Justin Lichter
"I love being in the outdoors, seeing new places, experiencing nature, and challenging myself. I have hiked thousands of miles through many different countries, including the United States, New Zealand, Iceland, Ethiopia, Kenya, Norway, Sweden, and Canada. I have hiked over 30,000 miles in the past 8 years, routinely hiking 30 to 40 mile days, so energy, nutrition, and the food I carry are crucial to the trip."
"Most people think it is hard to maintain your body weight and energy levels being a vegetarian. While growing up my Mom was a vegetarian so naturally I wouldn't eat meat either. Now it is just the normal way I eat without even thinking twice about it. I do eat fish on occasion, but don't feel the need to eat any meat. I have no problems maintaining my body weight and keeping my energy level high since I try to eat the right foods. On a long distance hike my body burns over 5000 calories per day. It is important to refuel the right way with wholesome foods.I will always be a vegetarian because I think it is better for my health, nutrition, and the health of our overall environment and the planet. I firmly believe that humans were not intended to eat as much meat as we do today. In the past when people were hunters and gatherers (not counting the Inuits), meat was something that was eaten on occasion, especially compared to many people's diets now. It was hard to catch an animal and the meat was considered a delicacy. The majority of people's diets were gleaned from plants. The amount of cattle that are now farmed are a major contributor to methane in the atmosphere, which is one of the main greenhouse gases. I just try to do my part environmentally and for my own health."
