Cycling nutrition for long rides
06-20-18, 06:41 AM
#26
meh
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06-20-18, 06:57 AM
#27
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Also, I've still got plenty of fat stores I want to burn off so I'm not too worried about making sure I eat enough before and during a ride.
Last edited by Milton Keynes; 06-20-18 at 07:21 AM.
06-20-18, 07:03 AM
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There's been billions of gallons of internet ink spilled on this topic, and my nutrition strategy is a little more complicated than this (for instance, this year around hour 13 of what ended up being a 16.5 hour ride I was sick of my food and only wanted pizza, which I got at the next town) but the most important thing is find something that works for you, and the only way to do that is trial and error -- personally I stick to "real" foods because gels and chews and energy bars and sports drinks make me sick to my stomach.
06-20-18, 07:09 AM
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Since then I've learned to make my own energy bars using this video as a guide, but adapted very slightly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJEIiWV3VQ&vl=en
Absolutely delicious!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJEIiWV3VQ&vl=en
Absolutely delicious!
06-20-18, 08:13 AM
#30
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When I did my century ride last year, by the time I was done I was so sick of eating sweet stuff since that's about all they had at the SAG stops. Fruit, peanut butter & honey sandwiches, M&M's, oatmeal creme pies, and plenty of Gatorade. The only non-sweet thing they had was pickles for cramps. I'm sure I ate more sugar than I really needed and I was grateful for the stops, but when I was done I really wanted real food and nothing sweet. I had been (and still am) eating a low-sugar diet so all the sweet stuff was a bit too much.
06-20-18, 11:45 AM
#31
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Your fueling process would have me staying home feeling too full to pedal or worse. 
Some interesting facts regarding digestion times. Digestion Time Of Foods Is The Time Spent In The Stomach Before Emptying. Note times for seeds/nuts and meats. NOT POPPYCOCK but medical science.
Last April's Cross Florida 168 miles, before ride banana with peanut butter, 6oz coffee, CrankSport e-Gel, some M&M's, a few bites of NY Style Cheese Cake, O'Doul's NA Beer
First non-stop 100 miles drinking Mountain Dew, water with CrankSport e-Fuel, M&M's, e-Gels, a few Clementine wedges
At 100 mile stop an Egg McMuffin, banana, cheese cake, M&M's, O'Doul's NA Beer
3 Sag stops and rest of riding e-Fuel and e-Gels, MTN Dew, orange and Clementine wedges, banana, pickle slices and juice, M&M's with nuts, Oreo's, choco-chip cookie with some peanut butter
Some interesting facts regarding digestion times. Digestion Time Of Foods Is The Time Spent In The Stomach Before Emptying. Note times for seeds/nuts and meats. NOT POPPYCOCK but medical science.
Last April's Cross Florida 168 miles, before ride banana with peanut butter, 6oz coffee, CrankSport e-Gel, some M&M's, a few bites of NY Style Cheese Cake, O'Doul's NA Beer
First non-stop 100 miles drinking Mountain Dew, water with CrankSport e-Fuel, M&M's, e-Gels, a few Clementine wedges
At 100 mile stop an Egg McMuffin, banana, cheese cake, M&M's, O'Doul's NA Beer
3 Sag stops and rest of riding e-Fuel and e-Gels, MTN Dew, orange and Clementine wedges, banana, pickle slices and juice, M&M's with nuts, Oreo's, choco-chip cookie with some peanut butter
I have to correct myself--I only rode 138 miles last Saturday. The Saturday before that I rode 168 miles, so I typoed.
As to the digestion time thing--did you actually just claim a website called "Cleanse Yourself, Lose Weight" is a good source for "medical science"? The fact that they don't know that peanuts are actually legumes, not nuts or seeds, doesn't actually inspire much confidence. Those numbers look made up to me--why would turkey take longer to digest than chicken? How do they know it? What is the source for this list? And why is digestion defined as time it takes to pass through the stomach? That's not even most of the digestion process. That doesn't match the definition used by the doctor they're quoting, and the site they're quoting has drastically different times--roughly 15-20 times as long. Anyway, on their made-up list, chicken has a digestion time of an hour and a half while legumes have 90-120 minutes, and nuts 2 hours, so I guess you told me!
Fats and proteins take more time to digest than carbs because more of the digestion of fats and proteins occurs in the intestines. Peanuts have more carbs than meat, but they're chock-full of fat and protein and definitely fattier than lean meat, so they're more like meat than they are like bread or fruit.
Point is--the fueling method that works for you is the one to use, not some "one size fits all" advice billed as "the way to do it". Keep doing what you're doing if it works for you, but don't make "scientific" claims based on quack websites.
06-20-18, 11:54 AM
#32
Non omnino gravis
As to that website, I have a hard time believing it takes 2 hours to digest nuts/seeds. Are they assuming we don't chew them? Or do they live in a world where it takes 2 hours to digest a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter?
