Training & Nutrition - What to eat for EARLY rides!

Hello to everyone. Was wondering what any of you would suggest to eat if your ride starts at 4:30am in the morning? I get up at 4:15am and start my ride at 4:30am. Right now I don't eat anything and ride about 15miles. Right now I feel fine but think I may get nausea if my rides get longer. I'm afraid to eat because the whole ride is very intense and afraid I might blow chunks? Thanks for you responses. I do use Gatorade in my water bottle.
I ride at 4:30am because I have to be at work at 6:15am.

I would suggest trying one or more of the following and see how you do with them: a very small bowl of a plain cereal and milk, a handful of dried fruit, a couple of slices of whole wheat bread and jam, a small serving of yogurt, or a piece of fruit.

Good luck.

I eat nothing on early morning rides, and wait until my return home to eat my oatmeal. I can go 20-30 miles this way with no problems.

Originally posted by DnvrFox
I eat nothing on early morning rides, and wait until my return home to eat my oatmeal. I can go 20-30 miles this way with no problems.


You're not afraid of the catabolic effect it could/does have?

I have to do early rides too because of the heat here at the moment. I've found a banana or yogurt works well, although I do take along an extra piece of fruit or a granola bar just in case.

for 4 am in the morning....its a lot earlier than ive ever done (6 am),but what I used to do was carboload the night before with either pasta or rice then have a carb drink whilst getting my kit on, this seems to be fine as id usually done the same.i.e intense work and didnt like the idea of bringing my food back up.

...and if im out for more than 2hours take some carb drink with me.

I also leave out for my rides at 4:30AM. I drink a glass of orange juice (100% not from concentrate), and I have a half a powerbar. I take gatorade with me and the other half of the powerbar. When I get to the halfway point, I stop and drink the rest of the powerbar and drink the gatorade. I also hydrate throughout my ride.

It always works. I hate riding with a full stomach, and this is a perfect solution for me.

Koffee

15 miles probably puts you out around 60 minutes, depending on how intense a ride you're doing (70-75%/max HR) you might not need to eat anything.
If you do I would suggest fruit not dairy pre ride.
Maybe nibble on some gummy bears or fig bars during your ride if it's intense enough.
Carb loading needs to take place a minimum of 12 hours pre ride.
Post ride fueling is as important. Yogurt, bagel.
I stopped eating before rides under 90 minutes. I bring a Harvest Bar, fig bar and some gummy bears and keep nibbling on them about every 15 minutes.
My rides are getting up to around 30 miles at 75-80%/max.
After ride, usually a bagel or a yogurt, depending on intensity, within 30 minutes and in a couple of hours a good feeding.
And stay hydrated. I bring 2 water bottles, one 50/50 water/gatorade and one 70/30 water/gatorade.
The most important thing is watch out for lunatic drivers, usually men in their 30-45s driving trucks.

Originally posted by Aloner
You're not afraid of the catabolic effect it could/does have?

Good Lord, something else to put on my worry list!!

I have been doing this for 63 years, and so far the catabols have left me alone. I think I am good for another 30. :D

No, I am not afraid. Somehow, my muscles are all there, and I am able to still bench press 235 pounds. How about you?

Hey, 20 miles is really NOTHING. 30 miles is doable. If I am planning for more than 30, I start thinking about nutrition ahead of time.

Originally posted by DnvrFox
Good Lord, something else to put on my worry list!!

I have been doing this for 63 years, and so far the catabols have left me alone. I think I am good for another 30. :D

No, I am not afraid. Somehow, my muscles are all there, and I am able to still bench press 235 pounds. How about you?

Hey, 20 miles is really NOTHING. 30 miles is doable. If I am planning for more than 30, I start thinking about nutrition ahead of time.


I don't bench press. I can't due to wrist joint problems and tendonitis in both elbows relevant to the tricep muscles. I squat, and deadlift, and think those are a much better test of overall strength, and have the better carryover to cycling. After all, this is bikeforums.net, is it not?


Plus, most strength is not relevant to the amount/size of one's muscle. Such as with powerlifting . . . powerlifters do not train for muscle mass. They train their CNS. . . . and they are the strongest people in the world.



63 years? how old are you, exactly?

He's really 63... seriously!

:eek:

63 years? how old are you, exactly?

Well, I am almost 64, but I had a MEAN Mama.

I squat, deadlift and a whole bunch of other things, also. Have a complete gym on my basement, and also go to the nearby rec center last 2 months doing the Body 4 Life program.

Let's not get in a spitting contest here. For some reason, I see this heading that direction. I don't want to go there.

So, I will ride and eat as I like and so can you.

Anyway, welcome to the forums, and have a great and fruitful catabolic free day and week.

Cheers

Originally posted by Aloner
You're not afraid of the catabolic effect it could/does have?
Catabolic effect , seriosly what does it mean ???

Originally posted by greywolf
Catabolic effect , seriosly what does it mean ???

Here is some Google stuff. Seems to be primarily something worried about by weight lifters/body builders, involving the loss of muscle in the absence of proper nutrition.


Catabolism -- Any metabolic process whereby cells break down complex substances into simpler, smaller ones

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And from an internet discussion group:
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DrBones I personally think most people are a little over board on their fear of catabolism....

I did 45 minutes of cardio a day for 3 months, and consistantly watched my weights go up as if I was doing no cardio...

Obviously you will get better gains when bulking... but I think too much emphasis is put on preventing catabolism when cutting. Even if you do lose a little muscle, it will be a very insignificant ammount, which you will more than gain back when you return to bulking..... I'd say, worst case scenario, its like 3 steps forward, and 1 step back.... You've still gained 2 steps... So why complain about it?

Legion Kreinak2 What do you think about when one decided to maintain, no longer bulk or return?

