Thanks for checking the podcast out! Below are links referenced throughout the episode: 1. Prior R2R2R Podcast Episode (with attached Food list. 2. 2025 Nutrition & Food List. 3. Podcast on fat burning fat as fuel, and fat adaptation. 4. Link to 2 DIY Bars for the backcountry. Our BACKCOUNTRY FOUNDATIONS course is now live if you want to check it o…

Nicholas Gilbert joins me this week to talk through his own personal journey. From running track for University of Oregon in college to getting busy with a family, he found himself in the same spot most of us do- unhappy with our health, but not 100% sure what to do about it. 2024 was a year of redemption for Nicholas. Not only did he solve for the…

Recap of the 2024 Death Hike with Nutrition List Stay in the loop for the release of our Backcountry Nutrition Course!By Kyle Kamp

Part 1 of 2: Are protein bars glorified treats? If starvation mode isn't real; why do we plateau? What's actually happening? What do you do in Valley to Peak? What's your role in the process of someones progress? Do we need detoxes? Get more information and resources from V2P here!By Kyle Kamp

We dive deep on what actually works in big wilderness pushes, what's garbage, and what shows promise, but still needs some adjusting. V2P Backcountry Meat Care Guide V2P Newsletter subscription to find more about the news Backcountry Nutrition Course launching this spring. Get ahold of us!By Kyle Kamp

Imagine waking up and not feeling like yourself. It's a challenge many of us will hopefully never have to know. It was, however, something Rachael Sanchez had to walk through. But, as you'll hear, nutrition and training slowly started to help her feel like herself again. If you'd like to contact Rachael, you can reach out on social media. If you'd …

Dyllon and I sit down and discuss everything from the basics to the more complex aspects of GLP-1's and medications like Ozempic. We look at: What is it? What is GLP-1 as a whole? What’s the acronym stand for? Do we produce it naturally? If so, why are we suggesting people get a shot to get more of it? What was it originally intended and created fo…

In 2021 Sarah Book was put on life support after complications arose from a hospital admit she found herself in the midst of. Little did she know the worst day of her life would serve as a major catalyst for her future. Her story is both heart-wrenching and motivating. Her can reach out to Sarah here if interested. Check out more from Valley to Pea…

Several updates (and announcements!) for 2025! Plus: A final bonus episode to wrap up '25 based on hiking questions for the trail. See the list below. Check out Valley to Peak Resources Here. - - - - Hiking is my excuse to be able to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich 😀 What snacks offer some good energy? I have often heard that gummy bears are…

"How in the world did you find time to get ready for a sheep hunt AND be gone for that long?" This was a question posed by many of you...and the question that made it hard to decide whether to go or not in the first place . Lindsay and I sit down together to get HER perspective on what it means to be gone that long, what the spouse leaving can do a…

This week we look at cyclic dextrin as a fuel source during training- is it actually better for us/blood sugar response? Weights vs cardio? Is one more advantageous for goals? And, we announce how you can save some cash on Black Friday beginning now. Click here for an opportunity to take advantage of reduced cost on Foundations Plus Program. Operat…

Four of the top question you asked: - What are discretionary calories, why do they matter, and how much should we aim for? - What your thoughts on blood work done? Should I get some? What should I get for nutrition? - Why do people "relapse" on their weight/performance/nutrition goals? - I'm getting older. How do my protein needs change...or do the…

Heidi is a dietitian who recently joined V2P to help create great content and educate folks who want to learn more about nutrition. We do an introduction, learn more about Heidi, her background, and recent (successful!) solo trip for elk! Check out all of our information and content on our website!By Kyle Kamp

We get a bunch of great questions from listeners, but Jake wanted to do a role-reversal on this episode to cover a TON of different topics as they pertain to nutrition at home, in the backcountry, and getting it all to work together.By Kyle Kamp

It’s really tough to make any kind of progress in training when we have near-constant setbacks while training. Little issues can go from annoyance to concerning quickly. We’re joined by Rob Minturn of Wilderness PT this week to talk about how we can avoid setbacks by taking care just a few small things on the front end. Link to: Super Feet Sheep Fe…

This is the recap of Kyle's 2024 dall sheep hunt in the Alaska Backcountry with Limitless Alaska Guiding and Mark Rowenhorst. ---- Detailed gear and nutrition list is linked here for those interested. ---- Click here for more information about Valley to Peak Nutrition and available resources!By Kyle Kamp

Creatine has gained a load of attention in the last couple of years for it’s reported ability to enhance athletic performance, increase muscle size, and improve brain function. With accolades like that, it’s no wonder that people are starting to ask “is there a use and benefit for taking creatine in the backcountry to enhance performance while in t…

