Sometimes I wonder if I have a tape worm...

[bethas]

Hello: I just joined up and have been please to see all the discussion about diet and riding. Do you all think even lower mileage rides can kick in the tapeworm complex? Due to scheduling and a very odd injury I've been doing shorter rides, say 6-10 milers. This past week it felt like even that brought on the appetite.

My situation is complicated by the fact that I pretty much follow a wheat free diet...and (gasp) no chocolate/caffeine.

bethas
Land of Goshen

[Veronica]

Hey V - how are you doing?

GREAT! Thanks for asking. Just got back from an excellent trip to Oregon to do some mountain biking.

Did some trails we did last year that I remember as being wicked difficult - one is named Dread and Terror - it wasn't easy, but it was so much less difficult this year. Last year I'd estimate I rode 60 - 70% of it. This year was more like 95%.

Foodwise - I'm still chowing down a lot, but I'm burning a lot...

V.

[kaian]

I've been experiencing the same thing! I'm constantly hungry. I can eat a whole meal and 15 minutes later feel like I could snack. My triathlete friend insists it's due to my increasing mileage. I'm training for a century right now and am up to 65 miles for my long ride. It's hard to find fulfilling foods, too. Salads, veggies, fruits aren't giving me that "full" feeling, so I've been trying to do high protein snacks when I feel like that.

It's kind of weird balancing out getting what I need to build my body and eating too much! But I guess if my body is hounding me for food, it's probably a sign it needs more.

[Tater]

Another one here with the 'tapeworm complex'! Apples and pb are awesome, as are pb and banana sandwiches. I'll have to try the pretzels and pb! I agree with Yellow though, raw foods don't do squat for me! I need protein and or a bit of fat to keep me from pawing through my desk drawers or my backpack every hour or so to keep that tapeworm at bay.

[tygab]

I've been refraining from posting... but yeah, its so bad that I have brought to work a stockpile of snackings, including a Costco sized cheerios for an afternoon bowl. Usually I am hungry about every 2-3 hours right now, at 9, again around 11:30 (I try to wait til 12:30), then again around 3 (I wait til after 4) and then again at dinner, and bedtime snack. I've always known the tapeworm is lurking and it gets in high gear when I have been in my better fitness periods, so I don't mind too much In poorer fitness periods (that's a euphemism for when I have just sat around on my behind all winter) I still have a metabolism faster than most I think... anyway

For fun, today's intake has been:
protein powder w glass of 1% milk
1/2 a Dunkin Donut
1 bowl pasta w/ meatballs and sauce
1 small bowl chicken ceasar salad
1 bowl of cheerios
2 loaded burritos (dinner and homemade, yum)
a couple of sticks of string cheese
and it's about time for my pre bed snack.

I dunno, maybe its not a lot of calories but it sure seems like I am eating all the time.