TLit

What foods or drinks do you consider invaluable for your exercise routine? I would think there are some quite dedicated and disciplined cyclists on this forum who stay in top shape--how do you do it?
After a workout, how do you relax? Water, fruit drinks, teas, superfoods or drinks such as kombucha? How much of a problem is a pint or so of beer after exercise, some of the IPAs for example have 8% alcohol or more?
I've gotten into the habit of drinking a lot of yerba mate which has caffeine and other stimulants. How would you rate that as a drink for fitness compared to green tea?

Are green drinks such as barley grass juice and other green powders in general advantageous to maintain good stamina?

Carbonfiberboy 

None, though an intake of the 3 macros in appropriate quantities for the exercise regimen being practiced is essential. The way top cyclists stay in shape is lots of exercise, riding, gym, and maybe a little walking and running. XC skiing in winter is helpful, too. Alcohol is not a great idea, though it's nice to relax with friends and a beer after a long, strenuous ride. I limit it to one a week, though I know riders who drink a couple beers every evening. I don't think there is a drink or food which one consumes for fitness. One rides for fitness. More riding is better than less. 5000 miles/year is a good number, seems adequate. Some use hours, 400/year is another good number. A coffee or mate before a ride can be helpful. IME green tea and other drinks don't do anything noticeable.

blacknbluebikes 

The ultimate recovery drink is chocolate milk.

GhostRider62

Mostly just tap water.

Perhaps once per week after my hard ride, I will make a smoothie as a treat.

3 eggs, milk, several oz of OJ, Vanilla Whey, ice, Virgin Coconut oil, 2-3g HMB, 1g NMN, banana, 1-2 tbsp local honey, cinnamon.

Iride01 

What you need for overall health and what you need while riding are two different things. It's too easy to blur the line between healthy and unhealthy when the time spent riding a bike is only a small part of a person's life.

TLit

I probably consume too much yerba mate, usually organic, make it in a coffee maker; I add herbal teas like Tulsi and Peppermint to that. I was consuming too much ginger, I can get it for $3/# was grinding up around a pound a week. Some concerns on whether raw herbs like that may have some residues even if organic. I'm big on good herbs such as organic garlic. I've been trying to reduce weight. Probably less cheese, beef would be better.

MinnMan

there are no magic foods.

Calsun

With regard to beer there are some good tasting ones that have fewer than 100 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrate. They are often refered to as "keto beers". Fruit juice is never a healthy choice under any circumstances unless you are using a juicer and consuming the pulp as well as the liquid.

wolfchild

Superfoods are a scam a marketing gimmick, there is no such thing as superfoods... A post workout window is a myth.....Just eat a normal diet which includes a variety of real foods and that is all that your body needs.

PeteHski

Apart from the cynical tone, I kind of agree with this. I don't think there is a scientific definition of what a "Superfood" actually is. So it's just a buzzword for something that might be considered healthy or contain a wide range of nutrients.

Anyway, foods I find useful for training are chicken, fish, vegetables, nuts, rice, chocolate and milk. Coffee (in moderation) is also essential for my daily routine. Alcohol is pretty much a disaster for fitness in any meaningful quantity, so I generally avoid it. I also fuel my long/hard rides with energy bars, gels and energy drinks (I pick the most natural versions I can find). I don't take any supplements/vitamins etc.

TLit

Absolutes about having to juice vegetables or fruits to really get a proper nutritional benefit are impractical--and I've had one of the best juicers out there, the Norwalk juicer press and used to juice alfalfa and radish sprouts in a Porkert non-electric juicer. For the purists, organic certified or by "neglect" may be essential. Personally at this stage in my life store bought orange juice of good quality is good enough. Pure water remains the best drink.

The juices and drinks to avoid are those that are patently unnatural such as Gatorade which may have a certain type of "electrolytes" but is highly artificial as a typical corporate crap product.

DB77

ewww....that's nasty.

boozergut

Dried apricots during ride. Mike's mix after.

TLit

Only if it's the typical corporate junk chocolate milk with corn syrup. If you get the quality product, organic milk with some quality chocolate and sweetener it's a good quality drink. It is all proportion; even an excess of something can be offset with water.

DB77

To each his own but I think drinking milk is disgusting.

GhostRider62

I think your comment is disgusting.

Wait, let me guess. You're vegan. Want to know how I about your food?

Steamer

Yeah, I don't think anyone on the planet appreciates unsolicited evangelism for whatever it is they personally champion, including the anti-milk guy. Does he want me to bend his ear about riding recumbents (see what I did there?)?

Back on topic - I have had chocolate milk at every single controle so far this spring - on the 200K, 300K, and 400K so far. The 600K is this weekend. Gonna be drinking lots of chocolate flavored cow udder excretions. Yum.

TLit

I agree, some people process foods that others don't. Others such as vegans and Seventh Day Adventists see some type of religious backing for their stands.

Frankly I like a hamburger or steak from time to time. Or as others would malign it, the decomposing flesh of dead animals. For some all fish is "smelly" for others when it is quality and prepared right it is quite nutritious, but from what I've heard the healthiest ones are the smallest and swim the fastest like sardines and anchovies.

GhostRider62

I am udderly bent

GL on the 600k, now McKeesport is disgusting and I can say that because my GF ran all the sports betting there and recall fondly being covered in "coal dust" as a kid from the Stil Mils

DB77

I'm not a vegan. I eat meat and dairy all the time and also think vegan food is disgusting. I just think drinking milk by itself tastes nasty. I guess i didn't need to bother saying to each his own in my last post if you're so sensitive.

DB77

What exactly was I "evangelizing" about?

TLit

Many people are raised to like or not like certain things. Nutrition science has advanced greatly. I read an article about zeta potential in water I found interesting recently: https://amidwesterndoctor.substack.c...onship-between

Gandhi in his health guide spoke about various aspects of health, ultimately concluding like John Milton that health really lies in the mind and with us by avoiding unhealthy things and liking good things.

I find meat analogues to be distasteful. I like all natural foods. If you don't like milk, do you like milk alternatives?

DB77

I've had fake meat too and don't care for it. I like standard whole fat cow's milk in stuff and actually drank a ton of it as a kid. For some reason I have grown to hate the taste of milk by itself in a glass as an adult and the mere thought of drinking a glass of it stirs a vomit sensation in the back of my throat. Like I said...it's just a personal preference; wasn't meant to be a personal attack.

However the so called food that elicits my greatest disdain is by far raisins. They are the most god awful things ever known to mankind. Sometimes I'll be in a bakery and see something that looks good only to find out, upon closer examination, that it has raisins in it. I won't lie, for a brief moment, the thought of burning the bakery down to protect the rest of mankind flashes through my mind.

Steamer

Nothing, apparently. I assumed your posts weren't completely pointless, but I was wrong.

DB77

Are you in the habit of acknowledging or responding to every completely pointless post you come across?