Gaining weight after a long ride?

[tctrek]

I think I am going crazy and I need to ask if this happens to anyone else. I am 56 years old and this is my second season of riding a road bike. I workout at the gym every day. Cardio + resistance training. I eat around 1500 calories a day - 50-60% carbs, 30% Protein - 20% fat. During the week, I do cardio at 65% of my maximum heart rate, which should be fat burning zone. On the weekends, I ride on the road and spend about 30% of every ride in a high heart rate - 90% of max.

That's the background. Here's the problem - every weekend, I go into it weighing 2-3 pounds less than I come out of it. I don't over-eat or eat "bad" foods on the weekend. The main difference is that I ride my bike 50-60 miles each day of the weekend and workout really hard. I may go into the weekend weighing 140 pounds and come out of it weighing as much as 144 pounds!! Then I go to the gym all week long and slowly it comes back down... just in time for the weekend and then it goes back up!!

My husband says it is water gain, but surely with the amount of exercise that I do and the sensible way that I eat, I should be losing weight, not gaining it!!!

The irony of it is that if I stopped working out and stopped riding my bike, I would lose weight. Before I started riding, I lost 30 pounds. As soon as I started exercising, I became unable to lose anymore weight.

And no, I am not losing inches either! So, it's not that I'm gaining muscle and losing fat.

Holy cow... I am losing my sanity. I've been one year at the same weight even though I am more fit and eating better than I ever have in my life.

Any ideas?

[maillotpois]

Are you sure you are (1) fueling yourself enough while you are on the bike and (2) not over fueling yourself once the ride is over?

In order to ride well and not go into a starvation mode, you need to be sure you are getting at least 250 - 300 calories per hour ON THE BIKE. While you are riding. When you are done, you need about 400 - 500 calories of a good quality recovery food.

Beyond that, really watch what you are eating and be sure that you are not approaching your weekends as a free for all "because I'm doing these long rides". Be honest with what you are eating while you are off the bike.

I used to have a very similar story to yours. Weekends/long rides would cause a bit of a weight gain. Then something finally clicked. I started eating MORE on the bike and LESS the evening after the ride, etc. I have lost 11 pounds of FAT (per body comp tests performed by the same guy) in 2 months. I have stopped (for the most part - no one's perfect) saying to myself "Oh it's OK. I can eat this entire pizza because I had a long ride this weekend."

[tctrek]

Hmmm... I do eat while riding, but definitely not 250-300 calories per hour. And I do eat quite a bit after the ride, although it's not junk food.

It's certainly worth a try... at this point, I'm desperate to figure it out.

I go to Lifetime Fitness gym and they have a philosophy of "eating your exercise calories". In other words, say 1200 calories is what you need to lose weight. And your workout burns 500 calories. They want you to eat 1700 calories on that day -- 1200 + your exercise.

I tried that for about 6 months and didn't lose a pound. Now I'm trying to just stick with 1300-1500 calories a day. Except on long ride days when I eat more... but the "more" is definitely after the ride and not during the ride.

I'll try it next weekend and see how it goes.

[ny biker]

How tall are you?

I always gain weight after a long ride, but it's water, so it's gone within a day or so.

My trainer told me to forget about the "fat burning zone" for cardio workouts. Interval training that gets you up to a higher heart rate is better. A lower percentage of the calories you burn might be fat, but you'll burn more calories overall, and as a result will burn a larger total number of fat calories.

[jobob]

MP's point is to get those calories in during or immediately after the ride.

Eating those exercise calories is important - but the timing is important as well. If you wait until later to ingest those calories, the benefits from all that exercise are going to diminish. Those are the calories that wind up on your gut or on your butt.

I'm in your same situation. I managed to gain about 6 pounds in the last few months :mad: but I've been falling into that "I burned thousands of calories today so I can eat whatever I want this evening" trap.

But by not eating enough during and immediately after the ride, what I've been doing is effectively putting my body into a short-term starvation mode, so that when I did pig out later in the day my metabolism did not burn those calories but instead converted them into fat.

As a result, I found out yesterday that my body fat percentage is 33.9. Gaaaahhhhhhhh. :o

So I'm going to take mp's advice and load up on the calories right before, during, and within about 30 minutes after my rides, and go easy on the pigouts thereafter.

Check out this article. While it's geared towards runners rather than cyclists, the concepts are similar.

http://www.enduranceptc.com/images//weightlossmd.pdf

[maillotpois]

Ah - Dixon's article. :cool: That does put it really well. The idea of breaking it into the fueling and nutrition windows really simplifies things. sadly, my nutrition window really needs to lose some wine and beer. :o

[tctrek]

Thanks for the article! I'm reading it now. I had my body fat tested last week where you go into the tank of water -- it's the gold standard for calculating body fat. I'm 5'2" and 140 pounds. My doctor tells me I'm 26% body fat, but this test says that I'm 34.8%.... :mad::mad::mad: There's 50 pounds of fat on me and it's all in my torso! I have lean, muscular legs, almost no hips or butt, muscular arms and big everything else!! Maddening. This all happened in menopause when I found out I was apple shaped. I've been a normal weight all my life and I just don't know what to do with this fat!

