Best Breakfast For Cycling
- Thread starter Carnold23
- Start date
I learned a lot from this post. I was not aware of the fact about the timing of the food but now, I learned that it takes half an hour to digest the food. I loved the information. Thanks for posting this.The first rule is that you should eat about one and a half hours before cycling to allow the food to be fairly digested. You will get a lot of comfort this way otherwise you may bloat and associated stomach complications, not to mention the common stitch. The second rule is on what to eat. You have to make sure you consume high carbohydrates foods because they shall provide the necessary sugars needed for respiration. Make sure you accompany the food with lots of water and be sure to carry some. This is the kind of meal combination and timing that would be very optimal for the exercise. Your body will be properly nourished along the way.
I eat a couple of hours before riding, it's my experience that if you eat just before riding I usually experience some pain in my abdomen and midsection while if I let an hour or two pass, I don't experience pain. Also I don't eat a lot before cycling, usually 2 hard-boiled eggs and a cup of coffee or just some water.
I usually eat 2 eggs, either hard-boiled, fried, or scrambled, plus carbohydrates, usually toast but also rice or even cereals with milk sometimes.
Having a loaded breakfast before cycling is not my thing. Usually, if I eat a lot, I tend to feel tired earlier, and my body feels like heavy. So, whenever I hit the road with my bike, I tend to grab a good protein shake, some smoothie that contains fruits and nuts, or maybe some oatmeal with almond/coconut milk. Another tip is to add lemon/orange to you water bottle, that keeps me fresh and hydrated, and also tends to make me feel satisfied during my cycling.
Taking tea and bread before I go out for your ride is one of the ways that I enjoy the ride since I will always be active. Also, i try as much as I can not to take heavy food such as maize meals since that is going to make me feel heavy on my body and easily tired while riding on a long distance.
This was what I was saying I've taken heavy meals before I go cycling and it has never been good since I feel heavy each time I do it unlike when I take light food like noodles which doesn't affect my movements while on the bike.
If I'm going on a long ride over 50 miles its 4 eggs on toast and maybe a banana if more than 75 miles is involved, if its a shorter ride non instant Oatmeal is fine and no banana is necessary. I take that breakfast with 2 ounces of espresso, and 16 ounces of water mixed with my Cytomax drink mix. I will then take my leftover espresso and pour it into a GU flask to sip from while riding on a long ride.
I can't ride on a light breakfast, of course I wait about 45 minutes after eating before heading out; but eating virtually nothing for breakfast like just bread or one of those breakfast shakes, makes me feel lethargic when riding. What's weird, even if I'm not going to be riding I can't go to work and not eat a breakfast, I may eat Oatmeal or 3 eggs or dry cereal but I have to eat something.
I can't ride on a light breakfast, of course I wait about 45 minutes after eating before heading out; but eating virtually nothing for breakfast like just bread or one of those breakfast shakes, makes me feel lethargic when riding. What's weird, even if I'm not going to be riding I can't go to work and not eat a breakfast, I may eat Oatmeal or 3 eggs or dry cereal but I have to eat something.
You don't need much protein if you are going on a long ride. Carbs are your fuel.
If I'm gonna wake up and hit the road ASAP, I always to something that will digest very easily. Like a bowl of corn flakes. They are the perfect fuel, and won't weigh you down.
On race day, I know I have some time for travel, and checking in before my race starts, so I usually eat oatmeal.
Rule of thumb:
Biking immediately, you need low fiber carbs for quick digestion.
Not biking immediately, choose higher fiber carbs because it digests more slowly and you will be perfectly fueled by the time your race starts.
Recovery, carbs and protein for refueling and muscle repair.
If I'm gonna wake up and hit the road ASAP, I always to something that will digest very easily. Like a bowl of corn flakes. They are the perfect fuel, and won't weigh you down.
On race day, I know I have some time for travel, and checking in before my race starts, so I usually eat oatmeal.
Rule of thumb:
Biking immediately, you need low fiber carbs for quick digestion.
Not biking immediately, choose higher fiber carbs because it digests more slowly and you will be perfectly fueled by the time your race starts.
Recovery, carbs and protein for refueling and muscle repair.
I use to race a thousand years ago and the coach had the same advice but I bonked on Oatmeal on long races, I found back then that eggs held me over better, but I did combine the eggs with oatmeal and bread for longer rides. And corn flakes wouldn't even come close to doing anything for me, even if I ate a bowl as big as Jethro did on the Beverly Hillbillies! I have no idea why I'm like that, but when I was racing I had to have a combo of protein (eggs) and cereal (oatmeal) and bread. My first century race I did I ate and drank like the coach told us to, took the ride food he said to take, I bonked from starving at about the 50 mile mark, I had to pull into a mini mart and buy a egg salad sandwich...needless to say I didn't win that race! LOL!!! So the next race I packed more ride food in my jersey pockets and that still wasn't quite enough I had to borrow one from another rider! I tried all sorts of ride along bars but then I decided to try a D ration bar from the military surplus store, that worked a lot better then the power bar and cliff bars that the coach told us to get, though the D bar was not near as tasty as the other stuff and it was hard to chew, but that was a very high cal bar, I think it was like 2700 carbs, plus some protein if I recall right, but that was 40 years ago so my memory probably isn't right. The bar came in 4 or 6 squares (again memory thing) so I would bite off a square while riding and stuff the rest in my jersey to save for later. Once I got the diet down that worked for me I did a lot better, but I always had to have protein in the morning or I was going to feel sluggish riding and I'm still that way.
I’m currently trying out a low-carb diet, so I’ve had to abandon a lot of the typical foods I’d eat in the morning. My average breakfast before this diet mainly consisted of muesli with dried fruits, yogurt, eggs and bacon, rice and beans, along with a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice.
Since I’ve had to cut out the carbs, I’ve had to basically create a whole new diet for myself. I’ve kept the eggs, bacon, and yogurt, but now I also have a huge kale salad on the side along with some cottage cheese.
Since I’ve had to cut out the carbs, I’ve had to basically create a whole new diet for myself. I’ve kept the eggs, bacon, and yogurt, but now I also have a huge kale salad on the side along with some cottage cheese.
Similar threads
