Backpacking is work—fun work, but you still might want a drink when you’re done. A dehydrator isn’t just for meals; it allows for with unexpected ingredients that don’t compromise pack weight. Dehydrate berries and citrus for sunset sangria or limes for margaritas. Experiment with your favorite flavors or try this recipe on your next trip.

Backcountry Old Fashioned

Makes 2 servings

• A few drops of bitters
• 2 sugar cubes
• 4 orange slices
• 4 Bing cherries
• 100 mL bourbon

At home:

1. Add a few drops of bitters to two sugar cubes (enough to saturate but not disintegrate them).
2. Dehydrate the sugar cubes, orange slices, and cherries at 135°F.
3. Pack your cocktail ingredients with two 50-mL nips of bourbon.

At camp: Ìę

1. Divide the ingredients into two cups and add one serving of bourbon to each.
2. Stir vigorously until the sugar mix dissolves, and enjoy.

The post The Secret to a Great Backcountry Cocktail? Your Dehydrator. appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

If summer is the season of refreshing drinks by the water, then fall is the seasons of cozy beverages by a bonfire or curled up in a quilted blanket. Whether you’re warming up at home after a long hike or settling in for an evening by the campfire, the perfect beverage pairing is essential. While we’ll never say no to a flask of Knob Creek, mixing it up a little can feel celebratory (and taste delicious).

For outside-the-box recommendations on what to sip this fall, we tapped four food and beverage professionals to get their take on the ideal fall cocktails.

Farm and Fish House Punch

Danny Childs, the bar manager at New Jersey’s Farm and Fisherman Tavern and the mind behind , an Instagram account that chronicles Childs’ constant exploration of the region’s foraged and farmed products, offered an Applejack-centered bourbon and rum punch. This sip should be prepared ahead of time, as the base requires overnight steeping. Oleo-saccharum is made by steeping lemon peels with sugar and spice overnight, or for at least eight hours. It has a strong taste of apple cider vinegar, albeit sweetened with sugar, and can be served hot or cold.

Get the recipe

Ivy Mix’s Fall Cranberry Spritz

Ivy Mix, who runs Leyenda, a pan-Latin bar, and Fiasco Wine and Spirits, both in Brooklyn, offered a cranberry gin spritz that somehow lands both refreshing and cozy, perfect for those still-a-little-warm fall afternoons. This spritz is like a spiced lemonade with a hint of tartness and a lot of cranberry. It’s intentionally low in alcohol, but you can add more gin if desired.

Get the recipe

Fall Espresso Spritz & Mezcal Negroni

Cybille St. Aude-Tate and Omar Tate, the husband and wife team behind Honeysuckle Provisions, a trailblazing culinary concept in Philadelphia, have opposite approaches to the autumn drink. Tate recommends an espresso spritz lightly sweetened with apple cider, which has a bit of caffeine so he can keep up with his kids. This drink mixed unfiltered apple cider with sparkling water so it’s still bubbly but the espresso gives it a nutty, lovely taste. On the other hand, St. Aude-Tate prefers to sip on a mezcal negroni during a rare quiet moment at the end of a busy day. Even though an ice-cold negroni isn’t what most people think of for a cozy fall drink, this classic cocktail is spiced up by using mezcal rather than gin.

Get the recipes here and here

Whatever your needs for a fall-weather drink, we’ve got something to suit your fancy all season long.

The post 4 Fall Cocktails to Sip When the Temperature Drops appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

“If you had to choose between eating tacos every day or being skinny for the rest of your life, would you choose hard or soft tacos?” This quote can be and Etsy, and, while it seems innocent enough, the implication is that tacos are tasty, yes—but also unhealthy. When in fact, tacos can be a healthy food.

The idea that cultural foods (i.e., not Westernized cuisine) are not up to healthy standards and should be treated as “cheat” meals is not regulated to Mexican foods. Many different cultures also believe the foods that they eat aren’t up to par. , a dietitian based in Trinidad and Tobago, says that people in her country regard Caribbean foods as unhealthy or bad, a result of misinformation about the cuisine. “In the health and wellness spaces, we don’t see our foods represented, and if they are, maybe they’re on the Ìę‘red list’Ìęof foods,” Charles says. “What’s out there are foods that are ‘American’ or European, and we struggle to see how we fit into health spaces, and how to use our foods.”

So, What Is a Healthy Food?

