Marisa Michael, MSc, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian, Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and a certified personal trainer. She holds a master's degree in sports nutrition and the International Olympic Committee's Diploma in Sports Nutrition. She loves climbing and triathlon and is mediocre at both sports.
The answer is, we know some things, but not a whole lot! And what information we have might not be very solid or specific!
What do I mean by that? Let me explain.
I recently contributed to this mini-review on climbing nutrition. This was an idea born a year ago by Dr. Lanae Joubert, one of the world’s leading researchers on climbing nutrition. We, along with Dr. Anna Chmielewska of Poland, co-presented at the International Rock Climbing Research Association summit in Prague, Czechia.
We noticed that much of the published climbing nutrition research was sparse, with small sample sizes and self-reported data. We wanted to compile all of what we know and summarize the data.
Here are some of the main findings:
As of now, there are no clinical intervention trials in climbers
This means that we don’t have any studies where a control group and an intervention group are compared to see if a nutrition intervention has any impact on performance or health. What we do have is observational studies, meaning that researchers take a group of climbers and ask them questions about what they eat, their climbing ability, and anthropometrics such as height and weight.
Out of 16 studies, we have 658 climbers surveyed.
This is a small sample compared to how many climbers are likely in the world. We only have two studies on adolecents, and 43% of the subjects were female.
There was a wide variety of subjects ranging from adolescent to adult, and recreational to elite. The subjects were from nine different countries.
Climber dietary intake is not adequate!
The female dietary energy (calories) intake ranged from 1,335 ± 446 to 2,047 ± 649 calories. The lower end is not even enough to support most female’s basal metabolic needs, let alone climbing training. Even the high end is sometimes not enough! If this information is accurate, we should be worried about climbers getting enough food to support training and basic body processed and organ function.
The male dietary energy intake averaged 2,100–2,700 calories daily. Similarly to females, the low range is likely not enough for most adult climbers to support training and body functions. Active climbers often need more calories than this. Between 36%–88% of the participants presented with suboptimal energy availability. This can be a problem as it may lead to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. I
Most studies reported that climbers were not eating enough vitamins and minerals. The female subjects in eight studies had insufficient intake! Vitamin D intake was also low in seven of the studies.
Take-home message
Out of all the climbing nutrition research we have, most shows that climbers do not eat enough. It’s important to note that we don’t have a wide body of research, and what we do have is limited by some study designs. However, the evidence is starting to show that climbers really don’t eat enough. In fact, not one single study showed that the majority of climbers are eating adequately!
Registered dietitian and board certified specialist in sports dietetics
There’s a lot of nutrition advice out there for climbers. Some of it is better than others. It can get really granular, from how many grams of protein to eat to what supplement to use.
But there is one overarching goal that many climbers are missing: eating enough food! If you think of nutrition strategy as a whole, some things should be prioritized first before others are implemented.
At the top of the list is getting enough overall energy intake. Next up is the macronutrient split. Then meal timing and fueling around workouts, micronutrients, and finally supplements. Unfortunately, many climbers prioritize supplements or protein without even considering that they may be under-eating.
From my experience working with climbers to leverage their nutrition, most are not eating enough. This is also a common theme in climbing research. Take a look at the studies we have currently that explore climber energy intake and whether it is sufficient.
Dietary intake studies in climbers (Not a single study shows that climbers are eating enough!)
Study
Main takeaways
Zapf (2001)
“Nearly half of them failed to meet the recommendations for top level elite athletes”
Sas-Nowosielski (2019)
48% of the climbers consumed less than 2000 calories daily
Simič (2022)
63% of the climbers failed to get even 30 kcal/kg fat-free mass (the standard is 45 kcal/kg FFM, which no one achieved). 56% did not meet protein requirements.
Michael (2019)
82% of adolescent climbers under-ate their target calorie needs. 86% under-ate their target carbohydrate needs.
Chmielewska (2023)
56% of the climbers had low energy availability (EA). Suboptimal EA was found in 73% of the intermediate climbers, 45% of the advanced, and 40% of the elite female climbers.
Mondedero (2022)
52% of the climbers were in a negative energy balance. 88% had suboptimal EA.
Gibson-Smith (2020)
77% of climbers did not meet their estimated energy requirements.
En (2025)
Most climbers ate 80% of estimated energy needs. The majority did not meet estimated protein needs.
Úbeda (2021)
Males met only 51% of their energy needs. Females met only 62% of their energy needs. Climbers did not meet protein and carbohydrate requirements.
Ueland (2020)
Carbohydrate intake and hydration status play a role in climbing performance.
Mashuri (2022)
Researchers assessed climbers’ energy needs based on climbing and other activities, as well as their estimated BMR. They determined that the average target calories for their subjects was 4568 calories, with 685 grams of carbohydrate and 171 grams of protein.
Mora-Fernandez (2024)
56% had sub-optimal energy availability. 36% had low energy availability. 58% ate below carbohydrate recommendations. 31% ate below protein recommendations
Okoren (2023)
Overall, climbers tend to under-eat and do not meet target carbohydrate needs.
Przeliorz (2022)
Climbers did not meet estimated energy needs to be in a state of adequate energy availability. Most climbers studied did not have an adequate intake of flavonoids (found in antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables).
Przeliorz-Pyszczek (2019)
Some climbers under-ate their energy and carbohydrate needs. There were correlations with climbing ability and various micronutrients.
