Cycling and Food avoidance

[david1701]

I have IBS which is triggered by a few foods (wheat particularly and to a lesser extent caffeine) and it gets kinda complicated for doing long distances without carrying food - I can't buy almost any pre packaged food in a shop or really muck in with other riders ect.

Does anyone else have similar issues and how do you cope with it?

I'm alright atm but I'd like to start touring and audaxes and the only really safe food you can grab cheaply is chips or going to a resteraunt properly and having something with mash or having a big shop and cooking.

I guess for audaxes and the like carrying cold pasta or sandwhiches or cake from home would work well but for multi day rides.....?

 

[Fiona N]

My local supermarket has a 'free-from' section with loads of gluten-free stuff like brownies, cereal bars, cakes, biscuits etc. I could easily get enough stuff to power me around a 200km Audax without buying anything else.

So why not just plan to take what you need (or ride via decent supermarkets) and avoid emergency stops at petrol stations.

 

[david1701]

thats basically how I work now, carry it or find a big shop to buy crap that has energy in it but I was kinda hoping that a few people out there had similar issues and epic solutions to them

 

[yoyo]

I am mainly wheat free, dairy free and caffeine free.

I use flap jacks for energy which are very effective. I also carry hot food in a flask with rice as a carbohydrate or gluten free pasta. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate is excellent. I drink redbush tea and green tea.

 

[david1701]

I drink a lot of rooibos (in general not bike related)

I take cold pasta made up in the morning (say cooked up pasta some cheese and some meat thrown in with some herbs to be bulk and protein and taste nice) on long shoots, never thought of doing it in a flask, maybe a carbonara of something to keep warm and wettish.

Do you find with bought flapjacks that they sometimes have wheat in, I've noticed a few do but not all so kinda left it as something I couldn't really rely on.

 

[Globalti]

Read this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/16/orthorexia-mental-health-eating-disorder

 

[gannet]

wheat, rye, caffeine, nut and soya (just a few of many) free here...

don't do long rides but flapjacks, oat cakes, rice (wild rice is lovely) with peas/sweetcorn are among my staples.

 

[david1701]

Read this: http://www.guardian....eating-disorder

well its not that because I love eating fresh bread - I just can't leave the bathroom for a few days after

 

[ttcycle]

David I am not envious of you! One thing I'm not supposed to eat is dairy as it affects my digestion but most importantly my breathing. It hasn't gotten to the point where it's a major, major issue and I seem to crave what I really shouldn't eat but the breathing thing is a concern.

Was thinking about your question re foods- have you tried rice in their various forms? Some times you can prepare the Asian style with a bit of light soy and possibly lime juice or vinegar if they don't set you off with some chicken and raw spring onions-very tasty cold.

Then of course theres home made flapjacks and sachertorte which is all wheat free.
I have a friend who bakes wheat free bread using rice flour, due to the lack of gluten I think she uses xanthan gum but it takes a few tries to get it right.
There are also numerous rice dishes, some warm to be kept in a flask or cold rice with peppers and cooked onion and some chunks of cheese.

I can think of lots of alternatives; just need to think and prepare it all in advance.

 

[david1701]

aye we bake bread sometimes and the one they do in waitrose is almost as good as real bread (none of the others I've tried have been) and make cakes and biscuits and stuff, I was just thinking about what to do when I get out of range of that, I spose its got to be buying pasta or rice and making something up each morning/the night before

rice is good, especially brown rice we have with a lot with fish for lunch at home.....

Ouch milk is in a lot of stuff and bad breathing sound worse than bad bowels :s