Nutrition for the Total Outdoorsman, can't live without it, literally :)

NUTRITION FOR THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN

WHEN I FOUND OUT HOW OUT OF SHAPE I WAS
Not too long ago I believed all you needed to stay healthy was water, some good farm produce, and home grown beef!  While that is still true to some degree my thought process has changed dramatically.  

What really opened my eyes to looking into proper nutrition and staying fit was when I was at my previous job, sitting at a bank desk staring at tootsie rolls all day and not doing a lot of physical activity.  I've always been passionate about hunting and fishing and for the little over two years I was a banker could never seem to get time off to go much.  Growing up on the farm I had always been really fit even when I wasn't trying so when I got a day off from my desk job I thought it would be no different.  

Brayden and I took Grandpa's razor up in the Big Hole's early one fall morning on the lookout for deer and elk.  We both could only afford to take a day off from work and try to hit it hard.  The horses got sold when we both moved from Driggs a few years ago so we drove up to a lookout peak and then were on foot hiking pretty much straight up and down the mountain sides.  For the first hour or so I didn't feel too bad but felt really winded and couldn't seem to keep up with Brayden as good.  Throughout the rest of the day though I felt drained all day and had too many frequent stops to catch my breath.  My muscles were out of shape and it didn't take very long and my legs would get to shaking from hiking up and down the mountain side and even became difficult for me to keep my balance with my legs giving out. I couldn't wait for the hunt to be over. I was dripping sweat and could not for the life of me regain energy and stamina after resting. 

That had never happened to me before and honestly scared me into realizing I needed some muscle back, to get in shape, and better nutrition.  

Over the past couple years since that experience I've been a lot more in tune with how the body works and what it needs.  

VITAMINS AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS
Wether you're an outdoorsman or not, one of the main things I really believe in is vitamins and mineral supplements. Your body needs these to function properly and the lack of them will lead to many health issues now and especially down the road.  In my opinion vitamins are the most important things for you to take to be proactive about your health.  Our bodies cannot replenish lacking vitamins and minerals on it's own.  The truth is that it is almost impossible for our bodies to get all the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals it needs by eating fresh foods and so called healthy foods.  Due to the way our food is grown and processed now.  The way food is farmed now with intense farming practices, essential trace minerals found in soils have been highly depleted so the foods you eat are lacking in those as well.  Processing also robs precious nutrients from the foods you eat.  

I'll be honest, most of the vitamins and minerals on the market don't actually work and do more harm than good.  Why?  They might have everything your body needs but your body cannot actually absorb them so they crystalize in your small intestines and you have an expensive bathroom experience.  On top of that because your body is not absorbing those they trigger free radicals which attack your body doing more harm than good.  

Good news though is that there are vitamin supplements out there proven to absorb into your body and actually benefit you.  I have noticed a huge difference since I've been regularly taking Vitamin supplements clinically proven to absorb and work. Although I'm healthy as far as I know, I've noticed a dramatic increase in energy, focus, recovery, and improved immune system.  

Do your research and find out the absorption rates of your vitamin supplements. You'll be surprised at the lack of information with vitamin companies because they are well aware of the fact that most of them don't work and absorb.  

When you're in the back country and exposed to all kinds of fluctuating temperatures it's easy to catch a cold or fevers among other things and ruin a good extended hunting trip. A good multivitamin and other supplements will surely increase your odds of avoiding sitting back at camp not feeling good.

Fly fishing the Henry's Fork

HYDRATION DRINKS OR JUST WATER
I love water and since the days of high school wrestling hardly drink pop anymore.  What I realized in my studies though is when you're sweating or working out, your body is losing electrolytes and other important things that need to be replenished.  Water can't replenish those electrolytes which keep you hydrated and help keep your body going so in enters energy drinks like Gatorade and Powerade.  What I found was that although Gatorade had two electrolytes it also contained a lot of sugar.  I have since switched from using Gatorade and Powerade and use a drink mix I pour in my water bottle or Camel Back hydration system which has twice the electrolytes, 1/5 the sugar, and I personally think it tastes better.  My point being that there are alternatives to Gatorade and Powerade that work better and are healthier.  I have been amazed at the difference I feel in being hydrated when I'm hunting by not drinking strictly just straight water.  I really have felt more longevity and energy.  Once you get on a good electrolyte replacement drink if you aren't staying active when you're drinking it you will notice how much more hydrated you are by the more bathroom visits you take and less headaches you have.  

FITNESS BARS
Never thought I'd be saying this but I really believe in a good fitness bar to keep you going on an all day hunt as well as the other things I've mentioned.  Granted most of them are expensive and I'm sure a lot of you have your favorites for one reason or another. The main reason I take one before and during a hunting or fishing trip is that I've found one that has made a huge difference in helping me recover after a long hike or packing out an animal. It also has made a huge difference in
helping prevent the sore muscles afterwards by blocking the adenosine in your body which creates lactic acid causing the sore muscles.  Along with the recovery abilities, it adds some protein, a nice snack, and on those cold days the particular one I use burns fat to use as energy increasing my core temperature rather than burning muscle to use as energy.  There's no way I'm going to pay five bucks a protein bar so make sure you find one that tastes good to you and gives you the results you want.  

STAYING FIT
This is my biggest struggle.  I broke down and got a gym membership this year and haven't been super good at all about going regularly.  My goal this year is to be ready to do some hard hunting this year without the wobbly legs and getting winded all the time so really need to buckle down and get to work.  I'm a big advocate of regular exercise because I've seen what a big difference it makes when you have been lacking in that department and get into the high elevations when it can become a life or death situation.  Since high school the best shape I've ever been in was the year before I got married and didn't have a girlfriend so went hunting everyday. Haha.  I was an animal and felt like I could hike anything and it paid off being able to call in and stick an arrow in a rutting bull elk.  Those are the thoughts that drive me into being healthy along with the high cost of health care now days.  

I'm always curious to learn more about nutrition for the outdoorsmen and women.   Shoot me an email or something and I'm happy to share more info on what I've personally found.

What have you found to improve your nutrition and fitness in the outdoors?

 Brayden's bull shot in the bottom of the deepest ravine. Haha.

The Log Hollow bull