Road Bike Racing - Daily Protein Needs Of A Bicycle Racer

I’ve been having chats with the guys I work with about daily intake of protein. These guys work out daily and are trying to stay fit while not necessarily bulking up with muscle mass.

It’s generally agreed that they all try to take in the same amount in grams of protein as their body weight. So if they weigh 175 pounds they take 175 grams of protein.

For their needs I am sure this is a fine program, but they have no idea what a bicycle racer’s needs are and what bicycle racing does to a body.

I have a daily supplement of protein but don’t come anywhere close to my body weight. I never gave the amount I take much thought, I just add a scoop to some kefir and fruit and drink it.

Specifically, for bike racing, what are your protein thoughts?

There was a long thread about this not too long ago. In Joel Friel's book they polled lots of nutritionists & sports scientists and they came up with 0.5 to 1.2 grams per lean bodyweight. I'd say find out your lean body weight and shoot for 1g/lb.

Quite surprisingly the consensus(in the book) is that endurance athletes need MORE protein than power athletes. One 1-hour criterium burns up 30 grams of protein(and they're probably using a 140-150lb cyclist)...think about your long training rides...that's a lotta protein

the recommendations seem to vary quite a bit. most people seem to think that you can't really get too much protein. i would recommend you try to increase the amount you are consuming and see how that works for you.

the protein that i get from a well balanced diet seems to be enough for me. i feel better just eating right than i did when i was taking extra protein in the form of nuritional shakes and things. however, i'm not sure if this will be the case when i start training more intensely.

I’ve been having chats with the guys I work with about daily intake of protein. These guys work out daily and are trying to stay fit while not necessarily bulking up with muscle mass.

It’s generally agreed that they all try to take in the same amount in grams of protein as their body weight. So if they weigh 175 pounds they take 175 grams of protein.

For their needs I am sure this is a fine program, but they have no idea what a bicycle racer’s needs are and what bicycle racing does to a body.

I have a daily supplement of protein but don’t come anywhere close to my body weight. I never gave the amount I take much thought, I just add a scoop to some kefir and fruit and drink it.

Specifically, for bike racing, what are your protein thoughts?

im no nutritional expert, but im just going to throw out there that no matter how much more protein you consume you will not bulk up more. Just like no pill will magically make you skinnier.

It depends on your body type and caloric needs as well.

If you're trying to lose weight while doing a lot of training, you may need to eat less protein and more carbs to fuel your training.

If you're trying to lose those last couple of pounds to get down to your race weight, you may want to eat more protein to ensure you don't lose precious muscle mass.

It seems the .5g/lb of body weight is a good mark to try to stay at or above.

A very high protien diet that exceds you daily requirement only results in very expensive urine. The american diet usually comprises more than enough protien than anyone needs. Remember that your protien isnt just from meat sources but in most of your daily intake as well.

I added mine up and I was woefully short. If you eat a diet with a lot of fruits & veggies, it's very easy to come up short. To come even close to the 1g/lb I'd have to eat approx 180g(for lean bodyweight) and american diet or no, it takes a serious effort to get that much protein.

I'm no doctor, but I'm guessing protein doesn't pass through your urine like vitamins. A calorie is a calorie. is a calorie.

I added mine up and I was woefully short. If you eat a diet with a lot of fruits & veggies, it's very easy to come up short. To come even close to the 1g/lb I'd have to eat approx 180g(for lean bodyweight) and american diet or no, it takes a serious effort to get that much protein.

I'm no doctor, but I'm guessing protein doesn't pass through your urine like vitamins. A calorie is a calorie. is a calorie.

If you're testing positive for protein in your urine, you've got bigger problems. e.g. kidney disease.

I added mine up and I was woefully short. If you eat a diet with a lot of fruits & veggies, it's very easy to come up short. To come even close to the 1g/lb I'd have to eat approx 180g(for lean bodyweight) and american diet or no, it takes a serious effort to get that much protein.



