# What Do You Eat Before You Cycle. When Do You Eat It?



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

I've got this thing where if I eat anything at all, within ten minutes I want to go to bed. It's overwhelming.

I've been like it since I was about 10 years old so I have learned to cope by only eating one big meal per day about half an hour before I go to bed.

I never get hungry between meals (24 hours).

On my morning commute, I feel energised and the only strain I feel is in my upper half as my lungs struggle to keep up with my legs.

On my way home, I get the opposite. My legs feel "sick" (like I've got the Flu). Every climb seems like hard work.

It's pretty obvious that I need some form of energy input before I set off on my commute home, but I don't know what would be best to eat and I'm not sure when to eat it? I'm not interested in sugary things or energy drinks. I'm a wholemeal bread and Cheddar cheese man myself.

So, as the title says,

What Do You Eat Before You Cycle. When Do You Eat It?


----------



## Mo1959 (7 Nov 2020)

I often do early mornings on just a cup of coffee if I'm not doing any more than around 30 miles. If I had a longer ride planned I would probably have my porridge first and then go.


----------



## Slick (7 Nov 2020)

I have always been pretty much the same, I put it down to never really having time to eat when I putting in long shifts and grafting hard before coming home with just about enough energy to shower and eat before going back out and repeating. 

Most people I ride with are the exact opposite and use food as fuel on a full day in the saddle but I just can't do it as my body shuts down after eating. 

Like @Mo1959 says, if I'm doing around 30 miles or so, I simply don't eat, but around 50 miles and I have a stop but it's tea and cake, no more. I don't worry about it, it's just how my body has been conditioned to deal with effort, so my advice would be to do what works for you. 👍


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

Mo1959 said:


> I often do early mornings on just a cup of coffee if I'm not doing any more than around 30 miles. If I had a longer ride planned I would probably have my porridge first and then go.


I don't have a problem in the mornings because I have eaten this massive great meal the night before so I have a ready energy source.

It's 18 hours after I've eaten that I hit the brick wall but I know that if I eat anything, I will be nodding off to sleep within half an hour.

I've had blood tests for diabetes and seen a number of consultants and I've followed all of their recommendations.

I gave up sugar in my tea and coffee over 25 years ago. I eat heaps of fresh veggies, I never eat cakes or pastries. Chocolate, Ice Cream and sweets don't appeal to me.

Fact is though, if I ate a nibble of a carrot now, I'd be passed out in ten minutes time.


----------



## Slick (7 Nov 2020)

Also, I am a bit similar on the commute rides, except I would say both legs and lungs feel good on the way in but my legs always stiffen a couple of hours before I'm due to leave for home but I'm convinced it's a mental thing and within the first couple of miles they loosen up just fine.


----------



## Slick (7 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I don't have a problem in the mornings because I have eaten this massive great meal the night before so I have a ready energy source.
> 
> It's 18 hours after I've eaten that I hit the brick wall but I know that if I eat anything, I will be nodding off to sleep within half an hour.
> 
> ...


18 hours is far too long between meals, even for me.


----------



## Mburton1993 (7 Nov 2020)

For my last big bike ride: a microwave all day breakfast and two Kellogg's nutri-grain raisin bakes.

Regular ride: half tin of beans.


----------



## Mo1959 (7 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> Fact is though, if I ate a nibble of a carrot now, I'd be passed out in ten minutes time.


Jealous............I'm a chronic insomniac!


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

Mo1959 said:


> Jealous............I'm a chronic insomniac!



So am I. 

I have no trouble falling asleep, but I'm lucky if I get more than a few hours. I've been awake today since 3.15 am.

I've tried everything like changing my mattress and bedding, altering my bedtimes, avoiding blue light and all that other stuff.

I'm thinking of going down the CBD route for a full nights rest. One of the guys at work swears by it.


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

Mburton1993 said:


> Regular ride: half tin of beans.



I love beans on toast but if I ate it now, I'd be out for the count until about 2pm.


----------



## Mburton1993 (7 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I love beans on toast but if I ate it now, I'd be out for the count until about 2pm.



That's weird.

I know you said no energy drinks but, what about energy drinks? 

Or Pro Plus.


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

Mburton1993 said:


> That's weird.
> 
> I know you said no energy drinks but, what about energy drinks?



I tried a sip of Red Bull in the late 1990's and passed out in the Indian restaurant about five minutes later.

I went to the doctor and she did a blood test and told me there was nothing wrong.


----------



## CXRAndy (7 Nov 2020)

One big bowl of oak porridge with milk should suffice a commute type ride. 

A 1000 calorie load up with porridge an hour before a long ride would really help in maintaining before a stop.


----------



## Sharky (7 Nov 2020)

How far is the commute?
Can you eat something on the move?


----------



## byegad (7 Nov 2020)

I usually have my normal breakfast. I almost always ride in the morning .
One oatibix, a banana, two mugs of tea. When I get home I have my normal lunchtime snack.


----------



## sleuthey (7 Nov 2020)

Basic of the shelf sweets like Humbugs or Buttermintoes consumed whilst getting ready to ride. If it’s more than a hack then a couple in my pocket for during the ride. If convenient I’ll have tea with sugar instead.


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

Sharky said:


> How far is the commute?
> Can you eat something on the move?


It's ten miles but the second five miles are mainly downhill.

I've tried eating different things an hour before I leave work but none of them help.

The only thing that got close was a Banana about half an hour before I set off.


----------



## vickster (7 Nov 2020)

Mburton1993 said:


> For my last big bike ride: a microwave all day breakfast and two Kellogg's nutri-grain raisin bakes.



maybe try making something fresh and avoiding so much processed food (especially meat?) No microwave ready breakfast (is that even a thing?!) is going to be made of high quality products. Think of your future bowel health 👍


----------



## vickster (7 Nov 2020)

CXRAndy said:


> One big bowl of oak porridge with milk should suffice a commute type ride.
> 
> A 1000 calorie load up with porridge an hour before a long ride would really help in maintaining before a stop.


