Post century riding hunger

[aquamoose32]

A "snack" or Clif bar for 60 - 100 miles????



No wonder you're hungry after. Aim for 300 - 400 calories per hour of riding while you are riding and a solid 400 - 450 right afterwards. Then you won't be ravenous in the hours/days after.

Sorry I didnt make that more clear, when I ride alone for 50-60 miles that is I will stop 1/2 and eat a cliff bar or a sandwich. But on the century ride I ate a lot...lots of bananas like 3, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chocolate, and oranges and tons of salty pretzels.

Marni, it took you 3 months till you got back to your normal 1850 eating habits? Have you heard of the lag time? Someone said it has to do with your body preparing for it's next ride. So you eat more even when you have stopped riding cause your body is gearing up for the next ride. It's hard to know if you are just hungry, or its that, or your metabolism is up. I dont know.

Thanks for all your comments!

[indysteel]

Once a upon a time when I averaged 200 miles a week (plus 2-3 yoga classes a week), I felt like I just couldn't eat enough to satiate me. I was hungry almost all the time, even when I purposely ate a good mixture of carbs and protein immediately after each ride.

I ultimately just ate a lot--big meals that included protein, carbs and healthy fats and lots of in-between-meal snacks. Because I neither gained nor lost weight, I assume that's what my body needed. I also made a point of staying well hydrated, which was almost as challenging, but thirst can be mistaken for hunger.

It was hard come fall/winter to curb that appetite, so just be forewarned that you may find yourself packing on a few pounds if and when your activity level drops.

[ny biker]

I highly recommend this book:

http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp

Among other things, it has good advice on what and how much to eat before, during and after endurance exercise.

[Catrin]

The same author also has a cycling specific book. The name is The Cyclist's Food Guide and is well worth the price. I can't seem to persuade my phone to copy the link but just search for the name. I am sure either book would provide the information you need.

[tulip]

Everyone's different, but you might want to try eating more frequently during your rides. Stopping every 30 miles for a sandwich or a clif bar doesn't seem like enough to me.

Here's what I do and it works great (for me): I drink a big gulp from my water bottle (I like G2) every 5 minutes or so. Yes, that is frequent, but it keeps me hydrated. Of course, this requires the ability to drink while riding and not everyone has mastered that skill. I eat a bite of a powerbar (my preferred ride food) every 15 minutes or so, again requiring the ability to do that on the fly. On organized rides, I'll stop at each rest stop, refill my bottles and eat something they offer--usually cookies or bananas or pbj. Then I set off again and start with the 5-15 minute routine. Sometimes I have shotblocks, but they are like candy so I have to keep myself from eating them all at once!

This works for longer rides as well as my more usual 1-2 hour rides, but I find it essential for distances over 40 miles to avoid bonking.

Right after the ride, I'll have chocolate milk (you can do soy if you prefer) and something salty like potato chips or pretzles. Within 30 minutes or so I'll try to have something more. If my ride ends at home, I make myself a smoothie with bananas and chocolate soy milk and ice.

I do eat meat. I used to be a vegetarian, but found myself lethargic nearly all the time, as well as 20 lbs too heavy. I started eating meat and lost 20 lbs and gained much more energy. I've always had low iron (I can't ever seem to pass the iron test for blood donations) so a non-meat diet was not working for me. Not to say this has anything to do with your diet; just reporting what has worked for me.

Best of luck!

[maillotpois]

Everyone's different, but you might want to try eating more frequently during your rides. Stopping every 30 miles for a sandwich or a clif bar doesn't seem like enough to me.

I agree. When I do long rides, it is critical for me to have food coming in (liquid and solid) every 5 - 10 minutes. Just a bite or drink here and there, adding up to 250 - 300 calories an hour. Eating and drinking on the bike is key here. I really don't like to stop much, especially in a very long ride.

As Tulip noted, recovery food right after is also important. 300 - 500 calories within the hour after I'm done.

I find if I pay attention to both these issues, even after a hard double century or 300 - 400k, I'm not ravenous the next day/week. And that has been a KEY factor for me in losing weight this year. You didn't mention that as being an issue at all for you and it probably isn't, I just wanted to note that as counter-intuitive as it might sound, eating more at the right times (during and right after the ride) for me has been a key to eating less overall.

[Karma007]

I found a huge difference in the ride itself if I eat more. Clif Shot Blocks, bites of Clif Bars, salted red potatoes...anything longer than 30 miles, and I munch away. I don't get tired the way I used to.