: How much weight can a person safely lose on a backpacking trip? Even though I am on the thin/skinny side, I have come back from multiple backpacking trips having to tighten my belt. It always seems like one comes back in

Vote Up Vote Down   0 Reactions

Login to give Reaction!

health.stackexchange.com would be better fit.

Your minimum healthy weight is not dependent on city versus outdoors. Your body is not aware the calorie deficit was caused by a hike.

The body is very good at storing and using fat. That is what body fat is designed to do.

I am not a Dr. but if you got home without severe symptoms you did not harm yourself. Symptoms of starvation include: diarrhea, anemia, loss of muscle mass. If you went into loss of muscle mass your body would have told you big time and you would have had a very hard time finishing.

Lose some body fat is the most efficient way to carry calories.

Even on a medical supervised extreme diets they go up to 1 lb a day.

Pro fighters move two weight classes and still perform. Look at Connor McGregor at 145 (where I think he still holds the belt). He fought Diaz at 168. Even training for a fight a pro can lose up to 1 lb a day and still train hard.

For a number you should see a Dr. The Internet cannot tell you that. Even a Dr. is going have a hard time with a number. They will be more interested in symptoms of starvation.