A 1000 calories of porridge? Do you make it with double cream topped with clotted and golden syrup?


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

sleuthey said:


> Basic of the shelf sweets like Humbugs or Buttermintoes consumed whilst getting ready to ride. If it’s more than a hack then a couple in my pocket for during the ride. If convenient I’ll have tea with sugar instead.



It's the ride home that depresses me. My legs feel like they've had the arteries clamped off.

The fitness gurus at work keep telling me to eat something sweet before I set off but it seems counter intuitive ?

Maybe they are right?


----------



## Mburton1993 (7 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> maybe try making something fresh and avoiding so much processed food (especially meat?) No microwave ready breakfast (is that even a thing?!) is going to be made of high quality products



Hey, it's quick, cheap and easy. My favourite qualities in food.


----------



## vickster (7 Nov 2020)

Mburton1993 said:


> Hey, it's quick, cheap and easy. My favourite qualities in food.


Scrambled eggs and bacon (if you must) takes 5 minutes to cook 👍 As does porridge
Processed micro meals not cheap either when you consider it. A kilo of porridge oats is a quid


----------



## Vantage (7 Nov 2020)

Mburton1993 said:


> Hey, it's quick, cheap and easy. My favourite qualities in food.



Shannon, my eldest almost had a heart attack when she saw me cooking a meal using all fresh veg and meat last week. She'd never seen me doing that before


----------



## rockyroller (7 Nov 2020)

on weekends, I'll just have a meal a hour or two before my ride. my rides are generally only an hour or two. if they are longer I bring food/snacks w/ me. PB&J cut into quarters has been good in the past for long rides. so long as I don't smoosh them

weekdays/workdays I have lunch in the 12-1pm time frame. went for a 90 minute ride after work yesterday & the day before (starting 4:30 & 5:30pm respectively). before leaving the office, I had a small off-the-shelf protein shake & a banana. after the rides I ate dinner. seems to serve me well


----------



## rockyroller (7 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I have no trouble falling asleep, but I'm lucky if I get more than a few hours. I've been awake today since 3.15 am.
> I've tried everything like changing my mattress and bedding, altering my bedtimes, avoiding blue light and all that other stuff.
> I'm thinking of going down the CBD route for a full nights rest. One of the guys at work swears by it.


I've read & can atest that it works, a portion of animal meat before bed. a dose of melatonin as late as possible doesn't hurt either. taking melatonin too early doesn't have the desired effect. also, we now have legal cannibis in MA. our Daughter seems to be an expert shopper. there are several strains, & there's one I've tried, where just a cpl small short tokes has a lovely effect just before tooth brushing & bed


----------



## Mburton1993 (7 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> Scrambled eggs and bacon (if you must) takes 5 minutes to cook 👍 As does porridge
> Processed micro meals not cheap either when you consider it. A kilo of porridge oats is a quid



Eh, but then I'd have to buy a frying pan. 

Besides, the Microwave breakfast was only for a big bike ride, I usually don't bother with breakfast, cup of tea will do.

Not too keen on porridge.


----------



## Twilkes (7 Nov 2020)

CXRAndy said:


> One big bowl of oak porridge with milk should suffice a commute type ride.
> 
> A 1000 calorie load up with porridge an hour before a long ride would really help in maintaining before a stop.





vickster said:


> A 1000 calories of porridge? Do you make it with double cream topped with clotted and golden syrup?



It's not just that, it's the fact he makes it out of oak...


----------



## HobbesOnTour (7 Nov 2020)

To the person who doesn't like porridge.....neither did I until I started camping and it became a staple.
Cinnamon, honey, fruit & nuts make it a delicious breakfast!

@Lovacott your situation is pretty unique since you only eat once a day - there's not many people who do that so what others do may be of little use to you.

Based on your threads you've undertaken a massive change in lifestyle since you took up cycling. Your body is still adjusting. It may take some time.

It's also (at least) your second thread on how miserable your commute to home is. There is also the possibility that it happens near the end of your waking/nutrition cycle and you're not a machine!

I have no real advice except to try different options and see which works the best for you.
You said one bananna wasn't too bad - how about two? Or throw some peanut butter on one.
Or if you're a bread and cheese man then pack some and eat that before you leave. Chocolate milk is often recommended as a restorative, maybe a hot chocolate before departure? 

Aside from the physical, there are also psychological factors. Now it's dark, cold and probably wetter. The rapid improvement you've seen in fitness, physical shape and form is slowing. These things can have a negative effect and exaggerate niggly things.
I'd suggest concentrating on the things you do like about your ride home rather than the things you don't. 

Good luck


----------



## Poacher (7 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I've got this thing where if I eat anything at all, within ten minutes I want to go to bed. It's overwhelming.


So you don't get very good value from Bed & Breakfast establishments.
Have you ever found any Breakfast & Bed places?


----------



## Ming the Merciless (7 Nov 2020)

Why have you opted to only eat once a day in the evening? It’s an unusual eating pattern.


----------



## slowmotion (7 Nov 2020)

Porridge, banana, pasta etc. Mainly carbohydrates rather than a lot of protein. For some reason, eggs don't work very well for me although I love them at other times.


----------



## Lovacott (7 Nov 2020)

HobbesOnTour said:


> @Lovacott your situation is pretty unique since you only eat once a day - there's not many people who do that so what others do may be of little use to you.
> Based on your threads you've undertaken a massive change in lifestyle since you took up cycling. Your body is still adjusting. It may take some time.
> It's also (at least) your second thread on how miserable your commute to home is. There is also the possibility that it happens near the end of your waking/nutrition cycle and you're not a machine!



When I wake up in the morning, I'm all primed up for getting on my bike and hitting the road.

When it comes to home time, I wish I'd driven to work.

After I've cycled home, I'm glad that I did.

I admit that it sounds a bit farked arp, but that is genuinely how I feel.