Merrells (2008)
Climbers did not eat enough on their outdoor trip. They ate about 40% of their estimated needs.
As you can see, not a single study shows climbers eating adequately!
If you’re wondering if you should lose weight to enhance performance, the answer is probably no. And if you’re wondering if you need to eat more, the answer is probably yes!
For expert one-on-one help, reach out to me for nutrition coaching/counseling. If you want to learn more but don’t need personalized help, try our on-demand course on climbing nutrition.
Chmielewska A, Regulska-Ilow B. (2023). The evaluation of energy availability and dietary nutrient intake of sport climbers at different climbing levels. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), 5176.
En JASJ, Ramz NHB, Vern YT, Xuan XT. (2025). Body composition and measured energy expenditure in relation to dietary intake among regular climbers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Sport Sciences for Health https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-025-01369-y
Gibson-Smith E, Storey R, Ranchordas M. (2020). Dietary intake, body composition and iron status in experienced and elite climbers. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7, 122.
Mashuri H, Mappaompo MA, Purwanto D. (2022). Analysis of energy requirements and nutritional needs of rock climbing athletes. Journal Sport Area, 7(3), 437-445.
Merrells, Friel, Knaus, Suh. (2008). Following 2 diet-restricted male outdoor rock climbers: impact on oxidative stress and improvements in markers of cardiovascular risk. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 33:1250-1256
Michael MK, Joubert L, Witard OC. (2019). Assessment of dietary intake and eating attitudes in recreational and competitive adolescent rock climbers: A pilot study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 6, 64.
Monedero J, Duff C, Egan B. (2023). Dietary intakes and the risk of low energy availability in male and female advanced and elite rock climbers. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 37(3), e8-e15.
Mora-Fernandez A, Argüello-Arbe A, Tojeiro-Iglesias A, Latorre JA, Conde-Pipó J, Mariscal-Arcas M. (2024). Nutritional assessment, body composition, and low energy availability in sport climbing athletes of different genders and categories: A cross-sectional study. Nutrients, 16(17), 2974.
Okoren L, Magkos, F. (2023). Physiological Characteristics, Dietary Intake, and Supplement Use in Sport Climbing. Current nutrition reports, 12(4), 788–796.
Przeliorz A, Regulska-Ilow B. (2022). Relationship between the dietary intake of sport climbers according to climbing grading scales and the dietary supply of antioxidants. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 22(3), 795-802
Przeliorz-Pyszczek A, Gołąbek K, Regulska-Ilow B. (2019). Evaluation of the relationship of the climbing level of sport climbers with selected anthropometric indicators and diet composition. Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine, 28(4), 15-26.
Sas-Nowosielski K, Wycislik J. (2019). Energy and macronutrient intake of advanced Polish sport climbers. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 19, 829-832.
Simič V, Jevšnik Š, Mohorko N. (2022). Low energy availability and carbohydrate intake in competitive adolescent sport climbers. Kinesiology, 54(2), 268-277.
Úbeda N, Carvacho CL, González ÁG. (2021). Energy and nutritional inadequacies in a group of recreational adult Spanish climbers. Archivos de medicina del deporte: revista de la Federación Española de Medicina del Deporte y de la Confederación Iberoamericana de Medicina del Deporte, 38(204), 237-244.
Ueland K, Harris C, Kloubec J, Kirk E. (2020). How diet impacts performance in rock climbers: a pilot study. Current Developments in Nutrition, 4, nzaa066_024
Zapf J, Fichtl S, Wielgoss S, Schmidt W. (2001). Macronutrient intake and eating habits in elite rock climbers. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 33(5):S72.
If you spend any time within the climbing community, you’ll start to hear people tell you to lose weight to climb better. Although this message is usually not helpful or accurate, it’s pervasive. You’ll also hear stories of eating disorders, and how people trying to lose weight ended up with disordered eating patterns.
It’s not hard to do a Google search and find climbers from recreational to elite sharing their disordered eating stories. While raising awareness is important, we also need solutions.
Here are four ideas you can try to become a part of the solution.
Solution 1: Understand the research behind weight and climbing performance.
There is not research to support losing weight in order to enhance climbing performance. There is research that suggests weight is not a key performance indicator.
While a climber may benefit from losing fat mass (if they have excess fat mass to lose), this isn’t the first approach many would want to take. This is because weight loss is not a neutral thing. It can lead to negative health outcomes, including Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs).
So yes, weight loss is a strategy, but it isn’t one to be applied without careful consideration. The good news is, research suggests that you can do a lot of other things to enhance climbing performance! And these carry less risk.
Dial in on fueling & hydration
Gain strength
Improve flexibility
Improve endurance
Grow skills and technique
Solution 2: Know the signs and symptoms of disordered eating
Being a part of the solution means understanding what signs and symptoms to look for in a person who might be struggling.
Eating disorders don’t have a specific look. They are complex and each person experiences it differently. However, here are some common signs and symptoms:
Weight changes (loss or gain)
Changes in eating patterns (eliminating foods or food groups, skipping meals, eating in secret)
Going to the bathroom after meals
Having a lot of food rules (only organic, don’t eat past 6 pm, etc.)
Difficulty regulating body temperature, blood sugar, or blood pressure
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Changes in bowel patterns (diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nausea)
Inflexibility in food choices, especially at social events, traveling, or restaurants
Thinking about food all the time
Exercising to “earn” or “burn” calories
Exercising beyond what a coach prescribes
Plateaued or decreased training capacity, even when training consistently
Frequent illness or injury
Low energy, fatigue, difficulty concentrating
Lack of motivation or “try hard”
Solution 3: Stay within your scope of practice
What does this look like?
