effects on metabolism and riding and calorie counting

[clearwaterms]

question...

I have read somewhere that after a bike ride your metobolism stays at the excelerated rate for several hours.

could anybody explain the effects?

on the days when you work out (bike ride, etc) is there any side benefit OUTSIDE of the cal's burned while on the ride?

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Strengthened cardiac muscles, better lung capacity, longer life, better thinking and cognitive ability, better memory......These are the benefits

It takes a bit for your metabolism to slow down after a long effort, and this is also the magic 2 hour window where recovery eating directly restocks glycogen rather than going to fat reserves......as long as you don't overrun the 250 cal intake limit/hr.

[clearwaterms]

Strengthened cardiac muscles, better lung capacity, longer life, better thinking and cognitive ability, better memory......These are the benefits

It takes a bit for your metabolism to slow down after a long effort, and this is also the magic 2 hour window where recovery eating directly restocks glycogen rather than going to fat reserves......as long as you don't overrun the 250 cal intake limit/hr.

what do you mean by 250 cal intake limit/hr? is that the most your body can process in a given hour? so if you exceed 250 calories, your negating the benefit of increased metabolism?

[Halthane]

I'm not an expert in the matter, but if my memory serves, 250 calories an hour is the most the body can restock directly into glycogen, after that it does other things that my physiology/biology knowledge cannot adequately explain.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

what do you mean by 250 cal intake limit/hr? is that the most your body can process in a given hour? so if you exceed 250 calories, your negating the benefit of increased metabolism?

Nope, it just sits in your stomach until you can absorb it and by then, you're out of magic time.

250 cals/Hr is the max rate you can uptake nutrition.

[clearwaterms]

Nope, it just sits in your stomach until you can absorb it and by then, you're out of magic time.

250 cals/Hr is the max rate you can uptake nutrition.

okay, in a very simplistic world, eat 1500 calories a day, burn 2500, repeat for 7 days... lose 2 pounds. I realize that small meals keeps the metabolism going all day, what benefit does your body have by putting the stuff directly into glyocerin?

please educate me...

[Tom Stormcrowe]

okay, in a very simplistic world, eat 1500 calories a day, burn 2500, repeat for 7 days... lose 2 pounds. I realize that small meals keeps the metabolism going all day, what benefit does your body have by putting the stuff directly into glyocerin?

please educate me...

Glycogen powers the muscles, and is processed into ATP for cellular metabolism. It's the reserve capacity for rapid muscle response. It's essentially glucose, as the muscle and liver store it. There is only enough Glycogen for a few hours of effort though.

[(51)]

250 cals/Hr is the max rate you can uptake nutrition.

Interesting. Do you know what the rate is for your resting heart rate?

Is it better to have 4-250 calorie snacks spread over 4 hours, rather than 1-1,000 calorie dinner in 1 hour?

[gobot]

Interesting. Do you know what the rate is for your resting heart rate?

Is it better to have 4-250 calorie snacks spread over 4 hours, rather than 1-1,000 calorie dinner in 1 hour?

yes!

[calhoun1]

THe best way to accomplish that is to "snack" healthy all day. Don't go more than 1-2 hours between "snacks".

Personally, I have a decent sized lunch ~500-700 calories, and then snack before and after, with my only "big" meal at dinner. It keeps the metabolism going.

And it keeps you from feeling too tired from an overly full stomach

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Interesting. Do you know what the rate is for your resting heart rate?

Is it better to have 4-250 calorie snacks spread over 4 hours, rather than 1-1,000 calorie dinner in 1 hour?

Well, my RHR is generally between 48 and 54. Not bad for a middle aged man, eh?

we're actually designed for the 250 cal/hr from gathering food as wandering hunter/gatherers by selection. That's also the reason we crave those high fat/high sugar foods, because we were also opportunistic predators as well (Omnivores, really), and that shot of power food was needed to build reserves. Now, with plenty of food, this behavior, which is imprinted on our genes, can be a lethal expression.

[Caincando1]

After my rides, I often wait for my wife to cook dinner before I eat. This is often after the 2 hour window. I think I need to start eating right after my ride, then a little more later, when we have dinner together.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Small amounts though.....and the right kind of stuff. A banana or some other kind of fruit, and a 6-8 oz glass of chocolate milk, believe it or not, is a great recovery item. The right kind of sugars, fats, proteins and enzymes.:DAfter my rides, I often wait for my wife to cook dinner before I eat. This is often after the 2 hour window. I think I need to start eating right after my ride, then a little more later, when we have dinner together.

[Caincando1]

Small amounts though.....and the right kind of stuff. A banana or some other kind of fruit, and a 6-8 oz glass of chocolate milk, believe it or not, is a great recovery item. The right kind of sugars, fats, proteins and enzymes.:D

Yep I'm with you, I usually try to eat 5-6 times a day. Lunch and supper are a little bigger than the other 4 times. I'll try and eat after I ride, because I have a bad habit of not doing that.