Anyway - just reading this makes perfect sense - I need to eat my calories closer to the actual exercise timeframe. I can't imagine this old body is burning fat for too long after exercise.

I'll let you know how if it works!

[indysteel]

Are you sure you're eating enough? I know that sounds counterintuitive, but if your're working out everyday and riding 120 miles a weekend, I have to wonder whether your 1300-1500 calories a day is enough. You may be unintentionally putting into "starvation" mode.

[tctrek]

Are you sure you're eating enough?

I've tried many combinations of daily caloric intake, exercise intensity, percentages of fat/carbs/protein... you name it, I've tried it. I've been pretty scientific about it keeping food and exercise daily journals. I tried 1600-1800 calories a day thinking I was in "starvation" mode. I gained about 8 pounds in 4 weeks. One think I've been strict about is keeping my daily fat intake at less than 25% of total calories.

I've had my RMR tested twice. The first time was with a machine and it came out at 1325. They told me if I ate 1100-1325 per day I would lose weight and not to try to compensate/eat the calories that I exercise unless I exercised for more than 1 hour.

The 2nd time I got my RMR was when I had my body fat water test. It came out at 1420. He basically said the same thing.

My exercise calories average 500 per day not including road rides.

So, is my body in starvation? Beats me. I am going to try the "fueling" suggestions just before/during/after exercise and restrict my calories more during the nutritional window and see how that works.

[DrBadger]

about 2 years ago I was in a similar situation... I am 5'3" and weighed about 150-155...was active, but then started really ramping up my workouts... at the gym 3-4 times/week and riding or running 2-3 times per week. I figured that I would lose weight, nothing. I was countinng calories and was trying to keep between 1300-1500 calories/day, which is what us took me to lose weight before. But nothing. I did an experiment and raised my calories to between 1700-1800/day (I didn't count what I ate while on the bike, that was what I needed to keep going on rides, but I did count what I ate afterwards). As soon as I upped my calories the weight melted off. I ended up losing almost 20 pounds this way. given the amount you are working out I wouldn't be surprised if you aren't getting enough calories. Spend a week journaling EVERYTHING you eat during the day, and how long you are working out. See where you sit, and then add ~200-300 calories a day (assuming you really are eating 1200-1500 calories/day) and see what happens.

Good luck! I know how frustrating it is when you are working out like mad and aren't losing the weight!

Ellen

[michelem]

This very question was posed in last week's www.roadbikerider.com newsletter:

COACH FRED

Why Does My Weight Rise After Long Rides?

Q: Last season I logged more than 5,000 miles to prepare for a big cross-state ride. However, as I added distance, my normal 156-lb. (71-kg) weight would increase as much as 8 lbs. (3.6 kg) in the 2-3 days following a hard, long ride. And to make matters worse, I was ravenous during those days. Is this normal? I'd like to prevent the same thing happening this season. -- Jeff R.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: I'll give you my take based on what nutritionists have told me as well as my own experience with long rides and multiday tours.

Generally, you gain weight following such rides because they exhaust your glycogen supplies. Glycogen is your muscles' primary fuel. You've essentially done the depletion phase of the classic carbo-loading regimen.

After the ride, as your body replenishes glycogen in the muscles, you gain weight for one simple reason: Glycogen is stored with a considerable amount of water.

So, much of your sudden gain is water weight and will vanish during your next big ride. This water storage is one reason that glycogen-stocked athletes will say they feel "bloated" going into an event.

As for your appetite, sure you're hungry -- you just did an enormous amount of work, your metabolism is elevated and your body is in caloric debt. It compensates (maybe overcompensates) for the deficit. This would be bad if you weren't right back into training. You'll burn the extra calories that result from this feasting. But make sure that what you're chowing on is wholesome and nutritious.

If you rode a consistent amount each week -- say, 10 hours -- your weight would probably settle at some moderate figure. But as long as you're training hard and riding long, you can expect fluctuations. That's normal.

[deedolce]

Wow, I could have written this thread! I gained 2 pounds after a hard week-end of riding. :confused:

I DO know I don't fuel sufficiently when I ride hard. Today, I did a 54 mile ride after eating a small bowl of cereal before I left, and I had 1 gu, 1 mini-clif bar, a banana and 6 sports beans during~ and my hrm said I burned 1950 calories :o

I'm going to make a diligent effort in fueling while I ride. I know, at the very least, it won't feel like I'm riding on empty by the end!

[indysteel]

Post-ride weight gain could also be in indication that you're takign in to much water during a ride.

It seems like the OPs question really poses two issues: (1) why does her weight go up a couple of pounds after a weekend of long rides and (2) why she can't seem to get the scale to go down anymore.

