Post century riding hunger

[aquamoose32]

I am curious is anyone else is having similar issues and if anyone knows what my problem might be. I recently have been riding a lot, about 150-200 miles a week. I'll usually do a 50-60 mile ride once a week and then a 3 or so 30 mile rides. Last Saturday I rode my first century, 112 century ride that was pretty flat at about 17 mph avg.

I know that cycling increases your metabolism, but it is kind of crazy how much food I eat these days. A lot of times I'll eat a big meal and feel really full, but am still hungry. Does anyone else experience this espically after a big ride (50 miles or more?)

I am mostly vegan and read that I need much more protein then I was getting and so I tried to increase this, but now I feel even more hungry. The only thing I really crave is bread and beer and rice. AND LOTS OF IT. Like I cant eat enough.

It is all starting to **** with my mind. Perhaps I need more water? Or this this a normal thing after a century in order for your body to refuel? I'm tired of being hungry, but too full to eat. Its a very weird sensation. Any suggestions?

[OakLeaf]

Are you eating within half an hour after you finish a ride? Your body's ability to restore muscle glycogen starts falling off after half an hour, and is back to baseline about two hours after a workout. If I don't refuel within that period, I'll be ravenous for days.

[maillotpois]

What Oak said AND: what are you eating DURING the ride?

[ny biker]

I'm hungrier than usual for several days after a long ride, regardless of what/how much I eat immediately afterwards. Although I've never felt hungry and too full to eat at the same time.

Do you tend to eat complex carbs (whole grain bread, brown rice) or more processed stuff? And are you eating enough fats?

[aquamoose32]

What Oak said AND: what are you eating DURING the ride?

I usually ride in the morning, so I have a huge cup of black tea and some oatmeal or bread or cereal with soymilk and fruit. I dont usually eat on a ride unless I am doing more than 30 miles, then I will bring a snack or cliff bar. After a ride I will have rice, or couscous, some grain, maybe beans (trying to get more protein) and a huge salad or something like that. I have been trying to get in the routine to eat RIGHT after I ride. But like today, that didn't make any difference to my lingering hunger after my 45 mile ride.

I do eat mostly whole grain and brown rice, but I crave jam and honey like a 5 year old. Being mostly vegan my diet is pretty plain and simple lots of veggies, grains, fruit, and soymilk. I get most of my fats from soymilk, chocolate (I like chocolate) , and olive oil.

I guess it is good to hear, "If I don't refuel within that period, I'll be ravenous for days." Cause I always feel like that and I was wondering if it was common among other cyclists.

[marni]

On all of the cross country days of 85-100miles at an average of 15 mph I was burning between 3,000-4,000 calories a day just on biking-plud another 1500 just functioning. I couldn't eat enough to satisfy the need for food- yes I was eating while I was riding. Over the 58 days of the last cross country I lost almost 15 pounds, but unfortunately most of them came back in the next three months, since it was hard to rein my eating back and get used to restricting my intake back to 1850 calories a day.

I also spent a week after the ride, sleeping til 10:30, getting up , wandering out to find some lunch, eating, going back to the motel, sleeping until 4:00 pm, taking a walk, finding dinner, going back to the motel, going to bed at 7:00 pm and repeating again the next day.

Maybe you need to let yourself eat lots of good healthy stuff for a day or two and sleep a lot.

Incidentally, my favorite recovery foods after a long ride are honey greek yogurt with wallnuts, almonds and a few sunflower seeds and a fruit smoothie mad with protein pattern.

Congrats on your riding.

marni

[Miranda]

I recently considered following a vegan diet, but haven't made it that far yet. That was one of my questions: what do vegan's need to perform athletically? There are some very successful vegan endurance athletes. I just googled some, and skimmed a few articles. So, it can be done. Even with meat as animal proteins, I know the feeling you are describing well. Like omg my jaw is actually tired of chewing, my stomach feels like I'm first trimester prego, yet I'm starving to death:(.

Seems like what I did when I trained for my century was to make sure I also ate and drank well on the shorter rides. Our physical activity and diet are accumulative remember. I think it helped. OK, I know this won't help you because it's meat, but one of my best recovery meals that stopped the starving sensation was: whole wheat spagetti (not just brown noodles, the kind with the most fiber possible), marinia sauce, and grilled chicken breast w parm cheese. And something about a lime Edy's juice popsicle for dessert made eating life all better lol. (maybe you can figure out the grams of protein in the chicken and come up with a vegan subs w similiar protein- black beans?).