There tends to be a black-and-white mentality when it comes to eating healthy food, especially here in the States: some solely imagine whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables when they think of the phrase. While foods that are hailed as “healthy” do provide much-needed nutrients for the body, oftentimes they conform to Western food standards, leaving other cultures feeling as though their foods are inferior. “I often hear that our cultural food doesn’t have many vegetables and that many of our staple foods are unhealthy, like rice and corn,” says , a Latina dietitian based in Los Angeles. “Often people only count green leafy vegetables and overlook some of the other really healthy vegetable options we have in Latine food, or they think that vegetables have to be their own side dish to count.”

This viewpoint disregards other aspects of eating that go beyond macro and micronutrients, including autonomy, culture, preference, ancestry, and variety. A between food and ethnic identity in a group of Mexican American women names food as an important part of culture and of cultural expression. , a dietitian based in Kansas City, Missouri, defines healthy eating based on what it is not: “It’s not restrictive, punitive, or rigid,” she says. “It’s not disrespectful or dismissive of individual needs, taste preferences, or cultural practices.”

What Happens When You Label a Cuisine “Unhealthy”

Framing a cultural food as “unhealthy” indicates at least a couple of assumptions: that health is the primary motivator for its consumption, and that the food would be more acceptable according to Western health standards if it were modified and improved. No matter what the intention, attempting to “improve” and “healthify” a culture’s food, especially when you are not of that culture, is troubling—you are saying that you set the standard when it comes to health and healthful eating.

Take the decades-long misconception that MSG (monosodium glutamate), a flavor enhancer used in many different cuisines, is unhealthy and even toxic. This prevalent thought can be traced to a bad review of MSG from the ‘60s when a physician reported getting sick after eating Chinese food. This spiraled into a negative association with the cuisine and perpetuated racism against Asian Americans, even though there actually isn’t strong scientific evidence linking MSG consumption to the ingredient’s alleged side effects. (Once more, most of the glutamate we consume is found naturally in foods such as anchovies, parmesan cheese, tomatoes, potatoes, seaweed, and walnuts.) “If you hear something enough times, you start to believe it,” Harbstreet says. “If you constantly hear that white rice is inferior, or that MSG is toxic, you eventually start internalizing that message.”

There is room to add nutrients to cultural meals, but again, this doesn’t mean that the culture as a whole is “unhealthy,” or that even the dish needs to be completely altered. As a dietitian, I think there are ways to improve the nutrient density or nutrition composition of any recipe through different cooking techniques or ingredient swaps. Still, “it’s important to have competency with cultural humility before ever attempting this, and is likely best done on an individual level,” Harbstreet says.

Once more, when broadly labeling a cuisine as unhealthy, you also ignore wider systemic barriers that can contribute to health—it doesn’t only boil down to what we are eating. Factors such as safe housing, education, income, access to healthcare, and literacy skills, among others, also play a role in our overall health and quality of life.

How We Can Celebrate Culture

Recently, I attended a retreat in Tulum, Mexico, a destination with a vibrant history and amazing food. But instead of celebrating this, the retreat decided to “healthify” the meals: corn tortillas were replaced with grain and seed bread; white rice was swapped for brown rice and beans. These changes weren’t listed as an option for allergies or intolerances—to me, it seemed like they were decided on because Mexican food was not considered nutritious and needed to be healthified.

We can start to undo this type of mentality by realizing that all food still provides nutrition, and that cultural foods aren’t inherently unhealthy or in need of fixing. “Embracing your cultural foods is the greatest form of resistance against a society that’s constantly asking you to change how you eat and adopt other food cultures,” Alexis Charles says. As an individual, you might want to focus on altering one or two ingredients or foods in a meal—but this is vastly different than putting a culture as a whole in an unhealthy category.

The post There Are No Good Foods or Bad Foods. Only Tacos. appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

To some people, food is fuel. To others, it’s a passion. But the best food is both: Great-tasting, but also a building block that will give you what you need to take your fitness to the next level. That’s why we’re sharing these protein-rich recipes with everyone. If you want more great backpacking recipes—plus skills, stories, gear reviews and more—sign up forÌę.

As hikers and backpackers,Ìę. We love them, we need them, we dream about them while slogging through the worst of it. ButÌę? This important macronutrient is essential in muscle recovery and metabolism regulation, and it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough.

