Fuel Review ~ opinions?

[Dianyla]

I'd like to see that article. I'll PM you my email address.

Interestingly, I just saw a catalog in the mail (I can't remember if it was REI or MountainGear or ?) that was advertising a WSD Polar, saying it was the "first ever HRM designed for women".

ETA: It's the Polar F4. I wonder if they're using a different algorithm.

[SadieKate]

"algorithm" - there's the word I wanted but could only come up with arrhythmia. Apparently, Polar has an arryhthmia in their standard HRM algorithm.

[Dianyla]

I'm working on the Clif Notes version right now. Though, I think I'll start a new thread on it so it doesn't get lost in this thread. I have long wondered about the accuracy of Polar's OwnCal, it's nice to actually see some primary scientific literature on this.

[SadieKate]

I'll admit my intake was on the low side but I don't take in as much food per hour on a metric course as I would on a full century.

I was thinking about this conversation during my 200k last on Saturday. Just checking to see if I did better. I never was hungry and my tummy didn't complain.

Breakfast (mostly eaten in car just before we arrived)
- large bowl of coconut granola with 6 oz non-fat yogurt
- 2 cups of coffee with tons of non-fat 1/2 and 1/2 (we got up at 3:30 am )

During the ride
- 5-ish servings banana Hammer Gel (1 flask)
- 1 Mojo bar
- 1 PBJ (in quarters at different times during day)
- 1 Nectar bar
- 8 med to large strawberries
- 2 bottles Cytomax
- 1 1/2 bottles lemonade
- 1 bottle Gatorade
- 1/2 bottle water

Immediately after
- 1 large grilled turkey breast
- several dill pickle slices
- large serving green salad (mostly iceberg though)
- 1 oreo
- water and diet Pepsi

On drive home
- chocolate shake

I don't remember eating anything else except drinking more water and I did not wake up in the middle of the night starving. I weighed more the morning after the ride than I did starting.

So, did I do better?

[Dianyla]

I had to make a few guesses but here's what I looked up on Calorie King:

Breakfast (mostly eaten in car just before we arrived)
537 - large bowl of coconut granola with 6 oz non-fat yogurt
80 - 2 cups of coffee with tons of non-fat 1/2 and 1/2 (we got up at 3:30 am )
616 Breakfast Total (17g fat, 16.2 prot, 95.2 carb)

During the ride
505 - 5-ish servings banana Hammer Gel (1 flask)
190 - 1 Mojo bar
439 - 1 PBJ (in quarters at different times during day)
170 - 1 Nectar bar
46 - 8 med to large strawberries
160 - 2 bottles Cytomax
244 - 1 1/2 bottles lemonade
74 - 1 bottle Gatorade
0 - 1/2 bottle water
1828 Ride Total (37.2 fat, 28.1 prot, 365.3 carb)

Immediately after
429 - 1 large grilled turkey breast
0 - several dill pickle slices
101 - large serving green salad (mostly iceberg though)
40 - 1 oreo
0 - water and diet Pepsi
570 Post-Ride Total (26.9 fat, 66.5 protein, 12.1 carb)

On drive home
560 - chocolate shake
560 Snack Total (26 fat, 11 protein, 73 carb)

3574 Grand Total

You did great on the bike. I think you could have had a few more carbs at dinner though - remember that the glycogen window really likes 85% carbs 15% protein.

PS: A nonfat peppermint mocha has almost the perfect carb/protein ratio for glycogen replenishment.

[DirtDiva]

1828 Ride Total (37.2 fat, 28.1 prot, 365.3 carb)

Nice maths.

[SadieKate]

Ah ha! A justification for peppermint mochas! Yahooooooo!!!!!

I knew dinner was too low carb but the mayo was already on the bread and I just couldn't put that with the really yummy marinade on the turkey and Jo only left one oreo.

Do you think my total calories OK (135 lbs o' dough girl) and just need to alter the ratio of carbs or actually add carbs on top? Ice cream is usually considered pretty high on the glycemic index.

I felt stuffed.

Editing because I forgot a big THANK YOU!