Will those insignificant amounts continue to pile on until you've lost most all the mass you gained? I don't know how that can really happen though. Look at all athletes that stay in good shape, and can continue to be muscular...
CoolColJ overrated, I regularly train over 1.5 hours, I'm not shrinking :)
WizKid25 I also train a good hour to hour and a half.

How do you know if you're im catabolism?
nikkita Catabolism comes if someone trains for too long without the proper nutrients, such as when you don't sleep enough and don't eat right... not just muscle mass can be lost but your performance declines as well. But as you mentioned "so long as training is kept a priority and the nutrition is good, the gains will come and then stay".

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Any metabolic process involving the breakdown of complex substances into smaller products, including the breakdown of carbon compounds with the liberation of energy for use by the cell or organism.

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I really doubt that a 20 mile bike ride prior to breakfast is too much to worry about.

ANyway, that is where I am going right now!!

I have a protein shake and an Endurox drink (but you could substitute Gatorade) whenever I don't have time to eat. Works for me and I've done 50 miles on this formula with no problems.

Gu or other energy gels work good, too. Just nothing solid or very little solids that are easily digestible but for an intense workout I'd say no solids.

Thanks to everyone who participated. I think I will be able to try out a few things and see what works best for me. This morning I had a small 3/4 cup of Trail-mix and about threw-up after doing my sprints. Think I will stick with 1/2 a banana and gatorade.

What I eat prior to a morning ride depends purely on the length of the ride and the terrain more so than the time. I've been known to stuff my face totally for 4.30am rides if I'm heading to the mountains and covering a signficant distance. Alternatively, if I'm only heading out for a quick 40km or so, I won't bother eating anything, even if I set off as late as 6.30am (and yes, that is late by my standards)

peanut butter and fluff sandwich

First thing in the morning, say 6:00 or earlier, I'm usually not ready to eat . . . My rule of thumb: If I'm riding 30 miles or less, I don't eat anything before I ride, but do bring a couple of bottles of Gatorade. Forty miles or more, I force myself to at least have toast with a little peanut butter . . . and 50 miles or more, I try to eat a slightly "bigger" breakfast -- cereal with banana and milk -- and bring a Balance bar to eat during the ride. -- This seems to work for me, but different things work for different people. You'll need to experiment a bit.

I don't go that early, never have either. But for a 7:30am ride, I usually have a piece of wheat toast with peanut butter and honey, and a glass of OJ. If I have yogurt in the house, I'll eat 1/2 of an 8 oz. container sometimes.

I just got off my 60 mile Monday morning ride. Fueling for such a ride is a challenge because I try to leave the house by 7:15 a.m.

I begin by munching peanuts, bagels and assorted carbs Sunday afternoon, and eat a large pasta dinner Sunday night. I continue munching lightly until bedtime.

I get up around 6:15 and eat a bowl of granola cereal with skim milk and a large glass of OJ, and then wait.

By 7:15 breakfast has had a chance to settle and I head out. The first 30 minutes are ridden easy to see how breakfast is doing. I then come to the base of a 3 mile, 1,000' climb. I have to decide how hard to take it. Some days I hammer, some days (like today) I just didn't feel like it.

During the ride I'll consume 3, 24 oz. bottles of sports drink, a gel or two and a nutrition bar.

I've been doing this every Monday morning for 3 months now with satisfactory results, i.e. I haven't bonked and ridden strong right to the driveway.

My ride time is under 3 1/4 hours and I'm averaging around 18.7 mph.

Every morning before my rides I eat the same thing: Brown Rice pudding.

I take two cups of steamed brown rice and add it to one can of condensed milk and two tablespoons of honey and heat it for about 15 minutes then put in in a container and refrigerate it till I need it.

I eat about 1/2 to 3/4 cup every morning, the breakfast of this champion.

I usually grab a piece of fruit or toast with jam and eat on the fly while I'm on my way to meet up with my buddy. If I have my act together, I'll have a small bowl of cereal. Oh, and I always have a nice big mug of coffee. Caffeine's the wonder drug.

HOW in the HAIL do you get out the door in 15 minutest--Holy Mack! it seems it takes me that long to squeeze into my shorts and lace the shoes up! How do you do it, do you go to sleep dressed?

Oh , yeah, the food. . .I eat something high carbo, a little protein and low fat. Like fruit or bread or a roll, an ounce of chicken breast or small portion of yogurt. Small amounts and I feel it stays with me better when I chew everything very well.

Can of Ensure Light and half a banana ~ easy to digest

I get up in time to eat 4-6 slices of bacon, two pieces of toast (usually w/some honey or jelly), one container of yogurt and a large glass of skim milk. This prepares me for a 70 to 90-miler with usually 2 to 3 stops for water/gatorade and maybe a candy bar half to 3/4 way through. Also a Gu or 2 along the way.

you know I cannot eat milk before I do any workout. for some reason, I just get really full, and it is an extremely unpleasent feeling. anybody noticed this?

While I have never had a ride that early (4:30???) my early rides (more like 7:30) are usually fueld by a bagel with peanut butter on it...mmm...peanut butter....

for short 4:00 am workouts (and I do these regularly during
the winter) I start with 1/2 cup black coffee, choke down an
oatmeal bar or something similiar, this works for anything
up to an hour of rollers or actual riding. For longer rides/workouts
(or something like 2x20 workout) I will substitute an energy
bar (like clif bar, not powerbar yeeech) for the breakfast/oatmeal
bar. As mentioned above the real key is carb type loading the
night before, Pasta if heading for huge ride/workout.

I'm not concerned with catabolism as it isn't my
religion of choice, I have a problem with the whole
original sin and guilt thing. . .
seriously tho, I don't think that this level of workout
warrants the concern.

Marty