Why Hikers Need High-Protein Foods

About 10 to 20 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from protein so your body doesn’t break down muscle tissue. This nutrient also strengthens your immune system; it helps build the white blood cells that fight off pathogens found in trail dirt.

It’s crucial that youÌęÌęthroughout the day. Protein famously comes from animal products, but if you’re plant-based, you can still give your body the nutrients it needs however you want. Here are some of the best plant-based, protein-rich foods for the trail:

• Mixed nuts and seeds
• Nut butters
• Plant-based protein powder (mix with water, stir into oatmeal, etc.)
• Rice and beans (to make it easier, get beans that don’t require much soaking, such as lentils)
• Hummus or pesto

If you have no beef with animal products, here are some ways to bulk up on protein in the backcountry:

• Chicken, tuna, sardines or salmon in foil pouches
• Beef or turkey jerky
• Dehydrated eggs
• Hard salami
• , such as Parmesan or Gouda
• Whey protein powder

High-Protein Recipes for Hikers

Carrot Cake Quinoa and Chia Pudding

Calories: 650 | Protein: 23 g | Weight 6 oz.

Fill up with this sweet, nutty medley forÌęÌęorÌę.ÌęServes 2

• ÂŒ cup quinoa, rinsed and dried
• 1 large carrot
• 1 pinch salt
• ÂŒ cup hemp hearts
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• ⅓ cup chia seeds
• 1 cup milk from powder
• Âœ tsp. cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. nutmeg
• ÂŒ cup walnuts, chopped
• ÂŒ cup raisins or dates, chopped

At Home: Place quinoa and salt in one zip-top bag and remaining dry ingredients in another.

In Camp: Add quinoa mixture to / cup water in a pot. Boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and cook until water is absorbed (12 to 15 minutes). Grate carrot and add to bag with remaining ingredients. Add 1 cup cold water and knead until combined. Stir in cooked quinoa and let sit 15 minutes. If needed, spoon in more water until the mixture reaches pudding consistency, then serve.

Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

Calories: 680 | Protein 30 g | Weight: 8 oz.

Change up your menu with this flavorful entree. Serves 3

• Âœ lb. Penne pasta
• 3 oz. Parmesan cheese
• 12 green olives, with 1 Tbsp. brine from jar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic granules
• Âœ tsp. crushed red chilies
• 1 Âœ tsp. parsley, dried
• 9 sun-dried tomatoes, with 1 Tbsp. oil from jar
• 1 6-oz. foil tuna pouch
• 1 lemon
• ÂŒ cup pine nuts, toasted
• Salt and pepper, to taste

At Home: Put pasta in a zip-top bag. Store chilies, garlic,
and parsley in one baggie and pine nuts in another. Wrap cheese in plastic wrap. Pack sun-dried tomatoes, tomato oil, and olive oil in one leakproof container. Pack olives (with brine) in another.

In Camp:ÌęCook pasta and set aside with 1/3 of the pasta water. Chop olives (discard brine) and tomatoes. Grate or shave cheese. Heat oil in a pan, then add spices and tomatoes and sautĂ© for 1 minute. Add tuna and half the cheese, then pasta and reserved water. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Mix in olives, juice of 1 lemon, and remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper, top with pine nuts, and serve.

Lentil Soup

Warm up with this hearty recipe. Serves 4

• 1 small onion
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup red lentils, uncooked
• 4 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
• 1 Tbsp. tomato powder
• 1 tsp. garlic granules
• 1 ÂŒ tsp. curry powder
• ÂŒ tsp. cumin seeds
• Âœ tsp. garam masala
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 7-oz. foil pouch chicken

At Home: Pack dry ingredients in a zip-top bag (pack onion separately). Store oil in a leakproof container.

In Camp:ÌęChop onion. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat. SautĂ© onion until it begins to brown. Add 4 cups water and dry ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken and heat for another 5 minutes, then serve.

This story was originally published in .

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Is it too much of a stretch to say that Italy is the capital of carbo-loading? As a lifelong runner, I’ve always loved big plates of pasta before races. When I recently went to Tuscany for a month during grape harvest season, I tried my best to avoid pasta and pizza as my main food groups – at times unsuccessfully.

I was volunteering on a vineyard to help with winemaking, and it felt more like I was living there, not on vacation. I often cooked for myself and tried to discover new, nutritious pre- and post-run dishes, and discovered five unique foods that were perfect for fueling-up before a run or for replenishing the body afterwards, all while being incredibly delicious.

