June 2006
Nutrition
for the Long Ride By Andrea Holwegner B.Sc, RD
Looking for Nutrition Tips Before and After Endurance Biking/Cycling?
(As printed in the May/June 2006 Cycling Issue of Impact Magazine:
http://www.impactmagazine.ca/may06/LongRide_Nutrition.pdf)
Goals BEFORE Your Ride
1. Liquid assets! 2 hours before cycling consume 400-600ml (14-22
oz.) of fluid.
2. Choose High Carb Foods: Foods high in carbohydrates are quickly
digested and therefore make ideal pre-training/racing choices. Carbohydrates
also “top off” muscle and liver glycogen (carb) stores. Higher initial
glycogen stores lead to greater physical capacity, and improved cycling
performance. Carbohydrates are found in grains/starches, vegetables, fruit,
and yogurt and milk. Sugary foods and sweets also contain carbohydrate
but its best to fill up on the foods listed above.
3. Choose Foods Low in Fat: Fat is digested very slowly and can
contribute to heaviness, cramping, and nausea if you eat too much fat
before cycling. Fat is found in high-fat meats, high-fat dairy, high-fat
restaurant/fast food choices, high-fat snack foods such as chips, nuts,
and chocolate, and “add on” fats such as butter, margarine, and mayonnaise.
4. Choose Foods Relatively Low in Protein & Fibre: Protein
and fibre are digested slowly. Some protein or fibre in a meal is all
right but avoid large doses to prevent heaviness, cramping, and nausea
during cycling. Protein is found in meat/poultry/seafood, dairy foods,
nuts/seeds, legumes and protein bars/powders. Very high fibre foods to
limit include bran based breakfast cereals, bran muffins, and legumes.
5. When to Eat: MOST athletes tolerate eating 2-4 hours before
cycling & SOME athletes may be able to eat <2 hours before cycling.
The closer you are to training the smaller your snack should be and you
would want to choose primarily carbs and limit protein/fats to ensure
quick digestion.
Goals DURING Your Ride
1. Replace Fluids & Electrolytes
· The higher the level of dehydration the greater the decrease
in endurance performance. Decreased performance is seen at sweat losses
as low as 1-2% of your body weight!
· Do not rely on thirst for indication of fluid needs during exercise.
Thirst is often blunted by exercise and athletes typically only replace
30-70 % of fluid needs.
· Carry water bottles or a hydration backpack (fluid reservoir
with a hose) and follow a schedule to remind you to drink at regular intervals.
· Ultraendurance cyclists (competing in cycling endurance events
> 5 hours in duration) are at risk for electrolyte imbalances and need
electrolyte supplementation during exercise.
· Endurance cyclists (competing in events < 5 hours in duration)
are not at risk for electrolyte imbalances. However electrolyte supplementation
may help fluid and glucose absorption and make a beverage taste better
so you will drink more.
2. Consume Enough Carbs
· Eating carbs (liquid or solid) during cycling rides over 90 minutes
in length will improve endurance performance by decreasing fatigue and
increasing power output.
· Some athletes may find fructose (the carbohydrate found primarily
in fruits) leads to stomach cramping during exercise because it is absorbed
slower than other carbohydrates. Experiment to find out your tolerance.
“Experiment with your nutrition during training to find out what
works for you and replicate this during competitions”
Putting It All Together
Cycling Duration |
Major Concerns |
Requirement Every 20 minutes |
Hourly Requirement |
| Cycling < 1 Hour in Duration |
Fluid | 150-350ml (6-12 oz.) Water |
~1/2 – 1 Litre water |
| 1-3 Hours in Duration | Fluid
Carbohydrates |
150-350ml (6-12 oz.) Sports Drink containing 4-8% Carbohydrates OR 150-350ml (6-12 oz.) Water & 15 - 20g of Carbohydrates |
~½-1 Litre Sports Drink containing 4-8% Carbohydrates OR ~½ - 1 Litre water & 40 - 60 g of Carbohydrates |
| > 3 Hours in Duration | Fluid | 150-350ml (6-12 oz.) Sports Drink containing 4-8% Carbohydrates
and Electrolytes OR 150-350ml (6-12 oz.) Water & 15-20 g of Food rich in Carbohydrates and Electrolytes |
~½-1 Litre Sports Drink containing 4-8% Carbohydrates & Electrolytes OR ~½ - 1 Litre water & 40 - 60 g of Food rich in Carbohydrates and Electrolytes |
Choices to Consume PER HOUR of Endurance Cycling
|
||
| 2-4 cups Sports Drink containing 4-8 %carbohydrates (40-80 g carbs/Litre water) | High Carb Sports Bar(Eg. Powerbar, Clif Bar) + 2-4 cups water | Sports Gel. (Eg. Power Gel, Clif Shots) + 2-4 cups water |
| 4 Fig Newtons + 2-4 cups water | 3 Fruit to Go Bars +2-4 cups water | 1 bag (66 g) Sharkies + 2-4 cups water |
One Final Note:
Choose Familiar & Tested Foods for Competing
This is most important! The timing, type, and amount of food you can tolerate
depend on individual tolerance. Experiment and find out the balance of
food that makes you feel comfortable (not too hungry or too full). Test
out foods during training and stick to this when competing.