----------



## Landsurfer (7 Nov 2020)

Pre ride, Banana, 1/2 pt milk blended together. 
Post ride, 1 egg, microwave cup scrambled, 1 slice seeded batch loaf, toasted with butter and marmalade.


----------



## Paulus (7 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> maybe try making something fresh and avoiding so much processed food (especially meat?) No microwave ready breakfast (is that even a thing?!) is going to be made of high quality products. Think of your future bowel health 👍








Quality food Not that I have ever eaten this stuff. A mate at work used to tuck into one most days.


----------



## Mburton1993 (7 Nov 2020)

Paulus said:


> View attachment 556919
> 
> Quality food Not that I have ever eaten this stuff. A mate at work used to tuck into one most days.








Or this one, it's slightly better, now with real meat!


----------



## HobbesOnTour (7 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I admit that it sounds a bit farked arp, but that is genuinely how I feel.


It really doesn't sound farked up at all!

If I'm understanding properly, you last ate 21/22 hours before, you've cycled to work, done a work day and have to face into an hour + commute to get home - into a headwind these days. Plus it's November!
And you've gone from zero to where you are now since Covid?

Give yourself a break! 

You're the only one who can see your "big picture".

Maybe taking the car one day a week will give the body a rest and make the other days more enjoyable.

The only thing I can suggest is to try not thinking about how bad it is and to focus on any of the small changes you can make to try to make the commute home better, if not more enjoyable. That could be physical - food, drink, pace or psychological - reducing "pressure", stopping to smell the roses. For some people, pushing themselves to beat yesterday is the way to go.

I'm of the opinion that the most important thing is to actually enjoy what you're doing most of the time. The danger is that a run of bad luck - weather, punctures, mechanicals, close passes - knocks the whole cycling thing on its head.

If you've been to the doctor before about your eating habits, maybe now is an interesting time to get back in touch since your body and exercise has changed a lot. Maybe a simple supplement can help.

Good luck!


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (7 Nov 2020)

Generally I have nothing more than a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits in the morning, whether I'm getting up for work or it's a day off and I'm going to go for a ride. I really cant be arsed with getting food ready first thing in the morning as I'd have to get up even earlier Just like @Lovacott I will often work all day with nothing more than a cup of tea, then I eat my food in the evening when I get in, often eating at 9 or 10 o'clock. I'm used to going long periods without eating, doesn't bother me at all, and when I do get to eat I enjoy it all the more because I've had nothing all day.


----------



## oreo_muncher (7 Nov 2020)

I eat my dinner before cycling. Some examples:

-Pizza, yoghurt and granola with banana.
-Rice, beans with some veggies
-pasta


----------



## Ming the Merciless (7 Nov 2020)

I don’t eat especially before a ride. I’m usually just lunch and dinner during week then breakfast at weekend. So normal meal times and just cycle when it fits.


----------



## Nebulous (7 Nov 2020)

There’s two different things going on there - your unusual eating routine and fuelling for a ride. Usually a recommendation for people who want to improve their diet is to eat ‘little and often.’ I was recently reading one of the cycling gurus saying any more than 25 Grammes of protein is wasted, you simply don’t use it. He was recommending 25 grammes 4-5 times a day. That obviously conflicts with how you eat. 

I used to have cornflakes with two slices of toast every morning, bought sandwiches, fizzy drinks and crisps at work and a big meal at night. My weight slowly increased for years until I decided to do something about it. I changed to porridge or muesli for breakfast, fruit for lunch and still a big meal at night, and lost 5 stone. I kept that up for 10 years until lockdown started. 

My main interest for cycling is long distance endurance stuff. Availability of food is variable, and there is some advantage in not stopping for food. As a result I train for that, often training fasted. I can do 50 miles on nothing, and often do, water only. I’ve become more efficient at burning fat, like your morning ride, however I have limits, and wouldn’t try that after 18 hours without food. 

If you don’t have carbs there is a distinct limit to what you can do on fat only. 12mph is sometimes quoted as a top limit. You need to find some way of getting a quickly available energy source, whether that is fruit, sweets, a sports drink, gels or sports bars.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (8 Nov 2020)

Nebulous said:


> If you don’t have carbs there is a distinct limit to what you can do on fat only. 12mph is sometimes quoted as a top limit.



That might explain why I can pretty much have a cuppa in the morning and still get through my whole day without bothering to eat. Although I'm doing physical activity most of the time at work, I'm doing so at a fairly low intensity and when I go out for a ride I will generally average between 11.5 and 12 mph if I'm on a hybrid (a bit less on a MTB with knobbly tyres) I've also lost a few pounds in fat weight over the last six months. 
The issue the OP seems to have is they are trying to do a high intensity activity (riding hard into the wind on a hilly route) at the *end of the day*, when they have not eaten for a considerable time. Maybe if the intensity was reduced and more time allowed, the energy requirement would be more within the body's ability to sustain it without excessive fatigue?


----------



## Nebulous (8 Nov 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> That might explain why I can pretty much have a cuppa in the morning and still get through my whole day without bothering to eat. Although I'm doing physical activity most of the time at work, I'm doing so at a fairly low intensity and when I go out for a ride I will generally average between 11.5 and 12 mph if I'm on a hybrid (a bit less on a MTB with knobbly tyres) I've also lost a few pounds in fat weight over the last six months.
> The issue the OP seems to have is they are trying to do a high intensity activity (riding hard into the wind on a hilly route) at the *end of the day*, when they have not eaten for a considerable time. Maybe if the intensity was reduced and more time allowed, the energy requirement would be more within the body's ability to sustain it without excessive fatigue?



I’m not an expert - but you need both, carbs and fat. Our carbs are in much more limited supply and our body hoards them carefully. In practical terms we have a more or less unlimited supply of energy from fat. You can alter the balance, become better at fat-burning and use less from from carbs, but you still need some of them. 

I think his struggles on his way home could be because he is extremely low on carbs and his best answer would be to top up with some carbs prior to setting out to go home.


----------



## Lovacott (8 Nov 2020)

Nebulous said:


> There’s two different things going on there - your unusual eating routine and fuelling for a ride.