Pre-Run: Crema di Ceci

Hummus’s Italian cousin, “crema di ceci” is simple but delicious. This blend of chickpeas, salt, onion, and sage can be spread on fresh bread, amped up with sundried tomatoes, or eaten with a spoon (my preference!). Quick, portable, easy to make at home – it’s basically a perfect companion for my runs in Tuscany.Ìę

What the science says:

“Chickpeas are high-carbohydrate foods – always great for endurance sports – but they’re special because they have a low glycemic index, meaning that they don’t cause an immediate spike and subsequent crash during metabolism like most simple carbs,” says Amber Smith, a Registered Dietitian based in Chicago. “This is a great food to fuel up with, as long as the runner doesn’t have any fiber intolerances and can handle large amounts of fiber before long runs.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup boiled chickpeas (or pre-cooked)

1/2 cup water

Pinch of onion powder

Pinch of salt

To make:

1. In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Post-Run: Gnudi

If we’re going to talk about pre- or post-run foods in Italy, I feel an obligation to include at leastÌęsomethingÌęfrom the pasta family. This unique dish is a twist on ravioli: imagine little clouds of ricotta, spinach, pecorino and a dusting of flour – in essence, it’s the filling of ravioli, but without the heavy dough.Ìę

What the science says:

Smith says that the spinach in gnudi makes it a good option for replacing electrolytes lost in sweat, due to the amount of sodium and calcium it contains.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

12 oz. ricotta, liquid drained

12 oz. steamed spinach, liquid drained

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. pecorino, grated

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

To make:

1. Mix all ingredients except the 1 Tbsp. of pecorino, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Sprinkle a parchment-covered baking sheet with flour, then make 1 Tbsp. balls of the mixture and place on the sheet. Refrigerate for 1 more hour.

3. In a wide pan, cook the gnudi in boiling water, then remove and add to a bowl. Sprinkle the remaining pecorino on top.

Pre-Run: Tuscan Cecina

While talking to the other volunteers on the vineyard, I kept hearing about this thing called “cecina.” On a day off, I made the trek to Pisa to finally find one. This crispy, salty chickpea pancake was squeezed between two slices of fresh focaccia, and it . . . was . . . heavenly.Ìę

What the science says:

Along with the benefits of being high in carbohydrates, as Smith states, there are even more benefits of chickpeas for runners. “Chickpeas are an extremely nutrient-dense food, providing a significant amount of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium per serving,” says DJ Mazzoni, Registered Dietitian and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. “Since they provide a blend of macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbs), they make an ideal fuel-up food.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups chickpea flour

3 cups water

Sea salt

To make:

1. In a bowl, add the chickpea flour and salt, then gradually whisk in the water and 5 tbsp olive oil until smooth.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for two hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

4. Oil a large roasting pan with the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, then pour the mixture in a thin layer and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is slightly brown.

5. Sprinkle with additional sea salt, then slice and eat, or put between focaccia as a sandwich.

Post-Run: Pumpkin “Lasagna”

Why is lasagna in quotes, you ask? Because this dish doesn’t quite have a name, but visually it looks a lot like lasagna. While working in the winery kitchen, I saw the chef peel a small fresh pumpkin with a potato peeler, then put it through a meat slicer. I was shocked, but the result was perfectly even layers of fresh pumpkin. I was tasked with alternating layers of pumpkin with fresh bechamel sauce. It was the most delicious recovery food I’ve ever had after my run.

What the science says:

Although pumpkin doesn’t pack a big punch from a macronutrient standpoint, it does contain significant amounts of potassium, which is beneficial for runners, due to the electrolytes lost in sweat, says Smith. “Pumpkin is a great recovery food for this reason.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 small pumpkins

2 cups bechamel sauce

2 Tbsp. pecorino, grated

To make:

1. Peel, cut and then evenly slice the pumpkin using a mandoline (or meat slicer, if you have access to one!)

2. Grease and flour a springform pan, then add a layer of pumpkin, covering the whole bottom of the pan.

3. Add a thin layer of bechamel sauce to cover the first layer of pumpkin, then add another layer of pumpkin and another layer of sauce, repeating until you run out of ingredients. Sprinkle the pecorino on top.