For a climbing coach, this would mean simply to coach! Be a great coach, design training plans and schedules, coach on technique, flexibility, skill, endurance, etc. Stay within your scope and don’t instruct your climber on nutrition, hydration, medical needs, etc. Don’t tell a climber to lose weight or take supplements. Refer to a medical professional in your area when the climber’s needs fall outside of your scope. Have. a list of doctors, physical therapists, dietitians, etc. who can help the climber when they have a need beyond coaching.
For medical providers, stay within your own scope of practice. A doctor shouldn’t be giving in-depth nutrition advice. Save that for the sports dietitian. A dietitian shouldn’t be doing counseling–save that for the therapist. Staying within our scopes of practice keeps the climber safe and ensures they get correct information.
For climbers, this means to be a climber! You’re not a coach, dietitian or anything else. Staying within your scope could look like participating in comps and training with other climbers, encouraging fellow teammates, taking turns belaying, etc. This doesn’t mean giving diet or training advice.
For parents, it can be a huge challenge to stay “just” a parent. It’s tempting to do all the Google searches and podcast dives to find training and nutrition advice. However, most of it is wrong, and even if it’s correct, it takes skill and clinical judgment to be able to apply it appropriately. Stay within your parenting role by taking your climber to practices and comps, signing them up for whatever they need, purchasing their climbing gear, and being their cheerleader. You can be a valuable resource to help them find the right doctor, coach, therapist, or dietitian.
Solution 4: Say something if you suspect something
Although it can be awkward, if you truly suspect another person has disordered eating patterns, it’s prudent to say something. If it is a youth climber, adults have a special responsibility to keep them safe (medically and mentally).
Here is an example of what you could say in a fake scenario.
A youth climber skips snacks at the designated snack time during practice. She refused to eat at the restaurant with the team after an out-of-town comp. What should you do?
Answer: Approach the climber with compassion and facts. “I noticed you skip snacks and the restaurant meal. What’s going on?”
She may reveal that she can’t afford the snacks or meals. Or she may say that she is trying to skip meals to lose weight or “be healthy.” Or she may not even recognize something is wrong if she truly is struggling with disordered eating. If you suspect disordered eating, you can give her the name of a doctor and dietitian in the area. “Please see these providers. We want you to get a checkup to make sure you’re good to climb.”
Do climbers need to eat a lot? As with all things nutrition-related, it depends! A casual climber doing a 1-2 hour indoor gym session may not need to eat much more beyond a 200-500 calorie snack or small meal to cover that session.
A climber doing multiple days outside with long approaches or heavy gear-hauls needs much more.
Climbing varies in intensity, duration, and the venue. The more vigorous and extended the climbing time is, the more food you need.
Here’s what we do know: Based on current research, climbing burns about 10-11 calories per active minute of climbing. Aside from active climbing, you expend energy belaying, managing gear, hiking, etc. Here’s an article I wrote for Climbing Magazine on how much energy climbing takes.
The question may not be, “Do climbers need to eat a lot?” but rather “Do climbers eat enough for their training load?” And the answer we have from current research is NO. Climbers do not eat enough!
Climbers do not eat enough food
In a study I conducted on adolescent climbers’ dietary intake, 82% of them did not meet their calorie needs, and 86% under-ate their target carbohydrate needs. This is alarming for growing kids, who need adequate food to maintain puberty growth and support their sport.
Another study on adolescent climbers’ dietary intake(Simič, 2022) showed that not one climber met the recommended intake of at least 45 kcal/kg fat free mass per day, and 63% did not even get 30 kcal/kg FFM, which is considered the low threshold to have adequate energy availablity.
Several other studies in adults tell the same, under-fueled tale.
Zapf, 2001: “Nearly half of them failed to meet the recommendations for top level elite athletes.”
Sas-Nowosielski (2019): 48% of the climbers studied consumed less than 2000 calories, which is not enough to meet their targets.
Suboptimal energy availability was found in 73% of intermediate, 45% of advanced, and 40% of elite female climbers
Suboptimal energy availability was found on 47% of intermediate and 21% of advanced male climbers.
Monedero (2022): 52% of the cohort was in negative energy balance. 88% of climbers had suboptimal energy availability.
Gibson-Smith (2020): 77% of climbers did not meet estimated energy requirements.
Fernandez (2024): Only 8.9% of climbers met estimated energy requirements. 57.8% of climbers under-ate their target carbohydrate needs.
What can we understand from all of these studies? Climbers are not eating enough to support their health, normal body processes, and training load. To understand how much you need to eat as a climber, check out our blog post “How Many Calories Does Climbing Burn?”
Why is it a big deal to not eat enough? Because an under-fueled athlete is an under-performing athlete. If your body does not get enough food, you may be at risk for low energy availability, or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), which comes with its own set of symptoms and negative health consequences.
Happy climbing!
~This is general information only and not nutrition advice. Always check with your healthcare professional before undergoing any dietary or lifestyle changes.
Editor’s note: If you haven’t heard of Amity Warme yet, here’s a brief intro: She has an impressive tick list of Yosemite sends, in addition to being a registered dietitian with a master’s in sports nutrition. I met Amity when she approached me asking if I could be a preceptor for part of her dietetic internship. She is an amazing athlete and thoughtful dietitian. She was kind enough to write up this blog post on her own time. Please enjoy partaking from her wealth of knowledge!
