IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN.
It's the start of the New Year! A time when we collectively set goals intended to curb some habits or create new and improved ones. We’re seeing a lot of resolutions focused around ‘getting outside more’ and some version of eating in a healthier way. Let's combine the two for a Gnome style 2022 resolution of eating cleaner in the outdoors.
Eating clean simply points to eating foods that are minimally processed, lacking any additives, and overall, they’re made of whole and real ingredients. The other end of the spectrum would be to eat foods so processed they are unrecognizable, packed with unnecessary sugar, preservatives, or stabilizers that don’t benefit the body. Unfortunately, lots of packable foods tend to be filled to be the latter, and our bodies aren’t able to digest them properly.
People have mostly accepted this as a sacrifice for packable options, even though we’d never put this stuff in our bodies at home.The effects of eating foods like these are grim, especially after years of ingesting these ingredients. In the short term, like a long distance hike or a multi-date hunt, this could show up like the familiar “energy bonk” or “trail-gut” or the even worse “trail-butt.” Imagine a whole year of feelin’ good in the woods!
GREEN CURRY = REAL AS HECK FOOD.
Here's a quick rundown of what a clean ingredient label like this does for you:
- Zucchini, red bell peppers, shallots, rice, and other vegetables offer a variety of carbohydrates that will release energy to the body over an extended period of time. Additionally, these carry the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to replenish after arduous activity.
- Chicken and chicken broth carry complete proteins that will help fuel bodily functions such as rebuilding muscle after a long trek.
- Coconut cream provides the primary source of fat which helps pack in lots of great calories with less weight and is essential for sustaining energy.
- Spices, lime zest, lemongrass, and ginger offer the brightness and layers of delicious flavor- which is incredibly important when you're out there for morale, which can make or break any trip...and they provide a natural density of fiber to keep our bowel movements normal.
CLEAN UP THE BACKCOUNTRY FOR 2022.
So how about a goal to nix the bad stuff in the backcountry and pack the good stuff like the above this year? Clean, real food fuels your body more efficiently and ultimately leads to a better experience, whatever that may be. Just say no to fillers and additives for your body in the backcountry.
Don’t short yourself or your body by sacrificing for the junky stuff. Cleaning up the way you eat in the backcountry will hit two high notes- make you want to stay out longer, and make you feel good. For more pointers on how to navigate nutrition labels check out “Navigating Ingredient Labels”. Catch you for the next 'Think inside the Bag'!