4. Bake at 375 for 45 mins to 1 hour, or until the top is slightly brown.<

Pre-Run: Potatoes Roasted with Lemons

I had never thought to roast potatoes with fresh lemons until I saw the winery chef do it. Infusing the bright acidity of lemons while baking the potatoes, plus the addition of sage and rosemary, takes these potatoes to the next level. It sounds so simple, but it’s so unique.Ìę

What the science says:

“Potatoes are a healthy form of carbs that can provide energy before a run. They’re very nutrient-dense, containing the minerals potassium and magnesium, along with vitamins B6, C, B9, B3, and more.” Mazzoni recommends steaming or baking potatoes rather than frying them to maximize nutrient return.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 yellow skinned potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

2 lemons, quartered

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 sprigs sage

2 sprigs rosemary

Sea salt

To make:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, and a big pinch of salt. Toss to coat the potatoes with the olive oil.

2. Spread the potatoes on a greased roasting pan and space out the sage, rosemary, and lemons on top.

3. Bake for 40 minutes (tossing halfway) or until the potatoes are slightly brown.

4. Either remove the lemons before serving, or keep them in with the potatoes – just make sure not to eat them!

Italy is proof that simple food can be both nutritious and delicious. The next time you’re looking to change up the pre- or post-run menu at home, you might consider doing as the Romans do (or in this case, the Tuscans), and try one of these unique Italian dishes.

This article was first published by .

The post Five Pre- and Post-Run Foods I Discovered in Italy (That Aren’t Pasta) appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

For decades, people around the world have been fascinated with the legend of bigfoot, sasquatch, yeti, or whatever you choose to call it. Sightings of a furry, upright biped and reports of beastly footprints have been reported from as far afield as the Himalayas. AlthoughÌęno definitive proof exists, the (often questionable) reports continue adding up.ÌęșÚÁÏłÔčÏÍűÌęplunged into the deep, dark corners of this subculture to compile the most famous—perhaps most convincing—bigfoot photos ever captured. Here’s the evidence. Is bigfoot real? You be the judge.

The Most Famous Bigfoot Photo (above)

Arguably the most famous and influential Bigfoot footage is the 1967 film shot by Roger Patterson and Bob GimlinÌęin Northern California. The “Bigfoot walk” it depicts has been parodied by many, but never truly replicated. Even with this enhanced image, it’s hard to tell if it’s a person in a gorilla suit or the real deal.

Marble Mountain Bigfoot

A youth group was camping in the Marble Mountain Wilderness, California when leader Jim Mills noticed a skulking along a ridge nearby. He filmed it for nearly seven minutes, making the somewhat-grainy footage the longest video of an alleged bigfoot sighting.

Eric Shipton’s Snowy Bigfoot (Yeti?) Footprint

British explorer Eric Earle Shipton snapped this photo while trekking through the Himalayas in 1951, alleging that the footprint belonged to a Yeti. In 2014, Christie’s Auction house in London capitalized on the worldwide interest in bigfoot and sold the original photo for nearly $5,000.

“Independence Day” Bigfoot

Called “The Independence Day” film, a beast was caught in a remarkably clear video that shows an alleged adult bigfoot walking through the woods, with a cub (kid?) in tow. The filmmaker and exact location are unknown and many skeptics claim that there is a telling visible seam of a gorilla suit.

Provo Canyon Bigfoot

In October 2012, a group of siblings hiking in Provo Canyon thought they spotted a bear in the woods and started filming. When the creature , the hikers ran—abruptly ending the shaky video. A year later, the siblings launched a Kickstarter campaign to investigate other Utah bigfoot sightings.

Allegheny Bigfoot

In 2007, hunter Rick Jacobs captured some of the most famous bigfoot images to date with a camera mounted to a tree in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest. His camera also captured clear photos of bear cubs, offering evidence that the unidentified animal was not ursine. But skeptics believe the animal is just a bear sick with mange.

Johnstown’s Smelly Bigfoot

Locals in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, were baffled by a footprint measuring 17.75 inches found near a residential home in 1980. According to the Associated Press, the footprint coincided with reports of strange noises and a strong but unusual odor in the area.

Washington’s Blue Mountain Bigfoot Sighting

In 1994, former U.S. Forest patrolman Paul Freeman claimed he saw a family of bigfoots in Washington’s Blue Mountains. The video is shaky and grainy but has been deemed the real deal by so-styled bigfoot experts. Bigfoot sightings in Washington’s state parks are a steady source of intrigue for fans of the elusive simian.

