How much energy per day?

S

Skytorn

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Jan 22, 2010
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Hi, I'm wondering how much energy on average is needed by a person per day, when camping with a bit of hiking thrown in, given summer weather (rain unlikely) and carrying tools and supplies for a 3-day outing into the wilderness.

I'm planning a trip, see, and trying to figure out how much food I'll need to bring. Each day we burn about 2000kJ just doing mundane stuff and I hazarded a wild guess that camping & hiking will expend twice as much, or 4000kJ. Is that about right?

Thanks!
 
More info needed
weight carrying
distance hiking/day
type of terrain
You are on track with your estimates - but in a winter environment it could be higher.
 
the average person will burn 2040 calories per day just with daily activity. once you start adding a little bit of excercise, it can go up anywhere rom 50 to 100% more calories needed.

Thats a rough, rough estimation. Due to the lack of other information as stated above.
 
Everyone is different: age, metabolism, body type, etc. I've noticed that many people actually have decreased appetite on the first 1-3 days of a trip and end up with a lot of food leftover.

I'm hungry all the time even in town; in the woods I am voracious the whole time.

For a 3-day summer trip with low miles, I don't imagine that you would burn appreciably more calories than you would on a normal day in civilization (work, chores, errands, gym, walking, romance, etc). You could plan around 2500 cals per person per day and I bet you'd be OK. I always bring some emergency calories, at least a full extra meal if not 1-2 days worth on a longer outing.
 
Temperature and activity has a huge impact. When I went through Army mountain school a lot of years ago, we were issued four person's worth of rations daily out in the cold and still stayed hungry and lost weight. The main lesson they taught was that even a properly clothed human starved to death quickly in even moderate cold unless you had ample food (fuel) for your internal 'stove.' I've read that Eskimos seal hunting on the ice pack will eat as much as ten pounds of seal blubber in a day, that's 16,000 to 18,000calories! If you're hiking over rough country in the cold or even cool, I'd plan on packing lots of extra high calorie food. For your situation in moderate weather, I'd pack at least 3,500 cals for each day and have the equipment to sleep warm at night. Even in summer 'out there' the nights can get downright cold.
 
4500-5,000 calories per day is a good minimum for what youve describred. In order to pull it off carry a lot of high fat foods (a mix of peanut butter, raisins, dried milk, honey makes a great supplement) I use it as my emergency ration as well. Most freeze drieds and such which are available commercialy are too low calorie unless supplemented. Many folks especialy in winter also take along cooking oil and add it to everything. Fats burn hot they provide more energy per gram than anything else. So hiking and camping in cooler temps becomes the perfect way to justify eating all the stuff that comonly is considered not very good for you.

Have fun.
 
I usually pig out as the sun comes up. Maybe 1500 calories and then just eat a little 3 more times for a total of about 2500......but I'm old.:grumpy:
Well. If you add the 1/2 a fifth of 'shine it could be more :)
 
I have no problem eating off the trail, but for whatever reason when I'm hiking I almost having to force feed myself, especially during the day, my stomach just doesn't want food.
 
Monitor your intake for a few days while
daily living at home . Figure out what your caloric intake is.
Youll probably consume about the same amount or slightly more
on the trail unless you live a really sedentary life with not much
physical activity.(in which case youll need quite a bit more)

Anyway,you will just be looking for the same amount
of calories in a different form. Mountain House freeze dried,
jerky,ramen noodles ,energy gels etc etc.
Some people like to eat,others eat when they need to.
By monitoring yourself you will know what a glutton you are ;)
If your well fed and hydrated before you start your trip.
you may surprise yourself on what you can do with minimal food stuffs.
 
this is dependent on several variables, but backpacking in moderate terrain you'll burn ~ 500-600 calories an hour

I typically consume about 3500 calories a day backpacking (comes out to roughly 1.5 lbs/day for me, my wife's food comes out closer to 1 lb a day), I'm typically hiking ~ 8 hours a day so I'm clearly operating at a deficit. I typically lose 3-4 lbs on a 3 day outing which is fine w/ me as it doesn't seem to take an overly long time to gain it back :)
 
wildmike said:
4500-5,000 calories per day is a good minimum for what youve describred. In order to pull it off carry a lot of high fat foods (a mix of peanut butter, raisins, dried milk, honey makes a great supplement) I use it as my emergency ration as well. Most freeze drieds and such which are available commercialy are too low calorie unless supplemented. Many folks especialy in winter also take along cooking oil and add it to everything. Fats burn hot they provide more energy per gram than anything else. So hiking and camping in cooler temps becomes the perfect way to justify eating all the stuff that comonly is considered not very good for you.

