Good Breakfast?
#1
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Good Breakfast?
Been experimenting with this type of breakfast for day of an event.
Scrambled eggs
black coffee
orange juice
oatmeal, with yogurt mixed in
power bar
sound ok?
am i missing anything?
does this sound ok? add anything? take something out?
Scrambled eggs
black coffee
orange juice
oatmeal, with yogurt mixed in
power bar
sound ok?
am i missing anything?
does this sound ok? add anything? take something out?
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I just go with whatever will sit well. If you can eat that and feel all right shortly after you start your event, then it works.
Personally, I go with toast ... or sometimes a bowl of oriental noodles.
Personally, I go with toast ... or sometimes a bowl of oriental noodles.
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I'm new to the game so take my comment with a grain of salt; I'd suggest boiled eggs instead of scrambled (lower in calories), and no power bar.
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Yeah, I wouldn't eat a power bar at any time, especially not at breakfast. What a way to get indigestion!
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I'd add pan seared home fries with celery seed: quarter a potato. par boil it. cut into 1/4" triangles. lay flat & flip w your choice of oil & celery seed
just don't ask me the last time I actually did that
just don't ask me the last time I actually did that
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Machka has it right. if you can eat it and be active a short time later then it's fin ---- for you.
We're all different, in all sorts of subtle ways, including how we uptake nutrition. Some eat large dinners and light breakfasts before long rides, while others are just about the opposite.
I, for one, shun dairy before rides because I suspect, (based on experience) that it thickens mucous and can make asthma problems worse. But I don't recommend that to anyone, because, while it seemed to help years ago, I never saw the need to go back and confirm that it made a difference.
Find what works for you and stay with as long as it does.
We're all different, in all sorts of subtle ways, including how we uptake nutrition. Some eat large dinners and light breakfasts before long rides, while others are just about the opposite.
I, for one, shun dairy before rides because I suspect, (based on experience) that it thickens mucous and can make asthma problems worse. But I don't recommend that to anyone, because, while it seemed to help years ago, I never saw the need to go back and confirm that it made a difference.
Find what works for you and stay with as long as it does.
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#8
Full Member
This is very contingent upon the individual; what you are accustomed to eating in the morning, what you are able to process, how far you are riding, what you take to eat while you ride.
I cannot eat a big breakfast first thing in the morning, especially prior to a long-ish ride, and nothing very greasy or fatty. I eat a banana, sometimes two, and drink black coffee - this is my usual breakfast whether riding or not.
Other nutrition for the first 35 miles was consumed the previous day; beyond that, I eat on the bike.
I cannot eat a big breakfast first thing in the morning, especially prior to a long-ish ride, and nothing very greasy or fatty. I eat a banana, sometimes two, and drink black coffee - this is my usual breakfast whether riding or not.
Other nutrition for the first 35 miles was consumed the previous day; beyond that, I eat on the bike.
#9
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Yesterday for a hilly 200km ride, I had a bowl of oatmeal with sugar and milk, and a large instant coffee with milk and sugar.
That's my daily breakfast, usually at 6.45am. I work in a physically active job, and my next food intake is something like a banana at 9.30am, then lunch at 12.00 and a break at 2.30.
While it's good to have the glycogen coming on for the start of a ride, nutrition intake during the ride is as important. To me, a large breakfast diverts the blood to the digestive system, and depending on how long before the ride starts, that process may well still be on-going, resulting in "heavy legs" at the start.
Yesterday's ride started very well for me on that breakfast. Unlike Machka, I don't do that well on oriental noodles despite their high calorie content. Also, if I have brewed or strong coffee, I get onset of indigestion.
We won't talk, however, about what went on in the heat, and climbs after the middle of yesterday's ride.
That's my daily breakfast, usually at 6.45am. I work in a physically active job, and my next food intake is something like a banana at 9.30am, then lunch at 12.00 and a break at 2.30.
While it's good to have the glycogen coming on for the start of a ride, nutrition intake during the ride is as important. To me, a large breakfast diverts the blood to the digestive system, and depending on how long before the ride starts, that process may well still be on-going, resulting in "heavy legs" at the start.
Yesterday's ride started very well for me on that breakfast. Unlike Machka, I don't do that well on oriental noodles despite their high calorie content. Also, if I have brewed or strong coffee, I get onset of indigestion.
We won't talk, however, about what went on in the heat, and climbs after the middle of yesterday's ride.
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Black coffee, always.
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I am a minimalist on breakfast and what I eat depends upon the intensity I'll be riding.
For a TT at 100% intensity, I'll want my stomach to be pretty much emptied by race time. So I'd go for mostly carb and around 300-400 cal- maybe cereal and banana or a bagel or toast. Minimal protein and minimal fat, because they are slower to digest.
