Gaining weight after a long ride?

[katluvr]

I tell you it is VERY hard to balance taking in enough to train and to recover BUT not so much as to gain weight. Since I really need to lose weight.

I try logging, journaling etc. But not sure I know or understand enough to balance things. Then again I do reward or "fall off the wagon" easily. I just wish it wasn't so hard!

I do wonder adn think IF I fueled properly on the bike, would I be as starving and tend to over eat after? Of course I think it is more mental...I want the bad food and "rationalize" that I just rode for 3 hours.
Or I don't eat on the bike, so if I know we will go out and be social AFTER riding.

[maillotpois]

I hear you katluvr.

If I want to get better on the bike and get the most out of my training (which I do) I just have to suck it up and say that I am going to eat these thrilling athletically formulated calories on the bike - all of them that I need - and then I am just going to have to make a sacrifice at the social hour after the ride and NOT eat the junk food, nachos, whatever. I'll have something (and a beer), but I am not going to overindulge. Which I think is the only way I am going to accomplish the training goal AND the weight goal simultaneously. So far so good at least.

[jobob]

I did the same as you, rocknrollgirl, on a ride a few weeks ago where I basically forgot to eat and then managed to bonk on a hill. It was not pretty!

For the rides I'm doing now, with long distances and lots of climbing, I've concluded that what works best for me is to try to get most of my on-bike calories in by drinking them. That way, it's easier for me to keep track of how much I consume, and how regularly I consume it.

I've tried Sustained Energy and Perpetuem, both Hammer products. Neither one of them agreed with me, but I know some people who swear by one or the other.

There's a drink called SPIZ that I really like ( http://www.spiz.net/ ). I don't think it's available in stores, it only appears to be available on-line. But they'll send you a free sample if you request one. I can mix up a 4-scoop bottle of SPIZ -- it dissolves very easily, unlike SE or Perpetuem -- and that will provide 500 cals, which I'll sip over two hours or so (alternating with plain water).