WK95

Yes, i admit I'm out of shape after have scarcely cycled in the winter months.

During a ride I did today which was at moderate effort that didn't make me out of breath but made my legs scream, I started having feelings of stomach discomfort and a few times, I gagged feeling like I might throw up that instant. That gagging feeling lasts but a few seconds but the stomach discomfort persisted.

I had a hearty but not stuffy breakfast 2 hours ago and before my ride, I had 1 Clif Shot Energy gel and some water. I wasn't dehydrated as I was drinking proper amounts throughout the morning. I also brought a bottle with me on the ride to stay hydrated.

After the ride which lasted about 45 minutes, I went back home and the feelings of nausea and stomach discomfort increased a bit. I was worried that if I increased my effort any more, I woudl end up even worse and possibly even throw up.

After 45 minutes back home, all discomfort went away. Over that time, I drank a full cup of water but didn't chug it down to stay hydrated.

So, why did this happen? Similar occurrences have occurred recently (The rides I did in the past week which were the first in 2 months) while cycling.

MagicHour

Hmm-Had a physical lately and gotten clean bill of health from doctor and green light to do vigorous exercise? Proper diet? Taking vitamins and eating your veggies? Really hot weather where you are?
Some suggestions - but I'm not a doctor

TrojanHorse

Sounds like you're just out of shape.

As for what you're eating, why are you eating a gel before your ride? You shouldn't need anything more than plain water for a 45 min. ride, and it's entirely possible the gel contributed to your discomfort, especially if you're not used to it.

I'm also not sure how to interpret your comment about making your legs scream but you weren't out of breath. Pedal faster in an easier gear, you really want to balance your muscle stress with your cardiovascular stress. And don't try to kill yourself till you get a few more miles in your legs.

WK95

I haven't visited a doctor in 3 months and when i did, it was just for some shots.

Breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, potatoes and sometimes sausage. Lunch consists of pizza or chicken fingers, salad and a small cookie (College food sucks). Dinner is usually pizza again, chicken fingers or fries, or curry and a bit of salad.

College food really, really sucks and the health stuff is amazingly expensive especially plain salad.

It has been around 20 to 30 degrees as of late. Today, it was 34 so I went out.

WK95

Well, the packet advised me to easy one gel 15 minutes before activity so that's what I did.

The other times, I didn't eat any gel and also ended up with discomfort along the way and once it was far worse. Though that time, I probably bonked.

I watch my cadence and keep it in the range of 80-90 without grinding.

I'll ride more frequently and see if it goes away or at least decreases.

TrojanHorse

If you are eating that much food for breakfast and lunch (not criticizing, just making a statement) and your rides are only 1 hour long or so, it is highly unlikely that you bonked. And of course the gel company wants you to eat as many as they can get you to eat, but your blood and muscles contain enough sugar to get you through that hour ride.

Still, you're better off questioning what's happening rather than just ignoring it. Some of your experiences maybe just a result of your current conditioning or maybe there's something more significant going on so keep a weather eye out for more of the same.

dtrain

revenge of the pizza and nuggets (and pizza and nuggets, and sausage...).

MagicHour

Well at your young college age the physicians 'blessing' for vigorous exercise becomes much less of an issue than for middle aged guys like myself, but is something to consider if the problem persists.

I'd try less chicken fingers, pizza, sausage and bacon for starters that stuff can sit in your stomach for awhile eaten before a ride and eat more whole grains, yogurt, fruits, nuts, granola, kale etc.
If possible maybe you could keep some things like muesili or granola and a couple apples in your room to have once in awhile to supplement your college food diet? Pizza and bacon is AWESOME once in awhile, but not all the time.

kleng

quaker oats is probably enough for a pre ride meal

UnfilteredDregs

I bet the gel made you sick. You shouldn't need anything for a 45 minute ride.

How big are you? You smoke? Drink alot? I did at that age...

Quantity never trumps quality. Your calories are crap. I mean, analyze them for yourself. Nothing even approaching green in what you listed, I'm assuming a college salad is iceberg lettuce which is blah.... Greens have really important phytonutrients...nothing you've listed can even come close to that, and good veggies ain't expensive. Get resourceful and find a good market somewhere and stock up on fruit, greens, and cans of beans. Frozen veggies are your friend as well. You may be sick too...I was stupid enough to work 14 hours with 103.5 fever when I was 19...So, see a doctor.

