Training & Nutrition - What to eat or drink before a ride

I'm new to cycling and i know that eating a good healthy breakfast is a must when you're into any kind of sports, but do you recommend eating a "full" breakfast, something light like a banana or bagel or just drinking a hi protein sports drink?

Thx
tankman

Depends on how far (how many hours) you are planning to ride and depends on your bike conditioning. I ride before work anywhere betwee 15 miles and 22 miles. Neither one will make me eat a breakfast before the ride. Afterwards I will eat a breakfast but not the traditional breakfast.

On weekend rides, its like 40 miles or longer and then I will eat breakfast. But usually not that much, just a fruit filled smoothie with flaxseed and antioxidents. Then I take a banana or energy bar with me plus the water and energy drinks and gels. Sometimes at the half way point, I will stop by and grab a small meal, fast food. If I ride for a long while, my stomach begins to growl.

hey
thx for your advice
tankman

When I set out on 10, or longer, rides in the morning, I like to drink a bottle of Ensure Plus. It goes down quick, has 375 calories to help get you going, and is easily digested.

For short rides, I don't do anything special. Maybe bowl of cereal or a couple slices of toast so I don't have hunger pangs from the beginning.

toast n butter, mm mm mmm, wash down with some OJ or just water
Longer rides, the same plus some granola, which I bring along to eat on the way.

Banana and OJ is my food of choice for morning rides. Small enough to not bog me down, keeps me good in vitamins, and plenty of sugar. I drink OJ with no corn syrup though, because the normal OJ stuff is too thick and gross for me. If I have a real long ride, I will have a bowl of cereal or oatmeal afterwards.

If it's a morning ride over 25 miles either a bowl of oatmeal or cereal, or toast w/ butter or peanut butter, a banana, and a glass of water or two (or five depending on the previous night's activities). If I go for OJ my body starts hating me around mile 10, and there's no worse taste than citrus mid-ride. Any other time of day and it depends when I last ate, but usually no more than a PB sandwich or crackers/hummus with a piece of fruit.

If it's under 25 miles.. screw it, burn off the tank and start fresh afterwards.

I don't eat anything before my 8-mile commute. When touring, I would usually get 10-20 miles in before sitting down for breakfast. It was then a treasured break.

Depends on the ride.

For an early morning short ride (10 miles or less), just one packet of Dorian Yates Pro MR.

For a longer ride (10 to 35 miles) oatmeal. But today I ran out so I had three eggs and two pieces of whole wheat with jelly.

However, of we are talking a longer ride (greater than 35 miles) then get up earlier, eat a bowl of oatmeal, then just before I leave, Dorian Yates ProPeptide MBF, which has a lot more carbs.

For me i prefer eating a very big meal. Consisting of carbs,and many vitamins. What you drink during a ride depends on your taste i usually drink water, gatoraide.

I'm new to cycling and i know that eating a good healthy breakfast is a must when you're into any kind of sports, but do you recommend eating a "full" breakfast, something light like a banana or bagel or just drinking a hi protein sports drink?

Thx
tankman

Depends on the time period. You shouldn't eat anything "real" unless you have a couple of hours before you work out. If you have less time than that, you need something with carbs in it, not with protein.

I drink OJ with no corn syrup though, because the normal OJ stuff is too thick and gross for me.

OJ with corn syrup??? Orange juice is the juice of oranges, not whatever the heck you are drinking.

95 percent of OJ has high fructose corn syrup in it, along with the vast majority of juices. It makes it taste all thick and makes my spit all mucoid. I don't know why they put the crap in there and in everything else for that matter. Good orange juices only has orange juice listed as an ingredient.

OJ with corn syrup??? Orange juice is the juice of oranges, not whatever the heck you are drinking.Read the label. Fresh-squeezed OJ's fine. But a lot of the stuff that's "made from concentrate" might have additional sugars added...

On rides over 50K I like to eat something with a lot of fat and protein. Typically I will have lamb and eggs. If I am lazy I will have PB and honey on whole grain bread. I find the fat and the protein give me a staying power on the bike and the tons of carbs that I eat while riding are like a turbo boost along the way.

Read the label. Fresh-squeezed OJ's fine. But a lot of the stuff that's "made from concentrate" might have additional sugars added...

I am an OJ snob. I ONLY drink the fresh squeezed OJ and never the made from concentrate stuff. Made from concentrate isn't orange juice, but citric acid reconstituted with filtered water, orange bits, and HFCS.

PB&J(on wheat bread) has everything you need...sugar, fat, carbs, protien.

I am an OJ snob. I ONLY drink the fresh squeezed OJ and never the made from concentrate stuff. Made from concentrate isn't orange juice, but citric acid reconstituted with filtered water, orange bits, and HFCS.

Me, too. :)

Before my morning commute (7-12 miles, depending on route) I usually eat a fried egg & cheese samwich on toasted whole-grain bred, with OJ to drink chased with water, and a banana.

EDIT: I'm also a cheese snob, the only cheese I regularly eat is Tilamook cheese, none of that processed garbage!

Oatmeal is one of the best meals you can have before a morning workout. If your ride is less than an hour though you generally don't need to concern yourself. With any sort of meal, most of our bodys keep enough reserve calories to get us through such a short workout.

I personally swam competitively for 8 years and never once ate a breakfast before one of my 2hr, 6am workouts. My performance may have been better, however, had I focused more on my nutrition then.