Backpacking is an incredibly rewarding outdoor experience, but it also requires careful planning and preparation. One of the most important factors to consider when backpacking is how many calories you’ll need to consume every day.
Estimating your caloric requirements can be tricky, as it depends on a number of factors, including your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level.
The average adult needs about 2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight. However, if you’re backpacking long distances or engaging in strenuous activities like rock climbing and mountaineering, you’ll need to consume more calories than usual.
Generally speaking, men tend to require more calories than women do due to their higher muscle mass and energy expenditure.
To ensure that you have enough energy for your backpacking adventure, it’s important to calculate how many calories you’ll need on a daily basis. Start by estimating your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the number of calories your body burns while at rest. To calculate your RMR, use the following formula:
RMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) + 5
Once you’ve determined your RMR, multiply it by an activity factor that corresponds with the level of physical activity you’ll be engaging in during your backpacking trip.
Activity Factor:
- Light Activity: 1.2–1.499
- Moderate Activity: 1.5–1.799
- High Activity: 1.8–2.0+
(Note: Moderate activity includes activities like hiking with a moderate amount of elevation gain; high activity includes rock climbing and mountaineering.)
After calculating your RMR and multiplying it by the appropriate activity factor for your backpacking trip, you should have a good idea of how many calories you’ll need each day while out in the wilderness.
In addition to eating enough calories each day while backpacking, it’s also important to make sure that those calories are coming from nutrient-dense sources like nuts and seeds, whole grains such as quinoa or oats, fresh fruits and vegetables (if available), legumes such as lentils or beans, lean proteins such as chicken or fish if available in dried form or canned form if not available fresh), dairy products such as yogurt or cheese if available dried form if not available fresh), healthy fats like olive oil or avocados.
Conclusion:
Calculating how many calories you should eat while backpacking can be tricky but is essential for having an enjoyable experience outdoors. Start by estimating your resting metabolic rate and multiplying it by an appropriate activity factor for the level of physical exertion during your trip. Additionally make sure that those calories come from nutrient-dense sources like nuts and seeds along with lean proteins and healthy fats.
How Many Calories Should You Eat While Backpacking?
The amount of calories needed while backpacking depends on a number of factors including age gender height weight and activity level but generally speaking adults require at least 2000 kcal per day if they are engaging in strenuous activities like rock climbing or mountaineering they may require even more.