Valley to Peak Nutrition Podcast

This episode is a comprehensive nutrition Q&A designed to help hikers, hunters, backpackers, and outdoor enthusiasts optimize their fuel and achieve their fitness goals. In the first half of the episode, we address specific listener struggles and do a deep-dive into the logistics of DIY trail food dehydration, navigating weight loss within family-style dinners, and smart workarounds for tight meal-prep spaces. The second half introduces the "Non-Tracking Framework"—a set of practical "bumpers" for busy days, vacations, or high-stress periods when logging food into an app isn't feasible, ensuring listeners can still maintain boundaries and progress toward their fitness goals without burning out. Key Topics Covered Deep Dive: The DIY Dehydration Guide for Backpacking Round vs. Square Dehydrators:The pros, cons, fan placement, price points, and space considerations for each. Trail Logistics:How to package, break up, and rehydrate your meals (the golden 1:1 water ratio). Safe Cooking:Choosing between mylar bags, boil-safe Ziplocs, or just cooking straight in your Jetboil. Pescatarian on the Trail:Creative ideas using canned tuna, shrimp, and high-recovery vegetarian grain/legume combos. Weight Loss & Cultural Family-Style Meals Why you don'tneed to isolate yourself or quit eating traditional family meals to lose weight. How to create a caloric deficit by auditing your day, managing portions, and making micro-adjustments to cooking fats (oil, butter, coconut milk). Using tracking as a tool for awareness, not restriction. Meal Prepping with Minimal Freezer Space 4 practical workarounds for tiny kitchens: shorter 2-3 day prep cycles, component-only shopping, non-frozen convenience foods (rotisserie chicken + salad bags), and creating a healthy local restaurant "hybrid" rotation. The Non-Tracking Framework: Nutritional "Bumpers" What to do when life gets too busy to log your food. The Plate Compartment Rule:Balancing your macros visually (Protein, Fiber/Veggies, and Carbs) to protect your training energy. Time Blocking:Setting intentional eating windows to eliminate mindless snacking, fancy coffee drinks, and liquid calories. Managing Highly Palatable Foods:The science of why it’s easy to overeat Oreos or trail mix, but hard to overeat chicken and rice. The "No Doubling Up" Rule:Avoiding overlapping macros in a single meal (e.g., picking one starch, not three). Final Takeaways: Intentionality vs. Autopilot Matching your nutrition Strategy to your current bandwidth (The 1-to-5 Motivation Scale) so you never default to the drive-thru. Resources Mentioned in this Episode Valley to Peak DIY Dehydration Guide Valley to Peak Non-Tracking Cheat Sheet Connect with Us! Got a question for the next Q&A? Reach out here! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with your hiking crew! See you in two weeks.

The Five Things We Did: JC spent just shy of 4 months focused on his nutrition with one goal: see if it could change the current course of his health. You'll hear his perspective, tips, advice and exactly what we did during that time together. - - - - Check out more resources, podcast, and other things to help in your journey at V2P!

Topics covered: Are oral GLP-1s as effective as injectables? What's the deal with the new report on protein powders containing lead? Should I worry about not having carbs with my protein after a workout? Are energy drinks really killing my gains in the gym and workouts? Consumer Report on protein powders Podcast with Dyllon Sanford on GLP-1-Part 1. European Food Safety Authority

How important is variety in the diet? I tend to eat alot of the same things every day. How important is nutrient timing when it relates to protein intake? Does protein quality matter? “I tore my hamstring while water skiing this summer. Should I be eating more protein while I’m doing my PT work? What about amino acides or BCAA? I LOVE ice cream, but it kills my intake. What are three ways I can have a healthier version (change TYPE, change AMOUNT, Skip) - - - - Check out our resources at Valley to Peak Nutrition or sign up for coaching!

This week we look at four practical things you can do to recover and stay strong for a season- be it training or hunting. We talk about whether you should carb load or not before a big hunt and give some updates on what’s to come throughout the fall. Podcast with Rokslide and Jordan Budd Our Prep and Recovery Nurition Guide (Free) Our DIY at-home electrolyte mix

What happens when you head to the mountains to hunt elk for eight days in physically demanding terrain? I knew in theory what happens, but wanted to hear Cory's first hand experience and the details behind his experience and project: Destination Elk. Destination Elk Link Series Elk 101 Resources and information Valley to Peak Resources

Lindsay is back for this round of FAQ where we look at: Does anything actually increase metabolism (Spoiler: yes!) What should I eat before a really early morning workout? Do I have to add in exercise to achieve my goals? Are there other ways? What exactly is 'energy expenditure'? Sing up for the Backcountry Nutrition QA&- happening July 16th, 2025 at 7p MST).