Woefully short of what, an arbitrary standard? I just looked at my fit day data for the last month , and I'm averaging 107 grams a day, and do not feel like I've got any deficiency of protein. I typically eat a couple of servings of meat or fish every day, as well as a fair amount of cheese, and yogurt, and beans and nuts from time to time. I just can't believe that is not enough protein.

My mirror tells me I'm putting on muscle (lifting weights for upper body and core), my Powertap tells me my FTP, and sprinting power are up, and my scale tells me I'm losing a pound a week (which is intended).

If I changed my diet to get to 180g of protein a week, without any other change, I'd add almost 300 calories a day (killing 2/3rds of my weight loss) and I can't believe I would do anything to improve my athletic performance.

why would you assume no other change? Perhaps lower your carb or fat intake?

I just referenced Joel Friel's book and picked 1g/lb as a nice round number between the guidelines. You feeling like you have enough protein, looking in a mirror and checking power numbers is more arbitrary. There are literally millions of variables that may be producing those effects. Perhaps you'd slim faster and have higher numbers with more protein. Maybe not.

All I did was reference a well known and respected book for his answer.

well, I used 180g for me, I'm 6'6" and about 202lbs. I figure I'm about 180g of lean body weight(I'm a shade over 10% fat) and my normal caloric intake is about 3500-4500. Clearly 180 doesn't work for everybody.

edit: that's only about 18% of my daily calories from protein, which doesn't seem that high.

Agreed. If you're eating well and getting the calories you need to maintain your strength, you're more than likely getting more than enough in your diet.

While some people might hate me for this, eat a damn hamburger after a race and you're halfway there. Throw some almonds down the hatch as a snack. Easy.

I suppose I need to bring my own lunch/breakfast to work, my problem is that all the decent protein options at the cafeteria are very high fat so I usually pass. I usually just get a veggie plate. I'm also lactose intolerant so I miss out on the protein in milk with morning cereal, etc.

I suppose I need to bring my own lunch/breakfast to work, my problem is that all the decent protein options at the cafeteria are very high fat so I usually pass. I usually just get a veggie plate. I'm also lactose intolerant so I miss out on the protein in milk with morning cereal, etc.

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with fat?

While some people might hate me for this, eat a damn hamburger after a race and you're halfway there.

You're right....I completely disagree with this statement.

You should ALWAYS put cheese on a burger.

You're right....I completely disagree with this statement.

You should ALWAYS put cheese on a burger.

Yellow American and nothing else.

Along those lines, a brat should have mustard and nothing else on it. Except for maybe some beer whilst cooking.

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with fat?

it ran over my dog

To give you an idea why I don't feel compelled to get to 180g (and I'm around your size), I picked out the last day I've got complete data entered on fit day, and looked at the major sources of protein for the day.

Breakfast, 3 egg Veggie cheese Omelette. Whole grain toast (which is 5g of protein). Lunch, Chili with Meat and beans. Dinner Beef stir frye, with rice.

That added up to 118 grams of protein. I just can't believe thats not enough.

I also have a question whether that 1g/lb of lean mass is supposed to be measured off of muscle mass, excluding things like say bones?

Started poking around on the web re my question as to whether the calculation is accurate. Found this on line calculator http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Protein_Requirement.html

Which indictes for my height 6'1" and ideal body weight 184, I need 38-67 grams a day.

Also it references World Health Orginization studies that indicate protein should be 10-15% of calories. (My 118 g day was 18% for me.)

I tend to find Friel to be a pretty authoritative source, so I'm really thinking the assumptions in how his standard is being applied might be wrong.

Also take a look at this link http://www.sugar-bureau.co.uk/energy_zone/protein.html which suggests for endurance Athletes 1.2 grams per Kilogram. Perhaps Friel's numbers were for Kg?

Ok, More internet research. Friel appears to be an advocate of the Paleo, or modern stone age diet.

See http://www.enotalone.com/article/5366.html. His reccomendations for protein are twice the USDA's.

Personally, I don't buy it, but to each his own.

So apparently, the reason you're protein is woefully inadequate is you're not eating like a Caveman.

