Heat injuries and food

[Melalvai]

I'm trying to go no-sugar. (It doesn't help that my daughter is on a baking kick and made delicious cheesecake-cookies just now.) Well, if I'm going to eat sugar, it's going to be yummy stuff, not a coke or gatorade or ew, shot blocks. I don't really think it was the calories I needed. I think it was salt (electrolytes). V8 does really well for me at restoring salt. I haven't tried Nuun or Cytomax.

nybiker, since I stopped eating sugar (mostly), I can handle having a late breakfast. It's still my favorite meal of the day and I eat most of my food from breakfast to lunch, but I will usually go for a run or swim before breakfast with no problems.

[indysteel]

V8 covers salt loss, but I'm not confident that it addresses the other electrolytes that you need to replenish--potassium, magnesium and calcium. Since you're trying to go sugar free, Nuun tablets seem like a good option.

[azfiddle]

Melavai

So sorry you had the heat exhaustion!!

A couple of general rules that my DH and I use-

Drink every time you think about it. My DHdrinks a lot more than I do, but after 85 degrees, I go through a lot more water than when it is cooler.

Eat at least 200 calories per hour if the ride is going to be longer than 1 1/2 hours/20 miles. This is advice we've gotten from the Carmichael coaches, and has served us well on long rides and events, especially. Your body stores enough glycogen for about an hour and a half, then you are running on empty.

Use electrolytes!
I actually like shot blocks.... I eat them on many of my rides.
I use NUUN sometimes, I like the fizziness. My DH doesn't like the artificial sweetener.
I like GU Brew lemon flavor - it's got calories and electrolytes both, and seems lighter than something like Gatorade

My DH likes endurolytes for electrolytes. He is susceptible to cramps and thinks it helps him.

I really can't ride much if it's hot, especially if it's humid- so in summer in Tucson I need to finish my rides by 8-9 am. I have had several experiences with heat exhaustion, feeling faint, and have to find some kind of shade (not always easy in Arizona!!) and pour water over my head, sometimes need to lie down. I have only needed to be rescued once, but now I plan my hot weather rides to avoid the conditions that have gotten me in trouble.

We stop at Circle K stores, Quick Marts etc and fill our bottles with lots of ice and a little water. They don't seem to mind, although we do often buy a little item or two.

[Shaula]

Well, I am not alone!!!! Thanks for the response and the advise. I feel so stupid because I am the one that preaches to my daughters about fueling up and here I go!!!!!! I guess when you turn 50 you don't get smarter???? LOL

[Owlie]

I get the Shot blocks that have extra salt (I think they're the margarita flavor) since my diet isn't terribly high-salt and I seem to lose more of it than normal people. 40 miles is about the point where I need additional real food too.

If it's really warm, I take the Camelbak and fill up the second bottle with diluted Gatorade. I like the sound of Gu Brew, though.

[Crankin]

I also will use my Camelbak along with bottles, if I am doing a very long, very hot ride.

[westtexas]

If you are going no-sugar, you might try coconut water. Actually, to be honest, I don't know it's sugar content, but it's natural and supposedly is chock full of electrolytes. I have considered getting some of this to keep in my bottles for long rides - but my problem is I just never know when I'm going to be on a long ride and never plan accordingly (I ride until I don't want to anymore, which could be 10 miles or 50).

If you are going low-sugar are you also going low-carb? I found when I first when low carb, having Luna bars on hand all the time was great. Now however (6 months in) I can have a cup of coffee, set off for a 50 mile ride with just water, and be fine when I get home. I often don't get hungry again for many many hours (6+ usually) and have not yet suffered any ill health effects. It just takes a little patience to reset the way your body fuels itself - I took it easy on my rides until I was sure my body was good enough at burning fat and not dependent on sugar to keep me going.

[Melalvai]

Not really low carb, mainly just watching my GI. If I do have sugar, I try to have it with fruit or something to lower the GI. I'll try coconut water. I'm training for Bike Across Kansas and I'm just going to guess that coconut water might be a little hard to find out there.

I looked at the label on the V8, and it has sodium, potassium, and calcium. The only thing missing is magnesium, and almonds have that. Looks like bananas have all of those too, not sure how much.

[Owlie]

If you are going no-sugar, you might try coconut water. Actually, to be honest, I don't know it's sugar content, but it's natural and supposedly is chock full of electrolytes. I have considered getting some of this to keep in my bottles for long rides - but my problem is I just never know when I'm going to be on a long ride and never plan accordingly (I ride until I don't want to anymore, which could be 10 miles or 50).

If you are going low-sugar are you also going low-carb? I found when I first when low carb, having Luna bars on hand all the time was great. Now however (6 months in) I can have a cup of coffee, set off for a 50 mile ride with just water, and be fine when I get home. I often don't get hungry again for many many hours (6+ usually) and have not yet suffered any ill health effects. It just takes a little patience to reset the way your body fuels itself - I took it easy on my rides until I was sure my body was good enough at burning fat and not dependent on sugar to keep me going.

Interesting!

As much as I love coconut water (I have a coconut problem!), if it gets warmer than "cold", I'd think it would make me queasy, but tepid liquids of all stripes do the same.