For a longer endurance race, something I'd be riding at 70-80%, I'd be ok with more protein and fat. Maybe toast with peanut butter or an egg-English muffin breakfast sandwich. Still probably not much more than 500 cal though because I'll be eating on the bike in that instance.
#13
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In the stupid simple and easy department . . .
For the past 15 or so years, before every hard or long ride I have the same thing about 2 hours before the ride: the same thing I eat during the ride, duh. Why? Because the same nutritional principles apply. I have an old empty 5 lb protein tub. In it, I mix maltodextrin and flavored whey protein at a 7:1 ration by weight. I have a 53cc cup from who knows where, which I think is ~100 calories of this stuff. 2c is about 750 calories. The night before the ride, I mix ~400 calories of powder with ~1 pt. of water and mix in one of those shaker things, then refrigerate. It take about 10 seconds to drink in the morning, calories and a little hydration. During-the-ride bottles I make up according to my 14 oz./100 mile rule, 2c of powder or less in a 24 oz. bottle. I buy the maltodextrin from the local homebrew supply and the flavored whey protein online.
Yeah I know, totally geeky but it works better than anything I've ever tried. Never barfed it up, which is the highest praise bike food can get.
For the past 15 or so years, before every hard or long ride I have the same thing about 2 hours before the ride: the same thing I eat during the ride, duh. Why? Because the same nutritional principles apply. I have an old empty 5 lb protein tub. In it, I mix maltodextrin and flavored whey protein at a 7:1 ration by weight. I have a 53cc cup from who knows where, which I think is ~100 calories of this stuff. 2c is about 750 calories. The night before the ride, I mix ~400 calories of powder with ~1 pt. of water and mix in one of those shaker things, then refrigerate. It take about 10 seconds to drink in the morning, calories and a little hydration. During-the-ride bottles I make up according to my 14 oz./100 mile rule, 2c of powder or less in a 24 oz. bottle. I buy the maltodextrin from the local homebrew supply and the flavored whey protein online.
Yeah I know, totally geeky but it works better than anything I've ever tried. Never barfed it up, which is the highest praise bike food can get.
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In the stupid simple and easy department . . .
For the past 15 or so years, before every hard or long ride I have the same thing about 2 hours before the ride: the same thing I eat during the ride, duh. Why? Because the same nutritional principles apply. I have an old empty 5 lb protein tub. In it, I mix maltodextrin and flavored whey protein at a 7:1 ration by weight. I have a 53cc cup from who knows where, which I think is ~100 calories of this stuff. 2c is about 750 calories. The night before the ride, I mix ~400 calories of powder with ~1 pt. of water and mix in one of those shaker things, then refrigerate. It take about 10 seconds to drink in the morning, calories and a little hydration. During-the-ride bottles I make up according to my 14 oz./100 mile rule, 2c of powder or less in a 24 oz. bottle. I buy the maltodextrin from the local homebrew supply and the flavored whey protein online.
Yeah I know, totally geeky but it works better than anything I've ever tried. Never barfed it up, which is the highest praise bike food can get.
For the past 15 or so years, before every hard or long ride I have the same thing about 2 hours before the ride: the same thing I eat during the ride, duh. Why? Because the same nutritional principles apply. I have an old empty 5 lb protein tub. In it, I mix maltodextrin and flavored whey protein at a 7:1 ration by weight. I have a 53cc cup from who knows where, which I think is ~100 calories of this stuff. 2c is about 750 calories. The night before the ride, I mix ~400 calories of powder with ~1 pt. of water and mix in one of those shaker things, then refrigerate. It take about 10 seconds to drink in the morning, calories and a little hydration. During-the-ride bottles I make up according to my 14 oz./100 mile rule, 2c of powder or less in a 24 oz. bottle. I buy the maltodextrin from the local homebrew supply and the flavored whey protein online.
Yeah I know, totally geeky but it works better than anything I've ever tried. Never barfed it up, which is the highest praise bike food can get.
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I tend to go for the oatmeal with whatever fruit I can put it, a couple eggs, and a piece or two of toast with coconut oil spread on. Coconut oil goes in the oatmeal, too.
I've learned that whatever I've eaten the last 36 hours or so has the best power for my mornings. The balance of carbs/protein/good fats the morning of has me still going after the 40-50ish mile range. During the ride nutrition has the greatest impact. I guess day of whatever "event" one may be doing, easy to digest is becoming the most important factor for me.
A buddy of mine eats a cheeseburger every morning he has a longer ride, so, it's always different.