I tend to find Friel to be a pretty authoritative source, so I'm really thinking the assumptions in how his standard is being applied might be wrong.

Also take a look at this link http://www.sugar-bureau.co.uk/energy_zone/protein.html which suggests for endurance Athletes 1.2 grams per Kilogram. Perhaps Friel's numbers were for Kg?

that makes more sense to me. like you, i find that even if i eat a lot of protein rich foods i would still fall pretty short of the 1g\1lb range.

i don't have the book in front of me, but i seem to remember the section in Friel's book dealing with protein was fairly inconculsive. he basically stated that there is no definitive answer yet and that different studies recommend different ratios. he did site the problem of the 7-11 team, when in the tour they were not taking in enough protein and lost significant muscle mass during the event.

I have a 5lb tub of whey in my office.

I have a 5lb tub of whey in my office.

Some fruit juice and whey protein is a good 'recovery drink' substitute.

Started poking around on the web re my question as to whether the calculation is accurate. Found this on line calculator http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Protein_Requirement.html

Which indictes for my height 6'1" and ideal body weight 184, I need 38-67 grams a day.

Also it references World Health Orginization studies that indicate protein should be 10-15% of calories. (My 118 g day was 18% for me.)

I tend to find Friel to be a pretty authoritative source, so I'm really thinking the assumptions in how his standard is being applied might be wrong.

Also take a look at this link http://www.sugar-bureau.co.uk/energy_zone/protein.html which suggests for endurance Athletes 1.2 grams per Kilogram. Perhaps Friel's numbers were for Kg?

im not sure how accurate that calculator is. according to that ideal weight calculator, im 10lbs under ideal weight on a good day.

im not sure how accurate that calculator is. according to that ideal weight calculator, im 10lbs under ideal weight on a good day.

That's because it's from a rock climing site. My race weight is 20lbs lighter than what that site says is ideal for me. Climbers have to have strong upper bodies. Roadies...not so much.

Yellow American and nothing else.

Along those lines, a brat should have mustard and nothing else on it. Except for maybe some beer whilst cooking.
No sauerkraut? Unmöglich!

You're right....I completely disagree with this statement.

You should ALWAYS put cheese on a burger.
+1. I agree with the 1g per lb of LEAN bodyweight. What I do first thing in the morning is put 16oz of water into a protein and add 4 scoops of protein (22-28gm per scoop depending on brand). I sip that throughout the day plus whatever I get thru food. I don't even count it but since I'm not a huge carnivore I doubt I'm going over 200 daily. I know professional bodybuilders that eat 5 lbs of meat per day.

Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler shopping at Costco.

http://www.dailymotion.com/Tech9/video/x15q1q_jay-cutler-at-the-grocery-store

That's because it's from a rock climing site. My race weight is 20lbs lighter than what that site says is ideal for me. Climbers have to have strong upper bodies. Roadies...not so much.

You are right that the typical rock climber is heavier in the upper body than the typical cyclist. But overall, around 5'9"-6' and 140-160lbs is kind of the average elite male rock climber build and that isn't much different from cyclists. It just so happens that elite rock climbers tend to have big upper bodies and chicken legs. Rock climbing is a lot like cycling in that power/kg is a key metric.

You are right that the typical rock climber is heavier in the upper body than the typical cyclist. But overall, around 5'9"-6' and 140-160lbs is kind of the average elite male rock climber build and that isn't much different from cyclists. It just so happens that elite rock climbers tend to have big upper bodies and chicken legs. Rock climbing is a lot like cycling in that power/kg is a key metric.

Hrm, right you are - so then lets just call that site's numbers jacked up :lol: No way 6'2ish and 193 is ideal for either cycling or climbing.

Hrm, right you are - so then lets just call that site's numbers jacked up :lol: No way 6'2ish and 193 is ideal for either cycling or climbing.

I would imagine the ideal weight calculation there is based on somebody's idea of what's healthy. For my build 6'1" 185, is pretty lean an healthy, but still too heavy for competitive cycling. And to the extent, the calculator overstates lean weight, it overstates protein need, and any bias in the calculator just reinforces the broader point.

