. So if you do cold soaking it all comes down to couscous with spices, dried tomatoes and what else you can get in the supermarket. Nice video though 👍🏻

[@ChaseMountains]

Yeah pretty much. After a week or so I'll be out of risotto, and then I'll be cous cous and ramening my way home

[@stuartbowman4582]

@@ChaseMountains It would be interesting to see how to resupply in small shops and keep the calorie intake high. Nuts, dates, olive oil and coconut seem key ingredients and mostly easily available.

[@thomasmontoya7279]

vienna sausages are my go to. light, fatty, salty calories, plus juice ;)

[@darknevangelist]

I just discovered this channel and I'm legit curious, how does one make the time to do these long hikes? Do you have to take off work or is the channel providing enough income that you just hike for a living now?

[@dannymeske3821]

I pressed the like button so you can get that house...invite me over someday!

[@ChaseMountains]

getting closed every day! thanks!

[@philippal7985]

Mate, if my like gets you that house, I'm all up for it! Even if it doesn't, still an awesome video again. Very helpful.

[@jonhikes5323]

Wow I need to up my oatmeal game! That looks amazing! (I don't like my oats quite that runny though) The mushroom risotto looks good too. FYI you don't need freeze dried rice to cold soak. Instant white rice works just fine if you give it 30 to 45 min to soak. As a general rule, I figure most anything that says it cooks in 5 min or less in the microwave has a good chance of working for cold soaking. (assuming there is nothing raw in it of course)

[@orionasagou5806]

Really wholesome, extremely pleasant & fun to watch, great content 🤙🏽

[@myflyingkidney]

It is better to have fine sea salt as it melts easier, also add more salt this is not a lot, and add salt first so that you see that it has melted before adding any other ingredients otherwise you will be chewing on salt grains.

[@robertalynch5433]

I mix up a hydration powder before I leave. Beet juice powder, pomegranate powder, super green powder, fruit juice powder, and salt. Gives me lots of nitric oxide.

[@charliedecker7702]

from a health food shop? what ratios do you use?

[@camino9152]

Loved watching this video!!! Well produced and entertaining. Counter point, fwiw: The *quality* of calorie matters. That delicious looking oreo/peanut butter/date sugar bomb, means bliss for 3 minutes and the same hunger in 30. The equivalent calories in, say, a savory rice meal + a starkist tuna pack + a olive oil means you'll stay satiated for a few hours. I cut out foods w/ refined sugar a couple of years ago, and now my thru-hike diet requires less calories as a result. (Also a cold-soaker).

[@helenevans3905]

This has been super insightful, especially the electrolytes alternative you have made for yourself and just your general cleaning eating on the trail. I have always suffered massively from energy dips over a day outside, even when I’m carrying a few extra kilos, so I really think that tip’ll be the one. Thanks!

[@brantlers]

You didn't do anything to quantify your metabolism or your energy expenditure on your hike. You definitely burned more than 3050 calories by simply being alive and hiking for more than two easy hours. You didn't replenish what you burned, and that is not a good strategy for thru hiking.

[@ljsong1]

12:46 I haven't heard that argument for cold soaking, and it makes sense... lol... I had written off cold soaking as a weirdo thing people do, but I can see how actually *wanting* a cold meal after a hot day could be the point of cold soaking. Awesome insight!

[@billseay6399]

Hey Thanks Love it big guy

[@jauplafer6762]

"Coma de vaca" means something along the lines of cow's field (or a field in a depression, or a field on top of a flat mountain), nothing related to eating, in catalan to eat is "menjar" not related to spanish's "comer"!

[@vincentkrause7097]

What about the Macro breakdown? How much fat and carbs did you eat on the day? 3050kcal to me seems like a bit to little to prevent weightloss, on an average like 8 hour Mountaneering day my watch showed me that I burned over 4000kcal and I´m only 61kg/174cm.

[@ericrebarchik4453]

Yeah, and (did I miss it?) How many total miles/or km; what gain. What does your pack weigh. Did you gain/loose wt(glycogen dump possible)

[@backlogbrood2451]

Chase, you don't need to eat ANY highly processed/junk foods which contain trans fats etc to get nutrient and calorie dense foods. I'm surprised you say this in the end of the video when you also showcase wonderful examples of high calorie healthful foods like coconut, nuts, peanut butter etc. You could also have chocolate bars from reputable companies that don't add a bunch of garbage emulsifiers to it as well. Dude, again, super surprised you threw that in there. Oreos and m&ms and equivalent junk (which I also admit are a nice treat, full disclosure!) are never a requirement!