I started cycling on the third day of the first lockdown to control my weight and give me something to fill part of the day.

The first two days, I watched a box set, ate fry ups and drank loads of beer.

I put on half a stone in 48 hours. So I decided to do something physical and set about fixing up my old Apollo.

I rode the local estuary cycle path for ten or fifteen miles every day (the one where James May raced the electric model train set).

I was slow to start with and every joint ached, but over the coming weeks, I got quicker and it got easier. 

The ride across country to work was a mad pipe dream. I didn't believe that I could do it. I tried it the week before we went back to work and it nearly killed me. But I stuck with it and it gradually got a bit easier.

I've got faster on the commute due to improved fitness, better use of my gears and by gradually learning when to go hard and when to take it easy.

I've more than lost my early lockdown weight and I'm now the same weight as I was 20 years ago. My leg muscles are ripped, my joints no longer creak and I don't get puffed out walking up the hill to the newsagents.

But still, the ride home every day seems like too much hard work.

I've tried a few different foods at different times to see what I can eat and when to boost my energy levels. 

If I eat too early, I spend the last hour at work trying to fight off sleep. If I eat too late, I get cramps in my calves on the hills.

I did eat a Mr Kipling Bakewell Tart at about 4.30pm a couple of weeks ago and it seemed to make a difference. No sickie feeling in my legs, no cramps, quick commute time.

I'm reluctant to go down the sugar hit route though. I very rarely eat sweet stuff. I'd rather eat a bit of cheese than a lump of chocolate.


----------



## Landsurfer (8 Nov 2020)

I try to avoid the sugar hit if at all possible. On my LEJOG i learnt after the first day that gels, sugar, protein bars are not a patch on real food. 
If you want a kick before setting off for home have a chicken sandwich or a banana ... leave the buns alone ...


----------



## Lovacott (8 Nov 2020)

Landsurfer said:


> I try to avoid the sugar hit if at all possible. On my LEJOG i learnt after the first day that gels, sugar, protein bars are not a patch on real food.
> If you want a kick before setting off for home have a chicken sandwich or a banana ... leave the buns alone ...


My experiment next week will be a banana at different times before I leave for home.


----------



## rivers (8 Nov 2020)

rockyroller said:


> I've read & can atest that it works, a portion of animal meat before bed. a dose of melatonin as late as possible doesn't hurt either. taking melatonin too early doesn't have the desired effect. also, we now have legal cannibis in MA. our Daughter seems to be an expert shopper. there are several strains, & there's one I've tried, where just a cpl small short tokes has a lovely effect just before tooth brushing & bed



It looks like a few more states have joined the ranks for legalising marijuana. I made my little brother take me to the shop when I was last stateside in January (born and raised in Central MA, now a UK transplant).


----------



## simongt (8 Nov 2020)

As I don't go out on 'rides', this doesn't apply. I ride about 5k a year commuting, shopping, pub etc., thus I simply eat normally. Brekky usually consists of three doorsteps of toast with marmalade, peanut butter, cheese etc. on plus the compulsory mug of strong tea. Then off on my twelve mile ride to work - ! Result, job done - !


----------



## Lovacott (8 Nov 2020)

rivers said:


> It looks like a few more states have joined the ranks for legalising marijuana. I made my little brother take me to the shop when I was last stateside in January (born and raised in Central MA, now a UK transplant).


I live in a very Conservative (right wing) part of North Devon and yet our local council has allowed a CBD cafe to open.

I went in there yesterday and paid a refundable £10 for a sampler of a high potency CBD which will help me sleep for longer (apparently).

20 years ago, we'd have all been in jail after such a transaction.

We live in an ever changing world.


----------



## Landsurfer (8 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I live in a very Conservative (right wing) part of North Devon and yet our local council has allowed a CBD cafe to open.
> 
> I went in there yesterday and paid a refundable £10 for a sampler of a high potency CBD which will help me sleep for longer (apparently).
> 
> ...


Legal cafe or not if i imbibed its an instant dismissal in my industry ..... and i'm afraid its a gateway drug wherever you buy it from .....


----------



## Lovacott (8 Nov 2020)

Landsurfer said:


> I'm afraid its a gateway drug wherever you buy it from .....



Just about everybody I've ever known has done weed at some stage in their lives.

Not one of them has moved onto anything harder.

It's a gateway drug alright.


----------



## Nebulous (8 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I started cycling on the third day of the first lockdown to control my weight and give me something to fill part of the day.
> 
> The first two days, I watched a box set, ate fry ups and drank loads of beer.
> 
> ...



Congratulations - you've done really well. My tale was similar though 10 years ago. I was worried I had begun to break things with my weight, and my wife was becoming really concerned about my snoring, possibly sleep apnoea. I went from 18 1/2 stone to 15 10 and stuck, so took up cycling to try to get it going again. I finished up around the 13 stone mark, but by then cycling had become much more important than the weight. I'm proud that I have managed to keep most of it off for 10 years now.

Simple carbohydrates, or sugar is the basic fuel for much that you do.The problem is if you take it as sugar it gives you a big spike in blood sugar, which then disappears quickly as well, leaving you on a low. Complex cartbohydrates are better, as your body has to break them down into simple carbohydrates, giving you a more even blood supply. That would be a better route for you - but you would need to eat them earlier, which you have said puts you to sleep. 

I'm a big fan of bananas, as are a lot of cyclists. Stopping for a short breather on a club run lots of bananas appear from back pockets. They are also believed to be good for cramps. I'm not sure that one is enough though. A big banana is only about 130 calories if I remember correctly. You'll be burning at least 400 calories I'd have thought on your commute home.