WK95

I'm 5'10" and weigh 150lb. I neither smoke nor drink.

UnfilteredDregs

Well, then something just may be up. That's a good weight for that height. Definitely see a doctor and get resourceful with your diet. Institutional food is garbage...

You do energy drinks? Too much caffeine and sugar will definitely flip your biscuit.

dtrain

The good news is that your diet isn't wrecking your wasteline (yet). But it's still not quality fuel. The gels don't agree with everyone's stomach and are largely just for a quick shot of energy after 45 mins or so. Ease back into riding, and look up a doc if anything similar happens again.

Doughboy6

I am not discounting your insistence that you were properly hydrated, but besides being sick that is the most likely reason. The average adult male is actually supposed to have around 3 liters of water a day, and this does not take into account if you are exercising. An easy way to tell is do to the clarity of your urine. If its yellow, you are dehydrated.

Did you have any accompanying dizziness, particularly when you stood up? This is a sign of being hypovolemic.

Another possibility is that due to your heavy fat content. Fats take significantly longer to digest, so the blood flow is increased to your stomach to aid in the process. Well when your body starts exercising (think fight or flight), it wants to divert the blood away from the stomach and to your muscles. It tightens up the sphincters in your GI tract so it doesn't have to worry about it until later. Sometimes it will want to go the other direction.

Just my 2 cents

Zero7

Were you still full from your previous meal? If I eat a full meal two hours before a ride, then ride hard, it's entirely likely I'll feel nauseated too. Especially if you haven't ridden for a while and go hard in the somewhat cramped cycling position, I could see it.

Cheers

hueyhoolihan

vigorous excercise like weight lifting and possibly riding till "MY LEGS SCREAM", have always made me nauseous. sometimes just THINKING about it upsets my stomach a little.

WK95

The meal wasn't stuffing. However, how long after a meal would you recommend I wait before I ride?

Zero7

I may not be a good baseline: If I eat a regular sandwich (only), I need to wait at least 2 hours, and maybe 2.5. If I eat a burger and fries at a restaurant, probably have to wait 4+ hours (seriously).

I ate a Cliff bar about an hour prior to doing CTS power intervals yesterday, and felt a bit nauseous. Of course, that could have been the intervals...

I always figured it's because I have the metabolic rate of a tree sloth...

Cheers

deacon mark

You eat too much before the ride. It is a bike not weight bearing and calories are just not smoked up riding. Drinking too much can cause nausea and mybe you over hydrated. Frankly not eating 5-12 hours before a ride is no problem it has to do with your stores of glycogen in they muscle tissue. Ran my fastest marathons on nothing more than a peanut butter slice of toast 3 hrs before start time. Now I did have my glycogen stores packed from 14 hrs previous of a high carb dinner of 3500 calories or so. It is all about what we eat way before we ride unless the glycogen stores are already depleted. In that case we bonk unless we are highly trained .

StanSeven

A college student that doesn't drink. There's your problem

cannondale125

How funny this topic started. I rode today for the first time in 2 months myself. Guess what I got sick feeling for about 5 mins and then had to borrow restroom when I got home and felt all better. Lol! I was at the end of my ride at least.

WK95

I was worried that if I exercised too late after eating I might bonk.

I'm not quite sure how to approach my regular diet and what I ought to be eating and when.

WK95

I also rarely procrastinate and sleep at midnight. GASP! Unheard of! Am I even a college student?

TrojanHorse

You definitely have issues.

You haven't answered the "energy drink" question yet though. Those things are nasty. (IMO). We had Jolt Cola when I went college. I had it once when I was cramming for a chemistry final and that pretty much soured me on the concept or life.

If you're going to go for a ride right after breakfast, try having a bowl of oatmeal. I'm sure your college has something resembling oatmeal at breakfast, give it a whirl. If I leave for a ride right after I get up I usually just have a clif bar because I know for sure I can tolerate them.

WK95

I never drink energy drinks. When I first started cycling, i drank grape powerade. I felt like vomiting after after I swallowed it while on the bike. Ever since, I refuse to drink anything but pure water while exercising.