Have fun.
Click to expand...

+1

i have a hyper metabolism, throw in strenuous hiking, or rock climbing like i used to or cold winter woods slogging, and it is not uncommon for me to consume 8000 - 10000+ calories a day (when active, not at home) . Dried sausages, cheese, tuna packed in oil, peanut butter etc etc are all calorie rich, energy dense, LONG TERM fuels that really keep you going. (and warm too in winter).

takes some experimentation, but its pretty easy to figure out what you need foodwise. Then add another 1000+ calories. :cool:
 
Depends on if you want to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your weight.

If you are slightly overweight, you don't need to intake as many calories as you burn, you'll lose weight.
 
170lb with a fast metabolism, I used to carry around 5800 calories (2lbs)per day and only lost 3 or 4 pounds on week long trips, protein shakes in the morning really help.

I do resupply with fish quite a bit. Lucky enough here in B.C. that I only hike with fishbearing lakes and streams as part or all of my destinations.
I would carboload and eat to bursting 2 days before the trip.
 
completely depends on your metabolism, there are some weeks I can't eat enough and don't do anything, and there are some weeks where I'm cranking out 30 miles a day and eat no more than a can of tuna or a grilled cheese sandwich.
 
I know when I get to moving with weight on my back and playing outdoors about 5,000 calories a day, really moving all day or manual labor all day, 6,000 to 7,000 calories, add cool or cold weather and it goes even higher, at that point hydration is key for transporting nutrients and waste.
 
Here's the formula we use to calculate the BMR (basal metabolic rate) of clients.

For men:
66+(6.3x weight in pounds) + (12.9x height in inches) - (6.8x age in years)

This gives you your BMR, the energy you'll need to eat to stay the same weight for one day. To calculate how much you'll need with physical activity:

If you have a sedentary lifestyle, times your BMR by 1.2
If you're extra active (labouring or athletic activity) times your BMR by 1.6

This will give you exactly how many calories you'll need to consume to maintain your weight whilst undertaking your activity.
 
I have read all the resources, spoke to a nutritionist and it all makes sense...

... until ...

I go on a winter survival course... eat less than 2000 cal/day... drink atleast 8-10L/day of water .... and not lose a pound. What gives?

As of today I weigh 208lbs. I am leaving for a 5day Winter Training Session this weekend.

My food.
(1) can of spam 1080cal
(1) pack of spicy beef ramman 190cal
(2) 8 squares of homemade trail bread about 1600cal total
(1) pack, 7oz of jerky at about 600cal total
(2) cans of sardines 300cal total
(1) 6oz bag of trail mix about 900cal total
(2) Cliff bars 500cal total
(6) packets of hot chocolate 660cal total

Grand total 9600cal over 5 full days = 1920cal/day

-25C average temps, no sleeping bag, no tent, lots of scouting, lots of work.... Beef's calculator (above) says I need 3224cal/day to maintain my weight.

I'll keep track of any game I catch while in the field.

I'll give a final report on Saturday before I hit McDonalds, that is.... lol... wish me luck.


Rick
 
Last edited:
Magnussen said:
I have read all the resources, spoke to a nutritionist and it all makes sense...

... until ...

I go on a winter survival course... eat less than 2000 cal/day... drink atleast 8-10L/day of water .... and not lose a pound. What gives?

As of today I weigh 208lbs. I am leaving for a 5day Winter Training Session this weekend.

My food.
(1) can of spam 1080cal
(1) pack of spicy beef ramman 190cal
(2) 8 squares of homemade trail bread about 1600cal total
(1) pack, 7oz of jerky at about 600cal total
(2) cans of sardines 300cal total
(1) 6oz bag of trail mix about 900cal total
(2) Cliff bars 500cal total
(6) packets of hot chocolate 660cal total

Grand total 9600cal over 5 full days = 1920cal/day

-25C average temps, no sleeping bag, no tent, lots of scouting, lots of work.... Beef's calculator (above) says I need 3224cal/day to maintain my weight.

I'll keep track of any game I catch while in the field.

I'll give a final report on Saturday before I hit McDonalds, that is.... lol... wish me luck.


Rick
Click to expand...

What's in the trail bread?

I eat bacon, sausage, cheese, bagels and never count the calories. If I lose a bit of weight, so much the better, but I am never without fat in my diet.
 
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