With the respect to the first question, the explanation that it's water weight makes some sense, but that saide, it really makes me wonder if you're perhaps weighing yourself too frequently. Fluctuations of one or two pounds through the course of day or several days is pretty normal. There was a time in my life that I weighed myself at least once a day and found, in time, that my fixation on "the number" wasn't overly helpful. Have you thought about weighing yourself just once a week?

With respect to the second question, I would again suggest that you're not eating enough. I realize menopause affects your caloric needs, but I think your activity level warrants more food. Combine that with a very targeted approach to when you eat those calories, and I think you might see some progress.

[jobob]

about 2 years ago I was in a similar situation... I am 5'3" and weighed about 150-155...was active, but then started really ramping up my workouts... at the gym 3-4 times/week and riding or running 2-3 times per week. I figured that I would lose weight, nothing. I was countinng calories and was trying to keep between 1300-1500 calories/day, which is what us took me to lose weight before. But nothing. I did an experiment and raised my calories to between 1700-1800/day (I didn't count what I ate while on the bike, that was what I needed to keep going on rides, but I did count what I ate afterwards). As soon as I upped my calories the weight melted off. I ended up losing almost 20 pounds this way. given the amount you are working out I wouldn't be surprised if you aren't getting enough calories. Spend a week journaling EVERYTHING you eat during the day, and how long you are working out. See where you sit, and then add ~200-300 calories a day (assuming you really are eating 1200-1500 calories/day) and see what happens.

Wow Ellen, that's great. Thanks for the advice! :cool:

[Karma007]

Ah - Dixon's article. :cool: That does put it really well. The idea of breaking it into the fueling and nutrition windows really simplifies things. sadly, my nutrition window really needs to lose some wine and beer. :o

I feel your pain! My recovery meal on Saturday was leftover pizza and a beer. You are not alone.

[beccaB]

I think I am going crazy and I need to ask if this happens to anyone else. I am 56 years old and this is my second season of riding a road bike. I workout at the gym every day. Cardio + resistance training. I eat around 1500 calories a day - 50-60% carbs, 30% Protein - 20% fat. During the week, I do cardio at 65% of my maximum heart rate, which should be fat burning zone. On the weekends, I ride on the road and spend about 30% of every ride in a high heart rate - 90% of max.

That's the background. Here's the problem - every weekend, I go into it weighing 2-3 pounds less than I come out of it. I don't over-eat or eat "bad" foods on the weekend. The main difference is that I ride my bike 50-60 miles each day of the weekend and workout really hard. I may go into the weekend weighing 140 pounds and come out of it weighing as much as 144 pounds!! Then I go to the gym all week long and slowly it comes back down... just in time for the weekend and then it goes back up!!

My husband says it is water gain, but surely with the amount of exercise that I do and the sensible way that I eat, I should be losing weight, not gaining it!!!

The irony of it is that if I stopped working out and stopped riding my bike, I would lose weight. Before I started riding, I lost 30 pounds. As soon as I started exercising, I became unable to lose anymore weight.

And no, I am not losing inches either! So, it's not that I'm gaining muscle and losing fat.

Holy cow... I am losing my sanity. I've been one year at the same weight even though I am more fit and eating better than I ever have in my life.

Any ideas?


I do that. gain weight after a hard ride. I am on the "Curves" diet and have lost 7 pounds. I'm curious to see what will happen once bike weather comes here (consistently) I don't feel deprived like on previous diets, and haven't felt that "crash and burn" feeling either.

[ny biker]

You know, this is very interesting. Every article and book I've read about nutrition for cycling and other endurance activities assumes you will lose weight after a ride. I thought there was something wrong with me because I always weigh more after a long ride than before it.

It's good to know that I'm not the only one who experiences this.

[katluvr]

Ah - Dixon's article. :cool: That does put it really well. The idea of breaking it into the fueling and nutrition windows really simplifies things. sadly, my nutrition window really needs to lose some wine and beer. :o

Yep, I agree about that. I made a mistake early in my introduction to a biking lifestyle and did a bike vacation. Everytime we got off the bike at the end of the day we went to the cooler and grabbed a beer. Now it is like Pavlov's dog...biking = beer!

I need to check out that article. I am also trying to read the Zone--since it appears elite atheletes do this one. Beginning of book is VERY dry!

[rocknrollgirl]

This is a very interesting discussion. The same thing happens to me. I had a major bonk yesterday on a ride. It has happened to me before, but not in ages. I felt so terrible, I just wanted them to leave me on the trail. It took every ounce of focus that I had to get through the last few miles.

After reading this, I came home and looked at the calories in my sports drink...total ingested 200. One gel 100. So I consumed 300 calories on a three hour ride. And it was the first warm day we have had in months. And it was a long week of training.

So if what you all, and the article are saying is true, I would need about 250 calories an hour. I am not getting nearly enough on the bike. And I wonder why my recovery is slow!!!

This has really helped me. Thanks to all of you.