Disclosure: All products listed in the post are not sponsored by Marisa Michael, Real Nutrition, LLC or this blog. Amity wanted to include them so climbers can have information to source products. Amity is sponsored by some products. This is for general nutrition information only, and not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare professional before undergoing any diet or lifestyle change.
photo credit Tyler Karow
Marisa:How do prep you food for a big wall climb?
Amity: First, I plan out the number of days that we will be on the wall, then account for breakfast, lunch/ day snacks, and dinner for each of those days. As I’m packing, I lay out all my meals and snacks and separate them by day. Life on a big wall is already logistically complicated, so the more food prep I can do beforehand, the easier it makes things on the wall. I’ll group, bag, and label each day’s worth of food so that it is easy to find in the haul bag and portion out when on the wall. There is no way to refrigerate things up there so that means mostly dehydrated or freeze dried meals for breakfast and dinner and lots of energy bars, trail mix, and other easily portable snack foods that provide both carbs and protein. Additionally, space and weight are at a premium, so maximizing energy density is important.
Marisa: Do you have certain foods you always bring or always avoid? Why?
Amity: Yep! I have found some go-to’s that work really well for me. I tend to rely on these things because I know they will provide good energy, help with recovery for back to back days, and not cause gastrointestinal distress while on the wall. I’m always trying to dial things in though, and I think my fueling strategy gets better with each big wall mission I do!
Always bring:
Pre-made oatmeal packs with my favorite fixings
Dried fruit (my favorite are figs!)
A salty nut or seed (my favorite are pumpkin seeds!)
In my day to day life on the ground, I love eating tons of fresh fruits and vegetables but those things just aren’t realistic in a big wall setting. I always crave a crunchy, juicy apple when I’m up there for days on end eating nothing but dried food so sometimes I’ll sneak in 1-2 but for the most part fresh produce is what I miss the most up there and am always eager to eat when I get down.
Marisa: Do you have a certain fueling and hydration schedule when climbing? What does a typical day look like on the wall?
Amity: My fueling and hydration schedule is not super rigid when I’m on the wall because it is dictated by the climbing schedule which can vary quite a bit day to day depending on conditions, which pitches we are trying that day, how many pitches, etc. So the timing can vary, but generally speaking, a typical day would look like:
Breakfast: usually pretty early because you tend to wake up with the sun up there
Oatmeal with protein powder, dried fruit, chia seeds, and cinnamon
Coffee
Snacking throughout the day: I generally don’t eat a full ‘lunch’ because I am on the move pretty much all day and it works better for me to just be really consistent about munching on something between every pitch. A long, involved pitch plus hauling up to a couple hundred pounds of supplies up after you uses a ton of energy so I try to eat something between every pitch. Some typical options include:
Bagel
Bars (EnduroBites, protein bar, RX bars)
Dried fruit (figs, dates, mango, apricots, etc)
Nut butter packets
Something salty like pretzels or nuts/seeds
Dinner: I aim to get at least 25 grams of protein and 75-100 grams of carbs to help me refuel and recover in order to perform at a high level again the next day. This could be a homemade combo or one of many prepackaged options.
RightOnTrek packaged dinners worked really well for me on my most recent climb. The cooking method with this brand makes them easier to digest than many packaged, dehydrated meals, they met my macronutrient criteria that I aim for, and they tasted great. We split four portions between three people to make sure we were all getting enough!
Dessert: a couple bites of chocolate is a tasty way to cap off the evening
Marisa: How do you know how much food to bring?
Amity: Underfueling on a big wall climb is one of the biggest mistakes I see people make. You set yourself up for so much more success if you bring enough food. It is super easy to underestimate the amount of food you need when you are up there for multiple days in a row because when you are on the ground packing, it looks like a TON of food to haul. The energy expenditure while big wall climbing is extreme though!! Of course, the climbing itself takes a lot of energy, but then you add hauling a couple hundred pounds of gear plus exposure to the elements and additional psychological stress. All this adds up to massive energy expenditure! And each day compounds on the previous day so if you are rationing food straight away, you are just setting yourself up to be in a massive calorie deficit that will have a hugely detrimental effect on your performance, attitude, and decision making skills. My fueling strategies have improved with each big wall I’ve done, but mostly this just means bringing much more food than I used to!
Photo credit Connor Warme
Marisa: Do you use electrolytes when doing big wall climbing?
Amity: I do use electrolytes! A lot of the time up there I am exposed to the sun and other elements. Plus I am almost constantly in motion so I end up losing a lot of fluid and electrolytes through sweat.
The typical water allocation is 1 gallon per person per day. This includes enough water for drinking plus cooking breakfasts and dinners. Logistically this is important because of the amount of weight it adds up to. Of course, you are hauling all your water up from the ground with you so, for example, on my most recent big wall climb, we hauled 175 lbs of water because we were planning for 7-8 days for 3 people (myself, my climbing partner, and a videographer).
Staying hydrated is super important though and I think an electrolyte can help maintain proper hydration levels. My favorite to bring on a big wall is LMNT because it contains a high amount of sodium (and other electrolytes) and because the single serve packets are really convenient up there. It’s nice to have a little packet versus trying to scoop from a big container when you’re on the wall – again, convenience is everything on the wall. I like that LMNT isn’t syrupy sweet like some electrolytes are because I get tired of sweet flavored bars and things while on the wall. LMNT doesn’t have the carb content that many sports drinks do, but I make up for that by just eating more carbs throughout the day instead of drinking them.
