Correct nutrition

[michaelcycle]

It's probably not nutritionally related. It's normal to build up fatigue. Take rest days when you feel (really) tired.

^^^^ Good advice in my view although I think it is partly nutrition related.

If you are dieting then you are in a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is a stressor on the body. Cycling (in other words exercise) is another stressor. Work is a stressor...you see where I am going with this.

Stress accumulates with time and leads to over reaching. Over reaching can then lead to over training.

Rest a little and eat a bit more generally if necessary.

You'll be golden.

 

[michaelcycle]

If you go to this site (http://healthyeating.sfgate.com) you will find fairly simple information on how the body absorbs and utilizes food, my (over)simplification is that the body absorbs carbohydrates fats and protein to provide energy but absorbs them in different ways. What is not stated here is how successful a mixed diet is in sustaining the energy flow, which was the point I was making but so far I have not found anything on the interweb to back this up in any way that might be considered 'scientific' but I am still looking.

I think the point is that if you eat a balanced meal the effect on blood sugar (glycaemic index / load) will be different. So for example if you are consume nothing but sweets at one sitting then you are consuming a lot of sugar (simple carbs) which then causes a burst of energy. However, this causes insulin to flood from the pancreas to regulate the supply leading to a blood sugar crash later on - the blood sugar level rollercoaster. If you eat a balanced meal this does not generally happen and you maintain consistent energy levels.

This said, there are times when having the ability to have short bursts of energy are good or you need to top up glycogen levels and therefore simple carbs can be a good thing - hence the use of jelly babies or maltodextrin energy drinks on longer rides etc.