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.

[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????



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.

[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!