My broader point being that a number of sources, including the USDA (and that web calculator) would indicate that 1 g protein per pound is unecessary. Obviously there are different schools of thought, but mainstream nutrional advice would appear to indicate something along the line of 10-15% of calories form protein, and more like 100-110g for an active adult male.

+1. I agree with the 1g per lb of LEAN bodyweight. What I do first thing in the morning is put 16oz of water into a protein and add 4 scoops of protein (22-28gm per scoop depending on brand).

And IIRC your background is body building, and your racing focus is on the Track. I think both of those disciplines might lead to a different take on protein.

For me, I'm pretty confident that adding protein power to my diet would make me bigger, which is definitely not what I need.

And IIRC your background is body building, and your racing focus is on the Track. I think both of those disciplines might lead to a different take on protein.

For me, I'm pretty confident that adding protein power to my diet would make me bigger, which is definitely not what I need.

Only if the increase in protein doesn't come at the expense of other forms of calories. It will be the calories, not the protein, that increase the size.

I’ve been having chats with the guys I work with about daily intake of protein. ?

Oh man, that's a hanging curveball.

I'll show atypical restraint on this one and defer to the cruder elements of BF to hit a frozen rope here.

And IIRC your background is body building, and your racing focus is on the Track. I think both of those disciplines might lead to a different take on protein.

For me, I'm pretty confident that adding protein power to my diet would make me bigger, which is definitely not what I need.
Right. I think most of you guys are fine with anything over 120 grams a day. Even I'm not obsessive about it. There are some days I don't drink my protein and I probably don't go over 60-70 grams. I don't lose any sleep over it and I certainly don't look like i'm wasting away.

The thing is 120 grams isn't really that easy to reach unless you eat a lot of meat. That's about a lb of beef or chicken, which I don't come close to daily. Bread, oatmeal, veggies, etc probably gets me about 20 grams a day.

Bottom line - if anyone is worried about getting enough protein then go buy some, add a scoop or two in water or milk every day and move the heck on. There's no point in being more obsessive than that. Not for what we're doing.

It's probably already been mentioned, but in terms of protein, 1 g/kg for an endurance athlete is quite enough. Those mentioning 1g/lb are close, but that's a pretty massive protein load. 1 g/kg is a lot closer. As the attached study indicates, the number should increase for top athletes.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=letters2003_10_23#Protein

http://www.cptips.com/protein.htm

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TB0-4CNGSWR-C&_user=10&_coverDate=08%2F31%2F2004&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=d507f3db73fa8555f00fdae7997378d9

The money quote from this study:

With adequate energy and carbohydrate intake, low to moderate intensity endurance activity has little impact on dietary protein requirements and 1.0 gPRO/kg/d is sufficient. The only situation where dietary protein requirements exceed those for relatively sedentary individuals is in top sport athletes where the maximal requirement is not, vert, similar1.6 gPRO/kg/d. Although most endurance athletes get enough protein to support any increased requirements, those with low energy or carbohydrate intakes may require nutritional advice to optimize dietary protein intake.

You can obsess over this stuff or just "wing it." During off-season I lift lots of weights (core and legs) and take whey protein powder (about 60g/day when I am really lifting) along with my regular diet of lean meats and eggs. When riding I just have my regular diet. My muscles seem fine, they develop when I am lifting, and I am definitely at an age when they will otherwise shrink without conscious effort.

PS: I weigh about 170-175# and am pretty lean (6'1" and muscular).

Grams of protein is misleading and not a good indicator (if simply going by what the nutrition label states). You need complete proteins. If your body takes in 10 grams of an incomplete protein (such as what you'd get in a peanut), you've essentially got zero grams of protein benefit UNTIL your body also gets the amino acids that were not in those incomplete proteins. This is because protein synthesis is basically an all-or-nothing process.

(Note however that while those incomplete proteins don't give you the full protein benefit, they're still energy and can lead to fat if in excess of what you're burning. So if you make as much of your protein intake complete proteins, then you'll take in fewer calories to meet the same needs)