Starting to do the training for the K1 and Taupo and would like advice on nutrition. Being a lover of pies (when the handbrake allows!) part of the reason for starting road biking was losing weight. Currently 94kg and could lose at least 10kg comfortably. If I ever do a ride over 2 hours I will treat the nutrition as though I was racing and make sure I have plenty (although not overboard), on my commute in the mornings and afternoons I never have anything other than water as it is an hour round trip. But it is the 1.5 to 2 hour rides that I am a bit confused on, and having two kids these are the training rides that I complete the most.

I need to lose some pounds and therefore don't take anything on these rides, but am I doing myself a dis-service here? Would a little bit of glucose in the water (maybe 5%) help with the training or is it best to keep the 1.5 - 2 hours solely water?

Thoughts please.

Just take some frozen pies with you and stop at a petrol station to warm them up.

You can go harder for longer with moderate nutrition.
Half strength replace/powerade etc in the bottles works well.
Have some choc milk/protein powder immediately when you get home, that will sort the hunger out.

Skip the pies.

How do you feel during the ride?
Do you feel hungry immediatly afterwards?
Around an hour after finishing, do you 'crash' (pardon the pun)?

If you are feeling fine, just take some fruit and protein afterwards to keep the muscles going.
I typically have a banana before a 2 hour ride, then a protein and banana shake immediatly afterwards. Usually feel fine, but sometimes have to eat some fruit to keep the blood sugars up. Have come back from long rides feeling faint, blurred vision, and displaying some blue lips before because of the lack of blood sugars.

Nutrition is extremely personal and depends on a lot of facters. There are quite a few nice little sites around the interweb that give a base plan, but you really have to either go to a nutrianist or do a bit of trial and error.

84millsy wrote: blue lips before because of the lack of blood sugars.

Dude if your lips are going blue during excercise then you might have bigger problems than just low blood sugar..!

znomit wrote:
Skip the pies.

Philistine.

I have skipped the pies on the ride as they just cannot fit through the drink bottle!

Feel good during the rides, hurts if the guys I am with push the speed up but that is fitness not energy levels. They usually say 1g of CHO per kg of body mass, but if I want to lose some kilo's, is it better to skip the CHO during road ride and just make sure I ingest CHO and protein for the recovery or still have some CHO as this means I can step up the intensity bringing more training benefits and still lose a bit of mass?

jimc wrote:I have skipped the pies on the ride as they just cannot fit through the drink bottle!

Dont worry. I have patented a bike pie holder and production will start soon.

Chris King is making them for me.

Already have a pie holder, it is called my hand

jimc wrote:Already have a pie holder, it is called my hand

Everything in moderation e.g. go easy on the pies! You have to make sure you are get enough carbs and protein. But not loads of carbs as you what to lose weight you have to be burning more calories then you are putting in. Bananas are good source of energy but do not eat to many as they have lots of carbs to. The hyadration drink that is probably best is the mizone rapids or water, replace and powerade are good but the sugar content is quite high we sell all of them. After training you should take some protein about half hour or so after as it will get into your muscle faster. Look out for some brands of protein supplements as some can taste bad, I can not say names. Get a good one from your local GYM or health store. Tell them what you are training for and your goals and aim. My recommendation is a protein powder that has a couple of different protein so the break down at different time’s like Horleys Crossfire It has a tri- protein blend an isolate, concentrate and casein the isolate is very refined and get absorbed first and the casein will help you stay full for longer. The protein will also help with lean muscle growth with execise, that in turn more lean muscle the faster your metabolism the more body fat your body is able to burn. Make sure you are eating about every two an a half to three hours not massive meal but lots of small meals it will help speed up your metabolism too.

Crashchan wrote: Look out for some brands of protein supplements as some can taste bad, I can not say names. Get a good one from your local GYM or health store.

www.reactiv.co.nz

The protein is good, locally produced, affordable, shipped for free and Mike is a nice guy too. - I've been using the pure whey to up my protein. It's totally neutral - mix it with water and it tastes a little bit like milk. Mix it with milk and it tastes like thick milk

PM Fergie.


That is all

One of the best pieces of advice I have received regarding nutrition and especially weight loss when cycling is this: Fat burns in a carbohydrate flame. Got it from this book that I would heartily recommend: Base Building For Cyclists by Thomas Chapple published by Velo Press. Basically to burn fat you need to be riding in the right heart rate zone and feeding the body right when you're doing so. For after-exercise protein drinks (within 30 minutes for best effect) try Horleys Pro-Fit protein shakes. I get them from my local Pak N Save - cheap and I hope effective.