Overland Track - Weightloss Mega-survey Thread

[flatfoot]

Since the walk is quite demanding ... particularly with a mix of longer side trips, I think it's interesting to survey weight-loss / gain stats for people that walk the Overland Track.

I walked 83km between 15 December and 22 December. As I was away from home for several weeks I was only able to accurately weigh myself on 10 Dec and then 29 December. In that time I lost 2.8kg! That's despite a big celebration for my father's 80th and the usual Christmas festivities (pudding, trifle and other things)

We ate reasonably well and didn't feel hungry so I think we were eating the right quantity of food. Next time I think I would carry fewer snacks. I'd also switch from museli to porridge for breakfast since it's much lighter to carry.

[north-north-west]

I can't comment on the Overland, but I've just spent eleven days (OK, ten and a half, if you want to be technical) in the Snowys. No idea about bodyweight, but my pants are a hell of a lot looser around hips, thighs and waist than when I left; the belt was tightened a bit more every day. Ribs are a little too obvious - think Callista Flockhart in her skinnier days. And this is despite going though more than half a block of choccy per day.
It's not the walking, it's the pack-carrying that does it. Firms up the muscles something wonderful, too.

[Leggy]

I have no idea about weight stats, but my mother swears that once she collected my father from the OT with his belt on the last notch and a big knot tied in the back of it.

[under10kg]

I only lost 1kg with a 9 day walk from the walls to the overland.
Disappointing!

[tas-man]

Eight days along the South Coast Track saw me 2.5kg lighter, and down two belt holes - wonderful way to trim up around the hips!

[north-north-west]

I only lost 1kg with a 9 day walk from the walls to the overland.
Disappointing!

That's because your pack is too light. If you were carrying more weight, you'd work harder, and lose more weight.

[johnat]

Anecdotal only, but my mate and I, after the OT, had a belt adjustment of one hole each. The two ladies we were with did not manage to lose any weight (noticeable at least!) and were VERY unhappy with us blokes for mentioning it!

Just goes to show that you should be careful what you say around the +1!!!

[Snowzone]

When I did the overland and side trips over 8 days some years ago with my then 15 year old daughter I lost 2kgs and she put on 2kgs! I was happy with the loss but it always finds its way back to me after a couple of weeks My daughter was and still is quite slim so I can only put it down to a muscle mass weight gain, she certainly didn't add any cm's to her waist.

[Tony]

I think it must be Tasmania, on my recent bushwalk on the Bay of Fires coast, I put on 2kg but then it was a catered walk and at the end of the day when we arrived in camp we where presented with a table of food that comprised of a plate of lobster, a plate of Tasmanian cheeses, a plate of fruit, Tasmanian beer and the finest Tasmanian wine and that was just pre dinner.

Tony

[Nuts]

I lost 4.5kg on the OT once. Yes, I Was fat, leading a full group (of big eaters) who wanted to climb everything, and had woefully miscalculated food rations. Ive decided that staying a bit 'hefty' was a good strategy since

[JamesMc]

Quote attributed to Don Whillans, a somewhat heavy mountaineer in response to someone saying he was overweight.

"I go to the mountains fat and come back thin. You go to the mountains thin and come back dead."

JamesMc

[north-north-west]

"I go to the mountains fat and come back thin. You go to the mountains thin and come back dead."

OK, I now feel a great deal less guilty about the cheesecake I'm having for dinner . . .