Breakfast Before Ride

[Sheri B.]

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to this forum and a middle-aged cycling beginner. I got off to a rocky start a couple of years ago when I first decided to give cycling a try. About a mile into my first ride, I swung too wide on a curve, hit some gravel, ran off the road into a farmer's field, and hit a trench which brought my bike to an abrupt halt while I went airborne over the handlebars. I ended up with a third degree separation of the AC joint in my left shoulder. It's been a slow healing process both physically and mentally. I'm just now working up the courage to give it another try.

I'm wanting to get a head start this winter by using an indoor trainer with Spinervals DVD's. My job requires me to be on my feet all day, and I'm finding cycling a challenge in the evening when my legs are already so tired. I've decided to start getting up earlier in the morning to do a ride before work.

For those of you who start your morning off with a ride, what do you eat for breakfast? I'm trying to figure out the best choice to give me the energy boost I need while also being light enough to not give me that bloated feeling from exercising too soon after eating.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

~Sheri

[Sky King]

I can handle a protein shake with a tablespoon of peanut butter. I use airbonne's vegan protein powder. 1 scoop of vanilla, 1 scoop of chocolate and a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter.
If I have a hard work out my mid morning breakfast will be musli, plain non fat yogurt and some frozen berries.
Good luck

[Pax]

I go with a protein drink, then after exercise have hard boiled eggs and oatmeal or yogurt. Can't really handle solids first thing in the morning!

[azfiddle]

I usually eat shortly before starting - not much time to digest a lot of heavy food. I usually go for a bowl of steel cut oats with some dried fruit, or half a bagel with cream cheese and lox.

[Crankin]

For indoor training, I don't need to eat a regular breakfast. Generally, I'll grab half a banana or a Lara Bar. Have something, a combo of carbs of protein, but not too much.
However, for a regular outdoor ride (I often do a short ride as early as 5 AM some days), I have a Lara Bar, or some plain Greek yogurt with fruit. Then, I'll have some more food when I get back. It's kind of like splitting my breakfast in half. If I am going on a longer ride, a bit later in the day, then I have my regular breakfast, usually with the addition of some carbs I don't usually eat (like spelt toast with almond butter or a whole wheat bagel half).
I knew someone who came to spin class at 5:45 AM without eating anything. That was fine for that, but one day she went out on an early AM ride and ended up passing out. A policewoman found her lying next to her bike! So, put something in your stomach, but experiment with what works.

[Blueberry]

Slight thread jack - This is one of those areas where my thyroid meds are a PITA. I take them in the morning (we usually eat dinner late, so can't take them at night), and I can't eat for 30-60 minutes. Pre-meds, I would eat half a banana or something really light (little bit of cereal, yogurt, just something) - just to get a few carbs in me. Now, I just have to get on the bike - which doesn't work well, so I don't do it. Morning workouts do tend to work the best for me - when I was working in a field I didn't love, I just didn't have the mental energy to make myself workout when I got home. I know my schedule will be all over the place for the foreseeable future - so I really need to figure out mornings again!

Good luck to you - and please let us know if we can offer more encouragement! We've all been beginners before, and lots of us have come back from bike-related injuries!

[OakLeaf]

Unfortunately I think nutrition is one of those things you have to figure out for yourself - everyone's different, sometimes very different. I can handle pretty much anything on the bicycle (my tag line on another site is "They laughed at my egg salad sandwich"), but running is another story.

My standard breakfast is fresh fruit, a tablespoon or two of chia seeds, a scoop of Garden of Life protein powder, a generous handful of raw nuts, and nut or seed "milk." Enough simple carbs from the fruit and milk to get me started, then plenty of protein and fat to keep me going for a while.

I don't do "paleo" by any means, but eliminating grain (plus all the many things I'm allergic to) first thing in the morning really helps keep me from feeling bloated and acidic. You might have guessed that what I eat now is everything I used to add to my cereal, until it got to the point where I figured out, skip the cereal and just eat the good stuff. I'm not above having a biscuit or pastry for second breakfast after my run or ride, or if we stop to eat during a longer ride, but not first thing.

[Aromig]

If I do the trainer at my house in the morning, I do it as soon as I get up, without breakfast. I can work out for about 45 minutes and then I'll eat as soon as I get off of the bike. If for some reason I'm starving as soon as I get up I'll eat something light like half a banana, or I might add a few calories to my water (maybe half a scoop of Hammer Heed or something like that) and it helps. I find I can work out without eating, as long as its not super long.

If I'm doing a spinning class (takes a little longer to get stuff together, get out of the house, and travel to the class), or I'm doing a long bike ride, I'll eat my normal breakfast because its about an hour after getting up and I'm starving by then. I'll then have a little something (chocolate milk, banana, etc.) after the class or I'll eat more during a long bike ride.

[Sheri B.]

Thanks, everyone, for the great suggestions! Very helpful. I'm going to a bike swap tomorrow in hopes of picking up a used wheel. I already have a cassette and trainer tire. Once I get it all put together, I'll be ready to start my morning rides on the trainer and give these breakfast choices a try.

[k.b]

gotta start the day with porridge, fruit, and coffee! nothing beats it. i sometimes make savory porridge too with a fried egg on top - just for something different.