Photo credit Connor Warme
Want more climbing nutrition information? Check out Amity’s other blog post on multi-pitch climbing nutrition and her website Amitywarme.com if you’d like to work one-on-one with her to optimize your climbing nutrition.
As a climber, you train hard. Many climbers want to eat right to be the best they can be. But sometimes eating healthy can lead to eating disorders. Find out what you need to know about disordered eating, how to prevent it, and how to identify eating disorders and seek out help. For more, check out our disordered eating resource page.
What is disordered eating?
Disordered eating refers to a group of behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs around food. These behaviors can drive a climber to have decreased mental and physical health. This includes behaviors like following a very strict diet, trying to eat “clean” or “perfect” (as with orthorexia), and trying to control body weight, shape, or appearance.
Eating disorders are a mental illness, not a choice. If someone is suffering from an eating disorder, it’s important to get proper treatment right away. Putting it off can lead to serious medical issues. Sometimes even long-term consequences happen, such as lost bone density, stunted growth, and infertility as an adult.
What is an eating disorder?
An eating disorder is a certain set of behaviors that meets guidelines for being officially diagnosed. Common types include:
Anorexia nervosa: An intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. This leads to restriction of food and calories. It is accompanied by a disturbance in body image.
Bulimia nervosa: Binge eating along with trying to “purge” the food out of the body by vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise. This is done in order to prevent weight gain.
Binge eating disorder: Recurring episodes of binge eating where it is more than a normal amount and it feels out of control. It happens at least once per week for three months.
Other specified feeding or eating disorder: This is when there is disordered eating present, but it may occur less often, or not quite fit into another eating disorder category.
What are some signs of eating disorders/disordered eating?
If you, a teammate, or friend is suffering from an eating disorder, they may show some common signs, such as:
Being preoccupied with food, dieting, or calories
Cutting out certain foods or whole food groups
Comments or concern with body image, size, and shape
Being uncomfortable eating around others, or refusing to eat with people (like going out to eat as a team after a comp)
Weight loss
Not making progress even though they are training hard
Fatigue
Frequent injury or illness
Sleeping problems
Digestive issues, like cramping, bloating, and constipation
Difficulty concentrating
Moodiness, depression, or irritability
Lost period (females)
But, I thought to climb better I need to be thin? What if I am trying to lose weight for climbing performance?
This is a common idea in climbing. Luckily, you don’t have to lose weight to climb better! While it’s true that a high strength-to-weight ratio is good for climbing, this is only a small part of climbing ability. Research shows that things like strength, flexibility, endurance, climbing skills, and experience help people become better climbers–not weight loss! In fact, weight loss attempts may trigger disordered eating.
In fact, if you eat enough to match your climbing and training load, you’ll set yourself up to be stronger, climb better, and prevent injury down the road.
Current climbing research suggests that weight is only a tiny factor in performance, and weight, height, and BMI are largely irrelevant to climbing performance. Lattice Training also has gathered data on their own clients, which show that BMI doesn’t really predict or impact climbing performance to the extent many people think it may.
What should I do if I think someone I know might have an eating disorder?
First, recognize that eating disorders are not a choice, and they can strike anyone of any age or body shape. They are an illness that needs proper treatment, support, and compassion.
You can approach your friend with love and concern, and help them get the right treatment they need.
You can contact your country’s eating disorder organization, or a local eating disorder treatment center for more information.
You can practice what you are going to say, and set aside a private time to talk with them. Voice your concerns, such as “I noticed that you are skipping snack break at practice.” Or “I am worried about how you are doing extra exercising beyond our training.” Expect that they will not react well. Usually eating disorder thoughts are persistent and loud to the person experiencing them, and their reality is distorted. It’s important to be firm and help them get professional help. Offer to accompany them to a doctor appointment, or support them in other ways.
With awareness, support, and compassion, you can keep your athletes safe and foster a good relationship with food and body.
More climbing nutrition resources for you!
I conduct training workshops for teams, coaches, parents, and other climbing professionals. Past clients include USA Climbing, SportRock, Seattle Bouldering Project, Mesa Rim Reno, and more. Contact me for more information! dietitian@realnutritionrdn.com
The Athlete’s Guide to Your Healthy Self is a 56-page downloadable guide with journaling prompts, infographics, and resources to help your relationship with food, body, and sport. It is for athletes, parents of youth athletes, coaches, and anyone working with athletes.
This is a great question! Unfortunately we don’t have a precise answer. There are several ways to estimate calories expended while climbing. But before we get to that, you may want to consider WHY you’d need to know how many calories you burn while climbing?
There could be a number of reasons:
You want to fuel your climbing session appropriately
You’re just curious–you like numbers and data
You want to lose weight. This list of articles helps you explore why losing weight likely won’t help you be a better climber.
Another reason people sometimes want to know calories expended is if they are suffering from disordered eating or compulsive exercise. If this is the case, see professional help from qualified eating disorder providers.
Aside from all these considerations, maybe you just need to know (or at least estimate) how many calories you burn during a given climbing session.
Most research we have indicates active climbing uses between 8-11 calories per active minute of climbing. This does not include resting or belaying.
One way to estimate calories burned while climbing is to use the Metabolic Equivalents (METs).
One MET of energy expenditure = 1 calorie/kilogram/hour.
