“To eat and to drink keeps body and soul together”

The best reward that your body gives you while on a hike is that it starts to burn fat. We usually have some of that to spare... and to keep the fat-burning process going for as long as possible, try and go without sugar on your hike. When you eat sugar, your body releases insulin to convert it into energy and switches into carb-burning mode – and our reserves quickly run out, leaving us feeling weak and struggling to keep going. Fruit, nuts and unsweetened fruit and muesli bars are a better choice. When you take a longer rest, opt for wholegrain bread, cottage cheese, lean ham, cucumber, tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.

Many tours culminate in a hearty snack in a mountain hut, but excessively fatty foods should be avoided. Let quality instead of quantity guide you!

Water, unsweetened juices, or herbal teas are a staple on any hike. Dehydration reduces our performance levels, makes us prone to headaches and can put an abrupt end to a hike as our muscles are starved of energy and heat regulation breaks down. Drink plenty before and during your hike, ideally crystalclear mountain water, to keep up your stamina. By all means, toast your achievement once you reach the summit – but don’t overdo it.