replenish glycogen vs. eating late

[li10up]

I have a question about replenishing glycogen stores. I ride after work from about 5:30pm to 7:15pm. After a few minutes of talking I drive home. I get home around 7:50pm and drink some chocolate milk (about 8 oz.) I've read that you shouldn't eat 2 hrs before bedtime. I am not a night person so I'm ready to head off to bed around 9:30pm. So my question is do I eat to replenish glycogen stores even though it's close to bedtime or do I just hold off and eat the next day? If I don't eat at night will my legs be ready to go the next evening? I've read it takes 24 hours to replenish glycogen stores. If I do eat how many calories are needed to replenish glyocogen stores? Thanks in advance for your input.

[han-grrl]

The reason it isn't recommended to eat after a certain time is because most people do their boredom emotional eating while relaxing watching TV after dinner.

So...if your dinner is late because of a ride, i would recommend eating something when you get home.

You might want to change your eating schedule, so you are having a slightly later lunch, and eat a lighter dinner/snack after your ride.

Smile
Han

[indysteel]

I, too, end up eating late after evening rides and then go to bed not long afterwards. If I didn't, I think I'd be in a world of hurt. I say eat.

One other thing I'd suggest. As you know, I'm fan of chocolate milk after rides, too. I've read that it's best to consume a recovery drink/food within a half hour of riding to get the full benefit. So, I bring my milk with me to rides in a thermos I bought at Target that keeps liquid cold for a good 14 hours. I just leave it in the car so that I can drink it the minute the ride is over. It's always cold enough, even on hot days.

[li10up]

Thanks. But an important fact that I should have mentioned... I also need to lose weight. I'm currently about 30 pounds overweight. So, I'd rather not eat if I'm not hungry at the time. But will my riding suffer the next day, or will what I eat for breakfast, snacks, and lunch (about 700 calories) be enough if I eat a gel right before my ride?

[han-grrl]

The important thing to remember when you are trying to lose weight is to ensure your body is getting all your required nutrients for the day. Remember, if your body is under physiological stress, it won't "burn off the fat". Physiological stress means it doens' have enough calories or nutrient to function properly.

You also don't want to cut down too many calories. Remember you are "burning" while riding, and the usual calorie difference we look for is about 500 calories, either as "restricted" that is less food, or more exercise, or a combination. 2 hours of riding can burn well over 1000 calories depending on the type of ride, so i suggest eating something to replenish. Even if its a light meal.

I have a few clients who skip meals and exercise every day, and i keep telling them not to skip meals. These clients also happen to have very inconsistent weight loss, simply because their bodies "think" that they are starving themselves.

Good luck!
han

[Zen]

Are you saying your total calorie intake is aprox. 700kcal daily?

Thats barely enough for a child

I also wonder about the need for a gel for 2hrs or riding. Do you really need it? I don't know how hard you're riding during that time but when I stopped "using" during brief exercise periods I lost about ten pounds.

I don't know if you're training for a specific type ride but more rest may be the answer.
What made you ask this? are you feeling tired or slower some days?

[KnottedYet]

AAAAAH! 700 calories? That's barely what I eat for breakfast.

In 2 hours of riding I would eat the equivalent of 4 gels. (3 clif bloks every half hour) Plus about 2 big bottles of clif shot electrolyte/carb. That's about 600 calories just during my ride. (I tend to ride hard and sweat like mad.)

Managed to lose 50 lbs by eating LOTS and exercising JOYFULLY. What works for you will probably be different, but I really don't think 700 calories is enough to run a body on without it going into crisis-metabolism mode. Let alone trying to exercise on top of that.

I'd recommend eating a nice healthy LARGE dinner, even if it's late. Lots of veges and lean protiens. maybe a nice square of really good dark chocolate with an apple for dessert. mmmmm, chocolate...

[li10up]

I usually have a V8 for breakfast. And then a cup or two of coffee at work. Around 10am I eat a non-fat yogurt. At lunch it's a rice bowl, 400 cal. Then another yogurt around 3pm. That's about 700 calories. Then right before my ride I eat a gel. Also while on the bike I have one bottle of water and one bottle of Gatorade. When I get home it's 8 oz. or so of choc. milk.

Since I have so much weight to lose I'm wondering if I'm not hungry after my ride would it be ok to skip eating? If I don't eat will I be hurting on my ride the next day?

I'm asking this because I need to lose weight but I don't want to suffer on the rides from lack of energy.

I eat out with DH way too much...that's why I can't lose the weight. He really enjoys eating out and if I don't want to he kind of sulks. I have good intentions on the way to the restaurant but when I get there and see all the good stuff on the menu my good intentions go flying out the window. I have no willpower. We meet for lunch on Tuesday. Eat dinner together after work on Friday and eat out Saturday and Sunday. I know I'm sabotaging my weight loss hopes but I can't seem to change.

[KnottedYet]

It sounds like you are running on too little energy, so your metabolism has slowed down. Then when you do eat a big meal (like when you and dh go out) your body stores all that meal rather than burning it. Your body thinks you are in a food crisis, so it is saving every calorie it can!

I'm not kidding that 700 calories is barely my breakfast. I'm also not kidding that I've lost 50 lbs by eating LOTS. Trek420 can vouch for me! My body doesn't think it's starving, so it's happy to burn everything I eat.

Here's what I'm having for b'fast right now: two scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese. Mushrooms sauteed in olive oil. Two slices of chicken breast. Tortilla chips. Coffee.