You could also get an appointment with a sports nutritionist. I saw one once and it was educational (besides books I own, and TE of course). Hope you find some resovle!

[maillotpois]

I usually ride in the morning, so I have a huge cup of black tea and some oatmeal or bread or cereal with soymilk and fruit. I dont usually eat on a ride unless I am doing more than 30 miles, then I will bring a snack or cliff bar.

A "snack" or Clif bar for 60 - 100 miles????

:confused:

No wonder you're hungry after. Aim for 300 - 400 calories per hour of riding while you are riding and a solid 400 - 450 right afterwards. Then you won't be ravenous in the hours/days after.

[aquamoose32]

A "snack" or Clif bar for 60 - 100 miles????

:confused:

No wonder you're hungry after. Aim for 300 - 400 calories per hour of riding while you are riding and a solid 400 - 450 right afterwards. Then you won't be ravenous in the hours/days after.

Sorry I didnt make that more clear, when I ride alone for 50-60 miles that is I will stop 1/2 and eat a cliff bar or a sandwich. But on the century ride I ate a lot...lots of bananas like 3, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chocolate, and oranges and tons of salty pretzels.

Marni, it took you 3 months till you got back to your normal 1850 eating habits? Have you heard of the lag time? Someone said it has to do with your body preparing for it's next ride. So you eat more even when you have stopped riding cause your body is gearing up for the next ride. It's hard to know if you are just hungry, or its that, or your metabolism is up. I dont know.

Thanks for all your comments!

[indysteel]

Once a upon a time when I averaged 200 miles a week (plus 2-3 yoga classes a week), I felt like I just couldn't eat enough to satiate me. I was hungry almost all the time, even when I purposely ate a good mixture of carbs and protein immediately after each ride.

I ultimately just ate a lot--big meals that included protein, carbs and healthy fats and lots of in-between-meal snacks. Because I neither gained nor lost weight, I assume that's what my body needed. I also made a point of staying well hydrated, which was almost as challenging, but thirst can be mistaken for hunger.

It was hard come fall/winter to curb that appetite, so just be forewarned that you may find yourself packing on a few pounds if and when your activity level drops.

[ny biker]

I highly recommend this book:

http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp

Among other things, it has good advice on what and how much to eat before, during and after endurance exercise.

[Catrin]

The same author also has a cycling specific book. The name is The Cyclist's Food Guide and is well worth the price. I can't seem to persuade my phone to copy the link but just search for the name. I am sure either book would provide the information you need.

[tulip]

Everyone's different, but you might want to try eating more frequently during your rides. Stopping every 30 miles for a sandwich or a clif bar doesn't seem like enough to me.

Here's what I do and it works great (for me): I drink a big gulp from my water bottle (I like G2) every 5 minutes or so. Yes, that is frequent, but it keeps me hydrated. Of course, this requires the ability to drink while riding and not everyone has mastered that skill. I eat a bite of a powerbar (my preferred ride food) every 15 minutes or so, again requiring the ability to do that on the fly. On organized rides, I'll stop at each rest stop, refill my bottles and eat something they offer--usually cookies or bananas or pbj. Then I set off again and start with the 5-15 minute routine. Sometimes I have shotblocks, but they are like candy so I have to keep myself from eating them all at once!

This works for longer rides as well as my more usual 1-2 hour rides, but I find it essential for distances over 40 miles to avoid bonking.

Right after the ride, I'll have chocolate milk (you can do soy if you prefer) and something salty like potato chips or pretzles. Within 30 minutes or so I'll try to have something more. If my ride ends at home, I make myself a smoothie with bananas and chocolate soy milk and ice.

I do eat meat. I used to be a vegetarian, but found myself lethargic nearly all the time, as well as 20 lbs too heavy. I started eating meat and lost 20 lbs and gained much more energy. I've always had low iron (I can't ever seem to pass the iron test for blood donations) so a non-meat diet was not working for me. Not to say this has anything to do with your diet; just reporting what has worked for me.

Best of luck!

