Mountain biking and hiking are still in full swing. These activities require a lot of energy, to help keep you performing at your best we’ve provided you with tips and suggestions for optimal fueling on the trail!
Tips for bringing snacks.
Make it lightweight – Pack lightweight snacks to avoid adding extra weight to your pack. An example would be to bring dehydrated fruits instead of fresh!
Make it nutritious – Fueling on the trail works best with snacks consisting of carbs, fat, salt, and protein. Carbohydrates and fat will give you energy, carbs are by far the most important nutrient to have on the trail! Salt helps to prevent cramping and electrolyte depletion, especially if you sweat a lot. A little bit of protein will help to keep you full, however, most of your protein should come after your trail activity.
Food that can be thrown around – Avoid bringing “fragile” foods such as bananas or anything that will be crushed. Backpacks are often thrown around on our backs and dropped on the ground, meaning our snacks will also be thrown around and dropped.
Minimal packaging – Bring snacks with minimal packaging, this will make it easier to carry in and out.
Suggestions for snacks.
- Energy bars.
- Dried fruit.
- Trail mix (Salted).
- Sandwiches (Peanut butter & jelly is a great option).
- Jerky.
General guidelines for nutrients.
When putting your trail snacks together aim for an intake of:
- 45-55% carbohydrates.
- 35-45% Fats.
- 10-15% Protein.
Or for snacks consisting of 900-1000 calories, this may look like:
- Carbohydrates: 1 piece of bread, 6 pieces dried mango.
- Fat: 6 tbsp trail mix (carbs, protein, fat), 2 tbsp peanut butter.
- Protein: 1 protein bar (carbs and protein), 1-ounce beef jerky.
If you have questions on nutrition for the trail, contact one of our Health & Fitness professionals today at personaltraining@heavensacademy.com
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