[maillotpois]

After reading this, I came home and looked at the calories in my sports drink...total ingested 200. One gel 100. So I consumed 300 calories on a three hour ride. And it was the first warm day we have had in months. And it was a long week of training.



Wow - yeah nowhere near enough. I have started adding up everything before I leave the house. If I know I am doing a 3 hour ride, I will carry with me 900 calories (including sports drinks, etc.). (And I generally throw in an extra bar that I know I won't open just in case something happens and I am out later). Then I just have to work my way through it all (except the emergency reserve bar) as I ride, bit by bit.

Yesterday's 2 hour ride: 140 cal in sports drink, 1 bagel (250 cal), 1 pack of power bar gel blasts (200 cal). So right at 600 calories and the ride was great.

[katluvr]

I tell you it is VERY hard to balance taking in enough to train and to recover BUT not so much as to gain weight. Since I really need to lose weight.

I try logging, journaling etc. But not sure I know or understand enough to balance things. Then again I do reward or "fall off the wagon" easily. I just wish it wasn't so hard!

I do wonder adn think IF I fueled properly on the bike, would I be as starving and tend to over eat after? Of course I think it is more mental...I want the bad food and "rationalize" that I just rode for 3 hours.
Or I don't eat on the bike, so if I know we will go out and be social AFTER riding.

[maillotpois]

I hear you katluvr.

If I want to get better on the bike and get the most out of my training (which I do) I just have to suck it up and say that I am going to eat these thrilling athletically formulated calories on the bike - all of them that I need - and then I am just going to have to make a sacrifice at the social hour after the ride and NOT eat the junk food, nachos, whatever. I'll have something (and a beer), but I am not going to overindulge. Which I think is the only way I am going to accomplish the training goal AND the weight goal simultaneously. So far so good at least.

[jobob]

I did the same as you, rocknrollgirl, on a ride a few weeks ago where I basically forgot to eat and then managed to bonk on a hill. It was not pretty!

For the rides I'm doing now, with long distances and lots of climbing, I've concluded that what works best for me is to try to get most of my on-bike calories in by drinking them. That way, it's easier for me to keep track of how much I consume, and how regularly I consume it.

I've tried Sustained Energy and Perpetuem, both Hammer products. Neither one of them agreed with me, but I know some people who swear by one or the other.

There's a drink called SPIZ that I really like ( http://www.spiz.net/ ). I don't think it's available in stores, it only appears to be available on-line. But they'll send you a free sample if you request one. I can mix up a 4-scoop bottle of SPIZ -- it dissolves very easily, unlike SE or Perpetuem -- and that will provide 500 cals, which I'll sip over two hours or so (alternating with plain water).

[rocknrollgirl]

Wow - yeah nowhere near enough. I have started adding up everything before I leave the house. If I know I am doing a 3 hour ride, I will carry with me 900 calories (including sports drinks, etc.). (And I generally throw in an extra bar that I know I won't open just in case something happens and I am out later). Then I just have to work my way through it all (except the emergency reserve bar) as I ride, bit by bit.

Yesterday's 2 hour ride: 140 cal in sports drink, 1 bagel (250 cal), 1 pack of power bar gel blasts (200 cal). So right at 600 calories and the ride was great.

Part of what makes it tough, is I am on a mt bike. Very hard to eat and ride and we generally do not stop. It makes it very tough. I am going to have to really work on it.

[maillotpois]

Part of what makes it tough, is I am on a mt bike. Very hard to eat and ride and we generally do not stop. It makes it very tough. I am going to have to really work on it.

Oh yeah - a lot harder to eat on the bike on a MTB than a road bike for sure. Hmm.

[tctrek]

So much good information! I'm really glad I posted this thread!

[leendat]

wow all this info sure helps... But can any one give me some specific ideas as for what to eat before, during and after cycling. When I go for a ride I will go for about 20 miles and it takes me about two hours. In the morning I will eat a bowl of whole grain cearl and when I get home a salad with either tuna, or turkey (I use olive oil and red wine vinegar as a dressing). Then a couple of hours later I will eat a banana to hold me until dinner. I have not lost any weight and could stand to loose about 20 pounds (I am 46 5 feet and weigh 140). So any ideas of what to eat before during and after would be a great starting point for me.
thanks for all the info!

[tctrek]

I'll tell you what I eat, although it seems I don't eat *enough*: I eat muesli and some sort of protein bar before I start out on the ride. On the ride, we eat a variety of carbs: Shot Blocks, GU, Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches, Peanut Butter crackers, Fig Newtons. We also put Cytomax in our water which has carbs and electrolytes.

Riders -- how does this sound? What else is good to eat on a ride?

[Veronica]

That actually sounds to me like a lot of food to be eating on a ride.

Bear in mind, everyone is different. I can do a two hour ride on just water, and no nutrition. However, if I ride 2 hours and five minutes I need to eat. If I am riding two hours - four hours I will mix water and Gatorade in one bottle and have straight water in the other. I drink every 15 minutes and eat every 30. Eating means having a couple of shot bloks, or 5 - 6 peanut m&ms, or 5 - 6 sport beans. If I am riding more than 2 hours I start eating at 60 minutes.