----------



## Colin Grigson (8 Nov 2020)

Nebulous said:


> Congratulations - you've done really well. My tale was similar though 10 years ago. I was worried I had begun to break things with my weight, and my wife was becoming really concerned about my snoring, possibly sleep apnoea. I went from 18 1/2 stone to 15 10 and stuck, so took up cycling to try to get it going again. I finished up around the 13 stone mark, but by then cycling had become much more important than the weight. I'm proud that I have managed to keep most of it off for 10 years now.
> 
> Simple carbohydrates, or sugar is the basic fuel for much that you do.The problem is if you take it as sugar it gives you a big spike in blood sugar, which then disappears quickly as well, leaving you on a low. Complex cartbohydrates are better, as your body has to break them down into simple carbohydrates, giving you a more even blood supply. That would be a better route for you - but you would need to eat them earlier, which you have said puts you to sleep.
> 
> I'm a big fan of bananas, as are a lot of cyclists. Stopping for a short breather on a club run lots of bananas appear from back pockets. They are also believed to be good for cramps. I'm not sure that one is enough though. A big banana is only about 130 calories if I remember correctly. You'll be burning at least 400 calories I'd have thought on your commute home.


You’re right, bananas are good protection from muscle cramps - they’re rich in Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium ... the very depletion of which causes cramp.


----------



## Landsurfer (8 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> Just about everybody I've ever known has done weed at some stage in their lives.
> 
> Not one of them has moved onto anything harder.
> 
> It's a gateway drug alright.


I only know my daughter .... started with weed .... she's now a 20 year + heroin and cocaine addict. Her 3 children are in our permanent care. So i'll pass on it I think ...


----------



## Lovacott (8 Nov 2020)

Nebulous said:


> Congratulations - you've done really well. My tale was similar though 10 years ago. I was worried I had begun to break things with my weight, and my wife was becoming really concerned about my snoring, possibly sleep apnoea. I went from 18 1/2 stone to 15 10 and stuck, so took up cycling to try to get it going again. I finished up around the 13 stone mark, but by then cycling had become much more important than the weight. I'm proud that I have managed to keep most of it off for 10 years now.



My bike and my commute have taken over my life and I have to say, I'm loving every second of it.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (8 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> I live in a very Conservative (right wing) part of North Devon and yet our local council has allowed a CBD cafe to open.
> 
> We live in an ever changing world.



TBH, it's not really a Left vs Right thing. It comes down to nanny state puritans who want to tell everyone what to do vs libertarians who don't give a shoot what someone else chooses to eat, drink, or smoke.


----------



## Landsurfer (8 Nov 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> TBH, it's not really a Left vs Right thing. It comes down to nanny state puritans who want to tell everyone what to do vs libertarians who don't give a shoot what someone else chooses to eat, drink, or smoke.


No harm to you, but ..... this is possibly the biggest load of bull excreta i have ever read on this forum .... Sweeping statement of the year ?... or .. Cunning troll bait ? ... I can't decide.
Maybe redirect to another post Mods for some fun discussion. 
I thought only pro cyclists took drugs before cycling ....


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (8 Nov 2020)

Personally I would legalise all drugs for adult personal use in private, and not in the presence of minors. It's not my business to tell someone that taking stuff might harm them, they're quite capable of making that judgement for themselves. If they get it wrong, its also their lookout not mine.


----------



## rockyroller (9 Nov 2020)

Landsurfer said:


> I only know my daughter .... started with weed .... she's now a 20 year + heroin and cocaine addict. Her 3 children are in our permanent care. So i'll pass on it I think ...


sorry to hear that, totally understandable. my family has a history of trouble with alcohol. lucky for me, I get headaches from it & struggle with gout. eliminating the alcohol & animal meat (except eggs) has kept the gout away. I'm at a point, where I can have a beer with dinner, if we go out, but it can be a slippery slope. when both my kids started college, I started drinking more & paid the price


----------



## Mines_a_pint (9 Nov 2020)

I usually have porridge and a mug of coffee about an hour before going out and take a flapjack for every hour I’ll be out plus a water bottle or two...seems to work for me..


----------



## Lovacott (9 Nov 2020)

Landsurfer said:


> I try to avoid the sugar hit if at all possible. On my LEJOG i learnt after the first day that gels, sugar, protein bars are not a patch on real food.
> If you want a kick before setting off for home have a chicken sandwich or a banana ... leave the buns alone ...


I've started to eat a lot more protein. I've probably doubled my intake in the last few months.

I'm of an age where muscle building is a very slow process and I looked at my protein intake and it was low (less than 20 grams per day).

I get a lot of fibre and fresh veg in my diet but I don't eat much meat. I've started eating tinned pilchards quite a lot and I snacked on a whole roast chicken that I bought in Morrisons over the weekend. It lasted me less than a day.

I avoid sugar and sweet stuff even though I was a sweet addict as a kid. I kicked sugar in tea over 30 years ago and my sweet tooth went away about six months later.

When I think back to my eating habits in my 20's, I cringe. Pie and chips, pasty and chips, chicken and chips, burger and chips, can of Coke and two Mars Bars for breakfast, can of Coke and two Marathon and a packet of Walkers for lunch. 

By rights, I should be dead.


----------



## CXRAndy (9 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> A 1000 calories of porridge? Do you make it with double cream topped with clotted and golden syrup?



A bowl of porridge is around 300cals, so 3 bowls before a 6-8 hour day riding works wonders.

I was consuming 5000+ cals a day whilst riding everyday in Tenerife, didn't put on any weight. Breakfast was a couple of bowls of porridge with toast, croissants, coffee


----------



## vickster (9 Nov 2020)

You eat 3 bowls before cycling? Where do you put it all?!
How tall are you? What do you weigh?


----------



## Lovacott (9 Nov 2020)

CXRAndy said:


> A bowl of porridge is around 300cals, so 3 bowls before a 6-8 hour day riding works wonders.



In a previous life (the 1990's) I used to have porridge every morning before setting off on my 17 mile London commute. I used a full coffee mug of oats, one of water and one of milk.

I'd soak the oats overnight in the fridge and warm it in the microwave in the morning.

I tried oats again earlier in the year and fell asleep a few minutes after I'd eaten them.

