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Food before challenge

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fergoid6 14 Jun 2016
HI Folks

I am doing a Challenge on Saturday ( 2 Munroe's and a Corbett) and wondered if there is anything in particular I should be eating the night before. I don't get away from work til11 and I start about 8 the following morning ( Normally its takeaway Friday in work!!) however I am sure a Calzone or similar the night before is the last thing I need! Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. I do have a decent level of hill fitness and regularly walk/climb. However don't normally worry about food intake. Thanks folks. Graeme
In reply to fergoid6:

Hi Graeme

For that level of challenge - and I'm assuming your hills are all next to each other, not way apart - I would not get elaborate about food the night before. Something with plenty of fat and carbs would do you fine: a calzone would probably fit the bill ideally in fact. Just lay off the beers. Then get a good carb-rich breakfast (muesli or whatnot) and make sure you've plenty of food on the hill. Pork pies, sarnies, cereal bars, nuts and raisins, a mars bar or three...
1
 GrahamD 14 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

Eat what you would normally eat, but have a good breakfast and carry plenty of easy to eat food with you (little and often is better than one long lunch break)
In reply to fergoid6:

Dont over think things, but 'Low residue' can be a consideration if you don't want to 'toilet' on the hill. Rice / chicken are good so Chinese isn't a bad option. Maybe avoid a hot curry though.
Removed User 14 Jun 2016
In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I'd have my usual porridge and take a few cereal bars and chocolate. Drink plenty of clear mountain water. Its not what you eat on the day but your normal diet and fitness prior to the day.
 JamButty 15 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

I agree with GrahamD.....although I do find a McD's breakfast an hour or so before you're out and about sets you off nicely!
 SenzuBean 15 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:
Sorry for pointing out what might be blindingly obvious - but for best results make sure you're properly hydrated as well. This begins the night before (I would try and drink 1-1.5L of water before and after dinner), carries on before breakfast (a cup of water as soon as you wake up), during breakfast (don't drink too much tea or coffee, as it just makes you piss out all the water you've drunk and dehydrates you further) and all the way throughout the day. In my opinion - hydration is even more important than eating the right food (your body can run on no food for about 10 days, it cannot run on no water for more than 2 days).
A bit of salt in your hill food stops the water from passing right through your body - so personally I always try and take one salty snack for a long day (few cashews or peanuts usually).

The slower you're walking, the less that being hydrated is an issue (your heart beating slowly, and it meets a lot less resistance pumping thick blood around). The faster you walk, the faster your heart beats, and the more fluid resistance thick blood will create. So with that said, if you expect to be walking above your normal pace - pay extra attention to making sure you're hydrated.
Post edited at 12:55
 Mike Peacock 15 Jun 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

> (don't drink too much tea or coffee, as it just makes you piss out all the water you've drunk and dehydrates you further) and all the way throughout the day.

Is that really true?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140402-are-coffee-and-tea-dehydrating
 SenzuBean 15 Jun 2016
In reply to Mike Peacock:

> Is that really true?


The link contains a few studies, all with conflicting results (some with conflicts of interest too). There is no single answer, as it depends on the variables (i.e. if you're a 4-cup a day drinker or 5 cups a week drinker, whether you're exercising or not, whether you've had food or not). Without any specific evidence to answer the question, personally I'd take the conservative approach and go light on those drinks, as anecdotally they do make me piss like a racehorse.
Lusk 15 Jun 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

I'm not surprised you piss like racehorse if you drink 3 litres of water before you go to bed!
 SenzuBean 15 Jun 2016
In reply to Lusk:

> I'm not surprised you piss like racehorse if you drink 3 litres of water before you go to bed!

I meant 1.5L total - sorry if that wasn't clear. But anyway, let's not let that get in the way of a good joke!
 Simon Caldwell 15 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

> However don't normally worry about food intake.

Then assuming you've not had problems before, I wouldn't start now. The chances are that whatever you're used to eating/drinking will be best for you.

A lot of the advice given will work for some but not for others. For instance, if I have a large breakfast before a hill walk then I often get stomach ache on the way up. Probably because I normally only have a small breakfast so not used to eating more in the mornings. If I have a big meal it will be the night before.

Drinking a lot the previous night (whether alcoholic or not) is a big No for me, as I'll just wake up needing the loo and so start the day tired. My pre-hydration is always done in the morning before I start.
 thommi 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

Don't get too hung up on any of it. As others have said just stick to what your body knows. Also don't go drinking loads, there is a lot of mumbo jumbo talked about hydrating, its not as hard as you think to drink too much.

Have a great time.
 Fiona Reid 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

Personally, I don't find it makes a lot of difference what I eat the day before a big walk. Starting the day reasonably hydrated and having a decent breakfast seems to be more important, to me at least.

If I'm doing a big hill day or a bigger one than normal then I usually have my normal breakfast (muesli) and add a banana either with breakfast or before I start walking. I try to make sure I drink plenty before heading out, usually 2-3 mugs of coffee and maybe some water/ribenna if I feel really thirsty. That way I start the day well hydrated and not hungry.

On the hill I try to eat something every hour to 90 mins. If there's lots of summits involved then a wee treat (biscuit, trail bar, pepperami, flapjack etc) for each summit is nice but really I just eat stuff when I'm hungry. Sometimes I'm starving after less than an hour other times I'm not - what I had for dinner the night before seems to be unimportant. I'll also take haribo/jelly babies or something similar for treats.
 robal 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

six pints of Guinness, a bag of Doritos and a can do attitude that's all that is needed here.....
 Fiona Reid 16 Jun 2016
In reply to robal:

It has to be the chilli heatwave Doritos though...



 GrahamD 16 Jun 2016
In reply to robal:

6 pints of Guiness and you almost certainly wil "do"
 LJJ77 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

It would depend on a few things your level of fitness in relation to the challenge is this way above what you normally do also weight comes into play the heavier you are the more calories it takes to get you up a mountain and that includes muscle aswell as fat how heavy will your pack be and how active will you be before your challenge i know at my weight with an 8kg pack i burn 400+cal an hour going uphill so it might be worth eating a few more complex carbs a day or two before to build up your stores
 Roadrunner5 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

I almost always have pizza the night before any big run. I had one at 8 pm before I set off at 12 for a winter paddy Buckley.. I was in pizza and a pint and told Heidi I'm off for a run now.. She later read on FB and realized that was when I'd set off.
Stottys 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

I would say don't worry too much on what you eat just eat well.
As for fluids just remember "pre-hydrate don't re-hydrate."
 bouldery bits 16 Jun 2016
In reply to fergoid6:

Pasta, pasta, and more pasta with sauce and veggies.

Wholewheat is better.

Best of luck!


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