What do you eat before a ride?

[KnottedYet]

2 fried eggs
1 pork chop smothered in carmelized onions and garlic
big pile of mashed potatoes with olive oil and plain yogurt
coffee

Breakfast of champions! Gets me through triathlons and long morning rides, and I expect it to get me through my first half marathon next week.
(salmon can be substituted for the pork chop)

[shootingstar]

2 fried eggs
1 pork chop smothered in carmelized onions and garlic
big pile of mashed potatoes with olive oil and plain yogurt
coffee

Breakfast of champions! Gets me through triathlons and long morning rides, and I expect it to get me through my first half marathon next week.
(salmon can be substituted for the pork chop)

Wow, this wins a gold medal on volume.
I have eaten breakfasts like that, just substitute the pork chop..with a sausage or slice of ham (yea, bad), toasted English muffin, etc....particularily on self-supported touring bike rides that run several days. Or before we go snowshoeing for several hrs. somewhere in the mountains during the day.

The biggest danger for me when we go on vacation somewhere are the buffet breakfasts at a hotel. Another reason why our vacations have to include some multi-hr. long fitness activity.

AFter such a breakfast, I barely have a lunch. Don't need to. The purpose of that type of breakfast is precisely for 1) convenience 2) to help me not pine for a ton of food at lunch but to have 1-2 small snacks before supper during bike ride or snowshoeing trip day.

[marni]

this really depends on the individual metabolism. I am still trying too at least maintain my big weight loss and possibly lose a bit more so I routinely keep myself at a 500 calorie deficit. That being so, I know that I burn about 20 calories a mile and so adjust my snacking so that I don't take in much druing the ride. I start out with steel cut oatmeal and skim milk along with a cup of coffee. If I start to feel hungry I stop and get a piece of fruit, usually a banana, and after that I rely on a mini cliff bar or gu unless I go by a gas station or mini mart and find another piece of fruit. I also keep myself filled up with water or FRS. This allows me to do centuries, and also get through hot weather without feeling exhausted or drained. I do also make a point of eating and drinking as well as a latte or iced cappucinno within an hour of the ride.

marni

[Jiffer]

2 fried eggs
1 pork chop smothered in carmelized onions and garlic
big pile of mashed potatoes with olive oil and plain yogurt
coffee

Breakfast of champions! Gets me through triathlons and long morning rides, and I expect it to get me through my first half marathon next week.
(salmon can be substituted for the pork chop)

Wow! So not the norm, but if it works for you. In case you didn't know, pork is the hardest meat to digest, which means your body is working to digest that instead of giving you energy to ride (and run and swim). The last choice for most athletes. But again, whatever works for you.

Good luck on your half marathon!

[KnottedYet]

Wow! So not the norm, but if it works for you. In case you didn't know, pork is the hardest meat to digest, which means your body is working to digest that instead of giving you energy to ride (and run and swim). The last choice for most athletes. But again, whatever works for you.

Good luck on your half marathon!

When you kids get to be my age, you'll know what your body likes.

Don't be afraid of food, and don't be shy about food. If you are hungry, eat!

Body by Pork Chop:

[ny biker]

Honestly, just the thought of pork chops and mashed potatoes in the morning is enough to make me kinda queasy. But then I recall there are plenty of people here who don't like eggo waffles, and they work for me.

Variety is the spice of life...

[Trek420]

Knott can't eat eggo waffles unless they have a Gluten Free variety? But like we say here: whatever works, every body is different. Find what fuels you. Ride to work (or play), work to eat, eat to ride, ride to eat ....

Before a long ride I like oatmeal, I'm easy about breakfast as long as there's coffeeeeeeee. I can't seem to do real sweet stuff in the morning. Syrup disagrees with me although I loooove the taste. If there are pancakes, blintzes, waffles involved I'll use a home made jam, fruit or even have them plain.

[shootingstar]

One thing for sure, if I have a big breakfast, which is rare, then I prefer to eat without rushing and give myself, if possible, at least 1 hr. to digest after finishing and going to bathroom before cycling.

Otherwise I feel as if I'm lugging a supperbucket up the hill.

For many years I avoided oatmeal. I stopped eating oatmeal around 18. Then returned to oatmeal but in smaller daily amount (half of what I consumed as a teenager) when I was around 45. I continue to have oatmeal now as I did as a kid, more on milky side and no sugar.

If there's local fresh fruit..preferably a berry fruit which involves no peeling, slicing, then I add it in. It really is a small amount of oatmeal daily for me.

[mirliluck]

When you kids get to be my age, you'll know what your body likes.

Don't be afraid of food, and don't be shy about food. If you are hungry, eat!

Body by Pork Chop:

I have to say that while I couldn't stomach a breakfast like that either, the women I know who are the most cut and have low bf% eat A TON of protein and commonly have big hunks of meat at all meals. You have to feed the machine...but it's also tricky to find the right balance. I have had a lot of luck though with large breakfasts. For me it's usually greek yogurt, oats, nuts & ground flax w/ some berries mixed in. 600-800 cals for breakfast depending on what I'm doing that day keeps my metabolism happy.