My son has the same issue and spent a whole train ride to London on the way to watch Arsenal v Everton in February, fast alseep. That was after a carton of that "Up and Go" rubbish which is basically a mashed up Weetabix for ten times the price.


----------



## Notafettler (10 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> , I never eat cakes or pastries. Chocolate, Ice Cream and sweets


Oh you more man. I have most of the latter 5 days a week.


----------



## weareHKR (10 Nov 2020)

Lovacott said:


> spent a whole train ride to London on the way to watch Arsenal v Everton in February, fast alseep.


Was that before the match or during?


----------



## matticus (10 Nov 2020)

@Lovacott : I have a fair experience of doing long/short rides when sleep-deprived, eating at odd hours, and a bit of knowledge of blood-sugar levels:
I think your biology is so different from most of ours that I'd recommend seeing a sleep expert, and looking at it from that end (i.e. how your nutrients are effecting your sleep signals). It will be easier to fix your ride nutrition once you understand the sleep issues better (ideally you will get back to 6hour+ sleep every night, _then _look at your cycling needs).

Good luck!


----------



## Lovacott (10 Nov 2020)

matticus said:


> @Lovacott : I have a fair experience of doing long/short rides when sleep-deprived, eating at odd hours, and a bit of knowledge of blood-sugar levels:
> I think your biology is so different from most of ours that I'd recommend seeing a sleep expert, and looking at it from that end (i.e. how your nutrients are effecting your sleep signals). It will be easier to fix your ride nutrition once you understand the sleep issues better (ideally you will get back to 6hour+ sleep every night, _then _look at your cycling needs).
> Good luck!



I do suffer from sleep deprivation quite badly. It's not Sleep Apnea because since about a month after I started cycling, the little bit of snoring I did has gone away (according to the OH).

But I have this habit of waking up two hours before the alarm and being fully wired and ready to go. I know that I should go back to sleep, but I can't do it.

I've tried different pillows, blackout blinds, earplugs, cutting out caffeine after 7am and avoiding tech and telly after 10pm.

I use a sleep tracker which tells me that the the majority of my sleep is either REM or light sleep and the missus says that I often mumble in my sleep as well. 

When I first wake up (around 4.30am), I am full of beans but by around 10am, I feel like I've spent a month in Ibiza clubbing.

I'm going down the CBD route because I reckon my lack of sleep is down to either stress or anxiety issues as opposed to something physical like snoring or sugar spikes.

The CBD will take about two weeks to properly kick in according to what I've heard.


----------



## Ming the Merciless (10 Nov 2020)

Why not tackle the source of stress rather than try and mask with drugs?


----------



## LucretiaMyReflection (11 Nov 2020)

Have you tried meditation or yoga to help with the sleep? I have problems getting to sleep and am a very light sleeper*. 
Breathing techniques (yoga nidra) have helped me to switch off and not wake up so early. Blackout blinds helped too.

*this turns out to be quite useful for night rides though!


----------



## Lovacott (27 Nov 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> Why not tackle the source of stress rather than try and mask with drugs?


Our minds are controlled by a complex mix of chemical triggers which change as we age. CBD is known to help even out what is going on and should not be confused with THC which also comes from the same plant (the THC gives the "high").


----------



## GoodLifeSpud (14 Dec 2020)

I don't commute, well aside from the bedroom to the spare room via the kitchen these days, and am new to road cycling but have found porridge makes a noticeable difference. I took advantage of some free webinars through work on some very basic nutritional advice. The one bit that seems to apply here is: "if you're falling asleep after you've eaten you're eating the wrong things". 

Though it sounds like you have an individual set of circumstances. 

When I was in the office a colleague would regularly "porridge up" before riding the 12 miles home in the evenings - he'd just pour boiling water onto some Quaker Oats in a mug. Not to everyone's taste. I prefer mine with some soya milk and fruit, like banana/coconut and maybe some peanut butter stirred through. 

Post-ride (about an hour to hour and a half - average speed 14 - 15 mph) I never seem to feel hungry. Perhaps that's a sign I've not gone hard enough :-)


----------



## cheshirerob (14 Dec 2020)

I personally find pasta to be a good fuel. If I have a hearty homemade pasta dish the night before, I go out the next morning on an empty stomach food wise, just a pint of water and can do 60 miles non stop before I get the bonk on (not in a good way ) averaging 17-18mph.
When I get home I eat 3 burford brown eggs, poached or scrambled and have a half pint of semi skimmed milk.


----------



## Lovacott (8 Jan 2021)

cheshirerob said:


> I personally find pasta to be a good fuel. If I have a hearty homemade pasta dish the night before, I go out the next morning on an empty stomach food wise, just a pint of water and can do 60 miles non stop before I get the bonk on (not in a good way ) averaging 17-18mph.
> When I get home I eat 3 burford brown eggs, poached or scrambled and have a half pint of semi skimmed milk.


I've been eating a bowl of porridge every morning for the last month or so.

Just made with water, in a saucepan. The first couple of times, I experienced a few cramps in my calves on the hills but that seems to have sorted itself. 

The main benefit is that I can then go the whole day without feeling hungry and I have plenty of energy left for the commute home.


----------



## Willd (17 Jan 2021)

A packet of kippers, two slices of bread and spread, two cups of coffee, a glass of cherry juice and a glass of orangeade, this morning at least


----------



## Cycling_Samurai (16 Feb 2021)

I'm trying to lose fat quickly so I started doing 2 hour rides before breakfast. Which ends up being recovery for me. Mostly fruit, an egg, some kind of carb and lots of water followed by a 30 min nap.


----------



## Rikolet (2 Mar 2021)

"I'm not interested in sugary things or energy drinks" 100% agree, I get a banana for imbust my energy on my way home and have a proper meal at home. I can't eat at least one hour before physical activities and nothing but water or/and light fruit smoothies during. Banana or grapefruit are my energy bomb if I'm doing any sport too much or/and too long.


----------



## Tribansman (3 Mar 2021)

I really wish I was like the people who've posted here that they can eat relatively minimally, cycle a fair bit or a lot and not be hungry. I feel like a slave to my hunger!

