look im a roadie a kinda new one started 8 months ago just started to get serius so i need nutritional help please remember im only 12 and i do 50 miles a week soon to be 100
Need HELP
- Thread starter shrimpeater
- Start date
Congrats on getting into biking seriously at 12.
It will give you a head start on being fit all your life.
For the most part eat healthy stuff.
Eat fruits AND eat your VEGGIES!! Green veggies are good for you and taste good. Get chicken, fish (if you like it, I can't stand fish) and pork chops (if you're allowed) as well as some red meat.
Yogurt, instead of pudding.
Stay away from fast food. McDonalds isn't good for even the most fit person on the planet. Of course they have really good fries and if you have to eat them eat the small, not the large. (BTW to get the hottest fries tell them to make them with no salt. They will have to make them fresh and you can add any salt you want.)
Try your best to cut out sugar. No soda, or at least drink Mist Free if you must have soda. Mist Free has no sugar, no carbs and no caffiene. Kinda like flavored soda water. Crystal light is GREAT as a substitute for water if you just cannot drink lots of plain water. Which is also a good habit to get into, drinking loads of water. If you keep yourself ultra hydrated you never have to worry about being dehydrated when you ride.
Good luck!
Ginny in Denver
It will give you a head start on being fit all your life.
For the most part eat healthy stuff.
Eat fruits AND eat your VEGGIES!! Green veggies are good for you and taste good. Get chicken, fish (if you like it, I can't stand fish) and pork chops (if you're allowed) as well as some red meat.
Yogurt, instead of pudding.
Stay away from fast food. McDonalds isn't good for even the most fit person on the planet. Of course they have really good fries and if you have to eat them eat the small, not the large. (BTW to get the hottest fries tell them to make them with no salt. They will have to make them fresh and you can add any salt you want.)
Try your best to cut out sugar. No soda, or at least drink Mist Free if you must have soda. Mist Free has no sugar, no carbs and no caffiene. Kinda like flavored soda water. Crystal light is GREAT as a substitute for water if you just cannot drink lots of plain water. Which is also a good habit to get into, drinking loads of water. If you keep yourself ultra hydrated you never have to worry about being dehydrated when you ride.
Good luck!
Ginny in Denver
It's great to hear about a 12 year old out there who is concerned enough about cycling to be thinking about their nutrition - kudos on that
.
I'd say that at your age, because you will likely be growing so much over the next few years of your life, be careful to not make too many drastic changes in your eating patterns. Focus on whole grains, protein from nuts, seeds, fish and poultry, and (to hit this home again) LOTS of fresh fruit and vegetables. I wouldn't worry at all about any supplements. I don't know much about your build/stature, but considering the caloric strain that cycling can put on peoples diets, keep a keen eye on how energized you feel before, during, and after rides. If you feel tired, or overly fatigued, make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and try eating a bit more during your day. Just listen to your body - generally you'll know if you aren't eating right.
Work to avoid processed foods if you can. This can be difficult because there are so many out there. In general, if it looks like it came from a machine, and not out of the ground or the sea... Avoid it. Now I'm not saying that the ocasional indulgence is going to kill your riding ability, but out of long-term health interests, don't be scarfing down hohos or the like
.
And I concur fully with every person who says CUT OUT THE SODA. It isn't that hard to do, and honestly, the on-bike benefits are tremendous once you're "off the juice"
. Soft-drinks contain lots of high-fructose corn syrup which will do nothing except elevate your blood sugar in a heartbeat, and then leave you crashing a short while later. Tea, skim milk, some diet sodas, and yes
even crystal light work well as substitutes.
While on the bike, bring some sort of easily digestable, carbohydrate-filled snack. Granola bars, dried fruit, half a pbj sandwich on wheat are some of my favorites. Find out what works for you.
If you really become interested, or run into problems that basic guidelines such as those posted in this forum can't fix, visit a sports nutritionist to see what they can do to help. Again, it's awesome to see somebody this dedicated at 12 years of age.
I'd say that at your age, because you will likely be growing so much over the next few years of your life, be careful to not make too many drastic changes in your eating patterns. Focus on whole grains, protein from nuts, seeds, fish and poultry, and (to hit this home again) LOTS of fresh fruit and vegetables. I wouldn't worry at all about any supplements. I don't know much about your build/stature, but considering the caloric strain that cycling can put on peoples diets, keep a keen eye on how energized you feel before, during, and after rides. If you feel tired, or overly fatigued, make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and try eating a bit more during your day. Just listen to your body - generally you'll know if you aren't eating right.
Work to avoid processed foods if you can. This can be difficult because there are so many out there. In general, if it looks like it came from a machine, and not out of the ground or the sea... Avoid it. Now I'm not saying that the ocasional indulgence is going to kill your riding ability, but out of long-term health interests, don't be scarfing down hohos or the like
And I concur fully with every person who says CUT OUT THE SODA. It isn't that hard to do, and honestly, the on-bike benefits are tremendous once you're "off the juice"
While on the bike, bring some sort of easily digestable, carbohydrate-filled snack. Granola bars, dried fruit, half a pbj sandwich on wheat are some of my favorites. Find out what works for you.
If you really become interested, or run into problems that basic guidelines such as those posted in this forum can't fix, visit a sports nutritionist to see what they can do to help. Again, it's awesome to see somebody this dedicated at 12 years of age.
