Hey all........

Having been cycling on and off for 3 years. i've decided thats it. Enough is enough. The time is now. Might aswell do it properly. Diet is something i've not thought too much of in years gone by but having hit my mid twenties i've realised it's damn important now.

Does any soul out there have a recommendation on what to eat on an average day and what suppliments to take and what not to take?

Wicked! thanks!

Always difficult, these sort of questions. No-one is the same, and what's good for one may be bad for another.

My opinion is as follows:

1> *On average*, the male human body needs about 10 calories/day/pound of body weight (22 calories/day/kg of body weight) to sustain basal metabolism (the amount of energy required to maintain the body of an individual in a resting state).

2> Add about 3 calories/day/pound of body weight (7 calories/day/kg of body weight) to compensate for normal daily activities (excluding exercise).

3> Add the estimated number of calories you will need to sustain your exercise program.

So, for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, then your calculation will look something like this:

1> 150 x 10 = 1500 calories/day to sustain basal metabolism.
2> 150 x 3 = 450 calories/day for normal daily activity.
1500 + 450 = 1950
: thus a 150 lb sedentary male will need about 1950 calories/day

or, if you weigh 68 kg, then

1> 68 x 22 = 1496 calories/day to sustain basal metabolism.
2> 68 x 7 = 476 calories/day for normal daily activity.
1496 + 476 = 1972
: thus a 68 kg sedentary male will need about 1972 calories/day

You now need to determine how many calories you burn during exercise. Thus the need for a good heart rate monitor.
If, on average, you burn 1000 calories during exercise/day, then you need to consume an extra 1000 calories to sustain that level of exercise. BUT, if weight loss is your goal, then you need to consume LESS calories than you burn during exercise!

Click here for a basal metabolism calculator.

Not all calories are equal! There are 4 calories/gram of carbohydrate, 4 calories/gram of protein and 9 calories/gram of fat!
A bar of chocolate that contains 40g of fat will make up 360 calories, and that excludes the carb and protein calories.

It all sounds simple, but is is not. There are many factors that influence basal metabolism. Age, diet, exercise to name a few. And to make it even more complicated, no-one is "average".

To meet the athlete's daily energy and nutritional needs, you should get 60-70% of your daily calories from carbs, 20-30% from fat, and 10-20% from protein (all depending on your level of activity).

As far as supplements go, I take a multi vitamin supplement in the morning, and a multi mineral supplement at night.
Same with Magnesium and Calcium supplementation.
Athletes often over-use their joints (not THOSE joints!), so I supplement with essential fatty acids. Omega3 and Omega6.

Don't bother with Creatine, Protein and all the other "fitness in a bottle" fads. Once you reach an "elite" level of fitness, you can give them a try if you so wish.

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Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

what abt supplements to burn fats and increase performance eg)L-Carnitine and stuff like Hydroxycut and others?

Save your money and buy some more comfortable bike shorts.

Ross....,
You'll be better off if you spend your time in the fresh food and produce section of a grocery store than in the supplement aisles. Supplements should be the last considerations, not the preliminary ones. Get onto a balanced diet, get rid of as much junk foods as you can, work with that for awhile and see how it goes. You may be amazed at what a cleaner diet can do.

(Working on this myself at the moment. Getting back on track.)

Treebound....
Hey for the past two months now i've cut back on junk food e.g. mc donalds. I've also stopped eating simple carbs (like chocolates, crisps, cakes) aswell. I only ever eat those foods before rides to carbo stack.

A cleaner diet cleanes the body, soul and mind i do firmly believe. I've shredded off fat i didnt need, i've gone thin but I feel great. My cycling has greately benefited with the loss in weight.

Anyway I personally feel that cos of the life I lead I'm actually unable to sustain a balanced diet therefore I do now take some suppliments.

My recommendation is Whey protein (the stuff thats virtually fat free). I'm currently taking half the dosage with meals. For example I'll sprinkle a spoon full on my cereal at breakfast. This gives the muscles a sustained amount of protein.