It's rare that i go more than two or three hours without getting pretty hungry, and that's when I'm not cycling. I can only ever ride for about an hour on an empty stomach and do that rarely anyway, and when I finish long rides (75 miles+), I'm always ravenous, despite having fuelled well before (porridge or weetabix usually) and during (bananas, flapjacks, nuts, crisps, peanut butter rolls, the odd pasty 😂).

And the day after I'm even hungrier. I think I do generally eat too much sugar, but even when I've tried to up the protein/fat/low GI carbs and minimise sugary stuff, it's not made much difference. 

I'm wondering if I just have a naturally very high metabolism - on average, i'd say i eat around 3,700+ calories per day, ride 175 miles per week and don't put on any weight. I do love my food so it's not a huge issue, but I would rather not be so hungry all of the time! Any ideas or suggestions?!


----------



## vickster (3 Mar 2021)

Drink more water?


----------



## Tribansman (3 Mar 2021)

I drink loads! About 750ml every 25 miles or so when riding and pretty regularly when not. I do drink a lot of tea and coffee, maybe need to cut that down


----------



## HobbesOnTour (3 Mar 2021)

Tribansman said:


> I really wish I was like the people who've posted here that they can eat relatively minimally, cycle a fair bit or a lot and not be hungry. I feel like a slave to my hunger!
> 
> It's rare that i go more than two or three hours without getting pretty hungry, and that's when I'm not cycling. I can only ever ride for about an hour on an empty stomach and do that rarely anyway, and when I finish long rides (75 miles+), I'm always ravenous, despite having fuelled well before (porridge or weetabix usually) and during (bananas, flapjacks, nuts, crisps, peanut butter rolls, the odd pasty 😂).
> 
> ...


You're not alone!

I am anything but a "performance" cyclist. I commuted and cycled for leisure and was pretty much always hungry.
The advice to drink more water is good, especially before eating and before the ride. On longer days drinking was something I had to teach myself.

We're all different so your experience may not match up to others. My own theory is that we can "train" our bodies (and our heads!) how to react. I've had days on the bike where I was clearly suffering from a lack of food - I see that as different to being hungry. 

I'm presuming you could investigate the matter further with metabolic analysis and dietary advice specific for you. Or just enjoy the snacking/eating. I chose the latter


----------



## Tribansman (3 Mar 2021)

HobbesOnTour said:


> You're not alone!
> 
> I am anything but a "performance" cyclist. I commuted and cycled for leisure and was pretty much always hungry.
> The advice to drink more water is good, especially before eating and before the ride. On longer days drinking was something I had to teach myself.
> ...


Wise words. Agree that a lot of it is willpower, and I could make some tweaks to sugar and crap food intake. I have read a couple of articles on training your body to be fuelled by fat rather than carbs, which avoids the peaks and troughs and regulates the feeling of hunger better. But on reflection I'm with you, while I'm not putting on weight i'm just going to enjoy eating! And it does work as a bit of an extra motivator to go out knowing ive got to burn off the excesses of the day before.


----------



## Ming the Merciless (3 Mar 2021)

Tribansman said:


> I really wish I was like the people who've posted here that they can eat relatively minimally, cycle a fair bit or a lot and not be hungry. I feel like a slave to my hunger!
> 
> It's rare that i go more than two or three hours without getting pretty hungry, and that's when I'm not cycling. I can only ever ride for about an hour on an empty stomach and do that rarely anyway, and when I finish long rides (75 miles+), I'm always ravenous, despite having fuelled well before (porridge or weetabix usually) and during (bananas, flapjacks, nuts, crisps, peanut butter rolls, the odd pasty 😂).
> 
> ...



The long easy rides are what causes your body to adapt to be able to better fuel on fat. As time goes by you’ll speed up at those low HR but still be primarily running on fat. No need to change diet.


----------



## CXRAndy (3 Mar 2021)

I was like you with taking too much fast carbs/sugars. Sugar is actually pretty addictive and not good in large quantities.

I learnt over a winter to ween myself off fast carbs. I did lots of low intensity riding. I drank only water instead of carb solution drinks. When I did eat whilst riding, I would eat plain sandwiches, with ham and cheese. I was able to ride much longer and not feel the dreaded knock, where you feel sick. 

It takes quite a few months to adjust to no or very little sugar


----------



## Lovacott (4 Mar 2021)

Tribansman said:


> I really wish I was like the people who've posted here that they can eat relatively minimally, cycle a fair bit or a lot and not be hungry. I feel like a slave to my hunger!


In my teens and twenties, I was as skinny as a rake yet I consumed vast quantities of food. I'd eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks every other hour but could never gain weight. 

I hit 30 and things changed almost overnight. I gained two stone in a couple of months without changing anything in my diet.

Ever since then, I've watched what I eat. I avoid carb rich foods during the day because they make me feel sleepy. The exception is just before I head off out on my bike. In the morning, I'll have a bowl of oats or a banana or sometimes both. The effort from cycling kills the desire to sleep. I skip lunch at work and instead eat another banana (or two) about 45 minutes before I begin the commute home. 

Because my commute is very hilly, the hour it takes me each way is pretty intense physically and unless I fuel up beforehand, it can be pretty draining. I also sweat a lot on the hills so a banana is a pretty good way of topping up electrolytes lost through sweat.


----------



## Willd (15 Mar 2021)

I'm going to need a bigger jersey pocket  One per 10 miles should see me doing 500 miles... 
A slight ordering error by the wife , Asda used to sell individual bananas online...


----------



## Ming the Merciless (15 Mar 2021)

One banana , two banana, three banana more, soon I had seven bags sitting on the floor..


----------



## All uphill (15 Mar 2021)

Willd said:


> I'm going to need a bigger jersey pocket  One per 10 miles should see me doing 500 miles...
> A slight ordering error by the wife , Asda used to sell individual bananas online...
> 
> View attachment 578726


Time for banana bread! It freezes well and is great on a bike ride.