Mississippi Bigfoot

Mississippi resident Josh Highcliff while hunting on his property in 2013. Afraid to go back to the woods, he posted the footage to YouTube asking for help to identify the animal or for a prankster to come forward.

Provo Bigfoot Number 2

A hiker was walking through the Utah Hills near Provo Canyon in 2012 when he spotted a large animal in the woods. As he approached, the animal stood up on two legs and at him—supposedly a trademark behavior of sasquatch’s.

The post The 10 Most Convincing Bigfoot Sightings appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

This article includes frank discussions of eating disorders and disordered eating. Take care of yourself, and reach out for immediate help from theif you feel you need additional support.

Unhealthy eating patterns are pervasive in fitness culture. Whether it’s the latest “wellness” trend on TikTok, advice from elite athletes, or general messaging from an industry that thrives on athletes’ desire to perform optimally or meet an unattainable aesthetic standard, this messaging can lead to patterns of consumption or restriction that are disordered, and eventually, meet a diagnostic standard for an eating disorder.

An eating disorder (ED) is a diagnosis, defined inÌęThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, where a person’s disordered relationship with food meets specific diagnostic criteria determined by the American Psychiatric Association. There is an ongoing and robust debate about these criteria (which centerÌęthe BMI, a notoriously fraughtÌęmeasurement that fails to capture the extent to which behaviors can negatively impact a person’s life), which many ED experts feel is imperfect and insufficient.

Disordered eating is a descriptive term that encapsulates irregular or disrupted eating behaviors.ÌęDisordered eating often has many similar features of an eating disorder, but these are at a sub-clinical threshold that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are serious and have theÌęof any mental health diagnosis in the U.S., and will negatively impact athletic performance and well-being. Eating disorders can affect athletes of any age, gender identity, and body size. Appearances are not an accurate way of assessing an athlete’s mental, or physical well-being.

“Although there is overlap between symptoms of disordered eating and an eating disorder, there are differences between these two presentations. As such, qualified providers need to assess further whether an eating disorder is also present in the context of disordered eating,” saysÌę

Disordered eating is often normalized in running and endurance sports, and if left unchecked can lead to an eating disorder and severe mental and physical health issues. Dieting, and restricting foods at all, can put athletes at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder and requiring more serious intervention. Disordered eating and eating disorders might look similar in some athletes–and they might include the same thoughts or patterns of behavior–but the primary differentiator is the severity of the symptoms.

Not Normal

Many disordered behaviors are normalized or celebrated in society, exacerbated by a fitness culture that overemphasizes things like willpower, discipline (that might actually be symptomatic of mental illness), and restriction, to the detriment of focusing on food as a source of energy, connection, and joy.

Just because behaviors are normalized doesn’t mean they’re safe, rooted in science, or appropriate for all athletes. Nickols strongly advises athletes to be critical consumers of the information they’re taking in and orienting their life and behaviors around.

“It is important to discern who the source of such information is–are they qualified to give such advice and do they have the appropriate training and expertise to give guidance specific to nutrition and exercise?” says Nickols.

Many positioning themselves on social media as experts lack specific training and certifications to be giving out nutritional information and advice, and they might have a vested interest in either selling supplements or their own “coaching.” It can be challenging to discern who actually is an expert, but a good place to start is by investigating where their training comes from (a verified academic institution vs. a non-validated certification program) or what their objectives are.

Some specific behaviors that experts identify as being symptomatic of disordered eating, and leading to increased risk of an eating disorder:

• Not eating at certain times, especially if hungry
• “Clean eating” and hypervigilance about all food inputs, perceived purity, health value, and forgoing foods an individual enjoys
• Restricting calories on rest days
• Strict “food rules” like not eating before or after a certain time of day
• Not eating before a “short” run if you “don’t need it”
• Restricting “high-carb” or “high-fat” foods
• Skipping meals and snacks after exercise
• Underfueling during runs because sports nutrition “contains too much sugar” or “contains too many carbs”
• Counting calories, or aiming to stay under a certain number of calories per day
• Eliminating foods and food groups without medical necessity ()
• A dysregulated relationship with an exercise where runs and workouts are underfueled
• Rigidity in exercise: feeling guilt, shame, or anxiety about missing a run, not hitting certain paces, vert, or mileage is missed
• Inability to rest when tired/injured for fear of “not burning enough calories”
• Neglecting family, relationships, or other commitments to adhere to a training plan or eating behaviors
• Binge eating
• Compensatory behaviors (like exercise to “burn calories”, to ease feelings of distress or anxiety after eating
• Body dissatisfaction, hyper-focus on appearance and weight, fear of gaining weight

