Low carb cycling?

[jodeet]

Is there anyone out there who can tell me what to eat during long rides that would be lower carb. I've lost about 12 lb, but always put weight back on when cycling season comes around. I've tried using the Atkins bars, because they do have a fair amount of carbs, but lots of fiber also. I want to continue losing, so I can be faster....help?:confused:

[kacie tri-ing]

I would rethink that if you are doing any kind of longer riding. Carbohydrates have to be the basis of any athletic diet. Now the KIND of carbohydrate can certainly influence your weight.

Check out this article, and really anything else by Nancy Clark!

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/nutrition/nancy/carb_confusion.html

[ny biker]

I would rethink that if you are doing any kind of longer riding. Carbohydrates have to be the basis of any athletic diet. Now the KIND of carbohydrate can certainly influence your weight.

Check out this article, and really anything else by Nancy Clark!

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/nutrition/nancy/carb_confusion.html

I agree. If you're gaining weight then focus on how much you're eating. I think it's fairly common to overestimate the amount of food you need for recovery after long rides.

[TrekTheKaty]

What kind of carbs? Do you mean sugar or grains? Maybe try making homemade granola bars or energy bars? (I know there is a Nancy Clark recipe). Cut the sugar in half if that's your concern.

I started making the Garmin rice cakes last year--good carbs instead of candy bars.

[KnottedYet]

I'd love to gain 12 pounds of muscle every riding season....

[maillotpois]

I agree. If you're gaining weight then focus on how much you're eating. I think it's fairly common to overestimate the amount of food you need for recovery after long rides.

Huge point here - I think most of the calories that should be cut to lose weight should come from your off bike fueling window. You need a good 300 - 500 calories within 30 minutes of riding, but beyond that - the extra slice of pizza and extra beer "because I rode today" is what is going to sabotage your weight loss efforts. Don't cut calories during your rides. Cut them after.

- MP (who knows what she needs to do to lose weight but just really doesn't care right now ;) )

[Grits]

I also have trouble losing or even maintaining weight while I am cycling frequently. I know I unconsciously justify overeating because I need to "fuel my ride."

I have recently started a food journal with calorie count based on Nancy Clark's "The Cyclists Food Guide." I don't believe she would be very supportive of low carb diets, but would encourage healthy whole grains and fruits, just not empty carbs. She gives you a formula for figuring a rough estimate of the base calories you need for daily living (which you can also easily find online on many different websites) and then a formula to figure what additional calories you need for riding based on your weight and average speed and time in the saddle. If you want to lose weight at a healthy pace and maintain your metabolism and energy level, you then decrease those calories by 20%.

I'm not counting carbs or anything other than calories because I just don't like to do that. Calories are about all I can handle. I have cut out refined flour and am eating more lean protein and whole grains. No junk.

It has been very helpful to me to have a guideline for how much extra I need to eat on riding days. For example, a 140 lb person cycling at 13mph for 2 hours needs an additional 980 calories. If you are trying to lose weight, reduce that by 20% and add an additional 784 calories to your base
amount that day. I have just started doing this so can't report results yet, but it has to be better than what I have been doing! This Friday will be my official weekly weigh in, and the first since I have done some riding, so we'll see then.

[azfiddle]

I have never tried a low-carb diet, but maybe my experience will be helpful.

I have lost a total of 35 lbs since Jan 2009, 23 of them since starting cycling in the summer. In July I was only riding 3 miles to the store, and gradually increased my time and distances. I'm using weightwatchers, which uses "points" - based on calories, fiber and fat but basically it's about 60 calories per point. For my weight, I'm allowed 18 points a day, plus 35 extra points per week. Cycling or other exercise adds in "activity points". One activity point is worth about 100 calories burned during exercise. I don't worry about carbs, protein etc but I have cut back on sweets, and eat more things like oatmeal, whole grain pasta, lean protein, fruit and veggies.

