Newbie Nutrition Question

[alison_in_oh]

Studies have shown that chocolate milk is a very good recovery drink! Since it's sweetened, it's got a better protein-carbo ratio than regular milk. We go with soy because cow milk doesn't treat our tummies too well.

Since starting this routine, I come home, slam about a cup of chocolate milk, have a salty snack, replace a little water, and THEN have my cold post-ride beer.

[RoadRaven]

MMM... Chocolate milk... now I can feel justified instead of slightly guilty! Particularly armed with the scientific info Alison, thanks

Mmmm... chocolate milk... *makes best Homer drool impersonation*

[abuelitodimetu]

There is a well-known triathlete (I can't remeber his name) who, instead of gatorade, or gels or other "sport" nutrition stuff, found out that something more mundane fit him as a nutrition aid in IM Tris: chicken broth. Yes, the guy would fill up his bottle with the chicken concoction and have it all throughout the race. Now, this really shatters the myth! As far as I know, he never turned into a pumpkin.

[Tess851]

My vote is for simple, easy, non-expensive stuff too. For general training rides (30-50 miles) or endurance rides (60-90 miles), small slabs of dark fruit cake, wrapped in foil for easy unwrapping on the bike, work really well for me. It's packed full of energy that lasts. Drinks are full strength carb / electrolyte formulas (Staminade, with a scoop of Endura Recovery).

For short races (30-40 miles), or crits, I might use just the bidons with the formula, and I'd probably carry a gu or two for a short road race just in case.... and for longer rides both bidons with electrolyte / carb formulas, gus, and maybe banana, fruit cake, or fruit slice things (those ones that are just fruit and sugar in a bar). the harder the ride is going to be, the less solid I need my food to be - and the easier to digest.

After seeing a nutritionist really early on at the start of my first racing season, I found out that on an average eating day, I was barely, if at all, covering the energy used by my body, despite hoovering so much that I had colleagues and friends threaten to buy me a nose bag (like those used for horses) as every time anyone saw me I was eating I also found out that I needed to mix my carb / electrolyte formulas at full strength in order to keep my body topped up. Initially they tasted vile (way too strong and sickly), but these days I love them - but only on the bike. Can't even stomach them off the bike. Funny how your body adapts and tells you what you need, hey? Good, too.

When I was just recreational and not as into the whole lifestyle thing required with full on riding / racing, I, like CorsairMac, used to crave fruit after a ride, apples, oranges, bananas, paw paw etc. I've since found out that the reason for this is that fruits contain lots of electrolytes which were being lost during the rides.

These days, post ride, I still like some fruit or fruit juice to kick start recovery, followed immediately by loads of water, and things like creamed rice, home-made high gi goodies like caramel rice bubble slice, pancakes drenched with honey and peanut butter, and yes, even a glass of (no, not chocolate) plain skim milk. An hour or two later I keep going with fresh fruits and vegies, complex carbs, and some proteins, along with loads more water throughout the day.

[nuthatch]

I go for yogurt post-ride - it seems to have everything I need and my brand is sweetened with fruit juice (which probably makes no difference at all except in my head ) But chocolate soy sounds good! I never even considered it and you can buy it in those aseptic packages so you could carry it with you if you could stand to drink it warm.

Now I'm thinking of a beer float with a scoop of chocolate ice cream....