On a ride longer than 4 hours I add Sustain to my Gatorade bottle. On a typical 200K (125 miles, about ten hours of ride time) I will drink 2 - 3 Red Bulls and go through 2 - 3 packs of Shot Bloks etc. and 2 - 3 bags of M&Ms. At my lunch stop I 'll eat a banana.

My usual post 200K meal comes from Jack in the Box, not exactly known for its healthy choices. :D I will have lost 2 - 3 pounds after eating dinner when I have ridden a 200K. On a shorter ride I'll lose a pound or two.

Oh and my usual pre-ride breakfast for a long ride (4 hours +) is a PBJ sandwich and a container of chocolate milk. Otherwise it's my typical breakfast cereal or oatmeal.


Veronica

[salsabike]

I think eating requirements ARE really different from rider to rider. I don't seem to need to eat a lot on a long ride (like, a Luna bar every 1 1/2 to 2 hours; if I eat more, I feel bogged down), whereas my husband will definitely bonk if he doesn't eat quite regularly on the same ride. Just as a matter of interesting fact, we each did bike metabolic tests lately. I can burn primarily fat for quite a while before I start burning carbs more. My husband's fat burning zone is really, really short, which seems to explain why he needs to eat often.

[Veronica]

I think it's really important to just experiment and find out what works for you.

I'm still trying to figure out what to eat before I go for a run. What I eat for a bike ride or a triathlon just doesn't work for a run.

Veronica

[AnnieBikes]

This is probably the BEST thread I have ever read on TE. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to submit information. I have found it very hard to lose weight, too, but definitely have to eat on the ride. I also had a long ride in the first really good weather of the season. I have ridden a fair number of miles through the beginning of this season but nearly bonked with 45 miles on Saturday. I ate one bar..120 calories, and one bag of sport beans...100 or so, and one 22 oz. powerade, plus water. It was definitely not enough. I always have a chocolate mile right after the ride. It is hard for me to eat on the fly (the mechanics of it, not the eating!), but I do realize the importance of eating to keep going!

Anyway, it has been great to see all the other ideas that you wonderful women have given. THANK YOU ALL!

[katluvr]

I'll tell you what I eat, although it seems I don't eat *enough*: I eat muesli and some sort of protein bar before I start out on the ride. On the ride, we eat a variety of carbs: Shot Blocks, GU, Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches, Peanut Butter crackers, Fig Newtons. We also put Cytomax in our water which has carbs and electrolytes.

Riders -- how does this sound? What else is good to eat on a ride?

I am reading the Zone diet book. I have not yet started. Like most of the "protein" favorable diets it stresses protein AND carbs from fruit and veggies. I do like the way it discusses "pairing" and being sure to have protein w/ you carbs/fats.

The reason I am looking at the Zone is there are athlete and endurance athletes that use this. And I consider myself a "protein" girl. I feel better w/ protein type snacks and when riding. I use Accelerade for long rides. But when read what tctrek is eating..that is similar to what most of us do on the bike. Sure there is protein in peanut butter. But not sure it meets the ratio.
So this will be a learning curve--to do the zone on the bike.

The "need carbs" to ride (run, etc) is always a dilemma....just how many and do "we" (or me) in general over eat the carbs? (Just a rhetorical question).
I do worry that sometimes I restrict food on the bike...to save up for post ride and over eat later. I have ride this weekend...I'll see how I do!

Last question...anyone else tried or doing the Zone?

K

[jobob]

I think eating requirements ARE really different from rider to rider.

Yep. My husband calls me a hummingbird since I've found time & time again that I need to eat early & often, or suffer the consequences.

I for one think it's hilarious that the words "me" and "hummingbird" can be used in the same sentence. :rolleyes:

[michelem]

Now that this thread has drifted more to the "what do you eat when training, and how often," I guess I'll throw in my two cents. It took LOTS of experimenting, but I find I do well with approximately 100 calories per hour, running or cycling. More than that and I get digestive troubles.

Everyone is different, but for me, when running I don't take anything in (calories or water) for anything less than an hour, or 8 miles. I take in a Hammer Gel and approx. 10-12 oz. of water for every hour over an hour, in approximately 20 minute feeds. I like to carry the gel in a flask and water separately so that I can quit taking in calories if my tummy starts feeling upset.

For cycing, I use Perpetuem (for some reason, I do really well with it cycling, but it give me the runs when running!). For a 4-5 hour hilly ride I'll mix two 24 oz. bottles with 1-2 scoops Perpetuem in each. If it's really hot I'll refill one of the bottles with plain water and drink some or all of that as well.

