Very slow recovery - whats wrong with this diet?

[Gingerbreadman]

I am 44 so I don't expect rapid recovery, but I have had to reduce my training down to only two training sessions. My legs always seem to feel fatigued, though, strangely, I could get still on the bike and crank out 25 miles no problem. This may be due to poor sleep quality right now (thanks to hay fever), low levels of vitamin D (which I have a history of) and inadequate hydration. BUT I also want to look at my diet. My focus is 10 mile time trials (since I cant get the miles in for anything else).;

I have started using SIS or ITE recovery shakes immediately I get off the bike (but I always had a chocolate milk before anyway, followed by an evening meal).

This is my typical working day:
MORNING: (skim milk) porridge w. sliced banana and fresh blueberries, 4 cups of milky coffee
LUNCH: tuna or chicken sandwich + small packet of crisps (potato chips), smoothie or fruit juice
AFTERNOON SNACK 1 piece of fruit + some biscuits (cookies)
DINNER: pesto pasta with salad OR thai green chicken curry with rice.
SUPPER: wholegrain cereal with skim milk

Seems pretty good to me, though I don't tend to vary it much so if there is something not here then I guess I could end up deficient. I am trying to drink water a lot more during the day now as most of my hydration effort has previously taken place in the evenings.

Any advice welcome.

Any

 

[poynedexter]

i'm also 44 and ride/train 4,5,6 days a week depending on life.

your diet looks like it lacks fat and veg perhaps. conduct an experiment on yourself for a while:

1. eat more food.
2. eat more carbs before and after training.
3. eat full fat.
4. eat more protein.
5. eat more fruit
6. eat more.

do this for a few weeks and try your training in a sea of energy, then figure out a plan.

 

[raleighnut]

^^^^^+1 ditch the skimmed milk, fat (in milk, butter cheese etc) does not get stored as fat it gets burnt as energy.
It has been proven that low fat foods can have a negative effect on weight loss/fitness.

 

[vickster]

More fruit, more veg, less coffee, more water

Think less about it if you're feeling crap and just enjoy riding your bike (unless you are a pro and it's your livelihood which I assume not). Why do you want to do time trials and not just get out there and cycle?

Have you been checked over by a Dr to confirm there's no medical reason for the fatigue Cycling outdoors at a recreational pace in the sunshine would help your vitamin D levels, but still see the Dr (it may not be so good for your hayfever though)

Do you really need a recovery shake if riding for 2-3 hours (25 miles) and drinking plenty of milk and eating plenty of protein?

 

[moo]

I'd suggest a lack of magnesium. Most people don't get enough from their diets and exercise makes that more obvious. Cocoa powder is an excellent source. Add half a teaspoon to each cup of coffee and you'll soon get more than your daily requirement - known as a ghetto mocha.

For a good diet I would ditch the crisps, biscuits, bread, cereal, fruit juice. Then I'd add lots of good protein/fat sources such as nuts, dairy and fish plus plenty of vegetables. That's a lifestyle change most people aren't willing to make tho.

 

[poynedexter]

if you want to be a cyclist, and you want to improve your fitness, then eat to achieve that goal.

if you want to loose body fat, then be prepared for the shock that merely cutting calories or running on a lower than ideal diet will result in poorer cycling performance and stagnent fat loss. if 10TTs are your goal then you require the diet to back it up. if you dont, you will have sore legs and poor recovery.

 

[poynedexter]

FWIW, cranking out 25 miles, makes me think you are a recent cyclist?

 

[screenman]

Tired or lazy, many people do not know the difference. My eldest does a test on himself when feeling tired, mainly on the turbo, this lets him know if he is fit to train or not.

I swim hard 4 to 5 times a week and cycle every other day, I am 59 and work very long hours at a physical job.

There is some rubbish in your diet.

 

[Saluki]

I am 44 so I don't expect rapid recovery,


Any advice welcome.

Any

I'm 51 and expect rapid recovery.

You need to eat more and take a look at adding some fat, some veg and giving your diet a bit of an overhaul.

 

[Citius]

Been riding for how long?

 

[coffeejo]

Can't comment on the rest of it but my immediate thought is as others have mentioned - there's a distinct lack of vegetables in your diet.

 

[Drago]

I'm not so sure its your diet. I cycle and gym 6 days a week on an admittedly much worse diet than that and don't have any issues. I have a strictly enforced 1 day a week off from any exercise, as much to give my joints a rest as anything else.

 

[DWiggy]

Lots and lots of fruit, dates, bananas, pineapple (usually gives you plenty of energy) and still eat your fats

 

[Gingerbreadman]

Thanks for all the advice. I will start experimenting with it.

In response to the questions, i have been cycling for about 3.5 years. I don't consider 25 miles to be far - my point was that my legs "complain" yet I could still go out on the bike if I decided to.

I have had blood tests in the past and the only thing that has come up is vit D deficiency however only because I insisted it was listed to be tested.

 

[ayceejay]

As you seem aware, muscle weakness is a symptom of vitamin D deficiency so perhaps this is the first thing to address. The body gets D from sunshine but also from food, you should look to see what your diet is lacking, another thing I have found is that vitamins rarely work individually and so as well as plenty of sunshine perhaps a multi-vitamin supplement?
The diet you post is heavy on carbs but light in fat and protein, something else to look at.