Training & Nutrition - Powergel any better than powerbars ?

Hi,

I have tried most of the powerbars but find the powergel easier to "eat" and digest on rides.

However, I wonder if I am using it properly to achieve the maximum benefits ?

I generally will have a pack of the powergel mid-ride with a few gulps of water.

Justen

Be wary of using too much of these "power" foods. I don't know your exact circumstances, but if you are having these on your 10-20km rides you mentioned in your other post, that could be contributing to your lack of weight loss.

Originally posted by ChipRGW
Be wary of using too much of these "power" foods. I don't know your exact circumstances, but if you are having these on your 10-20km rides you mentioned in your other post, that could be contributing to your lack of weight loss.

I probably eat half a cliff bar before a 30 kilometer ride which is about 100 calories right ?

For the shorter rides, I just eat an apple and some other piece of fruit before the ride and that seems enough.

Justen

I agree with Chip.If you eat pure carbs(particularly refined) immediately preride to fuel your ride you are going to burn mostly sugar not fat which should be your objective on low/moderate intensity rides.Also keep in mind if you are cutting healthy unrefined fats too low overall it actually makes it more difficult to utilize fat as an energy source which is what you want (also it tends to encourage binging on carbs causing you to eat too much).

Hi,

My rides maybe short but I didn't think they were low intensity. I normally keep at a minimum of 24-26 km/hr throughout my entire ride. Or is that low intensity ?

I really appreciate your suggestions ! Thank you !
What are the best pre-ride foods to consume to maximize weight loss ?

Justen

Powergels are meant to be absorbed quickly into the body. The main powersource for you body is glucose. Power gels contain similair sugars plus some other more "complex" sugars which take longer to metabolize.

The first three ingredients are maltodextrin, water and fructose. Go to you health food store and you can buy all of these.

1) Maltodextrin is a starch (long chains of sugar molecules) that is hydrolyzed (it chops them up). It is sold sometimes by a DE (dextrose equivalent) number, which indicates how it was hydrolized (what percent of long and short chain sugars). The higher the DE number, the short the chains.

2) We all know what water is.

3) Fructose is a monosacharide (no chains, just a single molecule). This is very sweet, and makes the stuff taste good, and also converts to glucose (fairly quickly) for a quick power boost.

The rest of the stuff really doesn't do a whole lot except flavor and shelf life.

So go and make your own powergels. I used to work for a food company and made my own. Add some flavor (everyone has vanilla) to make it taste good and your all set. I forget what the percent by weight is, but try like a 40-30-30 ratio. See what the texture is and adjust from there. The water activity is low enough so you don't have to worry about spoilage for a couple of weeks.

I think it is outrageous what they charge for that stuff!

I am by no means an expert on measuring intensity level as I don't even have a bike computer I just go by feel but that would probablly be somewhere in the low/moderate intensity range.If you stay with that intensity level for the milage you mention I suggest you start with some stored complex carbs eated at least several hours before the ride (for example oatmeal w/ fruit,almonds etc.) because you don't want to totally deplete them.Then don't eat immediately before the ride or during the ride if possible.If you are running to low on energy during the ride try light snacking on trail mix(such as nuts/dried fruit/dried coconut).Also if possible try not to eat post exercise if possible to continue burning fat.For overall meals you should go with small frequent unrefined meals balanced to all contain some protein/carbs /fats with the carbs and overall calories adjusted to match your activity levels.

Originally posted by RWTD
I am by no means an expert on measuring intensity level as I don't even have a bike computer I just go by feel but that would probablly be somewhere in the low/moderate intensity range..

Hi,

Thanks for all the tips on what to eat/not eat.
I have stopped using the powerbars and switched over to some of the stuff you suggested.

I am not sure about the intensity thing. I find that if I go much faster than 25-30 km/hr, my asthma starts to kick in and I end up having to stop altogether. Unless I do short sprints here and there throughout my ride. Like just suddenly go all out for a couple of minutes and then back to the 25 km and then all out again and keep doing that.

Would that help at all ?
I am also adding more hills to my route - steep hills- to get my heart working harder.

Justen

Justen

This is slightly off topic (powergels etc.)
but if you want to lose weight, are concerned with
intensity, %fat burned etc.
do yourself a favour and get
The HeartRate Monitor book for Cyclists by Sally Reed
probably the best information I've seen for
real world cyclists, not those training for
the TdF. (and even thats in there!).
KoffeeBrown (BF member) Teaches this system
and might also be a good source of Info.