[Dianyla]

You're welcome.

At a glance the numbers look good, but to be sure it depends on a few more details. Do you have any idea what you burned on your ride? Also, how many hours long was the ride and how fast did you go? What are your daily weight-maintenance calories on a non-exercise day?

Nice maths.

In case you're wondering, the values in parentheses are grams, while the total on the left is kCal.

[SadieKate]

135 pounds plus about 20 lbs in clothing and bike
126 miles at 13.58 mph (9:17 ride time and 11 hours total - lost a lot of time waiting for traffic at intersections).
5,583' of climbing
Light headwinds only for about the last 25 miles south
Daily mtc is prob only 1500-1600 for non-exercise days (I sit in front of a computer otherwise).

Does that give you enough?

Sadie "guinea pig" Kate

[DirtDiva]

There's 365.3 grams of carbs in that lot? Wow. I was all, like, I don't know what that's supposed to be, but it can't add up to that much. I'll bite my tongue the next time I think of smart-arsing the Calorie King Queen!!

[Dianyla]

Now, hold still! Stop squirming! I'm trying to attach the guinea pig sized HRM strap! Can your paws reach the handlebars?

I'd say your "deskjob day" maintenance is probably 1400-1500. I ran your stats through three different cycling calorie estimators. One said 4000, another said 4800, another said 5200. Probably safe to say you burned around 4500. So your day would stack up like this:

3574 consumed
-4500 burned on bike
-1500 just breathing, digestion requirements, etc
------------------------------------
-2426 deficit

Your onbike rate of eating was perfect. Especially considering that these various articles suggest you can't absorb much more than 200 kCal per hour. And you were eating 200 calories per hour of ride time. Of course you're burning much more than 200 cal/hr, so you have to make it up before and after the ride. BTW, you didn't mention the day before. I always make sure to eat an extra ~1500 calories than I need the day before a big long ride.

Teehee tlkiwi! I couldn't tell if you were sassing me or not.

[DirtDiva]

Always safest to assume I have been.

[SadieKate]

Now, hold still!

It's too tight!

I'd say your "deskjob day" maintenance is probably 1400-1500.

Well, I wanted to say 1400 but I thought everybody would jump down my throat for estimating it too low. 1400 is piddly. Why can't they make Nutty-Buddies in miniature?

Your onbike rate of eating was perfect. Especially considering that these various articles suggest you can't absorb much more than 200 kCal per hour. And you were eating 200 calories per hour of ride time. Of course you're burning much more than 200 cal/hr, so you have to make it up before and after the ride. BTW, you didn't mention the day before. I always make sure to eat an extra ~1500 calories than I need the day before a big long ride.

Huh! I was never hungry and felt like I was on the edge of eating too much. But I notoriously get the hungries fast and furious. As I've said before, the TE Girls' Hill Training Program has forced me to learn to eat differently. Having never done a non-stop ride of this length, I was just guessing.

No, I don't consciously eat more the day before but I don't "diet" and I eat higher carbs than normal. I eat a larger breakfast by a long shot. Something to think about.

I looked at the percentages because that's what my little pea brain can really comprehend.

Breakfast - 26% fat / 11% protein / 64% carb
On the bike - 18% fat / 6% protein / 77% carb
For the day - 27% fat / 13% protein / 60% carb

More numbers for cogitation. I really did feel good so I appreciate the analysis. During the week, I know I run higher protein to carb quite happily but on days with rides longer than an hr (or with a race) I think I am much closer to the above ratios. It will be interesting to see how I do with this formula in the future. Maillotpois is the one who got me to try a flask of gel and it does seem to help. I don't have to deal with eating solid food quite as much (though you can't go gel only).

This really helped, thank you.

Back to tlkiwi for her next smarta$$ remark.

[Dianyla]

Well, I wanted to say 1400 but I thought everybody would jump down my throat for estimating it too low. 1400 is piddly. Why can't they make Nutty-Buddies in miniature?

