Originally Posted by
Pt_Lumberjack
I've had a CBC and my thyroid checked. Everything is within normal limits, for the most part right down the middle.
You all say that 3000 cal/day should be sufficient for 12+ hours. This may be the case with most people, but I've noticed a direct correlation btwn. calories consumed and how many hours I can ride in a given week before experiencing severe fatigue (i.e. lethargic, constantly tired, low motivation, low energy while riding, etc.).
The more I eat, the more I can ride, and the less I eat, the less I can ride. At ~3000/day, I can ride 7-9. If I eat less (say, 2500), even 7-9 can be too much.
7-9 hours of cycling per week isn't much ... it's not even at the recommended level of 90 minutes a day. You're only riding a little over an hour a day. Just eat a normal 1800 calorie diet and eat a 300 calorie snack just before your ride. For a ride of <2 hours you shouldn't even need to eat during the ride although maybe your body hasn't been trained to use the calories effectively yet ... you might try eating a cookie or something mid-ride.
If that doesn't work ... go back to the Dr. 3000+ calories a day for the limited amount of exercise you're doing is ridiculous. Or is there something you're not telling us ... do you work at a very physically active job?