How do I fight "the queasies"?

I'm still new to this riding thing, so I hope this question doesn't sound odd. Pretty often, in the middle of my ride (30 min in), I get really queasy like I'm going to throw up . One time I had eaten lunch about 30 minutes before we went out, but last night, I rode before dinner and only had a snack of peanuts, dried apricots and a V-8 so I wouldn't be starving during our ride. The queasy feeling is HORRIBLE! When I got home, I basically drank a full glass of water and then passed out on the bed for 15 minutes, and then I was fine.

I think I might be getting overheated because I am so out of shape. Also, I have rosacea and my face turns beet red when I ride. If anyone has any advice, I'd sure appreciate it. Maybe I should just eat apples or carrots and water before a ride? I need to figure out what to eat before a night ride, because that's the time that I am most likely going to be riding during the week, after work but before dinner.

I suspect the V-8 wouldn't really agree with me either, although I think the peanuts and apricots would be OK.

I don't find apples to be a good energy fruit - I think you'd be better off with a banana.

When I ride after work, I usually grab a yogurt smoothie and sometimes a banana, sometimes an energy bar, usually a Pria bar. I also drink Gatorade as I ride. I haven't had any experience like the one you're describing though. My initial suggestion would be to change the food you are using as your before ride snack. Are you riding at an easy pace, or are you really trying to push yourself? Maybe back off on the pace a little bit. Maybe try eating your snack a little earlier - as in not right before you ride. (Although I haven't had a problem with light snacks before and during my rides...)

--- Denise

Unfortuately, at this point, my pace is what could be described as "snail-like". Last night's ride was a 5 mile ride in 54 minutes. Other than walking up the hills, I can't get much slower and still keep momentum on the bike. :p Other than the hills, I don't think I'm pushing myself past my limit. I think it's just that my heart can't keep up with my body just yet.

I do think a banana would be a good idea. I love me some bananas. Maybe a banana-berry-soy milk smoothie before my ride, a small one (8oz) would be good for me. I've been a strict vegetarian (no meat, no dairy, no eggs) for about two months now, so that's got to be kept into perspective as well.

How hot is it where you are? We big gals have a hard time dumping heat, so if the day is on the warm side, that could cause general ickiness.

Also, if you are riding for 30 minutes, don't bother eating especially for the ride. You can live off the fat of the land for half an hour. I've found that riding on a full stomach is just yuck. I try not to do it. Don't forget to drink, though.

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Originally Posted by MomOnBike

How hot is it where you are? We big gals have a hard time dumping heat, so if the day is on the warm side, that could cause general ickiness.

Also, if you are riding for 30 minutes, don't bother eating especially for the ride. You can live off the fat of the land for half an hour. I've found that riding on a full stomach is just yuck. I try not to do it. Don't forget to drink, though.

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It's starting to get into the 90's here. Yeah, I'm more motivated to get a nice, cool jersey with every ride. I've gotta wait for a paycheck or two, but I'll get them soon. I want to ride, and don't want to be miserable when I ride.

I often have this happen and also food want to, ahem, come up, when riding. Sigh, my digestive system, which I used to be able to so take for granted, seems to be more finicky as I get older. For this reason I try to eat breakfast a couple of hours before an am ride, and to stick with gels or liquids. Few energy bar type things work, although the Larabars so far might be OK. I have had to experiment to find those that will stay down. Just listening to the body to see what might be happening.

It also sounds like you're not taking in enough fluids. Are you drinking during the day And during the ride? A down and dirty way to tell if you're taking in enough fluids is your urine should be very pale to colourless. Some people just flush when they exercise, but the drinking a big glass of water and then napping coupled with the queasiness almost sounds like dehydration. You might try an electrolyte drink - if you're being careful with your diet there is a sugar-free, vegan mix called Electro-Mix made by the same people that make EmerGenC. You should be able to find it at any health food store. A good rule of thumb someone here taught me was about a bottle of fluid an hour. So in your case if you're taking 54 mins for your ride, you should be just about out of water when you get home.

E - I think I saw you are in my neck of the woods and I'd say it's been pretty stinking warm for riding the last week, especially with the wind and humidity. I've been riding with a friend who is new to riding and pretty out of shape. She's been having some queasiness and lot's of the red face, too. She's doing better now that she's eating before we ride and drinking lots of fluids.

Good luck and keep at it...Steph

I wonder about your heart rate...

Do you have access to a heart rate monitor you could borrow, if you dont have one of your own?

When people get tested for their max heart rate (so they can find out what the optimum heart rate is to ride at for most energy conservation) they are told by their coaches to ride til they throw up - literally

I know when I am reaching my max heart rate when I am climbing hills and am in the lowest gear, pushing as hard as I can so I go just a bit faster than stopping - thats when I want to throw up...

So maybe you have pushed yourself hard for long enough - and heat can def be part of the equation that raises the heart rate...

Just an idea... good luck with trying to sort out your queasies...

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Originally Posted by DeniseGoldberg

When I ride after work, I usually grab a yogurt smoothie and sometimes a banana, sometimes an energy bar, usually a Pria bar.

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Along the same lines of advice that Denise gave - a good pre-ride 'meal' is a carton of yogurt topped with crumbled power bar. My favorite is Blue Bunny Lite 85 Vanilla Creme topped with one of the Luna cranberry and oats barn-since effulgent is on a non-dairy diet maybe a carton of the soy 'yogurt' would be a good replacement. My other suggestion would be to make it a habit of drinking lots of water - especially during the warmer spring/summer months. Since I ride my bike on 'most days' I know that it is essential to keep myself hydrated and that means lots of water not only during a ride but in the hours before and after. Pretty much all the time. CorsairMac gave a great piece of advice in the guideline to know that you are drinking enough water to keep yourself hydrated is by the color of your urine. Yes it is possible to over indulge - a good visual would be to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. My daily consumption is between 10 and 12 glasses. Another 'tip' is that room temperature water is absorbed into your body at a faster rate than cold water; it took me a week or so to get myself acclimated to warmer water but now I prefer it over ice cold. The water that I consume is room temperature - I keep a jug of water (or water bottles) on the counter so I can keep track of how much I've taken in and how much I have left for my daily intake. During a ride it is important to maintain hydration - like Denise I drink gatorade to replenish the lost electrolytes etc. After my ride I eat a sliced apple with a couple tablespoons of natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir and keep in the fridge) with a piece of low-skim string cheese. A banana would certainly give you a shot of potassium but I've found that the sugar in the banana after a ride doesn't sit well in my system.

Well, over the years I have found out what I can and cannot consume before exercising.

You may need to test some different scenarios... risk getting queasy... to figure out what works best for you.

Also, I know that when I workout really hard and push myself... I get queasy feeling. Many people vomit when they workout too hard for their fitness level.

Remember, what works for one person's stomach, may not work for another's.

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Originally Posted by KSH

Also, I know that when I workout really hard and push myself... I get queasy feeling. Many people vomit when they workout too hard for their fitness level.

Remember, what works for one person's stomach, may not work for another's.

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What I said in my previous post... just cause you are queasy in the tum doesn't necessarioly relate to something you have eaten. See if you can check your heart rate as well as monitoring what food you have/are eating.