When does your metabolism slow down?

imported
#1

I am really getting tired of eating all the time.

How long does it take, after you finish your hike, for your body’s metabolism to slow down to regular pace?

nobody

#2

Your metabolism will slow down faster than your appetite. I think we binged for a day or two after the hike and then tried to ease up a bit. It’s tough since you’re used to eating 5000 calories a day. Seemed like a week or so before we stopped the serious cravings. Of course, we were in our late 30’s when we finished our hike. This will be different for a 20-yr old. (ah, the good old days…)

Bramble

#3

This is definitely my metabolism.

It’s been over a month now, and I still am getting hungry all the time. It’s the hungry, then the feeling of dizziness and nausea if I don’t eat something.

I’m not (normally) hypoglaucemic, either.

nobody

#4

Those of you who seen me at the end of the hike (10/19/03)
know I lost over 100 pounds. In the 2 weeks since I returned to civilization I have gained back about 25 pounds.
At least my appetite seems to be tappering off finally! The
same hiker hunger that wouldn’t go away still has not all
gone away. My metabolism, however went from over 10,000 calories a day down too about 2,500 calories a day. I have
been forced to do some local hikes to try and offset the
weight gain until the hunger is gone ( I’m supposed to be letting my stress fractures heal up!). The hard part is my
car sat for 6.5 months and the exhaust, front end, breaks and god only knows what else rusted out. Too add to that
I flunked my eye exam for my license renewal and now have to wear glasses! It took me a week to get an appointment!
a week I SAT around going through bills, mail, etc. I can’t think of a better way to gain weight than too sit across from a loaded refridgerator for a week as you catch up to
what used to be your life! (OK, granted the refridgerator
did not force feed me, but damn it is hard not to snack! LOL)

Rick The Lone Wolf

#5

I’m still hungry…but weight 5#s less than when I finished hiking…three years later. Keep moving, small meals, no junk food.

Bushwhack

#6

I couldn’t stop eating for about one week. My appetite never really seemed to go back to what it was before the hike… so I started training for marathons. That’s helped keep my weight under control!

Superfeet

#7

Your appetite will probably diminish once you have returned to a “normal” weight.

Peaks

#8

I have been waiting for the appetite to calm down as well. One and a half months later I am still eating like A thru!

Yo-YO

#9

I haven’t thru-hiked, but I know that if you eat more proteins and fat and reduce your carbs, you will feel more satisfied. Carbs don’t have much “holding power.”

Jonna

#10

I think that once your metabolism kicks into high gear, it tends to stay there. What that means is that your body becomes very efficient using all intake and wasting little. You either burn the calories off with exercise or you gain weight. People with low metabolism, the food can just go thru them with little weight gain and also not much energy taken out of the food.

The natural tendancy for all of us is to gain weight, hence the obesity epedemic in this country. If you don’t watch what you eat and exercise, you can really pack on the pounds. This comes from millions of years of feast during times of plenty and famine, when there’s not much around to eat. Many animals pack on the pounds during the summer months and live off their fat reserves in the winter, and hence lose a lot of weight in the cold winter months when food is scare and a lot of calories are burned just to keep warm.

You’re dealing also with your stomach being used to having a lot of food in it and processing a lot of food on a daily basic. When your exercise level decreases and you have no need for all those calories, you stomach size and muscles and brain needs to adjust everything. So it takes time and effort to get this done right. I’d eat a lot of ruf***e, such as raw cabbage and such, which will fill your stomach but will not fill you up with packing on the fat calories. In other words, eat low calories foods, whereas in hiking you were eating high calories foods.

Anyway it just takes time. Regarding post hike exercise, if you have stress fractures, foot and knee problems, etc—you might want to consider water exercise. The cool water will burn some of those calories and the water will support your weight and keep most of it off of you feet, knees, legs, etc. This is the way they exercise horses with broken legs and other large animals also, and they also recommend this for folks with ankle, feet, knee, and various leg problems. If you search around, you can generally find an indoor year round heated pool for public use although you will probably have to join or pay a reasonable use fee.

My metabolism changed tens of years ago due to lots and lots of jogging and weight lifting. It has not changed back so I exercise daily and also do a lot of hiking on the weekends. I like my metabolism the way it is and I enjoy exercising and hiking and have no desire for it to change back to the metabolism of a couch potato.

Good question however. Metabolism, once you kick it into high gear, can you ever get it to show back down and how? Does anyone have an answer for this?

Anyway, I think it just take times. Enjoy the hike and enjoy life. See you out there.:cheers

Maintain

#11

Flame and I both gained our weight back in only a few months after getting home. Even though I was walking 5 to 7 miles a day. We started the Atkins plan and dropped the weight in about 2 months. Also, my cholesterol was cut in half (great news) and my blood pressure was normal for the first time in 30 years. During our thru hike in '02 I had to increase my bp meds. Go figure? With the Atkins you eat as much protein as you want and limit your carbs…and you are never hungry!!! It is fantastic!!!

Papa Smurf