Then coupled with that I feel a good multi vit pill helps. So u can be rest assured ur takin in all the trace elements that ur body cannot produce and that are vital for health.

I've also decided to try creatine serum. Those drops u just put in ur mouth before excercise. Thus far I've not really felt the creatine kick in but i've only been on it for a few weeks now.

Another thing, weight lifting.....nothing serious just enough to tone the body. The lack of fat makes one look very skinny so might aswell get some definition?

__________________
"Allah gives you wisdom, for He creates you. He tells you to seek,
understand and believe for you are able........"

I've spent years, and thousands of dollars, looking for the cause of an upper respiratory allergy which affects my breathing, and training. Recently, a health-food person listened to my sad story and suggested that pill-vitamins was the only common thread. She suggested that I may be sensitive to magnesium sterate, the binder in all pill-vitamins. So I switched to a new liquid concoction from Nature's Plus called "Source of Life". It's a "clean" source of vegetarian and hypo-allergenic supplements, and it does contain choline/inositol and ginseng, etc. I can't begin to tell you how much difference it has made. I'm doing two, sometimes three hard workouts per day, and lovin' it.
The stuff's not cheap, $30 for 32 day's worth in the health food stores, or $22 plus shipping from vitaminshoppe.com
So, if you have "unexplained fatigue" or some mystery allergy, and you don't like antihistamines/ decongestants, you might try a bottle. That is, if you have the extra time to train.
Jim

Take a multi vitamin. Apart from that the odd bit of protein powder (if theres no other source of protein around). Thats about all you need.

Hydroxycuts is $^IT...... Ive used it when doing road kms and it doesnt make weight fall off...U cant beat hard work and patience.You could also try Acetyl L Carnitine...

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Hillbrick Zona Track
Felt CA1(Road Hack)

I second Natures Plus products. Having sold them in the past as well as taking their vitamins.......... nothing but great feedback all the way around.

Heres a little eye opener in the fine print of my Maxs Whey Protein Isolate... Its reccomended to mix 2 scoops of WPI with eith 500ml or skim milk or water.When you mix it with the 500ml low fat milk the sugar level is 17grams(very high).....Though when u mix 2 scoops with 500ml of water the sugar level is only 0.1grams. So what do you reckon the WPI is best to mix with lol...

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Hillbrick Zona Track
Felt CA1(Road Hack)

Ok here is my justification.........

Breakfast is the 1st meal of the day right? Its most important too. I take 1/3 dose of Whey Isolate on my cereal. So there is a little sugar. If anything it gives me some simple carb'd energy to sustain activities till lunch......it's burned off! Hence i conclude it's a minor thing...well for me it is!

All other Whey i take, i take with Cold water. It used to taste horrible but now the taste has grown on me. I usually take a flask with me and sip at work. I did originally take it with milk but was dubious as I was at the time lookin to reduce dairy products from my diet especially on an evening.

On my Whey box it does say to take with water...etc. Also Whey differs from brand to brand and seein as i dont take ur brand I dont think im takin the level sugar u stated.......SO, not really a case of LOL is it? Thanks for the heads up anyway!

__________________
"Allah gives you wisdom, for He creates you. He tells you to seek,
understand and believe for you are able........"

I only take it after a hard workout or long ride when i get home.Ive also tried to put some on my weetbix but it was too dry.I dont think there is a problem using it on cereal,i meant using it with 500mls of milk.

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Hillbrick Zona Track
Felt CA1(Road Hack)

yeah i dont take it with milk.....i reckon thats a no no as far as the cyclist is concerend.........BTW noticed ur an Aussie.....Our boys have just touched down back home! Not a bad game was it now?.......now thats a case of LOL!!!!

Swing Low Sweet Chariot

__________________
"Allah gives you wisdom, for He creates you. He tells you to seek,
understand and believe for you are able........"

maybe we should talk league, cricket or even soccer! hahaha