[@jimjeavons5854]

I'm glad you did add the bit about how it would change with the walk and individual person. This, 3500 cals, works for me on short thrus, club walks, where I have to set the pace and distance to suit a group. Individual on long thru walks 3500cals would not cut it by a long way. I started the AT at 97kg and 185cm and 59 years young. By Damascus Virginia, 4500 cals per day left me constantly hungry. I'd used up all the body fat up and found I was loosing upper body muscle mass walking 30 - 40kms a day with a 12 kg pack (average). In fact in Damascus I ate/drank between 20000 and 22000 cals, lots of beers, from Lunch till I left the next day after a second breakfast and was hungry by 10am. Love your vids, I get some great info, and I'm just trying out that hip flexor stretch in your latest.

[@eyedflea904]

Translation is I don’t know what the word is but whatever the word for “refugee camp” is- for the cow feeders

[@gazlives]

too much carb stuff. makes me hungry all the time which seems to be what you were. can't one eat a light weight (like more coconut flakes) higher fat and protein food when you hike? does this work. salami looks perfect, easy to carry, salty, protein, fat.

[@works2travel359]

i would struggle very much on that food. i'd need more fat and meat. yes some days on through hike but I;d need a different plan. thanks for sharing

[@Jux925]

If you eat sausage, you get salts from there. Do you still need extra salts/electrolytes in your drink?

[@himpcreations6715]

macadamia nuts have 700 calories per 100 grams : )

[@ChaseMountains]

Yeah I have a bunch that I thought I brought on this trip but I did not. And I was SAD.

[@idontwantahandle._.]

1 day hike at 3,000 calories per day is not the same as 5 days hike at 3,000 per day.

[@Anne-hm7sv]

This might be a stupid question but is there a heapthier alternative you could do? Less processed things?😅

[@sergioavila2720]

Man I want to start doing more of this. Noone wants to go with me and I'm not too experienced.

[@ABCABC-fn4fg]

may I suggest taking natural peanut butter which has lotsa calories but also good oils

[@dan5744]

So what’s the deal w goji berries? I see so many hiking channels use them

[@dannymeske3821]

I was with you until you started eating all that junk food!

[@anatexis_the_first]

That is a really good video, thanks! Really had me laughing at those final countdown vocals :D

[@karlau1084]

I loved "The Final Count Down!" Your videos are useful, fun and inspiring.

[@onetrueone]

Have you watched Gearskeptic?

[@pewienkurczak4581]

Cold soaking rice flakes, that's a first. Unless you like them crunchy.

[@ChaseMountains]

give it 30 minutes its not crunchy at all!

[@sonajero25]

a 'coma' is kind of a small flat terrain in the mountain, usually with good grass appreciated by cattle Great video!

[@xsaovaid]

Definition number 4 of coma of dcvb.iec.cat: "Prat alterós, generalment situat en cims aplanats, ric de bon herbatge i molt estimat per a pastura". From what I can tell it usually refers to a valley (some etimologists claim it comes from the gaulic word for valley), with good pasture for animals. Btw, the wild animals you filmed are ibex? I have seen isards uncountable times in the Eastern Pyrenees, but never an ibex!

[@JoeyIngles]

Puh KAHN, not pee can. Pee cans are what you use cuz it’s too cold to go to the outhouse. 😅

[@iGANNOkillU]

Tunnocks caramel wafer bars have got me through plenty of climbs!

[@jantomaszrogala4230]

thanks Chase, hearing you articulate my thoughts, helped to alleviate the feeling of guilt for eating junk food(mainly sugars) during my hikes ;)

[@DoseofDirt]

Dang, mixing up your own electrolytes on trail. That's next level. I felt good when I upgraded from Gatorade to Tailwind... 🤣 This was a super helpful video. Been planning a longer distance backpacking trip with some long food carries, so really trying to dial in how much I need to eat and where I can get the most calories for the weight (without only eating double stuffed oreos... 🤣) Love your videos!

[@aijiki]

I guess you mean 3500 KILOcal :)

[@serdimi]

I'm catalan and I have no idea of what does coma de vaca mean hahahaha coma means literally the same in english Oh and that dried mango from mercadona absolutely kills it

[@ChaseMountains]

My girlfriend said it means pasture, but also something to do with space, I dont know 🤣

[@jacokoenig8813]

I cant access the discord. Is there an updated link?