----------



## Tribansman (15 Mar 2021)

All uphill said:


> Time for banana bread! It freezes well and is great on a bike ride.


Yeah, love banana bread, tasty and good fuel. Can make it as sweet or savoury as you like too.

I also did some baked bananas in rum and a big batch of banana smoothie when I had a surfeit a couple of months ago


----------



## Nomadski (21 Apr 2021)

A bowl of Cheerios, usually.

Might be why I'm so slow?


----------



## Twilkes (22 Apr 2021)

Tribansman said:


> Wise words. Agree that a lot of it is willpower, and I could make some tweaks to sugar and crap food intake. I have read a couple of articles on training your body to be fuelled by fat rather than carbs, which avoids the peaks and troughs and regulates the feeling of hunger better. But on reflection I'm with you, while I'm not putting on weight i'm just going to enjoy eating! And it does work as a bit of an extra motivator to go out knowing ive got to burn off the excesses of the day before.



That sounds a lot like me. I do get on a sugar rollercoaster (which is fun while it lasts!) but every few weeks I try to have a day or two where I don't eat much sugary/carby stuff, so fish for breakfast, olives and meats for lunch etc. Makes me feel more settled inside my head too, sugar can sometimes affect me a bit like a mild combination of a drug addict and bipolar depression, scratching around for his next fix of Ben & Jerrys.

I recently trialled a blood glucose monitor (the kind of thing diabetics might use) and while my resting blood glucose level was on the higher end of the normal scale, I didn't have many peaks at all regardless of what I ate. There is a test for diabetes which is drink a very sugary drink, wait for two hours, and your blood glucose should have dropped back below a certain level (somewhere around 8.0-8.5mmol/l if that means anything to anyone). But 95% of what I ate didn't even put my blood glucose ABOVE that level, never mind coming back down again.

So I seem to have a really effective insulin system to control my blood sugar levels, and I'm sure this has something to do with being able to eat loads without putting on weight, but similarly having to fuel fairly heavily while on a bike (i'm also 6ft5 and 100kg so there's a lot of me to fuel!). An individual could probably increase how effectively they burn fat by cutting down carbs and staying down in Z1/Z2 while riding, but there seems to be a genetic factor in that some people are more predisposed to this than others.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is being touted as the next big thing in sports nutrition and performance management, but from what I saw when I tried it there are too many variables involved in what affects your blood glucose (sleep, food, activity, the number of letters in the day of the week) and the control of it is just not precise enough to do what the marketers are saying it can do, for non-professional athletes anyway. It was interesting but ultimately useless.


----------



## tinywheels (23 Apr 2021)

just ate 3 homemade burgers,two fried eggs and some beans.Ready to roll now.


----------



## Tribansman (23 Apr 2021)

Fuelled today's century with a massive bowl of cornflakes with raisins, a banana, two slices of bread and a large black coffee

Worked pretty well as didn't eat much for me on the ride, just 3 bananas, a cereal bar and a bacon butty. 

Will make up for that this evening, absolutely starving! Pleased I have two frozen Holland's meat and potato pies, half a loaf of bread and a couple of cans left 🍽


----------



## JonT005 (24 Apr 2021)

I don't think a major meal before riding is so important for me. Just keep snacking every 20 to 30 mins!


----------



## postman (24 Apr 2021)

Porridge dollop of honey,bananas on the ride,sorts fuel a powder mix,,beans on toast sometimes.Dark chocolate,jelly babies while riding.


----------



## CharleyFarley (28 Apr 2021)

Lovacott said:


> I've got this thing where if I eat anything at all, within ten minutes I want to go to bed. It's overwhelming.
> 
> I've been like it since I was about 10 years old so I have learned to cope by only eating one big meal per day about half an hour before I go to bed.



Only since I retired have I needed to take a nap after lunch, but if I'm working on some kind of project I can keep going all day with no problems. I'm nearly 75.

I'm wondering if you need a multivitamin. I found out, through donating blood, that I tend to be low in iron. Medical checkups, three times a year, keeps me informed of the kind of shape I'm in.



Lovacott said:


> On my morning commute, I feel energised and the only strain I feel is in my upper half as my lungs struggle to keep up with my legs.
> 
> On my way home, I get the opposite. My legs feel "sick" (like I've got the Flu). Every climb seems like hard work.



Do you breathe properly? When I first retired from construction and began having regular medical checkups, my doctor seemed concerned about my breathing, so he set me up with a diagnostic lab for tests. He also gave me some kind of inhaler, saying it would help me breathe, but I was never aware of having breathing problems. After much thinking about it, next time I went for my checkup, while waiting to see the doc I took several deep breaths and exhaled as much as I could. He puts a gadget on my finger which measures the oxygen level in my blood. Since I began to take deep breaths, I always register well with their gadget.
Think about your breathing as you ride; make sure you're getting enough oxygen. Breathing is an act of the subconscious, so it's not something we normally think about.


----------



## Lovacott (30 Apr 2021)

CharleyFarley said:


> Only since I retired have I needed to take a nap after lunch, but if I'm working on some kind of project I can keep going all day with no problems. I'm nearly 75.
> I'm wondering if you need a multivitamin. I found out, through donating blood, that I tend to be low in iron. Medical checkups, three times a year, keeps me informed of the kind of shape I'm in.


The secret for me is to not sit still after eating. A Banana is the perfect breakfast for me because I set off for work at 5.45am so I can scoff one just before I leave without risking cramps on the ride in. I have a sandwich when I arrive an hour later and because the first few hours at work are always the most hectic, I don't get the chance to feel tired. I don't bother with lunch but I do scoff another Banana just before I leave work for the ride home. Bananas are also very good for replacing electrolytes lost through sweat.

Since I started this thread, I've adjusted my diet a fair bit because I've gone from practically zero cardio exercise per week to ten hours of hard slog.

I used to get puffed out walking up the hill back to my house but now, the same walk doesn't even raise my breathing rate.


----------

