hypoglycemia

[DebbieDowner]

I need a little help....

I am in need of some help as to what to eat before and during rides that will help me make it thru a 40-50 mile ride with out having a hypoglycemic moment.

This is my concern, how do I eat enough to last a ride and yet do not eat more then needed and gain weight.

if any of you have hypoglycemia and can give some helpful advice I would appreciate it.

[tctrek]

If you think about it, you probably burn 300-500 calories per hour -- some more some less, when riding. So, if you eat/drink say 250 calories an hour you should not go hypoglycemic.

Go for a sports drink that has plenty of carbs and electrolytes and then a carb replacement like Power Gels, GU, Clif Shot Blocks, etc. If your stomach can tolerate it, you may want a small amount of protein if you are out there over two hours. Personally, I can only tolerate Clif Shot Blocks and Cytomax sports drinks... I've tried many other, but my tummy says "no".

It's a trial an error, but you have to eat an awful lot on the bike to gain weight!! Just be careful to eat reasonably when you are off the bike. There are some that say that within 45 minutes of ending the ride you should have a snack that is 75% carbs/25% protein. Something like low-fat chocolate milk and a banana.

[staceysue]

I'm a newb to cycling, but not to hypoglycemia. Simple carbohydrates (sugar, non whole-grain baked goods, juice, white rice etc.) get used up really fast and cause your body to release a big load of insulin, which wipes out your glucose stores and makes you hypoglycemic. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains get used up more gradually and don't cause the big drop in blood sugar. Proteins get used up the slowest and don't cause any hypoglycemia at all.

So if you're prone to hypoglycemia, before you work out, you want to eat something that has a little simple carb in it to get your sugar up and a lot of complex carbs to keep it up during the intermediate time period and some protein to help long-term. One example of that would be a thick slice of good whole-grain bread with some peanut butter on it, washed down with a little bit of orange juice. Other than that, you want to avoid the simple carbs.

Luna bars are good for while you're riding.

1+ on the chocolate milk and banana

[maryellen]

I do best when I eat a good breakfast. One of the best and easiest for me is plain shelled edamame with salt and pepper. I eat one cup before I leave home and then another cup when I get to the start point (as I tend to be overly early for group rides). That, with non-sugar snacks (e.g., pretzels, banana, lara bar), would work for me. I also use a sports drink w no simple sugars (ultima replenisher).

[DebbieDowner]

Thank you for some great information.

This will help me. Nothing worse then crasing on a ride.

[beccaB]

I think that crashing thing nearly happened to me on the century I did on Saturday. It was an organized group ride with virtually no support. No food, no Sag vehicle, just road markings and a map, and a $15 fee. There were some gas stations and we got some raisins and nuts. At mile 50 there was no place to stop and get lunch. I REALLY need a substantial lunch about then. I haven't been technically diagnosed with hypoglycemia, but I get many of the symptoms.It wasn't 'till mile 75 that we were able to get lunch. I was getting wonky by then and starting to have a real bad attitude. I was fine for the rest of the ride once I had some lunch in me! That won't happen again. the website for the ride was a little misleading, or I would have taken some food.

[sarahspins]

I don't have hypoglycemia, but I am diabetic (I wear an insulin pump) and I have to take in carbs to stay level during any ride longer than maybe 15-20 minutes, even when I reduce how much insulin I am getting... if I don't I will go low, and very severely.

Things I like for staying up during a ride when I am already low-ish.. half strength gatorade, sipped throughout the ride (I also carry nuun, so I have a carb-free option), as well as using GU and other energy gels (I usually down one before getting on the bike, then again every 30 minutes or so). I also carry fast acting carbs with me but rarely need them. GU is actually more long-acting carbs than fast, which is why it works well, but it has the benefit of not being filling and easy to get down quickly.

Any low-GI bars like Clif or Luna can work well before/during a ride too... however I tend to get nauseated if I eat too much right before riding, or during, so I try to avoid that if I can.

I "try" to take in about half the calories I am burning as carbs through the ride, and that works for me.

[tribogota]

Hypoglycemic here, and my solution has been to mix whey protein 24g into my water bottle with a cytomax gel, the protein is vanilla, the gel, orange, ickkky, milky orange grossness.
but I have actually gotten used to it. I take a camel back for regular water, drink water for the first 20 miles, then alternate the mix and regular water camel back for the next 40, eat an apple or banana at about 30. Once I got used to the not so amazing taste of it all, it has worked well. Now I kind of even "like" it, or at least miss it when I don't have it along.

[tzvia]

Not hypoglycemic but I can bonk with the best of 'em. I try to keep the simple sugars to a bare minimum and have a good mix of complex carbs and some protein for breakfast and some energy bars/hammergel on the ride. I carry a bottle with water and another with energy drink (really one of those concentrated Orac Super 7 type of Acai/berry + water drinks) that I drink starting about 20 minutes in (just a mouthfull at first). Some gel about 1/2 hr in. If the ride is for more than about 1 1/2 hrs, I will eat a banana and some gel or some Luna Moons, and more gel after another 1/2 hr. If it hits the 3 hour mark, I then will have an energy bar. Hydrate throughout- very important.

On long MTB rides, I can take a bit more on the ride, like a peanutbutter sandwitch, as I have more room with a Camelbak, and a few energy bars and some veggie chips.

For me the main thing is to be proactive. By the time I am feeling a bonk-headache it is too late so I try to get some carb in every 1/2 hr or so.

[Becky]

I don't have hypoglycemia, but I am diabetic (I wear an insulin pump) and I have to take in carbs to stay level during any ride longer than maybe 15-20 minutes, even when I reduce how much insulin I am getting... if I don't I will go low, and very severely.

Same here-diabetic with an insulin pump. I drink Vitalyte (10 g carbs per 8 oz.) and use Clif Shot Bloks periodically throughout the ride. Because they're bite-size, I can really fine-tune my carb intake. I try to carry some solid food too, something with a little fat and protein to make it more filling.

Fine-tuning my insulin pump and taking into account any active insulin given for meals really makes a big difference too, but that's more than anyone wants to know and I don't want to put y'all to sleep