So, some of you may have noticed that I didn’t post a blog entry last week.  I have a good reason: I was camping in the Boundary Waters and had no internet or cell phone access.  I had a great time (despite an encounter with a large, aggressive bear–ask me about it some time), and I realized that camping in the BWCA is quite possibly the best vacation for people who are just learning how to eat healthy outside of their normal routine.  I’m even toying with the idea of leading weight-loss expeditions into the BWCA, for adventurous clients who don’t want to feel like they’re on a diet and don’t want to be stuck in the gym.

Seriously, though, there are a lot of reasons why camping (real camping, in wilderness areas, without access to grocery stores or RV’s) could help you drop weight fast.  We all know that weight loss is all about burning more calories than you take in.  Food has to be controlled, and daily activity is required.  And it doesn’t hurt to have a scenic place to do it; the fewer distractions, the better.

So here is a list of reasons why you should consider camping, particularly in the BWCA:

1) Food must be planned ahead, and since you have to carry it with you where ever you go, you want to keep it to a minimum.  This means packing calories that don’t weigh much but will give you energy and keep you feeling full.  If you’ve missed every other blog I’ve written about nutrition, this means whole foods.  Oatmeal or granola makes a fine breakfast; nuts are a compact yet filling snack, and whatever you plan for dinner (I’ve got lots of great recipes that can be cooked over a camp stove, from fajitas to Thai peanut noodles) you’re only going to pack enough servings for one meal.  There’s no such things as leftovers, since there are no refrigerators.  And like I said, there’s no point in overpacking food: it’s heavy, and you’re the one that’s going to have to carry it.

2) You can’t just run to the convenience store for junk food, or stop at a fast food joint on your way home.  They just aren’t there.  Simple.  You can only eat what you bring.  And all your food will be freshly prepared….just like I tell you to do at home.

3) Daily activity.  You can’t get anywhere without paddling, which burns 400-500 calories per hour for someone my size.  And it’s not just paddling–there’s portaging too.  If you think walking 1/4 mile isn’t much exercise, try doing it with a 50-lb pack on your back and a 70-lb canoe on your shoulders.  You’ll feel the burn pretty quickly.  And since you’ll have nowhere to sleep if you don’t set up your tent, you’re pretty much required to do a little bit of work, especially if you paddle to a new campsite every day.  Plus, you can try swimming.  You’ll even burn more calories than usual because the water is pretty cold…or brisk and refreshing, depending on how you look at it (and how long it’s been since your last shower).

4) No distractions.  No excuses.  There’s no TV, no phones, no computers, no electricity.  There is no possible way you can get sidetracked.  It’s all very peaceful, and the most interesting way to experience it is to keep moving.  Paddle to a new campsite every morning, explore and swim all afternoon.  You actually have to try pretty hard to be bored.

5) Adrenaline rush!  I have yet to figure out how many calories are burned when trying (and in my case, failing) to chase an aggressive bear away from your food pack.  I suspect it’s negligible–most likely, in a fight-or-flight situation, your body will actually conserve calories rather than burn them needlessly.  But if nothing else, maybe a real-life dangerous situation will help your body realize that all the stress you feel over your job and your life in the civilized world is really not that important.  It kind of puts things into perspective.

So there it is: why camping is a better vacation than a road trip or a nice resort, especially if you’re just learning a weight-loss routine.  This is also the seed of my newest idea: Sarah’s Wilderness Weight-Loss Retreat.  I will lead groups of clients through the Boundary Waters, cooking delicious, healthy camp meals along the way.  Oh, and I’ll try to keep the bear encounters to a minimum.  Any takers?

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