“Athletes can learn to push against many of these behaviors when they come to a place of respecting their bodies and performance. For instance, to perform and recover adequately, athletes need to include adequate carbohydrates before and after exercise, and during longer endurance bouts,” says SÌęand Nutrition For Running, and co-host of theÌę. She also emphasizes understanding that an athlete’s weight is just one outcome among many (like performance), and is often dictated by things like genetics, resource availability, and other variables beyond an individual’s control.

, WA, recommends athletes fortify themselves with culturally sensitive, science-based information, and hold the diet industry accountable for misinformation. “The diet culture industry (which has grown to be a $71 billion industry) predicates itself upon people wanting to change the way they look to fit a narrow definition of beauty, aesthetic, or health (buying into the belief that they are not “good enough”). Instead of being complicit with diet culture, there is an invitation to not buy into the messages to change our bodies, but rather hold the diet industry accountable for the problem.”

Bazzi recommends that people play “diet culture detective,” and start being more attentive to the daily messaging they get from diet culture so that athletes can start to identify harmful and misleading messaging, and set a boundary around it. That way, athletes are less likely to internalize harmful messaging on social media, from coaches, and in magazines and exercise classes. Athletes can start to assess where their beliefs are coming from, and how that internalized messaging might be shaping their eating behaviors, and ultimately, running performance.

When Should Athletes Get Additional Help and Support?

Dieting is pervasive and normalized, especially in athletic spaces and among women. Many athletes struggle with their relationship to food and exercise and learning to listen to internal cues and tune out cultural chatter that distorts those signs can take a lot of work.

It can be especially difficult for athletes of additionally marginalized identities, like queer, gender-nonconforming, and BIPOC athletes, says Bazzi. It’s a complex issue that won’t be untangled overnight and will require individuals reaching out for help in addition to some societal soul-searching and cultural shifts.

“Eating disorders are complex and professionals can help unpack the ‘why’ behind the function the eating disorder serves to help unlock motivation for change,” says Bazzi. “Once someone has an eating disorder, it’s really hard to change on your own without the help and support of trained professionals.”

Athletes should reach out for help if symptoms like stress and anxiety around food and exercise persist and or intensify over time. If your relationship to food is affecting your quality of life, and interfering with your athletic performance, or relationships, it could be time to reach out, says Nickols.

“When disordered eating/an eating disorder is present, there are frequently adverse health implications, for example, cardiovascular, bone health, hormonal dysfunction, immune, growth and development, hematological, gastrointestinal, and metabolic functioning) in addition to psychological consequences (i.e., depression, anxiety) can either precede disordered eating/an eating disorder or be exacerbated by disordered eating/an eating disorder,” says Nickols. “Interpersonal relationships and sport performance are frequently negatively impacted in the context of these struggles.”

Interpersonal relationships and sport performances are frequently negatively impacted in the context of these struggles.

Experts agree that time is of the essence, and if an athlete’s relationship with food becomes problematic, it’s better to reach out sooner rather than later.

“If you feel like you’re always on a diet or trying to manipulate your weight, you need support,” saysÌęÌęwho specializes in eating disorders.Ìę“If someone is struggling to feed themselves consistently and adequately, I’d recommend speaking to an ED-informed health practitioner (like a dietitian, therapist, or physician). We far too often dismiss or don’t notice typical disordered eating behaviors because they’re considered normal, or even “healthy” in our culture. They’re even celebrated,”

Bazzi acknowledges that athletes might struggle in asking for help out of concern that professionals will “take away” their exercise, and she encourages looking for a treatment option that understands each athlete’s specific context and will support healing around movement as part of the ED care process.

“Our weight-centric ‘health’ model praises disordered eating practices in those who are at a higher weight, while cautioning restrictive behaviors in those at lower weights,” says Schilling. “Yet only a very small percentageÌę(less than 6 percent)Ìęof those suffering from eating disorders are medically underweight.”

Disordered eating and eating disorders are highly interconnected and can have severe negative health, emotional, and interpersonal implications that can, and will, deteriorate an athlete’s health and quality of life.