I've ridden enough miles in enough situations to know what not to eat. Any kind of peppers do not sit well with me. No onions. Sausage also kicks in with the burps pretty much non-stop until the ride is over.
But I've ridden 70 miles, eaten a plate of bleu cheese & bacon fries, then put on another 40 miles. As long as it agrees with you, eat it.
I've ridden enough miles in enough situations to know what not to eat. Any kind of peppers do not sit well with me. No onions. Sausage also kicks in with the burps pretty much non-stop until the ride is over.
But I've ridden 70 miles, eaten a plate of bleu cheese & bacon fries, then put on another 40 miles. As long as it agrees with you, eat it.
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06-20-18, 01:24 PM
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Yeah. Twice I ate huge helpings of chicken fried steak and sausage gravy with a biscuit just about the midway point of long rides while touring fully loaded.
06-20-18, 02:05 PM
#36
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06-20-18, 03:55 PM
#37
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I guess I should have separated it but that was actually a poke at the TS since there no general agreement on what long ride means.
Also, I've still got plenty of fat stores I want to burn off so I'm not too worried about making sure I eat enough before and during a ride.
A lot of folks don't get this although fat does burn at a much slower rate so climbs and sprints would be a challenge.
Also, I've still got plenty of fat stores I want to burn off so I'm not too worried about making sure I eat enough before and during a ride.
06-20-18, 11:45 PM
#38
Senior Member
The day before a long ride, I consume a lot of carbs and fat, gradually, over the course of the day. I eat a few mouthfuls per hour, which spread the food evenly in my digestive tract, and gives me consistent energy during the ride. During the ride, energy bars and soft drinks will pick me up a little of my energy wanes.
06-21-18, 06:22 AM
#39
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I have introduced a frozen shake consisting of oatmeal powder, whey and sugared hot cocoa mix on my century rides. I combined this with a small bag of mixed salted nuts at about 50-miles. I no longer bonk and am able to power through my rides. I think this addition of protein and fats gives me more consistent energy without the drops from more sugary options.
06-21-18, 06:24 AM
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But I'm often drinking Gatorade and eating Clif bars, so I have plenty of sugar to burn through. And usually the morning before a long ride I'll eat some carbs and sugar with my breakfast, like toast & jelly.
06-21-18, 10:53 AM
#41
Senior Member
Someone posted a picture of what they carry on a "long" ride. It showed what I would carry on a week long trip.
06-21-18, 03:37 PM
#42
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Besides, you don't really want to consume simple sugars (if weigh loss is your goal) since your system will choose the path of least resistance and burn the sugar rather than accessing your fat stores.
06-21-18, 04:23 PM
#43
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Experiment and don't worry about what works for other people. Everything I do is "wrong", but it works for me.
Last Saturday, I rode 168 miles. I left my house at 5:20 a.m., but had breakfast of 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 60 calorie pitas, 2 oranges, and (yes I mean this) a 27 oz. cup of coffeee at 3:30 a.m. At 10 a.m., after riding 67 miles, I ate 4 hot dogs and a glass of coffee milk (local delicacy). I took an hour break after the hot dogs to walk around a little zoo. Then I rode about 30 more miles, and then stopped for a second lunch of a large sub and a slice of pepperoni pizza. This was accompanied by a lot of water.
I then rode the last 40-some miles without any ill effects. I had trouble keeping hydrated, but that had more to do with it being about 90 degrees.
The sub was actually authentic Hungarian goulash cooked by actual Hungarians, literally the best sub I've ever had, and the restaurant is located in a gas station in Sherborn, MA. Rustic Pizza. Part of the reason I ride so much is to find places like that. About 25 miles later, I had a small bag of salted cashews.
I always crack up at some of the "rules" people recite--my favorite was the one who said "no meat ever" then went on to explain that he snacked on peanut butter the whole way. If anyone can tell me why peanuts would be easier to digest than meat, I'll be happy to hear it, but it's poppycock. As you can see, I don't even confine my on the road dinning to lean meats and I somehow survive without getting sick.
I don't recommend my road eating habits to anyone unless they've tried eating a bit while riding before, but the point is that one size doesn't fit all.
I should also point out that I'm at a point where I have no interest in losing more weight. Winter was long here, and I didn't get back in the saddle until the end of March. I'm already about 9 pounds lighter than I was this winter, and I wasn't fat then.
Last Saturday, I rode 168 miles. I left my house at 5:20 a.m., but had breakfast of 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 60 calorie pitas, 2 oranges, and (yes I mean this) a 27 oz. cup of coffeee at 3:30 a.m. At 10 a.m., after riding 67 miles, I ate 4 hot dogs and a glass of coffee milk (local delicacy). I took an hour break after the hot dogs to walk around a little zoo. Then I rode about 30 more miles, and then stopped for a second lunch of a large sub and a slice of pepperoni pizza. This was accompanied by a lot of water.
