Am looking for info on eating healthy for mt. bike riding.We are beginners at this and and want to eat right.?

Question

Is there a book on this subject or web site I can go to. On one of our adventures we didn't have enough water. We are really enjoying this and losing weight which we both need but want to be wise in what we take in. Any suggestions.Someone suggested to eat bananas and someone else said to eat something salty ?

Answer 1

A lot of people may disagree with me on this, but the issue is not so much what you eat as how much you eat.

Don't get me wrong, I love bananas, one of God's most perfect foods, but what you need to do if you want to lose weight and stay fit is to burn more calories (of whatever description) than you consume.  It's a simple as that and as difficult as that.  Once you get to your ideal weight, then intake should equal burn.

It's pure physics.  The problem for most Americans is overeating.  Limit your calorie intake and exercise regularly.  The best start is to totally eliminate sweet drinks.  I have a rider friend who calls them liquid candy.  I include so-called diet drinks like Diet Coke in this category.  Have you ever noticed that fat people seem to always be drinking Diet Coke?

Once you get quantity under control then you can turn your attention to what you eat.  One of my rules is that if fish is a choice I'll always take it.  If you become a heavy exerciser you will also become a big consumer of protein.  Sorry to say, my vegetarian friends, but it's true.

Every year I mentor a group of new riders.  Last year I had two men in their 30's in my group who lost over 50 pounds each.  They concentrated on quantity, not food selection.

Always drink plenty of water, and be circumspect about sports drinks.  While they are good for electrolyte replacement, they tend to be high in calories.  When your body runs out of carbohydrates to burn it burns fat.  So take it easy on carbohydrates unless you've already lost all the fat you want to lose.

This advice is from a 60 year old man who now weighs less than he did when he graduated from high school over 42 years ago, and who regularly kicks the butts of riders in their 20s.

Best of luck in your project.  Weight loss and fitness will make everything in your life better.

Answer 2

This is a good question.  Unfortunately, you don't mention whether you are wondering about snacks to eat while cycling or what to eat, in general.

When riding at a moderate aerobic pace, your body's primary source of energy is stored fat.  At a faster, anaerobic pace, your body can not convert fat to energy quckly enough thus it must burn stored sugar.  Even a very lean rider has enough fat to pedal for days and days.  You only have enough sugar, though, to be able to go hard for a few hours.  

If you ride hard for a few hours and don't refuel you will suffer low blood sugar, referred to by cyclists as the "bonk."  When you bonk, your strength fails, your balance gets erratic, your decision making goes to pot, and you hurt.  The only cure is to eat something.  (In a deep bonk fog, I've stumbled into a variety of convenience stores over the years and bought honey buns.  I find them to be most expeditious when it comes to curing a deep bonk.  Unfortunately, you don't find too many convenience stores on mountain bike trails.  Thus, you need to be prepared.)

If I am doing a hard workout or racing I take food regardless of the duration of the ride.  I often bonk on the way home when commuting back and forth to work. Thus, I've learned to carry food with me to avoid having to scout out a convenience store with honey buns.  (There is nothing worse than getting all wobbly on your bike in the middle of busy roads.)  Otherwise, if I am cycling less than two hours I don't usually take food with me.  When riding more than two hours, I always take food with me.

When exercising, your body can only absorb so much.  If you eat more than your body can absorb, you will suffer GI upset.  I can eat about 200-250 calories per hour and suffer no ill effects.  I'd suggest trying about 200 calories per hour and adjusting from there.  

Depending on how hard you are riding, you will be burning lots more calories than you can take in.  In general, this isn't a problem because you will make up the deficit with your normal meals.  Of course, if you want to lose weight it is good to run a bit of a deficit to watch those pounds melt away.  

Still, you need to take in something to ensure you don't bonk.  Bananas, sports drinks, goo packs, etc. provide a good shot of sugar, which is what you need to avoid bonking.  There is a lot of debate as to whether it is best to eat complex carbs or refined sugar products.  My rule is to eat what I know I can tolerate during exercise.  For example, Hammer Gel upsets my stomach.  Cliff Shots, Ensure, bananas, bagels with cream cheese, honey buns, etc. work fine.

When perspiring, it is important to replace lost electrolytes.  Sodium is the most important, but you need potassium, calcium, and others, as well.  A sure sign of an electrolyte deficit is cramping.  Most sports drinks, and lots of goo packs contain electrolytes.  As well, salty foods are OK if you can tolerate them.  For very long endurance efforts, you'll want to get and take Endurolytes.  Otherwise, if you are not cramping, you probably are getting enough salt, etc. in your food and don't need to worry.  

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

WHOA---a believer!  read bicycling.com Also check the health foods ( bars,gels, powdered drinks etc.) on Colorado Cyclist  ( www.coloradocyclist.com) ----PLENTY to choose from!  Also read SHAPE magazine----the mag offers the BEST advice regarding  nutrition and keeping healthy---