Currently, I'm riding 50-100 miles per week (about 4-8 hours), depending on my schedule & the weather. If I ride 45-90 minutes, I might allow myself 2-4 extra points for the day. If I ride 2-3 hours, I will allow myself as much as 8-10 extra points, but I almost never dip into the activity points by the end of the week. I keep my ride snacks small, and most of the extra points come from extra snacks after my ride and slightly bigger lunch or dinner. I try to think of the ride as burning more calories - not as an excuse to eat more.

It's working for me, but the essential ingredients have been careful tracking of everything I eat and adding in the regular exercise.

[TrekTheKaty]

Ditto Nancy Clark--excellent recipes in her books.

[bikerHen]

Cut down on the beer?! :eek: :D:D:D:D

I've got Nancy Clark's book. You want to borrow it?

+1 on not needing to eat as much. Especially the next day when I'm typically starving. I spend the whole day focusing on trying NOT to eat. bikerHen

[bikermaze]

I usually pack home made granola bars with not much sugar but a lot of fruits and nuts packed in it to keep it interesting. Variety helps. I stay away from processed bars because of the corn syrup. It's just as bad I read up somewhere.

I usually focus on the grain-type carbs than anything else since they break down into more sugar in my system and I don't need that.

Aren't carbs the staple of most diets? Of course the right amount of carbs sort of diet, not the empty/sugary sorts. That defeats the purpose doesn't it?

[moonfroggy]

bikermaze would you share your recipe?

[abejita]

+2 on the Nancy Clark books. I know when I was eating lower carbs (more due to lower calorie intake rather than actively restricting carbs) I hit a wall everytime I rode and I just had no energy. I made the decision to eat more for cycling endurance rather than focusing on loosing my last 20lb. I've had soooo much more energy and I am still loosing weight!

[Dannielle]

bumping this old thread because I was searching for info on combining low carb eating with cycling and didn't find much.

Wanted to chime in that the there is at least one other person out there (me!) who eats this way and rides a bike.

I keep carbs under 50g on off-bike days and go up to 100g or so on biking days (amount depends on how long my ride is). On biking days I have more carbs while I'm on the bike (cytomax/gatorade to drink, chocolate #9 gels, etc). My rides are always at least 2hrs so I need a little something. I do gravitate toward Long&Slow rides vs. going for speed, which I've read is better for burning more fat vs. carbs.

I don't eat grains, sugar(except when on the bike), starches at all. I do eat fruit and the occasional sweet potato though. And tons of veggies!

I've lost 100lbs eating this way (still have 50 or so to go) and it's become a lifestyle for me. It works for me so I can't see changing things. Though I do tweak things while on the bike as I do feel more energized when I have some carbs while riding. I try to be really careful to not consume more than I'm burning off though. I can tell I've had too much when I have carb cravings later in the day.

I'd love to hear how others who eat Primal/Paleo/LowCarb successfully combine their way of eating with cycling.

[shootingstar]

Congrats on your weight loss so far, Danielle! May it stay off.

So what carbs have you avoided/reduced drastically to lose weight? Jeez and you weigh your food.

I'm a lazy bum in this area, I have never weighed food portions nor have I ever counted calories eaten. Not that I have a weight problem.

Perhaps the focus would be carbohydrates with low glycemic index. which is what I've had to pay abit more attention in past few years or else I'm walking closer to the diabetes 2 result. It's just as well I reduced the high GI carbohydrates anyway since my metabolism is slower than what it was 20 years ago.

So I've cut down my rice intake ..probably by 70%. I used to have rice nearly daily.

I have light pasta. There are specific dried pastas I will only buy now for home. I will have Italian based pasta in restaurants..because one can't control the situation in some restaurant menus. But the latter is not often for me.

Potatoes- I rarely have potatoes. It's just not my starch/carb preference. Potatoes feel heavy to me in my stomach. Probably due to being raised on rice as a kid.

