Hi there
Curious to know whether most people skip breakfast before doing the standard DHBC training rides, or even on longer adventure rides. I've always had something light - like a bit of toast with honey - before heading off, with a banana or half a power bar mid-way at Waterfall. I'll have something light again at the end of a longer ride when I get home if I still feel hungry.
Interested to know how others approach this.
BTW there are a few topics on the forum here about nutrition and meal plans in general which are more focussed on racing which I found useful:
What should I eat thread: http://dhbc.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2445
Race weight thread: http://dhbc.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2180
Cheers - Sim
Breakfast before training rides?
- mikesbytes
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There's no straight answer to this, it depends on the individual and what that individual wants to acheive.
If you need your muscles to get more energy than they have stored local to the muscle then the body must get that either from digestion or permanent storage. Its a lot easier to digest sugar than it is to convert stored fat to sugar, so essentially you will ride better if digest sugar.
Typically more muscular riders can go further on the energy stored with the muscles simply because they have more. For me, I can do the waterfall ride without eating anything before or during the ride and that's because I have greater storage. Other riders can even bonk doing that. It should be also noted that I will be quicker if I consume a sugar in some form.
If you need your muscles to get more energy than they have stored local to the muscle then the body must get that either from digestion or permanent storage. Its a lot easier to digest sugar than it is to convert stored fat to sugar, so essentially you will ride better if digest sugar.
Typically more muscular riders can go further on the energy stored with the muscles simply because they have more. For me, I can do the waterfall ride without eating anything before or during the ride and that's because I have greater storage. Other riders can even bonk doing that. It should be also noted that I will be quicker if I consume a sugar in some form.
I eat a light breakfast before and second breakfast after. If I'm going to RNP, say, or anything 100km+ I'll usually take a bottle of Perpeteum (liquid food) because I ride faster and better if I've got energy coming in (as Mike says) and I'm not much of a snacker.
Also, intensity is harder without incoming energy than low, slow distance. There's a level of exertion where you can 'burn fat' - it's pretty low intensity for untrained bodies. But go beyond that level and you'll find your body can't access as much energy from fat as fast as you want it to use it - it needs to look elsewhere. Also worth knowing that you can eat as much as you like but if you don't take in water you won't be able to access that food.
Also, intensity is harder without incoming energy than low, slow distance. There's a level of exertion where you can 'burn fat' - it's pretty low intensity for untrained bodies. But go beyond that level and you'll find your body can't access as much energy from fat as fast as you want it to use it - it needs to look elsewhere. Also worth knowing that you can eat as much as you like but if you don't take in water you won't be able to access that food.
Another variable is how hard you are pushing to keep up on the ride. If you are going flat out from the start and working hard then you might find you will feel like throwing up if you have to much just before the ride.
If you are just cruising and not going anaerobic then eating isn't so much of a problem
If you are just cruising and not going anaerobic then eating isn't so much of a problem
Thanks for the tips ... think I'll experiment a little more.
Have shifted to natural muesli + Greek yoghurt for pre-ride, and and am going to try some different power bars (I've been pretty lazy and grabbed ones from the supermarket, and they look to me to be protein / weightlifting rather than energy replacement).
Maybe give Perpeteum a go too![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Have shifted to natural muesli + Greek yoghurt for pre-ride, and and am going to try some different power bars (I've been pretty lazy and grabbed ones from the supermarket, and they look to me to be protein / weightlifting rather than energy replacement).
Maybe give Perpeteum a go too
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Pre all rides I have a double-shot coffee and a 'smoothy', the contents of which change depending on what we have available. At the moment that's water, sustogen, raw oats and a banana blended with a stick mixer.
On Waterfall I'd then have some gel blocks and a energy bar of some sort. RNP I'd take a banana and an extra energy bar.
On Waterfall I'd then have some gel blocks and a energy bar of some sort. RNP I'd take a banana and an extra energy bar.
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Men and women have different requirements for pre ride calorie intakes from what I have researched. Men don't need anything, women need something. For men this is all dependent on what time you wake up, and what time you start riding.
Hey Sim
For a typical 40km ride tuesday middys to friday mossy alps I drink about 500ml of water and don't eat anything until the cafe or work.
For 100km ride its a couple of muslie bars and 2 bidons.
For a 200km plus ride its all the food I can jam in my mouth at any given moment and a bidon of water an hour to minimise the craps.
ranx.
For a typical 40km ride tuesday middys to friday mossy alps I drink about 500ml of water and don't eat anything until the cafe or work.
For 100km ride its a couple of muslie bars and 2 bidons.
For a 200km plus ride its all the food I can jam in my mouth at any given moment and a bidon of water an hour to minimise the craps.
ranx.
Interesting to see the different approaches, thanks for the input. I'm currently trying two different "regimes" ...
- for mid-week rides: nothing to eat prior, water only during ride, muesli + Greek yoghurt breakfast after. Rationale is that the body has enough stored carbs for ~40 mins, riding at low intensity beyond this is (supposedly) good for training the body to burn fat. Approach not recommended for rides over 1.5-2 hrs or high intensity, due lack of carbs ...
- for weekend (100k+) rides: currently rehearsing my Bowral / L'Etape meal plan which is brekky prior, an energy bar or banana or gel about every 45 mins, and a mix of water (to have with meals) and electrolyte drink. This is leaving me feeling over-full but not uncomfortable and the energy difference (esp. in climbs) has been noticeable, so I plan to stick with it but try switching in different brands of energy bars / sandwiches etc.
I do need to get more water in ... I've never experienced cramps on the bike, but I do start to get a migraine / headache towards the end of some rides, I seem to forget to drink on the home stretch!
- for mid-week rides: nothing to eat prior, water only during ride, muesli + Greek yoghurt breakfast after. Rationale is that the body has enough stored carbs for ~40 mins, riding at low intensity beyond this is (supposedly) good for training the body to burn fat. Approach not recommended for rides over 1.5-2 hrs or high intensity, due lack of carbs ...
- for weekend (100k+) rides: currently rehearsing my Bowral / L'Etape meal plan which is brekky prior, an energy bar or banana or gel about every 45 mins, and a mix of water (to have with meals) and electrolyte drink. This is leaving me feeling over-full but not uncomfortable and the energy difference (esp. in climbs) has been noticeable, so I plan to stick with it but try switching in different brands of energy bars / sandwiches etc.
I do need to get more water in ... I've never experienced cramps on the bike, but I do start to get a migraine / headache towards the end of some rides, I seem to forget to drink on the home stretch!
- JoTheBuilder
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Stuart, you should invest in a Nutri Bullet for Christmas. Changed my life for tri training.
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- JoTheBuilder
- Posts: 1500
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Scares the life out of the dogs. Lol
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