Eureka moment. The reason why the AT thru-hiker wanna bee completion rates are so dismal is that so many rely on Snockers, Poop Tarts, Mcpringels, Twinkles, and Munchkin Ramen as trail food gurgled down with Kookie Cola.
Eureka moment. The reason why the AT thru-hiker wanna bee completion rates are so dismal is that so many rely on Snockers, Poop Tarts, Mcpringels, Twinkles, and Munchkin Ramen as trail food gurgled down with Kookie Cola.
Exactly right. Quitting sugar is like quitting alcohol---most people can't do it.
Lawton "Disco" Grinter is a triple crowner and did two thruhikes of the PCT and has done 12,000+ trail miles since 1999. He says it best:
" . . . .2 pounds of gummy bears per day will get you nowhere on the trail. Nowhere but sick. Junk food is best avoided. We all know what junk food is too. Keep it out of your backpacks as much as possible. Focus on bringing foods with ingredients you can pronounce. Less is more!"
Amen brother.
Here are the ingredients in a snickers bar---
MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, CHOCOLATE, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, PALM OIL, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, EGG WHITES, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR. ALLERGY INFORMATION: CONTAINS PEANUTS, MILK, EGG AND SOY. MAY CONTAIN TREE NUTS.
Other than the processed white sugar, the worst one is Hydrogenated soybean oil. Why snickers still uses it in their food is amazing considering all the study finding it harmful to health. Check this out---
http://www.naturalnews.com/024694_oil_food_oils.html#
The say hydro oil is one molecule away from being plastic.
But heck, do your own google search and see if you can find anyone saying hydrogenated oil is good for you.
See Grinter's words here---
http://sectionhiker.com/trail-food-t...disco-grinter/
Last edited by Tipi Walter; 10-06-2015 at 11:29.
Snickers are loaded with calories, and loaded with added sugar and a bunch of unsavory ingredients. You can get the same calories with a couple of dates and a handful of nuts, nothing added, and a whole lot cheaper.
I'm going to keep pounding the Snickers. Perhaps someday I'll pay for it, perhaps not. Everything in moderation... I can't tell you the last candy bar or soda I've had off the trail, but when I'm hiking... I'll put down some Snickers & Mountain Dew... hike my ass off and enjoy the process.
Give me a few Little Debbie snacks in the process... those oatmeal raisin pie things are incredible. Oh & a whoopie pie while trekkin through Maine too!
It's all overrated. Eat like a Saint and ______ will kill you. Don't do _______, ***** is gonna get you. Be happy, do what you want to do, without harming others, and that's about it.
I'm not going to cram a Big Mac down a health nuts throat, and I don't excpect Whole Foods & grass fed whatever to be thrown my way. I personally think the new trend of eating healthy/organic/natural is a tad overrated, but others swear by it. I'm going to continue my ways of moderation, and without Tipi, Wolf, and Dogwood to share em with... that's a few more for me.
"you know a dream like this seems kind of vaguely ludicrous and completely unattainable. And for anybody who's on the downside of advantage and relying purely on courage: It's possible."
That's all good for you Phoenix but perhaps you've forgotten your thread title posed in the form of a question....Are Snickers still king? When you ask for responses do you always assume they will exactly agree with your own thoughts and THEN when they don't beat folks over the head for their responses....YOU ASKED FOR? Just sayin. Oops maybe I shouldn't say anything? :rolleyes
No beating folks over the head... just throwing my two pennies into the ring. All worth the same amount in my book... If somebody wants to eat kale chips instead of Doritos... all good. If somebody wants some pork & beans out of a can, all good. Diversity is a great thing, on the trail, off the trail... it doesn't matter.
To each their own, nothing more to say. You are right, I asked an opinion question, got some opinions, offered my response and thoughts. Nothing more, nothing less.
"you know a dream like this seems kind of vaguely ludicrous and completely unattainable. And for anybody who's on the downside of advantage and relying purely on courage: It's possible."
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FWIW, I went my entire 2015 trek without purchasing a Snickers bar. I got a few via trail magic, but I stuck to Kind Bars, Clif Bars, and primarily trail mix.
I didn't notice much of a difference one way or the other... but moving forward, I will be including Snickers in my hiking diet once more.
"you know a dream like this seems kind of vaguely ludicrous and completely unattainable. And for anybody who's on the downside of advantage and relying purely on courage: It's possible."
Snicker s are still King with me, ,completed the Santiago de Compostela in Oct. 790 km and eat nineteen snickers in 30 days. Also the choice of most small cafe on the Camino. Also my choice on my two thur hike attempts. I Still have two and halfs states to complete, so don't eat all of the Snickers. I do agree you have to eat them as soon as you buy them in hot weather. However you can't beat a cold snickers bar Spring ,Fall, Winter.
An ounce of sugar, a strong dose of partially hydrogenated oil, artificial flavor. GMO corn syrup .... in a word, YUCK. SNICKERS® Bar Ingredients Declaration: MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, CHOCOLATE, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, PALM OIL, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, EGG WHITES, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR. ALLERGY INFORMATION: CONTAINS PEANUTS, MILK, EGG AND SOY. MAY CONTAIN TREE NUTS.
It must be me, I've never had anyone I offered a snickers bar turn one down while hiking the AT. But what do I know I still eat Sugarpops, Frosted Flakes, And plan on going to my Assistant living at 75..That will be in 8 yeRs
My go to snack is a bag of peanut butter M&Ms. Hershey's Miniatures also work when it gets hot because of the wrapper. Starburst too but not if they get wet. But my sugary snacks are usually devoured after I eat lunch #1 lunch #2 or dinner for the extra calories.
While hiking, my snack of choice is Peanut Butter and Honey crackers. Cliff bars and trail mix will be mixed in for variety. No snickers for me.
I went from Snickers to M&M Peanuts when the weather got warm enough to start making the Snickers melt in my pack.
Phoenix, anyone who hikes the entire AT in Crocs can eat whatever they want
"Chainsaw" GA-ME 2011
The best metaphor I heard while hiking is... "It's like putting an ice cube in a furnace", this triple crowner went on to say that it doesn't really matter what you consume as you long as you eat enough. I tend to agree with that mindset, but everyone is always going to be a bit different.
"you know a dream like this seems kind of vaguely ludicrous and completely unattainable. And for anybody who's on the downside of advantage and relying purely on courage: It's possible."
Almond joy's
see the path cut by the moon for you to walk on
Wait, you can get dates on the trail? <puts down beer...exits bar> Sweet!
Several years ago, I carried Snikers and I thought they were the best trail snack. But they don't have anything useful, and nothing healthy - just calories. These days I would never eat one.
I've learned....
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
Of course they're still King, that position doesn't have term limits.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.