I do love artisan bread, so I have to watch myself. In lieu of too much lovely bread, I have oatmeal, just abit for breakfast daily with milk. Small amount of oatmeal is a good carb (with some fresh fruit) that burns well and easy to digest just before setting off for a bike ride. Well, at least for some folks.

[Dannielle]

Thanks!

I avoid grains entirely (wheat, oats, rice, corn, etc) so no bread or pasta for me. I don't eat potatoes either. And I also don't eat sugar except for a controlled bit when I'm on the bike. I'm super careful with it though and stick to agave nectar (low GI) as much as possible.

I get most of my carbs from vegetables and fruits. I don't weigh/measure most things...just the things that can get me in trouble with carbs (fruit) or calories (fats). I've been at it a while now so I can eyeball most things. I pretty much load up on the veggies (no measuring there!) and eat normal sized servings of protein once or twice a day.

That probably sounds crazy restrictive but I have substitutes for most things so I don't really miss anything. Instead of pasta I use shirataki noodles, spaghetti squash, or zucchini shredded into long strips. I have a grain-free roll recipe that works great as a bread substitute. And cauliflower is a magical vegetable lol. I use it to make pizza crust and as a potato substitute (mashed faux-tatoes, faux-tato salad, cauli-tots).

I read a lot of diet/nutrition books as I find them inspiring and motivational. The one that's closest to what works for me is Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint. Love that book.

Anyway, hope that answers your question :)

[gnat23]

Dannielle, thanks for bringing this up! I've been trying something similar to this for a few weeks now ever since reading Paleo for Athletes.

The first time I tried, I had a horrible time with the adjustment. Headaches, no energy, no gas in the tank for bike rides, basically. I was starting to wonder if it was a choice between dieting *or* exercising, since I couldn't seem to do both. But after a big 6-week trip (when I didn't care about what I ate at all), I came back and went paleo right away, and I had a much easier time.

I now eat fruits and veg for my carbs most of the time. Before a ride of 1-2 hours I'll have juice or sushi. Before a multi-hour ride, a big bowl of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. During a ride, it's mostly gels and cytomax and such. After the ride, I might have a cookie or a beer right away, but I settle back into paleo pretty easily. For weightlifting, yoga, or running I find I don't have to carb up.

Once it clicked, I feel like I *got* it. No more ravenous pre-dinner snacking, far fewer moodswings, and my bike sprints actually feel more powerful. :)

-- gnat!

[Dannielle]

that's exactly it. I DO feel I need a little carb boost on the bike. But I try to time it just right...almost using sugar/carbs as a medicine, if that makes sense. I want it in me when I'm riding and used up when I'm done.

I often have a larabar in the car on the way to the trail. And when I'm riding long I pack a little cooler with a protein shake made with 1/2 banana to enjoy when I'm driving home.

But when it's hot like it is now I find myself going for gels (prefer chocolate #9 with agave) or cytomax to drink. I switch to propel or crystal light to drink for the last hour of the ride with the intent of not having any any sugar in me when I'm finished.

I, too, don't feel the same need to add extra carbs for the gym. Just when I'm on the bike for a couple/few hours. And especially in the heat. That seems to make a big difference for some reason.

I really want to read Paleo for Athletes. I haven't managed to track it down in ebook form yet or else I'd have read it by now. I try to stay out of book stores. I get into big trouble in them lol.

[lattae]

Danielle,, I'm amazed at your wt loss. Congratulations , I bet you feel so much better. I've had difficulties with wt loss with biking the past couple years. I've requested the Paleo for Athletes book from the library and will be anxious to check it out. I have hypothyroidism and always need to watch my simple carb intake. I find if I eat potatoes, pasta, breads on a regular basis that the wt will not come off. I think that I'm carb sensitive and I may be the type of person that should consume my carbs mainly from fruit and vegetables also. I do use Hammer Heed for my sports drink and use the hammer gels while biking. This year has been particularly difficult to lose wt though. I've always been able to take off 10 lbs each summer with biking, probably being menopausal doesn't help the metabolism either.