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This pie is the ultimate campfire dessert—I love baking it over the fire because it gets burnt caramel bits around the side and takes on a rich, smoky flavor. My heart skips a beat just thinking about it.

Nervous about making this dessert over a campfire? Don’t be. My how-to guide walks you through all you need to know about baking in the wild.

Adapted with permission from , by Sarah Glover.

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Growing up in a big family, everything was outdoors—holidays, hunting trips, family hikes, and cooking. It was for a good reason: imagine eight kids in the kitchen, chatting about their day; what a rowdy, loud bunch. Take those same kids outside, congregating around the grill or firepit—now, there’s a sense of calm, fun, and excitement.

As an adult, I still try to spend as much time as I can outdoors. And after a long day of adventuring, I often look forward to something sweet before crawling into my tent. But dessert and a campfire don’t have to lead to a fluffy marshmallow on a stick. There’s a whole world of cakes, cookies, and puddings that can be made on a grill or over a fire. Here’s how to master the art of baking in the wild.

How to Bake on a Grill

Most recipes can be baked on a grill or campfire, as long as you’re able to maintain a consistent temperature—inconsistent heat can affect the texture and flavor of the dough or batter when baking. For beginners, a covered grill is your best baking friend: the closed lid will help keep the heat circulating, like in your oven. (Just be sure to wipe the lid and grill grate down to avoid residual grease dripping into your bake.) If your grill is lid-less, it will heat more on the bottom, which will ruin the consistent temperature you’re looking for. To counter this, use a dutch oven for your bake to create an oven-like effect.

If using a recipe developed for the oven, preheat the grill 25 degrees Fahrenheit higher than what the recipe calls for, as you lose more heat when placing your recipe inside a grill. A grill thermometer is also handy. Many grills come with one built-in, but if yours doesn’t, just grab a standard kitchen thermometer and place it inside when preheating. Resist the urge to peek during the baking process, as a grill isn’t designed to hold heat like your oven and chances are the outside air temperature is colder than what it would be in your kitchen. Heat will escape every time you lift the grill or Dutch oven lid and you risk underbaking your cake or bread.

A grill is a good way to add some extra smokey flavor to complimentary bakes, whether it’s by cooking bacon next to your dish or by using a Traeger—I like to use the latter for . But if you’re looking for your recipe to be similar to the oven-baked version, avoid grilling anything like meat with your baked good, as you risk cross-contaminating flavors.

Lastly, it’s important to create a buffer between your grill and what you’re baking so the bottom doesn’t burn. This is when cast iron equipment is useful, as it helps evenly spread the grill’s heat; a cast iron frying pan, griddle plate, and Dutch oven are all in my grill baking toolkit.

How to Bake over a Campfire

My first piece of advice when looking to bake over a campfire is to work with a hot fire. If you’re making bread or a cake, it’s important to generate a good deal of heat for long enough to bake your goodies. Before heading out on your outdoor adventure, set your home oven at whatever temperature your bake calls for and hover your hand over the element. Now, you’ll have a point of reference when you’re out in the wild: once you think your fire is hot enough, hover your hand over the coals to gauge the heat.

To establish a hot fire, work with hardwoods such as maple, oak, birch, and most fruit trees, and light the fire approximately an hour before you plan to cook and let it burn down to coals. Keep the wood in larger pieces rather than over-splitting them to ensure they don’t burn too fast.

Don’t be afraid to start with a simple bake like a breadstick: coil dough coated with herbs and spices around a foraged stick, then rotate it over the coals. Once you’re keen to advance, grab a tripod, which can help regulate the cooking temperature. Set the tripod over the coals and use an S hook or butcher’s hook to hang a Dutch oven over the fire by its lid handle; while the Dutch oven is still hanging, shovel additional coals onto the lid for an even heat. Pull the Dutch oven from the fire 15 mins before it’s ready to cool—cast iron holds residual heat so it will continue to cook for a further 15 mins once it has been removed from the fire.

You can also nestle the dutch oven into the fire using grill or campfire gloves before shoveling additional coals on the lid. If you’re using your Dutch oven for both sweet and savory dishes, just make sure to line it with baking paper so your almond cake doesn’t taste like last night’s curry!

Ready to light a fire and get baking? Try this recipe for an easy smokey campfire caramel pie.Ìę

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