[@Spacegoat92]

My food allotment for a mountain hike in the Qld scenic rim: Breakfast is cold oats with pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, hemp seed, apricot, apple, and coconut yoghurt. Snacks consist of a muesli bar, a couple of pieces of fruit, some biltong from my local South African, and some Natural confectionary co lollies. I usually share them around and seldom eat the whole pack if it's just me, Lunch is a ham and cheese, or cheese and salami croissant with a bottle of home brew. Dark ales for colder months, lighter beers for hotter months. Gotta have my summit beer, at first it started as a joke, but then people began to expect me to do it so i had to keep it going... Hydration is a bladder of water and a bottle of Aldi electrolyte, the electrolyte has been a life saver for me on the hot hikes. Ps. Have you tried Celtic hand harvested sea salt? One of my friends here in Brissy is a PT and she put me onto it. Apparently it's absolutely packed with minerals other salts don't have.

[@ChaseMountains]

Nice one man, sounds perfect for the scenic rim! And nah I haven't tasted that salt!!

[@michaelpenney3775]

Not for me chase, little and often what ever you want bit of good bit of bad but seriously moderation and you'll be fine and just enjoy yourself that's what it's about.

[@ChaseMountains]

I've taken that approach my whole life before this and it's worked fine hahha

[@PittPacks]

Def hit the like button so you could live at that house

[@lyndseygolden7546]

My cat was really into this video😻. If you add a can of salmon to mushroom risotto it’s pretty incredible for eating outside. You may need more chocolate. I personally need to balance my protein to carb ratio, if I eat a ton of calories but everything is mostly carbs I bonk. Useful to figure out if someone is struggling even though eating enough calories. 👍

[@bawags300_svt8]

“I was still hungry so I had an Oreo.” Yeah, that must’ve filled you right up…

[@vickysparadise]

Cookie is good 😊

[@robinmaguire6705]

Biscuits are Better!!!

[@lukefarren3409]

3050 cals is unsustainable! Seeing as the average dude needs 2500 cals per day and hiking in the mountains with a backpack is gonna burn another 400cals per hour at least, it’d be more like 6000 plus..

[@ChaseMountains]

Yeah when I hike for 30 days in a row I eat a hell of a lot more for sure. Weekend hikes I eat this much usually, and I’m still alive. Everyone’s different.

[@annakorelin6706]

For cheese flavour you can also use dry nutritional yeast, it's vegan and yummy :)

[@ChaseMountains]

hmm not quite creamy tho :/ maybe with coconut milk also, could be a vegan option!

[@Eduardado]

Do you usually go alone hiking?

[@kookverslaving]

trans fats are illegal in europe.

[@mikkol79]

what cup do you use there?

[@Losangelesharvey]

"I'm reasonably lean"

[@Longtack55]

For multiday tramps I take 160 gms brown lentils and the same of brown rice as my basis. Im 69, 85 kg, 193cm, and this with a tin or two of sardines is sufficient to last me all day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and made more palatable with various seasonings. I consider dried fruit low-value nutrient as it's essentially sugar, and dehy food is expensive garbage with inadequate nutrient and calories/carbs. A 230gm propane/butane cylinder will last a week if cooking is managed properly, with the tight lid on and barely enough gas to simmer it, after its come to the boil, and I cold-soak it in a screw-top while on the move. Coffee of course.

[@barneyboy2008]

All i heard was beer!

[@mountainmoments]

As a European hiker, your food looks kinda very complicated. Almost all EU hikers just take whatever they have at home usually and eat that for an average day hike. Apples, bread with cheese/sausages, nuts, bars on top. Bonus is to make a proper dumpling :D

[@austindobbins8957]

Vegan fun fact: double stuff Oreos, are vegan. Just like regular Oreos that have the same ingredients. TF you talking about my boy?

[@martinwright1575]

You CAN be a hiker and not eat junk food. Lots of dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Also possibly whole grain rice cakes, peanut butter... There's no need for oreos, m&m's, etc...

[@faithiscrazy]

Where is this?

[@robinmaguire6705]

A couple of typos on the Risotto recipe "• 2 tbs cup of rice flakes "???? And you said "soak soaking" for "Cold soaking".

[@tallky]

When you're thru-hiking and have finished the more 'specialty' ingredients, and are passing through smaller towns with limited options, how would you go about replacing stuff like that? I cant imagine you're carrying enough Cliff bars & coconut powder for the entire trip.

[@ItsAdventureTime1]

Chase the Mountains is where we discuss the structural integrity of Oreo's. What about Couscous as a rice and bean alternative? By itself the Couscous is pretty bland but like white rice it pretty much takes on whatever flavor you mix it with. Seems like it would be easy to cold soak but I have never tried it that way.

[@Juanlu.]