General rock climbing is 8 METS.
For a 160 pounds person (73 kg), you plug it into an equation:
Weight in kilograms x METs x hours exercises.
73 kg x 8 kcal/kg/hour x 1 hour = 584 calories burned for 1 hour of climbing for a 160-pound person.
Remember, this only estimates how many calories you used while climbing, not the rest of your daily activities or your basal metabolic rate.
Another way to estimate calories burned while climbing is to use a smartwatch.
Use caution with this information, most fitness devices are not accurate when it comes to estimating calories burned! They can be off by as much as 40%. FitBits, Apple Watches, Garmins etc. all have a large margin of error. It can get you in the ballpark if you’d like to use these numbers to help understand how much to eat to fuel your climbing, but it may be more useful to rely on hunger cues rather than your watch.
Variables that determine calories burned while climbing
Energy expended is depending on several factors, including but not limited to:
Age
Gender
Weight
Height
Body composition
Climbing efficiency
Training status
Cardiovascular status
Familiarity with the route
Familiarity with type of climbing (a trad route would be more difficult for someone with no trad experience, for example)
Overhang
High altitude
Temperature
You also may need to consider the approach when calculating energy expenditure. A very long or steep approach to the crag is going to demand more calories than driving to the gym parking lot and climbing indoors. Some researchers estimate 1200 calories for ~4 hours of climbing, not including a long approach.
The bottom line: Don’t focus on calories burned in order to lose weight, but knowing approximately how many calories you use while climbing can help you fuel the session well, support training adaptations, and recover quickly. Remember, estimating calorie energy expenditure is not precise (and neither is calorie counting!) so don’t get too hung up on the numbers. Just enjoy climbing and notice how your body feels.
~This is general information only and not nutrition advice. Always check with your healthcare provider before undergoing any diet or lifestyle changes.
Selected references
Mermier C.M., Janot J.M., Parker D.L., & Swan J.G. (2000). Physiological and anthropometric determinants of sport climbing performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 34:359-366
Baláš, J., Panáčková, M., Strejcová, B., Martin, A., Cochrane, D.J., Kaláb, M., Kodejška, J. & Draper, N. (2014). The relationship between climbing ability and physiological responses to rock climbing. ScientificWorldJournal, 678387. doi: 10.1155/2014/678387
Bertuzzi, R.C., Franchini, E., Kokubun, E., & Kiss, M.A.P.D.M. (2007). Energy system contributions in indoor rock climbing. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 101, 293-300. doi: 10.1007/s00421-007-0501-0
Booth, J., Marino, F., Hill, C., & Gwinn, T. (1999). Energy cost of sport rock climbing in elite performers. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 33, 14-18.
Dickson, T., Fryer, S., Blackwell, G., Draper, N. (2012). Effect of style of ascent on the psychophysiological demands of rock climbing in elite level climbers. Journal of Sports Technology, (5): 111-119
Watts, P.B. (2004). Physiology of difficult rock climbing. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 91, 361-372. doi: 10.1007/s00421-003-1036-7
Watts, P.B., Daggett, M., Gallagher, P., & Wilkins, B. (2000). Metabolic response during sport rock climbing and the effects of active versus passive recovery. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 21, 185-190.
Watts, P.B., España- Romero, V., Ostrowski, M.L., & Jensen, R.L. (2013). Change in geometric entropy and energy expenditure with repeated ascents in rock climbing. Poster, American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN.
I’ve done a bit of research myself in adolescent climbers. And another researcher has found that up to 43% of female elite climbers are at high risk for disordered eating. So what does all this mean? How to climbers feel about it? Mattias Strand went to find out by scouring online forums. I asked him more about his research, and he was kind enough to answer my questions.
What made you interested in doing this research?
As a psychiatrist who worked primarily with eating disorders for quite a few years, I have seen a number of patients who developed serious eating disorders at least partly based on a wish to become lighter in order to climb harder. On the other hand, I have also met patients who used to overexercise in other sports and who have discovered a healthier way of relating to their own bodies through climbing. I thought this duality was fascinating and wanted to explore it further.
Also, as an amateur climber and father of a 12-year-old who climbs, I follow the international climbing scene and I cannot help but notice the perpetual debate about the role of weight in climbing. It seemed to me like there is a lot of talk about nutrition, weight, and body image in the climbing community, but that the topic of disordered eating is also often described as somewhat taboo – as a dark secret or as “the elephant in the room”, so to speak. I figured that a good way of exploring these potentially sensitive matters would be to study how people discuss them on online anonymous forums dedicated to climbing.
What was the most striking theme or comment you saw on these climbing online forums you studied?
Overall, the finding that was most striking to me was probably that the topic of eating disorders is far from a “blind spot” or an overlooked phenomenon among climbers, at least in these online communities. It may very well be that official climbing associations have not always taken eating disorders as seriously as they should have or that people do not necessarily talk about disordered eating at the crag or in the gym, but on the online forums that I studied there is certainly a lively and nuanced discussion about weight, disordered eating, and body image in relation to climbing.
Another thing that struck me is that forum users uniformly show support and even admiration for climbers who do not fit the stereotypically slender or athletic mold. Larger climbers would describe how they can often feel uncomfortable at the wall, and other forum users would always root for them and praise them for being courageous enough to climb anyway. Considering that fat stigma tends to discourage many people from exercising in public, it was good to see that forum users were generally very supportive in this regard. Of course, this may or may not reflect the actual atmosphere at the climbing gym. Also, I was surprised that there was not more discussion about race, body image, and climbing on the forums – if anything, I would say that an actual blind spot of the climbing community is probably “colorblindness” and inclusion of BIPoC climbers.
