good food for walking?

[alfie]

hi ,am really into my hillwalking and was wondering what kind of food i should be eating before,after and during my climb!i eat bananas and maybe a mars bar or so on my walks at the moment but if there is better things i should be eating i would be really grateful for any advice!thankyou very much!

[Milesy]

Whatever works for you I suppose. The fitter you get the less you tend to need or want. When I first started I would have tupperware full of sandwiches or pasta and all sorts on the hill.

Now I have a bowl of porage in the morning, maybe a chocolate bar on the hill and a fish supper when I come off.

[bootsandpaddles]

I reckon I'm pretty fit but I always take lots of food: sandwiches (usually cheese!), chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, cereal bars, other chocolate biscuits, fruit and a flask of tea. And water of course.

[NickyRannoch]

I dont have any science to back this up but the best i feel on the hills is when i have had a good tea of pasta or rice and chicken the night before. Then a light breakfast of banana and maybe a cereal bar.

Im not a big eater on the hills. i just take on plenty fluid and maybe a few sweets in the pocket. if i am stopping for lunch on a big day ill maybe take pasta or rolls but the energy from these probably starts to kick in hours after im off the hill.

One thing i will say is after a big day it is imperative you have a chicken supper. it is vital to top up your bodies depleted supplies of grease and salt and batter.

[Milesy]

the energy from these probably starts to kick in hours after im off the hill.

That is what I find as well and too much sugar just gives you a crash so best just to use your bodies reserves. There is also anecdotal evidence (which I find as well) that eating so much actually puts blood and energy into your digestive system which makes me slower.

[NickyRannoch]

Perhaps a nutritionist will tell me otherwise but my laymans understanding the ' fight or flight responses' in our body means when we are producing adreniline and getting our heart rate up we have to stop all other unnecessary bodily functions including food digestion. therefore when you are exercising with all that starchy heavy bread and pasta in you you are carrying dead weight.

Could be talking pish though.

[basscadet]

I always try to overdo the complex carbs the night before - pasta is the best I have found..
On the hill for daytime I usually carry hot cross buns, wee cheese portions, cereal bars, chocolate and salted cashews. I find its way better to graze throughout the day rather than stop for actual lunch. I think this may reflect my own laziness though as I do like a bit of a sit down and a relax
My favourite camp dinners are pasta, with my own homemade concentrated sauce. Egg noodles with a sachet of Tuna, and Ainsleys thai chicken cup soup, and haggis with instant mash laced with my own special seasoning.. The instant mash definately isnt good carbs though, I can feel the difference in my performance.

[alfie]

thanks very much for replies!i was up ben alder on sunday and after the cycle to the bothy at culra and the first 4 munros i was knackered!so i want to start eating better things to help my body recover!first time i ever felt weary on the hills but i suppose it was a long day!