I am going NOBO on the AT in 2013, and was curious how much weight everyone lost on their AT thru-hikes. And if you didn’t make it to Katahdin, how much you lost by the time you got off the trail. Thanks!
Caboose
AT thru-hike weight loss
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#3
Started at 138. Lost 10 by Damascus and 5 more in the Whites to end at 123. Need to put on 10 lbs before my 2013 hike. Shouldn’t be hard with the help of the holidays 
Journey
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#4
In 2005 I left home at 156 lbs. I had to get off the trail at the Mason Dixon line due to injury after 0153 miles. My weight was down to about 132 lbs. One afternoon after completing the Roller Coaster on a hot humid day I weighed 129 at Bears Den Hostel.
swamp fox
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#5
In 1971 I started the AT at 220lbs and finished at 170. At one point I was done to 160lbs.
alaskadave
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#6
Thru-hiked in 2009. I started at 225. Finished at 185. Felt awesome. I have gained it all back since! Can’t wait for the PCT and chance to lose it all over again!
By the way, if you are a little overweight, and have not bought a pack yet, get one with interchangeable belts. I had to change mine out after about 1000 miles.
Have a super hike.
Bison
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#7
Started the approach trail at 170 lbs (6’1") and pushing a few weeks of high mileage (26 mpd) I weighed 156 lbs, but with a week off for a family visit I gained it all back by MA and then was pretty steady around 160 lbs till Katahdin…felt a bit weak at 156 lbs so I upped my food intake (hiked stoveless).
:cheers
2011 Thru
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#8
In 2000 I started at 236 lbs (6’2") and dropped to 180 by Pa then gained to 190 by Maine. Gained it all back and have worked ever since to get below 200 and stay there.
Big B
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#11
In 2009, I started April 8th. Went stoveless at Harpers Ferry. By the time I reached Maine I had lost 62 pounds. Started at 230lbs and got to 168lbs by Stratton.
Stoveless does not lead to weight gain. Anyone who claims that knows nothing about human physiology. Whether its hot or cold food it still serves as energy. If you burn more calories than you consume, which most hikers do, you will still lose weight. That’s why its so much fun when the hiker appetite kicks in and you can eat all the food you want and still not gain weight.
In 2009, I had a hiker appetite by the time I got to Hot Springs. In 2011, I hiked 500 miles on the AT and never got a hiker appetite. Still lost 20 pounds in 2011.
In 2009, I lost a pound a day for the first 30 days then my weight loss slowed down after that probably because I was consuming so much food during town stops. I know on one town stop I consumed over 10,000 calories in one day.
Ned
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#12
In 2000 I was 165 at start, never weighed myself until finish in Maine. I was 132 and wore clothes I had not worn 25 years. Funny thing , two years later I hiked the LT in Vermont and lost 27 pounds. Much shorter hike but almost same weight loss
Chef
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#13
I weighed 345 lbs (that’s not a typo) when I left Springer. I lost 40 lbs in 50 days, 60 lbs at Harpers Ferry and 80 lbs when I reached Katahdin. It’s taken 10 years and lots of hard work, but I’ve managed to put it all back on. :bawling
Big Red
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#14
I find it’s easy to lose weight on the “Long” Trail, as that “trail” has a way of handing your (fat) ass to you! It is not a walk in the park.
TR
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#16
I did the AT in 03 and lost 35 lbs. Did the LT this past Sept and lost 20 lbs. The LT would be a great weight loss plan and quicker, who needs a gym membership when you can just walk in the woods.
Sub
Subman
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#17
When you finish your thru, did you lose your hiker’s appetite naturally, or does it take a conscious effort to cut the eating back to a sustainable amount?
Hickory Stick
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#18
Caboose, I went GA>Me in 2011. I started Mar 27, 2011 and finished Aug. 6, 2011. My starting weight was 182 lbs. My finish weight was 150 lbs. To see more of my journal,gear, and pictures, go to trailjournals/DreamWalker. Happy Trail!:cheers
DreamWalker
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#19
…you starve yourself, the typical middle aged thru hiker (at least me) will gain back the weight as your body is anticipating another starving session next summer… only having been on one short thru hike in the last 6 years: my body keeps the pounds on no matter how much I restrict my diet to fruit for breakfast, a trailbar for lunch, & mostly vegetables & whole grains for dinner. Of course my courier job also entails miles of walking & jogging most days (I intentionally park blocks away if not in a hurry) one would think it would be enough… only then do your realize how many hours of hiking it takes to lose 30 or 40 lbs… let’s see: 1100 hours more or less to lose 30 - 40 lbs on the AT etc… comes to about 32 hours per pound…or 2 hours extremely strenuous backpackin’ per oz! Makes it seem pretty hopeless stuck in civilization !
gingerbreadman
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#20
During a thru-hike it’s very difficult not to loose a considerable amount of weight. As we all know most folks are overweight to begin with. This is the weight you loose first. As a hiker you just can’t take in the calories that you burn while hiking. You just can’t carry enough food. The answer is to carry food that is high calorie and try to eat a lot of calories when you stop in a town.
I started my thru-hike weighing 196 lbs. I lost 37lb. befor I got to Waynesboro. After that I stayed about the same for the rest of my thru. You will soon put back on most of what you loose.
Grampie