What is your diet regimen?



gracer

Member
Jul 1, 2016
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Every person has unique, individual needs when it comes to nutrition. Every cyclist also has individual nutritional requirements. One can have overactive sweat glands that requires him/her to take in more fluids and minerals, another can easily develop low sugar that requires him/her to always have a ready source of sugar available when needed and many more unique traits for every cyclist.

I for one have to take in a heavy breakfast complete with grains, protein and carbs especially when I know I will ride a bike during the day. I also have to take in and bring a lot of water because I easily thirst. Lastly, I take candies as a source of sugar if ever I would suddenly feel weak while cycling.

How about you, what is your diet or supplementary regimen before cycling?
 
Nothing remarkable compared to the diet of high intensity athletes. Usually I eat rice, bread or pasta for my calories intake. Fish and chicken as main source of protein, and vegetables or fruits for everything else.
 
When I ride, I sometimes skip breakfast depending on the time. There are times that I ride very early in the morning, before sunrise so breakfast is not an option since my appetite for eating is still asleep. I usually ride with groups at about 7am. That gives me a convenient time to have my breakfast and some rest before riding. By the way, most of the riding groups that I join come from the direction of Manila so they have been riding for about 20 kilometers before they reach our village gate, that's when I join them.
 
I'm only able to ride on weekends and typically do 15-20 miles both days. I ride fasted and take a large bottle of water with me. That being said, I work out 4 days/week in addition to riding on the weekends and I eat a very clean diet and use the Zone method to block all of my meals.
 
My breakfast depends on what distance I'm riding. During the week I'm riding after work so breakfast doesn't come into play, and my lunch is most days a sandwich with fruit. Saturday if I'm only going out for a quick 20-25 mile ride then I usually have no breakfast and carry one water bottle. If it's over 25 miles I will have a peanut butter and banana sandwich before I ride, and take a package of Clif Bloks or Clif Shot with me. For hydration it's two bottles one with water, and one with Skratch Labs exercise hydration mix. Sunday's I'm not on the road until after church so breakfast again doesn't come into play. Most Sundays I don't eat breakfast and have a cup of coffee and a Clif Bloks or Clif Shot before I get on the bike around 12:30 to ride.
 
I control my type II diabetes, completely and very successfully, with my low carb diet. The only carbs I eat in any great quantity are green (free) carbs. That means no sugar, no starch, and not even flour products. Very limited fruits. My energy comes from protein and fats, via nuts and oils. I eat a breakfast and an evening meal, but no lunch or snacking in between.

It took about six months for my body to switch over from a carb diet to a protein/fat diet, but I can now easily do 60 miles a day and more without eating. This is not a diet that I would wish on anyone, though. It is tailored specifically to stabilize and control my blood sugar and that it does, superbly. As an added bonus, my weight is right where I want it and I seldom get cavities in my teeth.

I don't sweat, a lot, so in our cool summers, up here, one bottle of water usually covers me on long rides. Recently went on a trip to Florida, though, I learned how dangerous it can be riding in that heat and humidity. Never left the motel on the bike without at least three bottles of water.
 
Usually use Macrobars to supplement fuel my legs through a longer ride and vega one shake with flax and chia seeds to help the rebuild process as soon as I'm done with the ride. Meals range between quinoa, beans, large amounts of cooked greens, Goraw granola cereal and lots of water.
 
If I'm getting up early to get out the door on a ride, I'll have a small bowl of corn flakes. Digests very quickly and still gives some good carbs for fuel. For a long ride or a race, I will have something more significant. A big bowl of oatmeal with some fruit is perfect if I have a good hour and a half to digest before I start the ride.

Summer time I drink primarily a sports drink for hydration as well as a little extra sugar to fuel my ride. Cooler months I just bring water along.

There is a lot we can hit regarding this topic. The key points are nutrition before, during, and after your ride. Including hydration. We have kind of just scratched the surface here. Anybody interested in learning how to carb load, or plan out their race day meals for an endurance event, check out this link. http://www.coach.choicecutnutrition.com/order
 
Every person has unique, individual needs when it comes to nutrition. Every cyclist also has individual nutritional requirements. One can have overactive sweat glands that requires him/her to take in more fluids and minerals, another can easily develop low sugar that requires him/her to always have a ready source of sugar available when needed and many more unique traits for every cyclist.

You may have some things back to front. For instance the more salt that someone consumes, the more salt that they will excrete in their sweat. There is no pressing need to replace the last salt as their body has too much of it and is trying to excrete it.

I suspect a similar thing applies to always having a ready supply of sugar available. By going this route their body becomes dependent on this sugar instead of learning to store more glycogen.
 
I usually eat cereals and boiled eggs for breakfast before riding. I also bring along 3 bars of Snickers for a quick fix.
 
I just eat oatmeal with fruits, milk + chocolate malt drink regularly, and I eat more during lunch time after biking where I mostly eat chicken or beef with vegetables, plus orange juice. I occasionally add some eggs into my meals when cycling.
 
Honestly, I don't have any diet. My metabolism is really fast and I can eat everything I want. I wonder also why I never become, well something chubby or much more bigger. We also have food business in our province but still, not reason for me to become chubby.