Like others have said, experiment and see what works for you. :)

[Veronica]

It's funny, I've got the "what to eat while running" down - water and Hammer Gel. It's that pre run meal that's getting me. I think it's that I can ride or swim when I've recently eaten. But for running, my stomach seems to prefer being empty. And I hate the idea of eating Hammer gel for breakfast. :p

Veronica

[indysteel]

I'm consistently an undereater on the bike. I might have part of an energy bar, a banana, a couple of Clif blocs or a few cookies every 20-25 miles but I otherwise don't each much. For rides under 2 hours, I usually don't have anything at all. For longer rides (century or more), I'll try to nibble a bit more and eat a more substantial lunch, but I don't think I come close to replacing my calorie expenditure. My appetite off the bike, however, is voracious. I call it "feeding the beast." If my blood sugar takes a dive, I barely recognize myself, I get so cranky. I keep something in my purse at all times just in case--under orders from my boyfriend. :p

I did find that my post-ride appetite is easier to control when I consistently drink chocolate milk immediately after a ride. I tend to agree that the carb/protein combination helps keep hunger in check and aids in recovery.

One thing I've consistently read is that cyclists sometimes overdo it with energy drinks--on and off the bike. So, if you're having trouble losing or maintaining weight, you might take a close look at how much you're drinking and whether water is sufficient for your shorter/easier rides.

[michelem]

It's funny, I've got the "what to eat while running" down - water and Hammer Gel. It's that pre run meal that's getting me. I think it's that I can ride or swim when I've recently eaten. But for running, my stomach seems to prefer being empty. And I hate the idea of eating Hammer gel for breakfast. :p

Veronica

Actually, Hammer recommends NOT eating any sooner than 3 hours before running, cycling, swimming, etc. I find I do much better when I follow this protocol.

THE PRE-RACE MEAL
How many times have you had a bite
(or more) from an energy bar, taken a
swig (or more) from an energy drink, or
eaten a meal just an hour or two before
taking your position at the starting line
of a long distance race? Big mistake!

Eating this soon before prolonged
exercise is actually counterproductive
and will hurt your performance. In the
sometimes confusing world of sports
supplementation and fueling, the
pre-race meal generates arguably the
greatest confusion, and many athletes
have paid a hefty performance price
for their misinformation. But really,
there’s no insider secret to the pre-race
meal, just some effective strategies and
guidelines. You need to know what to
eat, how much, and most importantly,
when. You also need to know a bit about
glycogen storage, depletion, and resupply,
and how to use that knowledge at
the practical level. This article supplies
all of the information you need, and I’ve
also included some suggested meals,
equally appropriate for workouts as well
as competition.
The pre-race meal goal
Assuming that your race starts in the
morning, the purpose of your pre-race
meal is to top off liver glycogen stores,
which your body has expended during
your night of sleep. Muscle glycogen,
the first fuel recruited when exercise
commences, remains intact overnight.
If you had a proper recovery meal after
your last workout, you’ll have a full
load of muscle glycogen on board, which
constitutes about 80% of your total
glycogen stores. If you didn’t re-supply
with complex carbs and protein after your
last workout, there’s nothing you can
do about it now; in fact, you’ll only hurt
yourself by trying. To repeat: during sleep,
your liver-stored glycogen maintains
proper blood glucose level; you expend
nary a calorie of your muscle glycogen.
You might wake up feeling hungry, and
I’ll discuss that issue later, but you’ll have
a full supply of muscle-stored glycogen,
your body’s first used and main energy
source. Your stomach might be saying,
“I’m hungry,” but your muscles are
saying, “Hey, we’re good to go!”
With only your liver-stored glycogen
to top off, you want a light pre-race
nutrition meal. Sports nutrition expert
Bill Misner, Ph.D., advises that a
pre-race meal should be “an easily
digested, high complex carbohydrate
meal of between 200-400 calories with
a minimum of fiber, simple sugar, and
fat.” That’s hardly what most people
would call a meal, but in terms of prerace
fueling, it’s meal enough. According
to Dr. Misner, fat slows digestion
and has no positive influence on fuels
metabolized during an event. He further
states that a high fiber pre-race meal
may “create the call for an unscheduled
and undesirable bathroom break in the
middle or near the end of the event.”
Complex carbohydrates & protein
One study found that athletes who
drank a pre-race meal consisting of
both carbohydrates and a small amount
of protein had better performances
than when they consumed only an allcarbohydrate
sports drink. With that
in mind, here are three pre-race meal
possibilities that would not only be
highly effective, they are quick and easy
to prepare as well:
• Sustained Energy which contains
both complex carbohydrates and soy
protein
• Perpetuem, which contains complex
carbohydrates, soy protein, and a
small donation of healthy fats
• A combination of Sustained Energy
+ Hammer Gel or HEED
If you do feel the need for solid food,
choose high starch foods such as
skinless potatoes, bananas, rice, pasta,
plain bagels, low fat active culture
yogurt, tapioca, and low fiber hot
cereals. You can find a few pre-race
meal recipes at the end of this article
that use these products.
The key - allow three hours or more!
Equally as important as what you eat
is when you eat your pre-race meal.
Authorities such as Dr. Misner, Dr.
Michael Colgan, and Dr. David Costill
all agree that the pre-race meal should
be eaten 3-4 hours prior to the event.
Dr. Misner suggests the athlete “leave
three hours minimum to digest foods
eaten at breakfast. After breakfast,
drink 10-12 ounces of fluid each hour
up to 30 minutes prior to the start
(24-30 ounces total fluid intake).” Note:
other acceptable pre-race fluid intake
suggestions can be found in the article
“Hydration—What You Need To Know.”
Three hours allows enough time for
your body to fully process the meal.

