[3/4 time]

I don't know how accurate this might be, but it's interesting. Hiking Calculator

[3/4 time]

I guess that link didn't work. Here's the website: http://www.hikingdud...king-food.shtml

[Soulfrk]

Interesting; elevation gain doesn't effect the amount of calories as drastically as I thought it would. Sure feels like it should burn more calories.

[Ben Smith]

I've found that unless I'm going on an epic hike or bike ride, a good sized breakfast is usually sufficient to tide me over. When you exert yourself, your body increases blood flow to the muscles by decreasing blood flow to the brain and digestive tract, often referred to as a "second wind". This means that eating while moving will require that you either: 1) slow down so your body can send blood to the digestive tract to digest the food, or 2) hold the food in the stomach until you slow down (usually with uncomfortable side-effects). With this in mind, loading the body up ahead of time with as many calories as possible so you can eat minimally while hiking or cycling will allow you to haul around all day in one giant "second wind".

[Soulfrk]

Ben Smith, on Jun 3 2009, 03:31 PM, said:

I've found that unless I'm going on an epic hike or bike ride, a good sized breakfast is usually sufficient to tide me over. When you exert yourself, your body increases blood flow to the muscles by decreasing blood flow to the brain and digestive tract, often referred to as a "second wind". This means that eating while moving will require that you either: 1) slow down so your body can send blood to the digestive tract to digest the food, or 2) hold the food in the stomach until you slow down (usually with uncomfortable side-effects). With this in mind, loading the body up ahead of time with as many calories as possible so you can eat minimally while hiking or cycling will allow you to haul around all day in one giant "second wind".

I didn't know that. Thank you Dr Smith.

[Ben Smith]

The trick is that your muscles and liver store up energy (glucose) in the form of glycogen (dense polymers of glucose). The average human will have enough glycogen in their muscles to run about 20 miles before these stores run out, and then the body needs to recover. A large breakfast is a sort of glycogen preloading, where it helps ensure that all your glycogen stores are topped off before the day's adventure. The change of blood flow to the muscles helps to ensure that your body is using the energy stored as efficiently as possible, without "wasting" any on unnecessary processes such as digestion. (The reverse of this is the reason why people look pale when they're nauseous: their body is diverting most of the the blood flow to the digestive track).

Description of blood flow during exercise: http://health.howstu...physiology8.htm

Description of glycogen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen

Btw, I may not be a doctor, but I am going for a PhD in genetics, so someday I'll be pseudo-doctor Smith .

[Soulfrk]

Ben Smith, on Jun 3 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

The trick is that your muscles and liver store up energy (glucose) in the form of glycogen (dense polymers of glucose). The average human will have enough glycogen in their muscles to run about 20 miles before these stores run out, and then the body needs to recover. A large breakfast is a sort of glycogen preloading, where it helps ensure that all your glycogen stores are topped off before the day's adventure. The change of blood flow to the muscles helps to ensure that your body is using the energy stored as efficiently as possible, without "wasting" any on unnecessary processes such as digestion. (The reverse of this is the reason why people look pale when they're nauseous: their body is diverting most of the the blood flow to the digestive track).

Description of blood flow during exercise: http://health.howstu...physiology8.htm

Description of glycogen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen

Btw, I may not be a doctor, but I am going for a PhD in genetics, so someday I'll be pseudo-doctor Smith .

This really is fascinating. Probably why people say if your dieting not to skimp on breakfast, right?

Don't sell yourself short, a PhD is as deserving of the title 'Doctor' as an MD or DO.