My guest this week is Dustin Diefendurfer. Dustin runs MTNTOUGH- a program and app that has become synonymous with training the dedicated. This includes folks in the military, backcountry hunters, thru-hikers, wildland firefighters, ultra-runners, and just about everything in between. Having had the chance to get to know Dustin and the entire crew …

Science is ever-evolving. The science of nutrition is not immune to this. The worst thing someone who studies nutrition can do is plant their feet so firmly on an idea that they're unwilling to hear how it might've changed over the years. I'm not immune to that. Mark and I cover three things that we've both changed our minds on over the last five y…

This week I’m joined by Brian Barney. You'll hear one theme come up time and again in this podcast: operating optimally on nothing more than the bare minimums. Minimum time, minimum intel, minimum resources, yet still making it work. I couldn’t think of a better person to invite on the podcast and learn from…plus he’s one of the genuinely best dude…

Words like processed foods, inflammation, and seed oils are thrown around daily in articles and social media. But, what do they really mean? Are they as big of a concern as is suggested in the 30-second reels we see each day? We cover more topics this week as we look at: processed food seed oils saturated fat inflammation antioxidant Questions? Ema…

Words like GMO, organic, additives, and preservatives are thrown around daily about the topic of nutrition. Most of us make our purchasing decisions based off of them, but do we really know what they mean? This is a two part series to break these down and look at definitions and separate fact from fiction.…

We’re joined by Neil Bangs of the BSU Human Performance lab to talk about what tests are actually worth getting, what to do with the information it gives, and how approachable they really can be. (Includes coneration about the basics behind VO2 Max tests, DEXA, Lactate, etc.). BSU Human Performance Lab Valley to Peak Resources…

Physical demands in the mountains can be quite extreme. Factors like a heavy pack, varying terrain type, heat, weather, smoke, and elevation can wear anyone out. What's the best way to be resistant to exhaustion in these conditions? You train for it... Dr. Brent Ruby joins us again in part two to cover this very topic. Dr. Ruby's first episode. Wil…

Nutrition demands in the mountains are extreme. Add factors like a heavy pack, varying terrain type, heat, weather, smoke, and you can wind up with nutrition needs that seem more like the calculation for an atoms potential than a calorie calculation. Luckily for us, Dr. Brent Ruby spent more than 25 years studying this to help us understand exactly…

You asked. We answered. What about white meat? Do the same premises apply? How about vegetables? I love grilled veggies, but are the risks the same? Is there an idea ration of red meat, white meat, and fish we should be aiming for in a week? How do you make your own jerky if you don't use nitrates? We typically make brats and summer sausage with ou…

The 2024 Exo Mtn Gear Death Hike of the Grand Canyon's iconic rim-to-rim-to-rime is in the books. We recap the hike, nutrition, how we changed out training- and a host of other topics. Marks Food List Kyle's Food List Fueling When You Don't Feel Like It GuideBy Kyle Kamp

“I recently watched a documentary suggesting that meat is the source of all health issues- should I stop hunting?” This was a question we had on the documentary “What the Health”. We looked at the main points in the documentary to determine what parts are completely false, what’s not the full story- and what part has some valid points. Check out ot…

Mike and I continue our conversation this week in part two of the listener Q&A. In this, we dive into a host of topics that will help give answers to questions you may have had about for peak performance on and off the trails. We look at: Why aiming for calorie-density for trail nutrition is a waste of time. Backcountry nutrition strategies and dif…

Over 75% of the Valley to Peak audience is men- a huge following. So, why in the world would I choose to do an episode ‘for the ladies? Because many of you have told the women in your life about Valley to Peak (thank you!). We also started to see that many of the women we talked to all had the same questions...the same goals...and the same struggle…

"You said the concerns with artificial sweeteners are overrated...how is that possible?" Part 1: I'm joined by a listen of the show- Mike Tennant- to talk through something I said WAY back in Episode 34. In this, we tackle ALL things related to artificial sweaters. Why did I make that comment? What does science say about them? Why does it seem like…

"I didn't want to be a dad who couldn't keep up w/ his kids." This is all about taking your life back and some practical steps to do it. Jack Lander joins me this week to share his awesome story of what woke him up to make changes in his life that let to an 80lb weight loss, find running, and an entirely different mindset. --- Jacks contact informa…

"I'm not sure it can be as miserable as the earlier ones because of all the lessons we've learned over the years..." Our friends Mark and Steve from Exo Mtn Gear join us to talk through just what those lessons are. Check out the recap of the last 10 years in this journal article from Exo. Learn more about the food + gear Mark and I took on the AK d…

"I wake up crazy early to exercise and have no time to eat beforehand...suggestions?" "I'm not a mountain climber...will your program even work for me?" Collagen. Nutrition at altitude. -- Lindsay joins me this week to tackle your questions on the first QA of 2024! -- Check out Valley to Peak Nutrition resources.…