Marty

Justin Yes both those strategies would up your intensity level and if you are limited in the time you can train upping the intensity is a good idea.I am somewhat concerned first you said total milage was a concern now your saying speed is as well which I thought you said the doctor said should help.If you do this warm up though first before tackling the hills or intervals which the first is called .Don't try to train too intense too fast though build up gradually because to some degree intensity is relative to your fitness level so what you are doing now may be very intense to you now but over time it will begin to seem easy as your fitness improves.As intense training burns a high % of calories as sugar relative to fat you should try to build the intensity to the point you are burning enough calories overall to still burn significant fat as well as to increase your metabolism enough to continue to burn fat postworkout .As I tend to train very instinctive if you need a structured program having Koffee help you out planning a routine may be a good suggestion to some degree it depends on your personality.Finally someone suggested possibly doing two of the sessions daily maybe one first thing in the morning and the other later in the day.This might be a way to increase the overall milage while keeping the speed and down if it doesn't tax you too much.Good Luck

Originally posted by captsven
Powergels are meant to be absorbed quickly into the body. The main powersource for you body is glucose. Power gels contain similair sugars plus some other more "complex" sugars which take longer to metabolize.



Hi,

I just wanted to say thanks for the great advice and tips. I think that it is actually the powerbars and gel that is working against me in terms of weightloss now. They are just so fast and easy to eat but I think I'll try the stuff you mention.

I was just wondering - how about eating certain fruits before riding. Surely they would be healthier than the energy bars in some respects and I had heard bananas are good to eat before you go. How about other kinds of fruits like pears, apples and oranges. Maybe this would help me lose weight more easily if I eat it before and after rides.

Justen

Justin Here is the way to look at it .Sugar is good to fuel short bursts of maximum intensity speed while fat is best for sustainable submaximum intensity (what I call low/moderate intensity)endurance.Keep in mind you can store a decent amount of sugar in the muscles by eating complex carbs such as oatmeal several hours ahead and of course you have at least 10 lbs. of stored fat available already.So it depends on the type of training as to what % of those fuels you will use. So basically if you start the ride with your muscle sugar stores topped up ahead of time you will not need to eat for awhile into the ride depending again on the intensity.As to fruit it all breaks down largely into fructose a good energy sugar but bad storage sugar as it readily stores as fat if not needed immediately.bananas and southern hemisphere fruits are more sugary than apples ,pears and northern fruits.I suggest you try to save them for afterwards when the antioxidents and electrolytes will help with recovery for now .Also by all means eat some fruit(but not too much) with you complex carb(oatmeal etc.)several hours prior.This gives you plenty of time for digestion and storage.

If you are riding for under and hour, don't eat anything for the ride, just bring water and maybe some gatorade. I don't start using gels or any other energy source for at least an hour and a half..Unless it's going to be a 3 plus hour ride with people who want to go fast. But it sounds like you are trying to lose weight, so what you need to do, is get up early in the morning, and before you eat anything, head out for your ride. Ride for at least an hour, then eat when you get home. This way, your glucose is nearly depleted from the night, and you force your body to burn fat...Plus your body adapts to burning fat more efficiently.

Caffiene also helps to stimulate fat burning, so sometimes I'll have a cup before my morning ride, or if you really want to fire up your ride, try and esspresso! One time I had a double just before a ride, and about 45 mintues later I was hauling ass. I've never ridden so well in my life.

Hi Fubar,
Thanks for the tips. I guess I always thought that I needed to eat something before I went out on rides. I would get bad headaches when I got back but now realize that was probably from not drinking enough before and during the ride. Anyway, I'll start cycling first thing in the AM and see how it goes.
I'll have to give that expresso idea a try :-) Although, don't they have alot of calories in them ?

Justen

Yes fubar has the right idea.Many people extend the complex carbs at least two hours prior much further prior by taking advantage of the overnight fast.You want to start with your blood sugar(glucose)depleted but your muscle sugar(glucogen)not totally depleted(particularly if you start to up the intensity).An important concept he mentioned is adapting to burn fat more efficiently and if you have been primarily a sugar burner adjusting to burning fat will initially make you feel sluggish and you will be tempted to consume some sugar for some quick energy but you don't want to do this . Also if you can delay eating afterwards an hour or so you will continue to burn alot of fat.

Great - thanks RWTD. I had been making the mistake of thinking that it would help my body to eat before going out cycling in the AM. I kept thinking my energy levels would just go bonk on me like they do when I am running to classes without anything to eat all morning.

Anyway, I really appreciate all the information that I have received in response to my questions. Thanks everybody!

Justen

It will seem like your bonking at first but unless your stored sugar is depleted as well (where you really bonk g )you should be able to train through it by starting to burn more fat.

Lotek,

Is there anything in the book you recommended that deals with weight loss?

Originally posted by fubar5
Lotek,

Is there anything in the book you recommended that deals with weight loss?

Uhm, I've seen your picture and you don't need weight loss.

but yes, there is an entire section on weight loss
fat burning and percentages in each zone.
As I said of all the training books, I like this one the best
as its not a racer-wannabe book. Its for regular
folks.
Author is Sally Edwards
Sally Reed is co-author.

Originally posted by lotek
Uhm, I've seen your picture and you don't need weight loss.


Thats what everyone says.