It does not matter how good a skier or boarder you are, learning how to eat well when skiing is very important. Without the proper fuel in your system your shredding abilities will diminish.
The average skier burns 300-600 calories per hour. Very good skiers and boarders quickly burn at least 1,000 calories per hour. Per hour people.
Part of the fun of skiing is enjoying the après life and you definitely should, so I am not saying no alcohol. That would be dumb and futile anyhow. What I am saying is to be sensible and eat well when skiing and you will have a healthy and even better ski vacation.
These are common sense but are very important to remember.
Here are five tips on How to Eat Well When Skiing
Contents
1. Water
Water is the solution to everything. It will alleviate any issues with altitudes like fatigue, headache, nausea, shortness of breath, dry mouth, or thirst.
Drinkwater throughout the day. I am yet to go anywhere in any country, where the on piste cafes are all aware of the need for us all to drink water, so you will find a big jug on the counter constantly being replenished. Drink up and if you are carrying a water bottle, fill it up too. They don’t mind
2. Eat breakfast
Eat breakfast before tackling the mountain. This is the fuel that your body needs and wants. It will help to jump start your metabolism and energize your brain and muscles.
3. Pack a snack
Pack some carbs and some protein to minimize muscle damage. Stop and have a snack or better still, re-charge on the lifts. Bananas are an excellent source of everything as long as you don;t buy generic cialis online india squash it. Boarders better take something else. If you are in the backcountry or even if you get lost, this snack will be invaluable.
Those flasks that you put in your pockets are not necessarily a food source.
4. Eat Well When Skiing at your Lunch break
Even on a bluebird powder day, lunch is essential. After several hours of shredding, your body needs a break. Try and get a good meal into you, with some carbs like rice and pasta. Keep it to one beer or wine or sake. There is no point saying don’t have a drink to celebrate your amazing runs because then I would be a hypocrite.
5. Apres Time
Most definitely hit the bar but also have some snacks with your drinks. Your body will be screaming for this anyhow so listen to what it is saying. A toastie is a great one. Shout yourself hot chocolate. Try and get some carbs into your system because this is a quick energy source.
For dinner, eat what you like but do try and get some of the major food groups into you and lots of water.
6. Night Time
I am going to finish again with water, the holy grail of skiing and everything. Try and drink as much water as you can and certainly have a bottle of water next to your bed. The heating in most lodges is very dehydrating. The immense exercise you have done through the day is dehydrating. Perhaps what you consumed after skiing is dehydrating. So, drink water.
It helps to have travel insurance, just in case you get sick.
My parting advice is to not eat yellow snow after drinking all of this water.
Great opening photo Paula. I think my skiing days are over, at least on the icy slopes of New England. However I think I could definitely indulge in the apres ski scene in Europe. Water is good all day everyday! Important to remember in the cold weather.
Ice – New England, so it is not so. We are skiing in Vermont at Christmas and I hate ice; i am a powder girl.
Both of my girls used to be competitive snow athletes, and even when they were young the coach stressed proper eating and water. Great advice here, and I love that opening photo.
Thanks and I do agree that eating well and drinking lots of water is essential.
Sadly, neither Thredbo nor Perisher resorts are good at having water available. It is a bit of a hit and miss affair, mostly miss, with the on slope cafes. I carry a collapsible waterbottle which hooks onto my ski parka.
Wow, we always get water on the slopes of Perisher. Mid station, Pretty and Pleasant Valley etc. That’s unusual.
I haven’t skied in years! You’ve got some great tips here. Water is definitely your friend for all the reasons you’ve mentioned. I remember always feeling parched so its a great reminder. Good to know that so many calories are burned so eating what you’d like is a big reward after a long day on the slopes.
Too true, I burn a lot of calories through fear at some of the slopes sometimes. Have always advocated water for everything.
Very good point about the water. It is easy to forget when it is cold, but very needed. (No matter how much better a beer sounds.) 😉
LOL, isn’t there water in beer?
I’ve never skied which makes me kind of sad because it’s one of those activities for whom my particular boat has probably sailed since my bone density wobbles between osteopenia and osteoporosis. I even attended college in the Berkshires Mountains in Massachusetts and the college had it’s own ski slope! Even if I weren’t afraid of broken bones, I don’t think I’d burn 600 calories an hour. I assume one who spends most of their time fallen on their posterior doesn’t burn that many. However, your advice about water, water, water rings true from my sojourns to places where other people ski.
We are heading near to Berkshires Mountains in Massachusetts later this year and are hoping to ski in Stowe, Vermont. I did break my leg skiing 2 years ago, which has made me a little nervous.
Good sustenance is the root to feeling energized and enjoying all holidays… but when active on the slopes, so critical 🙂
I’m so with you on the water – A foggy brain is usually the sign of a dehydrated brain which can so easily be overcome!
I am a huge fan of water. Great for jet lag and any form of altitude issues too.
Having that noodle soup looks yummy, even though I’ve never found good food at US ski resorts. But has been a long time so maybe things have changed dramatically for the best.
I am a huge fan of ramen noodles and we do get spoiled when we are in Japan with the food offerings.
I have never skied in Europe, I would really like to. I ski in Colorado and Utah. These are great tips!
We generally ski in Japan and Europe and are now having our 1st US experience later this year.
I don’t ski, but you would never have to twist my arm to take part in the apres skiing food and drink rituals! 🙂
Go to Europe where apres skiing means eating and drinking. It works.
I am not a skiier, but I know water is so important no matter what one is doing.
Water is the key to many things. I am a huge believer in drinking as much as possible.
I’m not a skier so apres-ski is probably the most appealing to me! 🙂
Then you would love skiing in Europe where it is more about the apres life than the actual skiing.