A no-sugar ride

[shootingstar]

Presumably the temp. for Melavi was over 80 degrees F for that ride?

For 40 miles in humid high temp. I have at least a light breakfast of (1/4 cup of) oatmeal,abit of milk, fresh fruit and tea before cycling. Then during ride sometime, a small sandwich or I admit, something that does have sugar, a cookie or similar.

I'm not religious about low GI but know if I don't cycle regularily I could have problems that accumulate.

"course water, which probably will amount to half a bottle or more. I have natural fruit juice over any energy drink as a boost during a ride. I'm riding it off.

But off-bike, at home, I rarely drink natural fruit juice. I have fresh whole fruit instead. Yes, certain fruits are higher in GI than others. Alot of melons are high in GI.

We are all abit different -body wise. For certain, I know I could not eat 3 boiled eggs before/during a bike ride. It would be 1 boiled egg (which I did several times in Europe).

[indysteel]

Maybe somebody can better educate me. I will freely admit that I don't monitor my diet like I probably should. I do eat a lot of fresh veggies, beans, legumes, fruit and (mostly) lean proteins. When given a choice, I go with whole grains and low fat dairy. But I also like my sweets, so I'm not an authority on low versus high glycemic foods, and certainly not as it relates to cycling.

I certainly appreciate needing or wanting to limit refined sugars and HFCS, but isn't there a place for high glycemic foods (be they naturally or unnaturally occuring) during endurance activities like cycling? I know one goal is to make sure what you eat on the bike is easiliy digestible, in part so that you get the use of that energy sooner rather than later, but also in part to avoid stomach upset. For really long rides, it seems to me that a mix of high and low glycemic might be the way to go, but I'll admit that I never really think about it in those terms when I ride. If the ride is long enough, I'll likely eat every 15 to 20 miles anyway. Minus nuts, I rarely eat much protein when I ride. It just doesn't sit as well with me.

[shootingstar]

Perhaps these basic questions need to be asked of self:

Are you trying to lose weight now? Or is it just to maintain present healthy weight?

Did your doctor advise you something re diet? Or a/near diabetes 2 reading?
_____________________________________________________________

I have not cut out refined sugar completely out of my diet. (But I could, because for first 20 years of my life that was my diet. except for some occasional dessert 1-2 times per month. )

I am not diabetes 2, but I had a near diabetes 2 reading on my blood test.
My sister who did have diabetes 2 ..put herself on a low glycemic diet. She lost 50 lbs. ..but probaby regained 15-20 lbs. She recently had 2 children, which makes it challenging.

When she lost 50 lbs., she also took up jogging. (She still jogs but not as frequent.).

The following higher GI foods were reduced drastically, OR at least eaten near the beginning of day (whereby one can burn off later through exercise, if you can guarantee this):

white rice (this includes jasmine rice, sticky /sushi rice, etc.)
rice vermicelli
bread
refined cereals
certain fruits
etc.

Over the past 3-4 yrs., I have reduced my white rice intake by 70% or more. I only have it 2-3 times per month. I used to have it daily for supper. After I eat alot of sushi, I do notice now I get a sugar crash. So I allow myself some sushi in careful amounts..about once a month. I lean more heavily on sashimi which is more raw seafood. Some types of brown rice is still not agreeable to me. I have found red rice works for me.

Certain pastas I don't buy for home ingredients --heavier Italian pasta. Instead will have certain lighter Asian pastas or a very light Italian linguine.

Bread- we only buy artisan bread anyway. If I eat it..I try to have it at beginning of day.


There are always exceptions since I don't have diabetes 2, and am maintaining weight. And those exceptions, are when I break them..at a restaurant/cafe or for special occasion meals (birthdays, etc.) or when I am travelling abroad.

My downfall is a little biscotti here and there several times per week. Definitely on days that I bike.

I am the same weight as I was 5 yrs. ago....but this has required some more diet tweaking and several thousand kms. of cycling annually to remain this way. Which means my metabolism must be slowing down.

Oh well. I'm healthy. That's what counts now. I still explore new foods....carefully.

[shootingstar]

Does anyone know this doctor-specialist?

He has a personal interest in cycling fuel.
http://www.cptips.com/xauth.htm

If you go to II. Nutritional Physiology from this page, maybe some more general info.
http://www.cptips.com/xtoc.htm#table

I do eat a certain amount of veggies daily. I always have.
I never had interest in soft drinks. Not even diet pop. Probably never will.

[indysteel]

I understand why some people have to monitor everything they eat, although I'm not one of them, at least not yet. That wasn't the point of my question. Rather, I'm just trying to understand whether there's actually a legitimate purpose for high glycemic, rather than low, foods during a long ride or other endurance activity. When my energy starts to wane during a ride, I typically want a food with quick-release energy (I like bananas, personally) that's also easily digestible.