During long walks you have to pay attention to food and hydration so that the body has energy and recovers the muscle mass used throughout the day. In pilgrimages, it is common for participants to walk 20 to 35 km per day, requiring physical preparation and a balanced diet to maintain such an effort.
It is common for weight loss and fainting during the walking period to occur due to fatigue and dehydration, especially when the route is in warm climates or when support points are lacking along the way.Here’s what food should look like on long walks:
- Approximately 3 to 4 days before you start walking.
- It is necessary to increase your intake of carbohydrate-rich foods.
- Which will increase energy reserves in the liver and muscle mass.
- So carbohydrates should be included in all meals and are mainly represented by foods such as rice.
- Bread.
- Pasta.
- Tapioca.
- Couscous.
- Farofa.
- Juices.
- Fruits.
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Protein and fat intake should be kept within the natural standard, and foods such as olive oil, meat, chicken or fish should be consumed for lunch and dinner, and eggs, cheeses, nuts and milk for snacks and breakfast.
Since calorie consumption during walking is very high due to great physical effort, it is necessary to consume all day foods that are easy to digest and rich in carbohydrates and energy, for this phase it is advisable to use fruits, fruit juices, sweets.such as brown sugar, jam, bitter chocolate and energy drinks.In addition, you can also use foods such as nuts, peanuts, cereal bars and
In addition, it is also necessary to be attentive to the consumption of proteins, which will both provide energy for exercise and recover the muscle mass that will wear out along the way, so breakfast should be rich in foods such as eggs, cheese and milk., and during lunch it is necessary to have a more complete meal, preferring lean meats and only a small amount of salad, to allow faster and more adequate digestion.See protein-rich foods.
At the end of the day of the walk, it is important to drink plenty of water and carbohydrate-rich liquids to help rehydration, such as juices and vitamins.Immediately after the end of the physical exertion, you should consume a protein cereal bar or protein supplement to start the muscle recovery process.Another option is to prepare a snack with good protein sources, such as a chicken and cheese sandwich, even before dinner.
Dinner should then be high in carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves of muscle mass and should contain foods such as rice, pasta, potato or cassava flour, for example, a new source of protein should be consumed, preferably chicken., lean meats or fish.
The best way to stay hydrated is to watch for signs of thirst and always walk with water, juices or isotonic drinks in your backpack, men are advised to consume at least 2 liters of water a day, while women should consume at less 1.5 liters of water. Water.
To avoid dizziness and discomfort from excess fluid in your stomach, you should drink small amounts of water at intervals of at least 20 minutes.A good tip is to drink 3 to 4 glasses of water at least 4 hours before the start of the walk, to start the well hydrated tour.
In addition to natural foods, carbohydrate supplements can also be used in the form of high-protein, high-protein cereal gels or bars, as they are easy to carry in the backpack and use at any time of the day.
In some cases, the walker may also use nutritional powder supplements that contain both carbohydrates and proteins, as they are easily diluted in water to consume during the trip.
Another option is to create your own isotonic house, as shown in the following video: