my husband has been into cycling for about a year and a half now, and he has finally gotten me interested. but i don't know where to start with the nutrition issue.

first i'll introduce myself. i'm 26 years old, 5'5", and weight 182 lbs. i started my diet at 215, blech.

i believe in real food instead of supplements, but he takes 12-14 different things. so i don't really want to listen to his advice on what to take, i think he goes overboard.

also, i've been on nutrisystem for four months now. i'm on a 1200 calorie diet. i've lost 33 lbs. with the diet and moderate excercise (walking/jogging). i know cycling is going to demand a huge fuel increase, but how do i figure that in with my weight loss plan?

yesterday we went on a 12 mile ride (my third ride ever, the first two were about 13mi). he says you're not supposed to eat anything solid before you ride, but from what i've been seeing on here that's not necessarily true. if i don't eat at least a little before i excercise it makes me nauseous. i tried to tell him that, but he says i'll feel worse if i do eat.

so yesterday he gave me a scoop of something called super charge nitric oxide pre exercise drink with some water. i drank a 16oz. bottle of water and then we left. 20 min later we rode six miles (i can only handle about 12-16mph) and stopped. i had a hammergel mixed with water and a few sips of my water bottle but felt really dizzy. rested a couple of minutes, got back on, road six miles back. felt better on the way back then i did on the way out. back at the car i drank some kind of recovery drink.

so am i doing anything right? can i eat something first? what should i be doing?

thanks for any advice!

amanda