[maillotpois]

Everyone's different, but you might want to try eating more frequently during your rides. Stopping every 30 miles for a sandwich or a clif bar doesn't seem like enough to me.



I agree. When I do long rides, it is critical for me to have food coming in (liquid and solid) every 5 - 10 minutes. Just a bite or drink here and there, adding up to 250 - 300 calories an hour. Eating and drinking on the bike is key here. I really don't like to stop much, especially in a very long ride.

As Tulip noted, recovery food right after is also important. 300 - 500 calories within the hour after I'm done.

I find if I pay attention to both these issues, even after a hard double century or 300 - 400k, I'm not ravenous the next day/week. And that has been a KEY factor for me in losing weight this year. :) You didn't mention that as being an issue at all for you and it probably isn't, I just wanted to note that as counter-intuitive as it might sound, eating more at the right times (during and right after the ride) for me has been a key to eating less overall.

[Karma007]

I found a huge difference in the ride itself if I eat more. Clif Shot Blocks, bites of Clif Bars, salted red potatoes...anything longer than 30 miles, and I munch away. I don't get tired the way I used to.

[Irulan]

No mention of recovery products?... I find that a bottle of Recoverite by Hammer Nutrition right away, then a meal, really helps with that bottomless feeling.

[Pedal Wench]

Like others have mentioned, if I don't get a recovery meal/drink/snack right after - especially one containing protein, I get that bottomless pit feeling too. For me, I can even hold off for about an hour, as long as there's a good bit of protein in that first meal. Without it, no carb is safe around me.

[tulip]

No mention of recovery products?... I find that a bottle of Recoverite by Hammer Nutrition right away, then a meal, really helps with that bottomless feeling.

chocolate milk and vinegar potato chips are my preferred recovery products. I've never tried prepared stuff because I am so cheap, but maybe someday I will.

[nscrbug]

I tried Recoverite (all 3 flavors) and thought it was gross...but that could just be me. I much prefer low-fat or fat-free chocolate milk as a recovery drink option. I usually get mine at Aldi...1/2 gal of lowfat choc milk is $1.79 and can generally last me a week. Another good option I like is Kefir...good amount of protein and tastes yummy too. Although I buy the fruit-flavored ones like strawberry-banana or blueberry, so those have more sugar than the plain variety.

[OakLeaf]

No mention of recovery products?... I find that a bottle of Recoverite by Hammer Nutrition right away, then a meal, really helps with that bottomless feeling.

When I'm done with the ride I have access to real food, and when I'm not exerting myself I can stomach it. :)

[azfiddle]

I don't eat on a very short ride (10-15 miles) but more than 20 and I start snacking. If I'm going to stop somewhere, I bring a Luna bar or trail mix. Circle K stores sell bananas for 25 cents! I also have found shot blocks are convenient and easy to digest.

I haven't done a full century yet, but about a month ago I did an organized 73 mile ride. I prefer real food - and to be honest, I don't like the GU very much at all, but it's easy to eat while I'm riding, so I alternated between 3 shot blocks and a packet of GU every half hour and I did not ever feel tired or hungry during the ride. I stopped at one aid station and had a banana- but otherwise rode straight through.

I sometimes make or buy a smoothie or a mocha frappucino after a long ride, especially when it's hot out.

Last year when I was focusing on weight loss, I tried to make it through a weekend with a 45 mile ride and a 25 mile ride with only about 200 extra calories. Sunday afternoon I so ravenous I could not concentrate on anything other than finding something to eat. I don't recommend that approach!

[Thorn]

I know there are articles that state that vegans will get enough protein in their diet if they just eat healthy and balanced. But, I find that when I am riding long if I stress protein for my after ride meals, I can lose some of the feeling of "oh look there is some food, I should eatt it...oh, more....more...look there is some there under that rock, let me dig it up...food....eat...."

I use a good soy-milk chai as my recovery drink and add extra nuts to dishes (e.g., stir fry, Indian-style dishes, and even american-style casseroles). We've also add TVP as a thickener to sauces that might not need it normally or add seitan or chunks of tofu to soups that could stand on their own. For work when the unreasonable craving starts I have some seitan jerky in my desk drawer. With a protein kick, the cravings subside; when I used veggies or carbs, they just kept going.