Eat Well to Recover Well!
Your recovery meal is the most important meal of the day so that you can
be strong and fresh for your next ride. Once you are finished your ride
be sure to replace fluids, and have a solid meal containing grains, fruits/veggies,
and a good source of protein.
Mastery
Over Emotional Eating
How to Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Our relationship with food is inherently private, personal, and complicated.
Powerful factors such as marketing, body image, early learning, our emotions,
and stressful events, can leave us feeling prey to eating in ways that
we’re not comfortable with. Many people describe frustration in trying
to address not what they’re eating, but why they’re eating.
This 5-part workshop will help you to identify your own factors, and give
you practical strategies for fuelling your body and soul with joy and
confidence.
Workshop Dates: Watch for dates for the next workshop in fall 2006!
Cost: (Check your insurance to see if you are covered for psychology
services). $495 plus gst/person (includes 8 hrs workshop time & 40-page
workbook)
Location: Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. 1325a –
9th Avenue SE Calgary, AB (Inglewood)
Contact: Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc.
Phone: (403) 262-3466 or Email info@healthstandnutrition.com
Workshop Overview: The first step in changing your relationship
with food is to increase your awareness of the many factors influencing
that relationship. Significant time will be spent in this course examining
how our food choices are affected by three main factors: our environment,
our biology, and our learning. For instance, how does the availability
and the marketing of food, affect your food choices? What difference does
it make if you skip a meal or go on a fad diet? What did your culture
teach you about eating? How does body image affect your relationship with
food? The remainder of the course is devoted to providing you with practical
strategies to incorporate into your life. These strategies require patience
and practice.
The workbook provided in the course contains several writing exercises
to complete at home as you work towards mastering these skills. This workshop
is spread over 4 weeks to allow you to get support and feedback as you
try the various techniques. The fifth session is a follow-up 2-3 weeks
after the completion of the course, to share strategies, successes, and
ongoing challenges. And finally, how do you fuel your soul without money
or food? Find out how, and share your experiences, as you learn to make
different choices in your relationship with food, and in your relationship
with your body.
About Dr. Colleen Cannon: Colleen holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology
from Queen’s University. Colleen’s work in health psychology
focuses on how thoughts, feelings and behavior influence health and well-being.
She has extensive experience with conditions such as diabetes, hypertension,
pain, and coronary artery disease. Colleen has many years of experience
developing and facilitating workshops for client groups, and her style
is consistently described as relaxed but professional, practical but thought-provoking.
Colleen has taken an active leadership role in various health care settings,
training other health care providers, supervising Ph.D. students and interns,
and presenting at national conferences. She is currently a co-investigator
with faculty at the University of Calgary studying the effectiveness of
a workshop series called Food and Mood that she initiated and co-developed.
Colleen also has years of experience working with clients in a broad range
of mental health areas including: depression; anxiety; and the effects
of trauma. She is registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists,
and is a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders. Visit www.colleencannon.com.
Recipe of the Month:
Rhubarb Muffins
“Tart rhubarb and the sweet crumby topping provide an amazing flavor
combination!”
What You Need:
1 egg
1/4 cup melted soft tub non-hydrogenated margarine or butter
1 cup buttermilk or low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups diced rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
How You Prepare:
Combine egg, melted margarine, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix
well. Combine dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, soda, & salt).
mix dry and wet ingredients just until moistened. Stir in rhubarb. Fill
muffin cups 3/4 full. Combine topping and sprinkle on muffins. Bake at
400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.