[shootingstar]

Seems my eating habits for cycling have changed over the years.

10 years ago, I used to cycle for 15-20 kms. with only 1 c. of juice or milk before eating something more.

Now for breakfast, I have 1/2 -1 c. of milky oatmeal and fruit or tea. Cycle fine for up to approx. 35 kms. which includes several long hills. Then I must eat something like a small bun or pastry or fruit plus drink something (coffee, natural juice). Before continuing onward for another 35-40 kms. After this segment must eat some more, approx. same amount of food as before or abit less. Depends on immediate availability. So a 75-100 kms. ride does mean about 3 little different snack times, with 1 of them being almost a light lunch-size. If I know I am starting off a long ride 4-6 hrs. long, that will not give me enough stopping time or there just won't be enough places to get proper food along the way, then I will eat a bigger breakfast. With 1/2-1 hr. pause afterwards before starting off on bike.

But I don't have any of the sport drinks, bars. Really, it's pretty rare for me to buy and carry granola bars around.

And I don't eat anything while I'm biking. I prefer not to. Would like to digest my food properly off-bike.

If it's cold weather, ie. today was several degrees F below freezing, then tend to eat abit more for breakfast with some warm food in tummy.

[Veronica]

Well, gee I guess my body knew what it was doing.

Sustained energy for breakfast... yummy. :rolleyes:

Veronica

[ny biker]

Most of the time, my pre-ride breakfast is Eggo nutri-grain waffles. Lots of carbs, not too heavy, not a lot of fiber to cause GI issues.

For longer rides, I bring 1 packet of gu per 10 miles, plus 1 for good luck (I usually can't tolerate solid food during a ride.). For rides longer than 2 hours, I have one 20 oz. bottle of gatorade, otherwise I drink water. For really long rides, I have 2 bottles of gatorade plus water.

I read Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook back in 2001, and used that as a starting point for figuring out what and how much to eat.

Immediately post-ride, I drink orange juice. Other post-ride nutrition varies depending on where I am (home or in a parking lot somewhere), but I try to lean towards a mix of carbs and protein with not too much fat. Smoothies, cereal with milk, or a cheese sandwich are good. After a really hard ride I'll have Kashi Heart to Heart cereal, which has lots of antioxidants.

If I ride 60 miles or more, I treat myself to dinner at Five Guys (awesome cheeseburgers and fries).

By the way, re: Hammergel or other gel for breakfast, I used to know a guy who did lots of inline skating. For his pre-skate breakfast, he put vanilla gu in his coffee.

[shootingstar]

Dr. Misner suggests the athlete “leave
three hours minimum to digest foods
eaten at breakfast. After breakfast,
drink 10-12 ounces of fluid each hour
up to 30 minutes prior to the start
(24-30 ounces total fluid intake).”

I'm still trying to digest this observation. Presumably he means the calorie expenditure from that breakfast will occur approx. 3 hrs. after it's been eaten.

I consider myself lucky to have at least half hr. rest time after breakfast before jumping onto bike. :confused:

[OakLeaf]

Drifting away...

Maybe it's menopause, but I'm finding I need to eat on a ride now, which I never needed to before. Otherwise I'm toast after an hour and a half of hill riding, or two hours pacelining. IF I have a nice BIG bowl of brown rice about four hours before the ride, I won't need to eat on a three-hour ride; otherwise, I have to eat.

I'm new to longer runs, but I'm definitely finding that I do better on runs over 1h15m if I take in calories. So far I've done fine with plain sugar plus electrolytes on runs up to 2 hours. Michele, I could only wish to run 8 mph over a long run! Heck, I could only wish to run 8 mph for a 5K. :rolleyes:

[shootingstar]

Drifting away...

Maybe it's menopause, but I'm finding I need to eat on a ride now, which I never needed to before. Otherwise I'm toast after an hour and a half of hill riding, or two hours pacelining. IF I have a nice BIG bowl of brown rice about four hours before the ride, I won't need to eat on a three-hour ride; otherwise, I have to eat.

Gee, in the last few years, the only time I eat any big bowl of rice is for supper. Even then, I have to be abit careful of spiking my sugar levels at the wrong time of day. It's very rare that I have that type of meal for lunch anymore. Would you be eating this brown rice bowl for lunch or breakfast??? for a ride.