Most people don't lack motivation, believe it or not. They lack a plan. -- They're willing to invest the time, but knowing what to invest the time in is the #1 many folks derail good intentions by the second week in February. -- In this episode we cover three key things in developing a plan that will actually work for you this year. I'm joined by C…

What a year! We wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to you, first and foremost. Second, we wanted to give you an idea of what's coming in 2024 and have the first chance if you're interested. Finally, we end with a listener who reaches his goal. This is an extension of the podcast we started with Ken H from earlier in the year when he as…

Dave, like many folks who reach out to Valley to Peak, wanted to lose a few pounds and have better physical capabilities in the mountains. However, it was two other goals that really drove his motivation. One of these was a really small patch of aspens above his house. There wasn't anything particularly special about these aspens beyond the things …

Most of us will sit down to watch the Lions get smoked tomorrow after a belly-full of turkey. Most of us will also doze off without any recollection of who won the coin toss or possession that followed. This shouldn't be what you experience the other 364 days per year, yet it's exactly what many folks complain of. Paul joins me this week as we expl…

"I want to enjoy the celebrations with friends and family, but I don’t want to do it SO much that I find myself having to make a ton of ground up by the first of the year..." Sound familiar? You wouldn't be alone if so... It’s a great question and one we’ve built a strategy for that we outline here. We also tackle questions like: Why does the weigh…

Josh ran the WY East 50K & Standhope 30K in 2023. In spite of dominating one race and executing the SAME nutrition plan on the second, he had entirely different outcomes. This podcast is the result of us talking through why, what happened...and how to fix it. I have heard your body uses water to digest a meal. If so, how long does that process take…

AJ was, by most standards, the first V2P client and started his journey in May of 2019. In this episode, AJ shares his experience (and insights) from losing and maintaining his weight + performance nearly 5 years ago. Questions you want covered? Email us at Valley to Peak Interested in Resources? Check out the Valley to Peak Website…

“I read about all of these supplements, teas, and things that are supposed to increase my metabolism. Do they work or is there anything that would?” In the second part we tackle, what proved to be, a tough question for me: "I know you’re a big fan of tracking, but what if I don’t want to? Are there any lessons or tips you’ve learned over the years …

The second part looks at: What’s the minimum effective dose we SHOULD be aiming for What about all the age-old wives tales with nutrition? What’s true and what’s not? Can I have eggs or can’t I? What about butter? What about meat? What IS a good dose for exercise? Is there a consequence to doing NO exercise at all? And of course- what role does nut…

This episode came about because of a question from me: why am I seeing so many athletes doing long-distance events dying all of the sudden? Is there too much of a good thing? His email reply prompted this podcast. Resources Referenced Dr. Nelson's Website (Lub-dub Doc). Free nutrition guides on our website at v2pnutrition.com If you’re interested i…

He had the tools- but found himself in the same spot many of us have: back to square one after having had met the goal once before. This week Bob and I sit down to look at why exactly DO we find ourselves in this cycle of success, relapse, and success again. Is there a way or tools we can use to simple reach the goal and stay there? This is all abo…

From Exo Mtn Gear: Your truck won't run with an empty tank. And it also won't run well, or for long, or the wrong type of fuel. The same is true of you. To perform your best, you need to fuel properly. But what does that mean? With an overwhelming amount of nutrition information on the internet and countless "performance" products being marketed to…

Katie at Fish Untamed was an EXCELLENT host and asked great questions....so great that she dug up a great list of questions that I've not been asked before. We also dive a bit deeper into the DIY Dehydration guide if you're ever been curious about what's in it. Is there a topic YOU want to hear about? Tell us here! (Email: [email protected]) Ch…

Ken B. wrote me with a question: I’m wondering how to achieve using my fat as a source fuel without consuming too much extra fat… if it’s possible.." It's a common and excellent question- so I had him on to chat about it. We dive through why it doesn't work the way his question suggests (i.e. you don't have to consume dietary fat to be fat-adapted …

Mike Moore joins us this week to talk about how he plans to check off 2,023 miles in 2023. He also talks through lessons he's learned on training and nutrition doing hikes like this, ultras, training, and how gear functions best when you've been unexpectedly swept downstream in a river. Check out Mike's gear review on Rokslide. Check out the Rewarm…

"Is it even possible to make chicken taste decent and not dry? Do you have any tips at all?" --- Chicken isn't known for being a decadent protein source. In fact- it's quite the opposite. --- Lindsay and I share three tips on ways we've learned to make chicken breast MUCH more approachable for family meals. --- Check out the Foundations and Foundat…