I've learned that whatever I've eaten the last 36 hours or so has the best power for my mornings. The balance of carbs/protein/good fats the morning of has me still going after the 40-50ish mile range. During the ride nutrition has the greatest impact. I guess day of whatever "event" one may be doing, easy to digest is becoming the most important factor for me.
A buddy of mine eats a cheeseburger every morning he has a longer ride, so, it's always different.
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I can't stand power bars, or any "energy bar," if there's something better to be eaten. Those are for breaks a couple hours into a longer ride, again, when there's nothing better available.
I process pancakes better than eggs, so I'll have one egg beaten into the batter.
So, with all the opposing preferences on the table, what works for you?
#17
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Yum. Can I come over to your house to eat?
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Your breakfast looks good...except the orange juice and power bar. Personally I despise fruit juices. A power bar is ok during the ride but I wouldn't eat it for breakfast. Energy bars are just really supplements to be used when real food is not practical such as during an intense ride or some other sport activity.
#19
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Somehow the pre-ride breakfast I ate today seems a bit more appealing- a slice of chocolate chip brioche toast spread with a schmear of peanut butter. 200 cal, mostly carb with some fat & protein. Perfect. Held me for 1500 cal of riding over around 45 miles. Well, that and a bottle of water.
What to eat for breakfast is determined by what you want to do. If one wants to get up and go ride a hard metric century or more, or if one rode one yesterday and is planning another ride today, then my little phrase starts to have more meaning. If one isn't going to do anything particularly athletic, then exact nutrition isn't particularly important. Many people don't even eat breakfast. For a weekend group ride, maybe all we need is a cup of coffee when we get up and a sports bar just before the start. I know a lot of people who do that. But if we're looking for top performance or recovery after a previous day's ride, then we need to consider what breakfast is for: to restore the night's losses of glycogen and protein: metabolism and energy use in sleep
During sleep, the brain sucks up the ~400 calories of glycogen which was stored in the liver. Plus some protein was converted into glucose to make up for what the liver ran out of. So the main thing one needs to do is to replace the liver glycogen along with a little protein, and the secondary thing is that whatever you eat needs to be easily digestible so that you don't barf it up at the top of the anaerobic hill 2 miles from the parking lot when a few people decide that it's already time to make a selection.
My silly drink which I mentioned in post 13 fits all those criteria. Whether it's aesthetic when consumed is frankly irrelevant to me. The aesthetic I'm much more concerned about is the give and take on the coming ride. I hate a muscle bonk. I hate a liver bonk even more. I hate feeling powerless when it's time to go. All those "hate" things really put me in a bad mood and mess with my aesthetic enjoyment of the ride. So I'm totally willing to forgo a few seconds of aesthetic breakfast enjoyment for hours of enjoyment later on.
Yeah, so for breakfast before a hard ride I never eat eggs, beans, oatmeal, butter, chocolate, anything with fat in fact, or any protein that's harder to digest than whey. I have no problem eating all that stuff on a usual day or before going recreational skiing or hiking or doing any of that zero or low aerobic performance sorts of activities.
I understand that many people can eat eggs for breakfast and not throw them up on the first hill. I also understand that not everyone is out for top performance. Still, it's good to have a strategy for when one wants it.
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Skip the bacon and eggs. Drink a bunch of water first thing when you wake up. 30 minutes later, go for a big bowl of oatmeal (without dairy) and mix in a small amount of peanut butter, raisins, and wash it down with a tall glass of OJ. That will give you energy for hours.
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I've found this thread very informative.
The key lesson is to not ask a diverse group for advice about anything as idiosyncratic as what constitutes a good breakfast, or any other meal.
The key lesson is to not ask a diverse group for advice about anything as idiosyncratic as what constitutes a good breakfast, or any other meal.
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Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
Last edited by FBinNY; 03-10-17 at 09:00 PM.
#23
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Just shows that the right answer is ... whatever works for you!
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#24
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I saw a cartoon about breakfast cereal many years ago that stuck with me. One of the phrases in it was, "Outdated notions of taste and edibility."
What to eat for breakfast is determined by what you want to do. If one wants to get up and go ride a hard metric century or more, or if one rode one yesterday and is planning another ride today, then my little phrase starts to have more meaning. If one isn't going to do anything particularly athletic, then exact nutrition isn't particularly important.
What to eat for breakfast is determined by what you want to do. If one wants to get up and go ride a hard metric century or more, or if one rode one yesterday and is planning another ride today, then my little phrase starts to have more meaning. If one isn't going to do anything particularly athletic, then exact nutrition isn't particularly important.
Athletic stuff does require more calories, and with that, it makes sense to figure out how to get them in a sensible way.
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