[Dannielle]

Interesting that you mention hypothyroidism. I have thyroid issues too. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 9years ago and struggled for years with it being treated inadequately (at the time I believed the dr who told me all was well and my symptoms were in my head). When I finally switched Dr's it was found that I had thyroid cancer. I was treated for it which involved having my thyroid removed so I'll always be on thyroid meds.

I feels tons better. For me the weight gain was in large part due to how sick I was with my thyroid issues. Once I was feeling like a human being again it was time to get busy undoing the mess I had become.

I turn 40 on Tuesday and I'm determined my 40s are gonna rock. :D

If you find that sort of eating works well for you, too, you might check out http://www.marksdailyapple.com Lots of good, free info there.

I'm thinking I might pick up Paleo for Athletes this weekend. Really interested to read it.

[EasilyLead]

i have lost a ton of weight(pun intended) and have never cut back on carbs while riding.


here is how its done. while riding your body needs carbs to keep riding longer than 1-2 hours. after your workout is done there is a small window of opportunity that your body will open up its stores and accept carbs and proteins that go into your body stores to refuel. after about 4-5 hours this metabolism slows down and you will be converting extra carbs/sugars to fat. so this is the time to eat. if you do this you will recover very fast and not be sore or barely even tired.

so i eat while i ride and just after to refuel. then i snack often all day, but very sparingly amounts. you will be burning calories at twice the rate after a workout for a while, so even just watching tv you can lose weight.

if you can workout in the morning, you will burn more calories all day doing normal everyday stuff. this really works. you won't feel tired because you have refueled your body and you will lose weight.

the only draw back is that if you don't snack(very lightly and low carb) and drink lots of water, you will feel hungry.


doing this will also super charge your metabolism for anybody type.

[jezbael]

I've been following the Zone diet for about a year, which is based in low GI foods, controlling insulin and lowering inflammation.

Foods I eat little of: most grains (except for steel cut oats), tropical fruits, starchy veggies, sugars

Foods I eat more of: green veggies, berries, apples, plums, apricots, lean protein, monunsaturated fats, beans, lentils

I've lost 25 lbs and climbed out of being pre-diabetic.

I'm constantly searching for portable proteins that I can take bike touring. I've recently discovered Sosoya (dehydrated soy pieces) which I'm pleased about.

Currently researching powdered egg whites, but can't seem to find much except for the stuff that people use in protein shakes. Has anyone tried it reconstituted and cooked as scrambled eggs?

[Faster Pussycat]

Danielle,, I'm amazed at your wt loss. Congratulations , I bet you feel so much better. I've had difficulties with wt loss with biking the past couple years. I've requested the Paleo for Athletes book from the library and will be anxious to check it out.

I found the paelo diet WAY to hardcore and personally I question the science behind it. I lost 10kg using Precision Nutrition and although it was a lot of effort and organisation it did work.

Despite being quite small I still had a spare tyre of belly fat that I just couldn't shift. I saw a sports dietican who put carbs back into my diet. Quite a lot by my standards. I had to buy bread! In three weeks, based on my caliper measurements I lost 2.5kg of body fat and another 2kg in the following month. Introducing carbs really "tidied" up the midsection.

The meal plan from the dietician was far, far FAR simpler and more practical than the paleo diet or precision nutrition. Having researched the scientific literature I am now a bit sceptical of diets that eliminate entire food groups. Some people are more sensitive to insulin and need super low GI diets but you tend to need to experiment and find out what combination shifts the fat

Even John Berardi advocates actual increased carbohydrate intake for endurance athletes.

So while the moderate carbs from veggies worked, given the KM's I was going reintroducing complex carbs gave me far better results. I was also happier, less tired and spend much less time preparing food and more time doing the rewarding things in life.