What is your perception of how the climbing community views eating disorders?
First of all, as a clinician with a special interest in eating disorders, I was glad to see that so many forum users had very sound advice to offer on this topic and that people were generally eager to help those who displayed a destructive relationship to food and weight. When it comes to the question of the impact of weight and weight loss on climbing performance, forum users are clearly divided. Many view a low body weight as an undeniable benefit in an antigravitational sport, but an equally large share of the posts that I analyzed emphasizes other skills – technique, power, psychological aspects, etc. – as far more important and point to negative effects of weight loss, such as fatigue and proneness to injury.
Interestingly, I noticed a certain ambivalence in many posts. For example, a comment may initally describe the effects of weight loss on performance as very marginal and highlight other climber qualities, only to conclude by “admitting” that, everything else being equal, this small gain may sometimes be what is needed in order to send. Clearly, even those forum users who downplay the importance of a low body weight do so in constant dialogue with the dominant idea of weight loss as beneficial. Those that point to other aspects as more impactful typically have to argue their position, while those that emphasize weight simply refer to “the laws of physics”.
What insights or ideas do you have to help the climbing community have a better relationship with food, body image, and climbing as a sport?
In my study, I found very few hands-on suggestions for how the climbing community ought to tackle disordered eating. This may not come as a surprise – eating disorders are complex phenomena and I think it is important to realize that there is no simple quick fix when it comes to disordered eating, among climbers as well as in other contexts. There are some signs that point to an overall healthier relationship with food and body image among climbers today compared to earlier decades. For example, many older forum users primarily associate eating disorders with the “Lycra crowd” of the 1980s and early 1990s and describe how a growing emphasis on moves that require a lot of power have diminished the focus on body weight over time. The establishment of climbing as an athletic discipline is also seen as promoting modern evidence-based approaches to training and nutrition and thereby reducing the reliance on outmoded ideas about dietary restriction as a key to success.
On the other hand, some worry that the very same tendency – the transformation of climbing from an experience-based outdoor activity into an achievement-based sport – may lead to an unhealthy focus on shortsighted tactics such as weight cycling. Not least, some forum users express concern about what is described as an emerging negative “soccer mom” culture in climbing, by which parents and coaches pressure young climbers to perform at the expense of their well-being. As climbing has become more and more popular, problems that are typically associated with the highly individualized gym and fitness culture at large, such as disordered eating, excessive exercise, and illicit performance-enhancing substances, risk becoming more prevalent in the climbing community as well.
Another thing – and I am not sure what it is like in other sports – is that the climbing community is still pretty tightly knit, and I guess it was even more so 10 or 20 years ago. You might be climbing at the same gym as some of the world-class elite climbers or you meet them at the crag at some point and there is a sense that you are somehow pretty close to the climbing “superstars” that you watch on the World Cup circuit. I suppose this is generally a good thing, but there are also numerous reminders in the online forums that the performance-boosting tactics that might be useful for a top-level V15 climber is not necessarily what you need to break into V6. This highlights the need for positive role models in climbing and the necessity of maintaining a realistic view on what is really helpful at the level you are at. This may sound as a cliché, but I think that the best advice that I can offer at this point is to simply encourage further discussion about eating disorders in the climbing community. I do not talk about this in detail in the paper, but it was evident that whenever famous climbers openly share their experiences with disordered eating or when there is a documentary such as LIGHT, this clearly helps forum users in sharing their own experiences and sparks fruitful discussions.
How long did it take you to conduct this research?
The forum posts that I analyzed covered approximately 20 years. They were downloaded over a period of 2 months, but I probably spent around 5 or 6 months in the online communities – in addition to assessing posts about eating, weight, and body image, I would also access a large number of forum threads concerned with other topics than those under study, in order to immerse myself more fully in the online communities and gain a better understanding of the whole spectrum of topics under discussion.
As a complement, other sources were also used in order to enrich the understanding of the study topic. For example, whenever a forum user made reference to a social media or blog post, a video clip, or a magazine article discussing disordered eating or body image concerns in the climbing community, I would read/watch it and consider how it related to the other collected data. These sources typically described top-level climbers’ own experiences of and thoughts on restrictive eating and body dissatisfaction; since these individuals can be considered public figures, I did not include their data in the formal analysis.
What would you like the climbing community to take away from your research? How could they use it to help?
I hope that it may in some sense be helpful to be aware of just how much weight talk there still is in the climbing community, but also to build on the many valuable experiences and insights offered by climbers who partake in online discussions. Again, one thing that I myself take away from this study is that most climbers – although certainly not all – that are active online appear to have a fairly nuanced and realistic view of nutrition, weight, and training. Whenever somebody seemed to be on a destructive path, there was always at least some other forum users who would provide balanced advice and try to point them in a healthier direction.
Clearly, there are many people that fall in love with climbing precisely because it emphasizes what your body can do rather than how it looks. Still others dismiss the idea of climbing as achievement-oriented altogether and point to elements such as having fun with friends and being close to nature. It is obvious that climbing can be a positive arena in combating body image issues and I can only hope that the climbing community will continue to embrace these values – after all, I think that this down-to-earth sensibility is what many of us appreciate about the climbing community, even if we sometimes obsess about grades or worry about plateauing.