And forget about rice congee for breakfast (which I find bland). I'm too North American for my breakfasts but I suppose I would if no choice, if I travelled around in Asia. This is another reason I don't want to rely heavily on sport gels, drinks....a person must be able to sustain themselves...with local or the least processed food wherever worldwide and at home, while cycling on decent distances.

[beccaB]

To whomever was asking about Zone- my husband did that when he was training for triathlons and it seems very sensible. I would stick to real food though, and not the Zone bars or whatever. I think he had to eat on schedule and it was a lot of work to prepare the food and have the right stuff purchased from the grocery store-but I was thinking about that. An analogy maybe-If I bought bad gas from a gas station and my car always ran badly every time I filled up, I would not buy my gas from there anymore. I guess that translates to me putting the right things in my body with thought and consideration.

[OakLeaf]

Would you be eating this brown rice bowl for lunch or breakfast??? for a ride.

A late lunch, before an evening ride. That's why it really takes an effort, because it's all about the timing! I haven't found anything else that gives me the same sustained energy.

[Crankin]

OK, I never thought I would be writing here, but I seem to be having the "gain weight after a ride" issue. I noticed it last year a bit, but now it's definitely a pattern.
It's not just after long rides, either, but it's more after a long ride. My weight fluctuates 2-3 lbs. normally. I have to be uber disciplined, or I will gain 5-6 lbs just looking at food. I eat healthily, and I don't starve myself. I have had to mix up my exercise, which seems to help, but now that cycling season is here, it's a noticeable trend. When I first started riding, I lost about 10 lbs (needed). After long rides, I would actually lose weight. In the past couple of years I have tried to be aware of not eating too much i.e. Luna bars and if it's less than 25 miles I only drink water or use Nuun, which is only 5 calories. I do use Accelerade on long rides as I bonk easily. I usually drink skim chocolate milk as a recovery drink.
I am not overweight, but I see definite changes in my body in places I don't like. I guess it's back to weight lifting, which I hate, but...

[tulip]

I rode nearly 300 miles on a weeklong cycling vacation a couple of weeks ago, and I didn't lose any weight. I wasn't trying to, but I found that interesting. Could it have been the post-ride recovery chocolate malts??:eek:

[Crankin]

It's true that much of my cycling involves social stuff and eating. I have never expected to lose weight on tours where visits to gourmet restaurants are involved, but I do expect to be able to maintain my weight during normal week day and weekend riding.
I cannot ride and restrict my calories too much. I normally try and eat a low glycemic diet, but I absolutely have to add in some good carbs when I ride. It seems that I am at the point that eating a whole wheat bagel causes me to gain a pound! I don't want to obsess on my weight, but I have worked hard to still be thin at age 55. I's not effortless, as some people think.

[OakLeaf]

I haven't been following this thread too closely, and I think it did sound like the OP's issue was likely calorie-related.

BUT. I read something a while back that said the #1 predictor of hyponatremia after a long run was weight gain. Not total water intake, not anything else - weight gain.

I really struggle with electrolyte replacement, so I don't have any good advice on how to know when plain water is enough and when it isn't. Often it seems I just can't get enough salt, but my BP tends to run a little high so I'm careful with it, and I wind up hyponatremic. Thank goodness, never so severely that my heart has been affected, but enough that I've wound up severely dehydrated after a few days of just trying to sip plain water because I couldn't keep anything down. It honestly took me over a decade to figure out what was going on, including a trip to the ER for rehydration where neither the ER doctors nor my PCP figured it out. At least I know now that whenever I'm nauseous, it's probably hyponatremia. But I still have no idea how to figure electrolyte quantities preventively.

Just another thing to think about. As if there isn't already enough in this thread to think about. :rolleyes:

[maillotpois]

I rode nearly 300 miles on a weeklong cycling vacation a couple of weeks ago, and I didn't lose any weight. I wasn't trying to, but I found that interesting. Could it have been the post-ride recovery chocolate malts??:eek:

Nah! :D ;)

[Karma007]

I love this thread. I woke up this morning after a 60 mile ride this weekend, having gained 2 lbs. What's hardest to take is that I'm still so tired, and to have gained weight on top of it's pretty irritating. (I have a hard time relaxing on weekends even after a long ride, and by the time I'm ready for a good night's sleep, the Monday morning alarm goes off). Glad to know I'm not alone. I could cut the beer back on Saturday nights, but honestly, I'm so tired at that point, I only have a couple.

[Veronica]

I could cut the beer back on Saturday nights, but honestly, I'm so tired at that point, I only have a couple.

You know an ounce of beer has about ten calories. I'd rather have an ice cream than a couple of beers.

Veronica

[Karma007]

You know an ounce of beer has about ten calories. I'd rather have an ice cream than a couple of beers.

Veronica

Deal! You can have the iceream and I'll take the beer:D

[KellyBRunning]

Thank you so much for everyone who responded to this thread!

I have 20 more pounds to lose (after losing 95) and I have been frustrated with those giant jumps in weight after key workouts. Now that I understand why they are happening, it will definitely help my attitude!

Thanks to all! :)