Need hydration advice

[ace]

Hi Darcy- I feel sort of attacked by the tone of your post, although I'm sure you are just trying to be helpful. Honestly, I wouldn't have posted this if I didn't want to do a better job hydrating/feeding myself on rides. I don't restrict my calories on a ride at all (or at least not on purpose), and I know it's not about eating/drinking when hungry/thirsty, but part of a thought-out plan. I obviously just haven't been too smart about eating enough- I was completely focused on drinking enough because I got so sick last year.

I don't have the luxury of doing other similar rides on my own during the week right now. I'm under doctor's orders that I can only do one longish ride a week (25-30 miles), then at most 1/2 an hour rides 3 other times a week. This is because my knee injury flares up if I do any more than that. So I get one shot a week to figure it out.

Just know I'm doing the best I can at the moment.

[DarcyInOregon]

Hi Darcy- I feel sort of attacked by the tone of your post, although I'm sure you are just trying to be helpful. Honestly, I wouldn't have posted this if I didn't want to do a better job hydrating/feeding myself on rides. I don't restrict my calories on a ride at all (or at least not on purpose), and I know it's not about eating/drinking when hungry/thirsty, but part of a thought-out plan. I obviously just haven't been too smart about eating enough- I was completely focused on drinking enough because I got so sick last year.

Sorry Ace. No that wasn't my intent to make you feel bad, for whatever reason. I just want you to be able to reach your goals. I am usually pretty specific in my language and don't have any underlying tones, at least I don't think so.

If you are only doing weekend rides, that might be part of your problem. Maybe others can address the situation. I know you are recovering from the knee problem, and that has limited you. But in cycling, to build our bodies, we need to cycle more than once a week. Perhaps it is the stress of doing a ride without the necessary training to lead up to it that is giving you problems? I am not saying this in a mean way, but as a way to help you analyze your specific situation.

Darcy

[ace]

Gotcha Darcy, no problem. I'm pretty direct myself, so just wanted to let you know how I felt. I appreciate your help

I don't think the one longish ride a week is the problem, but who knows. I am doing other things- four days of 1/2 hour rides, walking an hour a day a few days, and strength training 3 days. So I should be strong enough to do 35 miles once a week, I think. I'm under close supervision by both my chiropractor (who is an avid cyclist and is chiropractor to a couple of women's athletic teams at UC Berkeley) and my physical therapist (who's also a cycling coach), so I'll talk to them about it. I have the feeling, based on what I've read in this thread, that they'll just say "duh, you're not eating enough."

Based on what Kit said, I've already done some reading about the ineffectiveness of mixing hydration and nutrition, so I will try another path...

[mimitabby]

heck, now I'm confused.
how can we not mix nutrition and hydration?
that is, besides an IV?

[Jenn]

heck, now I'm confused.
how can we not mix nutrition and hydration?
that is, besides an IV?

You could mount a triple post to the handlebar, with a drip in the forearm and ride til your heart's content.!

[SadieKate]

Mimi, there are plenty of powders and capsules out there that provide the electrolytes only without any calories. You can easily over do the calories on really hot days requiring lots of liquid and electrolytes but not a lot of calories.

[aicabsolut]

Ideally, if you're getting the right amount of fluids, you'll weigh the same before and after. So 12lbs lost is obviously bad, but 6lbs gained isn't doing you any good either. You most definitely are not eating enough. For 4.5 hrs out on the bike you need waaay more calories than a bowl of cereal and a Gu, especially because of your stats. I've had some heat exhaustion symptoms when I'm pretty well hydrated just because I desperately need more food.