Eres un crack, Chase! Pero abusas de los alimentos industriales "american style". Con unas lonchas de chorizo, un poco de cebolla, media pastilla de caldo, unos boletus deshidratados, unos fideos finos y un poco de queso rallado me he hecho alguna cena calórica, caliente y ricaaaa! (el hornillo de alcohol no pesa tanto y da mucho juego). Y las galletas ( integrales o de avena) con Nocilla le dan muuuuchas vueltas a las oreo. Por no decir, si buscas calorías y sabor, de un poco de turrón de Jijona! Gracias por tus vídeos y gracias por utilizar escenarios españoles!

[@headlesspalace]

never heard of coconut milk powder, going to have to try it out.. that NIDO stuff just doesn't taste that great (cue the downvotes)

[@francoisnel5253]

Add more oats to that breakfast. It will last you longer, keep your sugar levels stable, etc. Personally, I'd go towards half cup to 1 cup oats. You won't feel hungry for 4 hours if you have a proper breakfast.

[@charlottemansi-clark5284]

Hi thanks for video!! Currently half way though gr11 and loving it but struggling to find good nutritious vegan food to buy on trail eg coconut milk powder, where do you go shopping?!! Lol or do you order it online, just thought I would ask thanks very much ✌️

[@Upsidedownorangejuice]

Calories to weight ratio is also big thing, for us obese hikers, trying to lighten our packs and get enough calories to move that much body weight is fun balancing game....

[@AnthonyJohnson1]

Interesting stuff Chase. On my first thru hike, I didn’t take enough calories on board and I felt completely devoid of energy on the last few days. Only adrenaline got me through!

[@JungleDance]

I would make bars, have tubes with nut butter and bring dates and dehydrated bananas and other dried fruits with me for sure! But i wont function on candy, so thats me!

[@abdekoj]

I hit the like button, looking forward to the next episode of CMTV Cribs!

[@gabrielawodzynska3696]

Oh boy, I've been laughing sooo hard during the final countdown😂

[@flyboy5168]

Como de vaca, every year (or i try) i go to my family in France on the other side of the mountains there (actually 2x valleys aways terrific spots cheers from Canada

[@AccidentalHiker1]

Meanwhile I pack food mindfully. But I find that I'm not hungry on trail. It ends up being weight on my back.

[@jonmichael6478]

Yep nice house, calories I find hard to keep up. Hiking food is tasteless am now looking into a dehydration unit.

[@aligreenlife]

When you use humour in your videos, these become super funny haha I appreciate the magic powder. Greetings from Lleida! See you in the mountains!

[@TheLicewine]

How do you rate calories that you can carry within your body (i.e. fat) vs calories you need to maintain a weight equilibrium if you are skinny? Why would I not load up big prior to a hike and lose body weight as I go ensuring minimum nutrition intake is met? Just curious. Cheers, Chris

[@ChaseMountains]

@@TheLicewine hmm, how long a hike are we talking? Im really not an expert in the subject matter at all. I suppose you could get fat before a thru hike (and I try to do that) if that’s what you’re asking.

[@funkyprepper]

Great video. Just about to do 40 miles with a 50lb pack. I think I will need loads of calories. Learned a lot from this video. Subscribed

[@ChaseMountains]

Have a great trip man!

[@calatheaflamestar4924]

You shouldn't eat unkooked shiitake mushrooms, it can damage your organs.

[@Nighato]

You're eating a lot of stuff that has a lot of non-digestible calories so your count has a very wide error margin

[@huihuiev2329]

Another great and very usefull video for a beginner hiker like me ! Thank you for sharing with us your experience and tips !

[@lasses.andersen4696]

I totally suggest adding a small amount of salt to your morning shake 🤝 your welcome 😁👌

[@campervanbug7658]

Lithium salts work great🤣👌

[@campervanbug7658]

I think nutter butter cookies are 500 calories per serving 😃

[@Losangelesharvey]

curious, the reason behind the "cold soak" is to save the weight and space of a stove and fuel? thanks

[@francescopagano6220]

Nice video as always, thanks for the tips Chase! And Catalonia seems so beautiful 🤩 I'm paying more and more attention to what I eat during my training, and I'm experimenting with snacks to bring on a day hike or a long cycling trip, trying to really reduce the amount of plastic that I will throw in the bin after. For instance you could buy many seeds, nuts, legumes, etc. from packaging-free shops next to my home. Curious to hear your thoughts :)

[@littleanina1]

I also found that its best for us on a day hike to eat regular, small snacks than big meals. Especially my bf who sweats a lot, its so important to focus on salt and regular hydration as well👏🏻 We have now starting kinda stopping every hour on a hard hike (with lots of elevation) and at least drink something and maybe a little snack, instead of one big break.