So, How Many Calories.......?

**Ken** · 03-19-2010, 11:14 PM

With all the posts about surviving if the SHTF, have you considered caloric intake?

How many calories, on average, do you consume each day?

How many calories can you cut down on, and for how long, before your health suffers significantly.

How many calories will you require to sustain the more intense activity that may be required in a SHTF scenario?

**oly** · 03-19-2010, 11:17 PM

Try this
http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/ca...calculator.asp

**wareagle69** · 03-20-2010, 08:55 AM

i was thinking about this while cutting wood last night.
While it is true that backpackers use allot more calories when hiking, it is because of all the extra movement that they are doing, and i guess if you have to bug out during shtf, then yes you will need alot more calories.
Now this brings up the idea of prepareing, i am trying to have 3 yrs worth of wood stocked up and other labor intensive preps done ahead of time, that way if/when the shtf i will actually be using less calories, why? well becuase right now i get up and do chores, then i go to work in an industrial setting and then come home and do chores, that burns up allot of calories.
In a shtf scenario i doubt i will be going to work, so my time will be spent just running the homestead, so i see it as using less calories

**LostOutrider** · 03-20-2010, 09:08 AM

I found this article one time that looked at backpacking as one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. It has a very good breakdown of caloric intake when you're on the move. http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Weigh...ight_Loss.html

" For our sample backpacker who weighs 180 pounds (including clothes worn), carries a 35 pound pack, averages about 2 miles per hour through moderate terrain, and does not use trekking poles (more on this point below), a reasonable estimate of calories consumed is about 600 per hour. (Note that a heavier backpacker walking in particularly difficult terrain might use as much as 1,000 calories per hour according to some tables.) If he spends 7 hours a day actually walking, the related activity burn would be about 4,200 calories. In addition, if he spends two hours in the morning and two in the evening performing camp chores at a burn rate of about 300 calories per hour (comparable to moderately vigorous housework), he will expend another 1,200 calories or so for a total of about 5,400 activity-related calories."

On long-distance hikes, you really start burning just crazy energy. For me, the first day is usually a slow burn day and I'm not really all that hungry - no matter how rough the terrain. By the third, it is a race to keep the furnace fueled.

**Sarge47** · 03-20-2010, 12:09 PM

The body needs a lot more calories when being in the outdoors depending on the energy expended. [REF: "The Complete Book of Outdoor Survival." by J. Wayne Fears. Also: "Hey, I'm Alive!" by Helen Klaben.]

Another thought is the MRE put out by the U.S. Military: 2800 to 3200 calories. If you eat 3 complete MRE's a day you're pushin' 8400 to 9600 calories a day. So what does the military know?

**Winnie** · 03-20-2010, 12:36 PM

It's all relative, I do well on 800-1000 calories a day even doing physical labour. Winnie jnr however needs at least double that to keep up. Some people are naturally economical "fuel burners" others need more. I don't think you can say "x" calories per person per day or even "x" calories per man/woman per day.

**2dumb2kwit** · 03-20-2010, 01:49 PM

A while back, my doctor tells me that I need to lose a few pounds. (Like I didn't know.) He said that he wants me on a 1,500 calorie diet. I politely informed my doctor, that 1,500 calories is barely a good snack! LOL

I enjoy food too much, to not eat....so I guess I'll just have to get more active. (I need to anyway....I'm really out of shape.) Speaking of which...I bought me a bike, the other day. I think I'll go for a ride. The weather is great today!

**Batch** · 03-20-2010, 02:04 PM

I think of calories as the quantity of fuel. But, you also have to consider the quality of fuel and the right balance of fuel mixture.

I think if you are going to be active you have increase your carbs. If you plan on being active shortly after you eat you can eat refined carbohydrates.

I think you would do ok on the same calories for quite some time before you started having health issues. The primary health issue would be weight loss.

**Pal334** · 03-20-2010, 02:43 PM

I guess alot is your activity level, weather. I worked supporting a "special unit" once in Iraq. These guys would completely consume at least 3 MREs a day when they were out "operating" and would be losing weight!!!! I know that is an extreme amount of activity which many of us (myself included) could not possibly maintain. But I used it as an illustration that your needs will certainly change. And WE seems to have a good idea, trying to keep ahead on the labor intensive work, will give him some breathing room while he adjusts to things in the event of a calamity

**Batch** · 03-20-2010, 03:18 PM

I definitely agree that you will lose weight. But, that is going to be an obvious sign that you need to get more calories. I was saying from a health issue, it would be more important to eat a higher carbohydrate diet than indiscriminate amounts of calories.

An often mentioned example might be just eating rabbit.