My mid-morning snack will probably be: tea, sunflower seeds, a square or two of chocolate.

My lunch will be: a V8, chicken breast nachos, a banana, chocolate

Mid-afternoon snack will probably be: a Lara bar and coffee.

Dinner: probably steamed veges, some chicken or a sausage.

My cholesterol is lower than it's ever been, I'm wearing the same size clothes I wore in college, and I've got pretty nice looking legs and abs.

EATING IS IMPORTANT.

You won't lose weight if your body thinks it needs to save every calorie just to survive.

(somebody correct me, but isn't the minimum for base metabolism something like 1200 calories?)

(BTW, once upon a time I read about how your body likes to eat it's biggest meal in the morning and then taper down for the rest of the day. That's pretty much how I eat. Works great!)

PS: you "have no willpower" when you go out with dh because your body thinks you are STARVING. It's instinctive to eat, so you will eat then. It's not a willpower issue, it's survival, it's instinct. Don't kick yourself over it.

[li10up]

Thanks Knotted, and everyone. But it's hard for me to believe it's a lack of calories. Oh, I also have about half a cup of choc. milk in the am. to take my multivitamin...so that's another 100 cal. So that's 800 plus the 100 cal gel, plus the 100 cal Gatorade that's a total of 1000. Then add the cup of choc. milk when I get home and that's already 1200.

If I do eat when I get home then it triggers something in me and then I start to eat anything and everything in the house. So if I don't eat will I have enough energy to ride the next day at 5:30pm? I just don't want the dead legs feeling the next day.

[amymisk]

Knotted, I don't know the minimum but around 1200 sounds right. BTW, I love your signature!

700 calories is not enough and everyone is correct, your body thinks it is starving and hording all the calories you give it.

Eat More, Weigh Less. It works if you are working.

[indigoiis]

Thanks Knotted, and everyone. But it's hard for me to believe it's a lack of calories. Oh, I also have about half a cup of choc. milk in the am. to take my multivitamin...so that's another 100 cal. So that's 800 plus the 100 cal gel, plus the 100 cal Gatorade that's a total of 1000. Then add the cup of choc. milk when I get home and that's already 1200.

If I do eat when I get home then it triggers something in me and then I start to eat anything and everything in the house. So if I don't eat will I have enough energy to ride the next day at 5:30pm? I just don't want the dead legs feeling the next day.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, you need to eat more.

Especially if you are burning cals through cycling.

I am 5'6 and I consume 1900-2100 cals a day, burn between 200-500 cals a day cycling, running, and some weight lifting, with one day "off" a week, where I eat over maintenance and don't exercize. I have lost 15 lbs since March. That may not sound like a lot in a short period of time - it's NOT - it's purposefully slow so that it stays off.

You need to go up and down with calorie intake to keep your body from slowing the metabolism. It's okay to eat before bedtime.

Calculate your REQUIRED MAINTENANCE by multiplying your body weight x 15. For example, if you weigh 155, you would need 2325 cals per day JUST to maintain that weight, without exercize. To lose fat, you need only reduce 10-15% of maintenance. That would mean you would eat AT MINIMUM about 1900 cals per day - MORE if you are exercizing!

You need to fuel the body - fuel the fat loss. Otherwise your body runs out of gas. You won't lose weight.

For more info here is a good site and post on a similar question:

http://weight-loss.fitness.com/harsh...-come-off.html

Hope that helps. Please eat something.

Indy

[nicole309]

I too have started riding at night. I used to ride in the morning, but it just wasn't working for longer rides. Lately, I get in between 9 and 10 and I find that I am just not hungry after 3 to 4 hours of riding. At first I was forcing myself to eat something and I was having trouble sleeping then. Lately, like many of you I will just grab an 8oz. carton of chocolate milk on the way home, maybe a banana and that will be all I have until morning. I have noticed no ill effects in my riding the next day. I know this is not what anyone would recommend, but it works for me.
I guess what I am saying is everyone is different and you need to feel out what works for you. Many of us are not used to listening to what our bodies tell us. I would say to give it a try, if your riding or overall energy level is depleted the next day, try something different!

[Torrilin]

Basic guideline is that a healthy, active adult will need between 2000 and 2200 calories a day to maintain their weight. Since you're eating at most 800-1000 calories a day, your body is panicking. The not being hungry you're experiencing is anorexia (loss of appetite). If you keep eating at the levels you are, you may qualify for an anorexia nervosa diagnosis. Don't do that! You can lose bone density from that disease, you'll get sick more easily, and all manner of other stuff will come and bite you in the *** later.

Please eat. You need food.

[han-grrl]

One option is to track your eating, activity, sleep and energy levels for a week or two. See what happens when you eat, when you ride, how the rides go etc etc. Then you can fine tune. Everybody IS different and you need to find what works for you

If you find that weight loss isn't happening, then you might be able to see why with your diary. Or at least show it to a dietician who might be able to help.

Good luck!
Han

Thanks Knotted, and everyone. But it's hard for me to believe it's a lack of calories. Oh, I also have about half a cup of choc. milk in the am. to take my multivitamin...so that's another 100 cal. So that's 800 plus the 100 cal gel, plus the 100 cal Gatorade that's a total of 1000. Then add the cup of choc. milk when I get home and that's already 1200.

If I do eat when I get home then it triggers something in me and then I start to eat anything and everything in the house. So if I don't eat will I have enough energy to ride the next day at 5:30pm? I just don't want the dead legs feeling the next day.