Eating While Cycling



Corzhens

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May 26, 2015
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When I was riding with a pack, we would sometimes make a pitstop but not for the bathroom. Some of my co-riders seem addicted to food. When they see something on the road, they stop and check. There was this road, about 30 kilometers away from our starting point, where corn vendors are lined up. They are selling and boiling the corn right there on the spot. Who would not want to stop and take an ear for a snack?
 
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Why not? We need to refuel to keep us going a little carb here will not hurt I guess. The only thing that I am cautious about is taking too much breaks without following a schedule. I do follow my snack schedules strictly just like how I follow the one for replenishing my fluids.
 
Nothing wrong with snacking. Just before exercising I too get something to snack on. You should be putting down a lot of food just before jumping on a bike. A stomach full of food and water is not the smartest thing to do. Just get a power bar and some water, and you're good. Just don't over do it to the point where you are going to throw up your food because you ate too much.
 
You should be eating during exercise, especially cycling, anyways. Perhaps you wouldn't have a full meal, but a decent sized snack is always a good idea. It'll gve you some extra energy and keep the ride going at a smooth pace. I would never stop and eat, though. I'd rather continue riding while balancing some food in my hand. It's just faster that way.
 
Corn is a very rich food. My mom grew us on corn meal porridge. I wouldn't completely say you can't eat while riding, but I do say it really is important the proportion of what you eat. I just believe you should have small snacks like nuts and grains, nothing major.
 
There's nothing wrong with eating while cycling, although I usually feel more comfortable if I keep it light. If it's a short ride I don't bother, but on longer rides I'll bring a couple energy bars or some trail mix and stop halfway through and take a little break. Smoothies are good too sometimes. When you're working hard it's important to fuel yourself properly, but I usually just prefer to eat something beforehand.
 
It is very tempting to make pit stops to buy food and snacks, since cycling can really make you hungry and thirsty. This is more emphasized when the food is sold just on the side of the road and you can see the delicious snacks that the vendors are selling. If I was with you and your group, I would definitely not hesitate to stop and eat some boiled corn, especially when I can smell its yummy aroma. I remember a time when I was also with a group and we also stopped for some snacks, but these were sweet foods. We stopped by and ate some ice cream and cotton candy, but the difference is that we were already finished with our route and we really planned to have a snack after we finished our trip. It is so satisfying to reward yourself with food after doing an exercise like cycling, because you are not guilty of the calorie intake.
 
I don't see anything wrong with making a quick stop to have a bite as long as it is not junk. Refueling is a good thing and the other thing is you immediately start burning those calories.
 
If we are on a competition we can have an energy bar or a banana to boost our energy, but if we are on leisure I really love to stop at a nice location and enjoy the view while eating something.
 
I don't know what it is about cycling but it certainly make riders hungry. I would definitely take that stop too. I always see people eating icecream while riding. I wonder if the scoop ever falls off.
 
This has always interested me. I like to watch races on TV, however they never show stuff like this and I know those races go on for a while so I always wondered about this. Also, what if they have to go to the bathroom and have a nasty case of diarrhea? I mean, it can't be comfortable to sit on a bike after that.
 
[SIZE=11pt]I have a different view about consumption during the cycling journey. Exercises are calorie intensive indeed and the fact that one thinks of “refueling” is in itself logical. However I develop a concern when it comes to the kind of food we eat in the pit stops. Indeed you will have lost a lot of calories and a quick replacement is worthy however bodily physiology is working on a different tone at that particular moment. You will need something starchy but you have to understand that due to the high demand of an energy giving food, you will primarily need some healthy sugars, more so disaccharides that can be absorbed almost in an instant into the bloodstream. Corn would take time and would more likely create some discomfort in the system even though you may not actually feel it. So I don’t recommend corn, but something such as glucose or even fructose that can [/SIZE]quickly sink into the bloodstream and rapidly nourish needy body sections of which we are talking about joints and leg muscles.
 
I think a lot depends on the type of cycling that your doing to be honest. If your cycling competitively then a energy bar and drink will help your body refuel when your on the go.

Just going for a cycle in your spare time for enjoyment is totally different and if the weather is nice there's usually a stop off at a pub along the way!
 
Definitely need to eat during a long ride. I've experimented with gels, but I prefer some solid food if possible. If it's a purely recreational ride, I like to stop and take some time out, have a breather, and get some fuel inside me. If it's a race, then it's lucozade all the way....!
 
I think a lot depends on the type of cycling that your doing to be honest. If your cycling competitively then a energy bar and drink will help your body refuel when your on the go.

Just going for a cycle in your spare time for enjoyment is totally different and if the weather is nice there's usually a stop off at a pub along the way!

You are right. For a leisure tour, you can stop and eat what you have or in my case there are small eateries around where we eat meals (sparingly often). But for some real tour that is not a race but not a leisure ride either, there's no way to eat but before the ride. It is difficult to cope with the professional riders doing their practice because they seem to have triple of my energy.
 
I don't usually stop anywhere to get a snack when I go cycling but I do take a drink with me that I have on the bike frame. What happens is I end up cycling and somewhere along the way I have a little break and take a little drink from the bottle.

It's quite nice :)
 
I don't usually stop anywhere to get a snack when I go cycling but I do take a drink with me that I have on the bike frame. What happens is I end up cycling and somewhere along the way I have a little break and take a little drink from the bottle.

It's quite nice :)

One of my cycling buddies (he is a pro) said that eating while riding is not good, i.e. you eat while you are moving. But stopping for some eats is not bad as long as you eat sparingly. He said that sometimes the stomach is already growling but you don't notice that you are already famished. That is not good for the body so the recommendation is to get something to eat and rest for at least 15 minutes before you go on riding leisurely, take note, leisurely.
 
If your a pro then I wouldn't have thought that you would stop to eat like a lot of other cyclists do as you'll be taking things a lot more seriously.

Again, it all depends on just how serious you take things and if you are just cycling for pleasure then if you want to stop off for a light snack, that will only add to the enjoyment.
 
Well, corn with some butter on it tastes wonderful! Now, I'm drooling, lol. Anyway, I think light snacking is okay especially if you aren't biking competitively. Or if you're just biking with the group and bonding or maybe biking alone to exercise. As for me, I only snack after a biking session, maybe an hour or two because then I'm able to have an excuse that I'm done with my exercise. Haha!
 

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