But it is true, that is probably all you really need for sedentary office days. Once you add in exercise everything changes. Ya know what, this is what pisses me off about the processed food industry. Serving sizes are all so freakin' high calorie. Everything is geared around the 2000 (or even 2500) cal/day diet, which is great if you're a 5'10" 180 lb man. I know I'd be a size 16 if I ate 2000 calories every single day and didn't exercise. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I don't feel that size 16 is a healthy weight for me personally. As it is I have to be very watchful of high-caloric foods and portion sizes to stay comfortable around size 10-12 and I've still got plenty of fluff reserves on me.

Maillotpois is the one who got me to try a flask of gel and it does seem to help. I don't have to deal with eating solid food quite as much (though you can't go gel only).

Actually, you can go gel only. My brother and I both like longdistance cycling. I prefer solid food every now and then but I do almost 50% gels at times. When my stomach is on strike I switch to 100% gu. He did the last STP on 30 packets of gu and cytomax, that's all that he can stomach. It really helps to have several different flavor packets so that you can rotate, if they're all the same flavor you'll become homicidal.

Glad to be of assistance! I'm good at the numbers and theory. Just... not so diligent about the personal application to myself at times. But anyway, do as I say, not as I do, right?

[Denise223]

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread. I've spent the past 1/2 hour reading it, and will bookmark this one so that I can re-read it when I have more time.
I want to keep it handy for future reference when my mileage increases .

I also want to check out the link (http://tinyurl.com/jvcwc) that Nanci added.

The longest I've spent riding my bike (so far) has been 2 & 1/2 hours, and I started riding 2 months ago. I drink A LOT MORE than my husband -- both water & gatorade. The weather out here the past two months has been for the most part, hot & muggy. So, I am sweating a lot!

I can drink 3 bottles of water (24 oz. each) & 16 oz. of Gatorade during a 20 mile ride. Also, a larabar or Clif Bar. On the ride home (car), I'll have a bit more gatorade or water and a fig newton or two.

My breathing (when going up hills) has gotten a LOT BETTER.....but, it's still nice to stop & take a break, (catch my breath/slow down my breathing), quench my thirst & have a piece of the larabar or Clif Bar.
I personally find it necessary to stop & take a break. If I didn't, I know I wouldn't catch my breath and riding would become a horrible activity for me.

I've been drinking a lot of water for over 25 years. I'm not diabetic - my blood sugar tests have always been normal. I'm on some meds that can make my mouth dry, so water does help. But, I just like water .

For breakfast, I'll have stoneyfield low-fat banilla yogurt with Dorset Super Raisin & Date cereal ('luxury muesli') , a banana & coffee with skim milk.

If we're planning a mid afternoon ride, I'll have a cinammon raisin swirl peanut butter & raspberry preserve sandwich on oatmeal bread (maybe 1 & 1/2 sandwiches) and glass of skim milk.

I am DEFINITELY not hungry AT ALL after riding -- (great appetite suppresant). I assume that this is normal? I would be fine with just a piece of fruit and maybe some popcorn for the evening, and have breakfast the next morning. Is this okay to do sometimes?

I should add that, at present, I am 5'1", and weigh 185. (I've lost 105 lbs., since 2001). I DO want to get down to 145 eventually....but, I'm really in no big rush. I wear a size 14, (at least for today ), and I am happy with myself. <<-- it took MANY YEARS to feel OK with how I look, but I sincerely do !

I learn so much here on TE . A big THANK YOU to all of you who share so that beginners like me can learn!

Peace & Love,

Denise

p.s.

Originally posted by Dianyla:
Actually, you wouldn't have seen the hair anyway. I put a pair of pantyhose on my head and stick the braid down one leg, wrapping the spare leg around the base of the braid. They're black opaque hose, so they don't necessarily look like pantyhose.

Dianyla -- How long is your hair?? When I see your Avatar, I always say to myself, "what pretty hair she has"...... I'm just curious.

p.s.s.

Originally posted by SadieKate:As I've said before, the TE Girls' Hill Training Program has forced me to learn to eat differently.

What's the TE Girls' Hill Training Program? Thanks !