Anyone can develop REDs, which is a syndrome caused by under-fueling. Not eating enough to match your activity level can cause REDs. Athletes and active people are more at risk, especially athletes where the sport may require (or the culture requires) a thin body, such as ballet, gymnastics, climbing, rowing, and weight-class sports (wresting, boxing, etc.).
Can you recover from REDs?
Absolutely! It will take a team of knowledgeable professionals to help you through the recovery process, including a sports dietitian, sports physician, coach, and sometimes a therapist or sports psychologist. REDs recovery usually involves complete rest or dialing back training, coupled with increased food intake.
Is REDs serious?
Yes, if left untreated in can lead to injuries such as stress fractures, long-term damage to your organs, hormonal imbalances, infertility, and even cardiac issues. REDs should not be self-diagnosed or managed on one’s own.
How do I know if I have REDs?
If you suspect you have REDs, seek medical help immediately. The physician can assess your heart, labs, menstrual status, and more to make a thorough assessment to decide if you have REDs. You can use our free RED-S symptom tracking tool to monitor yourself and make sure you are not suffering from any signs of REDs.
Amity crushing it in Yosemite on Golden Gate on El Capitan! photo credit Felipe Nordenflycht @felipesh
Optimize your energy: fueling strategies for your multi-pitch adventure
Climbing a multi-pitch route requires a lot of energy. Often these adventures involve a long approach with a heavy pack, hours of climbing, exposure to heat, cold, wind, and altitude, hauling or climbing with a pack, and a long descent. All of these factors increase your daily energy expenditure. In order to perform your best, maintain mental acuity throughout the day, and recover quickly, it is critical to fuel yourself with adequate intake before, during, and after the climb. Continue reading for tips, tricks, and examples of how to fuel for your multi-pitch adventure.
The night before:
Packing snacks for your big day is important but don’t neglect nutrition the day before either. Eating a nutrient rich dinner with plenty of carbohydrates the night before your multipitch mission will help maximize your energy for the next day. Your muscles store energy in the form of glycogen. Consuming carbs before your adventure ensures that your glycogen stores will be topped off and ready for big energy expenditure the next day.
Examples of balanced, nutrient dense meals include the following:
Grain bowl:
Brown rice or quinoa
Grilled chicken or tofu
Roasted veggies
Garlic tahini dressing
Pasta:
Whole wheat or chickpea noodles
Plant based meatballs or grilled chicken
Sauteed veggies
Red sauce or pesto
Tacos:
Grilled chicken or tempeh on tortillas
Roasted veggies
Black or pinto beans
Fresh salsa and avocado
The morning of:
Start your day off fueled up and well hydrated. Combine carbohydrate rich foods for quick energy with protein and fat for more sustained energy. A nutritious breakfast is especially important if your multipitch climb involves a long approach. If you don’t fuel well and hydrate early, you risk arriving at your climb already in an energy deficit for the day. This sets you up for decreased performance and reduced mental capacity.
Examples of pre-climb breakfasts include any of the following or a combination:
Oatmeal with the fixings (options include):
Oats
Hemp, chia, or flax seeds
Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans)
Berries or other sliced fruit
Raisins or other dried fruit
Peanut butter
Granola with milk of choice or yogurt
Topped with fruit
Omelet or scrambled eggs
Potatoes
Diced veggies
Toast with jam
Pancakes or protein pancakes
Topped with peanut butter and fruit
Throughout the day:
Choose snacks that are easy to eat, easy to digest, and efficient to pack. Avoid heavy foods that will take up extra space and weight in your pack but also include foods that you like and will be excited to eat. Aim to munch on something every hour you are out on your climb. Continuously taking in small amounts of fuel will help keep you going all day and prevent bonking from letting your energy levels get too low. A good way to do this is to eat a few bites between each pitch while you are belaying or waiting for your partner to rack up. Staying ahead of your hunger is extremely helpful. Don’t wait until you are ravenous to start eating. Munch on small, carb-rich snacks and sip fluids consistently. Keep snacks easily accessible in a chest or pants pocket or in a small pouch clipped to your harness.
Examples of easy to pack and easy to eat crag snacks include:
Dried fruit (dates, figs, mango, apricots)
Energy bars with simple, whole food ingredients
EnduroBites, RX bars, KIND bars
Tortilla with some combo of peanut butter, honey, banana, nutella
These tend to get less smashed than sandwiches
Peanut butter and honey/jam/banana sandwich
Trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, seeds
Granola
Pretzels (something salty is nice and encourages you to keep drinking fluids)
Nut butter packs sweetened with honey
Honey stingers
String cheese
Chocolate
Jerky
Caffeinated gel packs
After the adventure:
The sooner you start refueling after your big day, the faster you will recover. Have some snacks or a meal packed and waiting for you in the car that you can eat when you get down. A combination of carbs and protein is ideal at this time. Carbs will help reload the glycogen stores in your muscles and protein will help jumpstart repair the repair of any tissue and muscle damage incurred throughout the big day.
Examples of recovery foods include:
Protein shake, fruit, and pretzels
Sandwich
Smoothie
Tortilla wraps with hummus and avocado
Fruit dipped in nut butter
Leftovers from dinner the night before
Energy expenditure is HIGH on multipitch climbing days.
Approach (often long)
Climbing for hours of the day
Exposed to the elements all day (heat, cold, wind, altitude)
Often hauling a pack or climbing with a pack which increases expenditure
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