How to Stick to an Animal-Based Diet on a Hike (And Actually Feel Fueled)
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I’ve signed up for something most people would call bonkers—the 24 Peaks Challenge in the Lake District. 31 miles, 24 summits, over 13,000 feet of ascent over 2 days. Sounds fun, right?
Now, I’m a carb-dodger. No pasta parties. No energy gels. I follow an animal-based diet and I intend to keep it that way—even up a mountain, in the rain, with my legs screaming at me.
The problem? Pretty much every “hiking ration pack” you’re given on these kinds of challenges is loaded with sugar, seed oils, oats, and ultra-processed junk.
It’s the kind of stuff that makes you bloated, not better. If you’re on a carnivore diet or even leaning paleo or keto, you’ve probably looked at those packets and thought, “Guess I’ll just eat the packaging.”
So, I’m writing this post for two reasons:
- I need to figure out my hiking fuel strategy without ditching the diet, which has improved my health.
- To help anyone else thinking of doing something similar and wanting to stay fat-fueled on the trail.
We’ll look at:
🥩 What to eat and pack when you’re on an animal-based diet on a hike
⚡ How to avoid energy crashes and stay sharp across long climbs
🎒 What foods give the best nutrition, without adding unnecessary weight to your rucksack
🍽️ How to keep your meals both practical and delicious (yes, you read that right)
Whether you’re tackling the 24 Peaks or just heading out for a weekend hike, this post will cover everything you need to know to stick to your diet, stay energized, and feel great doing it.
So let’s talk about what’s really going wrong with your standard trail food..
Why Typical Hiking Food Falls Short
Let’s be honest: most hiking food is designed for convenience, not health.
Crinkly plastic packs full of instant noodles, sugary flapjacks, chocolate bars, and something they call “beef stew” but tastes more like regret. These might tick the box for calories, but they’re doing your body no favors, especially if you’ve spent months adapting to an animal-based diet.
These so-called rations are loaded with carbs, seed oils, preservatives, and all the things we’ve spent many years avoiding. They spike your blood sugar, mess with your digestion, and leave you hungry again an hour later. The worst part? You’ve still got 20 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing ahead of you.
The good news? When you’re fat-adapted, you’re not reliant on that quick-burning, glucose-based fuel. Your body knows how to burn fat for energy, and chances are, you’re already carrying several pounds of perfectly usable fuel on you (no offence—just biology).
This means you can go slow and steady, powering through long trails without constantly needing to snack or “carb up.”
What you do need is to stay topped up with:
✅ Essential electrolytes like salt, potassium, and magnesium
✅ A decent hit of protein to prevent muscle breakdown
✅ Some easily digestible fat to supplement what you’re burning
✅ A meal or two a day that actually leaves you satisfied
Think about it like this: you’re not running a sprint. You’re not emptying your glycogen stores like a marathon runner. You’re doing hours of low-to-moderate intensity work, and your fat-fueled engine is perfect. You must give it the right food, in the proper form, and at the right time.
And that’s where this post comes in. We’ll dive into what to eat, carry, and pack, and how to adapt your normal eating style to suit the trail, without compromising your diet or ending up blocked up, burned out, or bonking halfway up Helvellyn.
Let’s get into the practical side…