I then rode the last 40-some miles without any ill effects. I had trouble keeping hydrated, but that had more to do with it being about 90 degrees.
The sub was actually authentic Hungarian goulash cooked by actual Hungarians, literally the best sub I've ever had, and the restaurant is located in a gas station in Sherborn, MA. Rustic Pizza. Part of the reason I ride so much is to find places like that. About 25 miles later, I had a small bag of salted cashews.
I always crack up at some of the "rules" people recite--my favorite was the one who said "no meat ever" then went on to explain that he snacked on peanut butter the whole way. If anyone can tell me why peanuts would be easier to digest than meat, I'll be happy to hear it, but it's poppycock. As you can see, I don't even confine my on the road dinning to lean meats and I somehow survive without getting sick.
I don't recommend my road eating habits to anyone unless they've tried eating a bit while riding before, but the point is that one size doesn't fit all.
I should also point out that I'm at a point where I have no interest in losing more weight. Winter was long here, and I didn't get back in the saddle until the end of March. I'm already about 9 pounds lighter than I was this winter, and I wasn't fat then.
06-21-18, 04:27 PM
#44
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You don't need it. As stated your ride is first fueled by what you ate yesterday. In addition, virtually all of us have sufficient fat stores to fuel a ride across the country. You just need something light in your stomach to signal your body its OK to release those store.
Besides, you don't really want to consume simple sugars (if weigh loss is your goal) since your system will choose the path of least resistance and burn the sugar rather than accessing your fat stores.
Besides, you don't really want to consume simple sugars (if weigh loss is your goal) since your system will choose the path of least resistance and burn the sugar rather than accessing your fat stores.
06-21-18, 05:32 PM
#45
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So basically for weight loss, I relied very much on trial and error. On a 10 hour bike ride, it's mostly if it looks good, I eat it. There's no way I can eat as much as I am burning, and I don't carbo-load before.
06-21-18, 05:49 PM
#46
Non omnino gravis
You don't need it. As stated your ride is first fueled by what you ate yesterday. In addition, virtually all of us have sufficient fat stores to fuel a ride across the country. You just need something light in your stomach to signal your body its OK to release those store.
Besides, you don't really want to consume simple sugars (if weigh loss is your goal) since your system will choose the path of least resistance and burn the sugar rather than accessing your fat stores.
Besides, you don't really want to consume simple sugars (if weigh loss is your goal) since your system will choose the path of least resistance and burn the sugar rather than accessing your fat stores.
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06-21-18, 06:34 PM
#47
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Most people are not trained to function on their fat stores because of their lifetime of heavy sugar consumption, that's especially true when it comes to exercise...It takes time and it takes regular training to become fat adapted and to be able to use fat stores for energy during intense and prolonged physical activity...
When I first began fasting I would bonk with just my daily walk across the tarmac. I felt like I was going to pass out. Now that my body has adapted I have no issues fasting up to 30 hours.
Avoiding all sugar when somebody isn't fat adapted is a recipe for a serious bonk.
I used to weigh 321 pounds, and I'm now going on 2 years in the 170-180 range. I've always been able to eat anything. My problem was that I used to eat everything.
So basically for weight loss, I relied very much on trial and error. On a 10 hour bike ride, it's mostly if it looks good, I eat it. There's no way I can eat as much as I am burning, and I don't carbo-load before.
So basically for weight loss, I relied very much on trial and error. On a 10 hour bike ride, it's mostly if it looks good, I eat it. There's no way I can eat as much as I am burning, and I don't carbo-load before.
You can burn that fat if you ride at a walking pace, otherwise your body is going to use glycogen. And in general, we have about 2,000kcal of that on tap. I can only speak for myself, but my typical solo pace is not conducive to burning fat stores-- even Z2 consumes around 600kcal per hour. So anything past 50 miles or so, I need to eat.
06-21-18, 06:51 PM
#48
Non omnino gravis
What works for you works for you. Go out an do a +3,000kJ ride and don't eat anything afterward. Then get up and do it again the next day and let me know how that works out for you.
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06-21-18, 06:53 PM
#49
Jedi Master
I almost never eat solid food on any ride I can finish in a day. I rode a 400k a few weeks ago on a mix of maltodextrin and protien powders, Gatorade powder, and either a V8 or an OJ at every control. No solid food at all on the ride. Everything was closed when I finished so I drove home, slept for a few hours and went to five-guys for lunch.
06-21-18, 07:05 PM
#50
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" Can go" is not the right word here... It should be " survive"....I can tell you that doing basic daily tasks and activities becomes very difficult after just about 3 days of not ingesting any calories...Sure you can survive weeks but you will be functioning at a very low level and mostly feeling like sleeping...Most Americans can't even start their day and function properly in the morning unless they have a large cup of coffee with lots of sugar.