Training & Nutrition - Bike Training and Nutrition - Working with Low Body Fat

Hello all,
I am looking for some advice on how best to train/eat for mid distance biking (Looking to be able to do a 100 mile ride by August). I already have a solid base of road biking experience and have been riding a "spin" bike for hour and a half sessions 3 times a week (for the last 2 weeks). The longest ride I did last year was ~65/70 miles and I was quite wiped out.

I am 22 and about 5'5/134lbs. My concern is that when I had my body fat % calculated I was at about 4% (Having it re-checked again this weekend to make sure that is accurate).

I try to eat as healthy as possible without going into the powder/bars/shakes. My diet is mostly chicken, fruits and vegetables, rice, bread. No "candy" or chocolate, my only real vices are 2-3 cans of Pepsi/day and pizza once a week (whole pepperoni pizza).

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could do? Is that % body fat reasonable or unhealthily low for what I am trying to achieve?

Thanks in advance!
Travis


*Other Important Edits

Another goal is to do a sprint distance Triathlon this summer the two week days I don't bike I spend in the pool working on my swimming. I can't swim that well so its usually 100 yards then chill for a while, then do another 100 yards. Rinse and repeat until I reach 500-600 yards.

4% is absurdly (maybe even dangerously) low, I think. I'm sure others will have some good advice.

I don't think 4% body fat would preclude you from riding 100 miles, but that doesn't mean it's optimal, or even healthy.

I realize 4% is very low... When the person did the skin fold she checked twice to make sure that she did it correctly. I was warned to "not loose any more weight." This test was done at a local health club and am going in to have it done by someone else to make sure it is accurate.

For about a year and a half I did considerable weightlifting which may account partially for the low body fat but for the last 3 months I have backed off that and switched to more endurance training.

Any help would be great, maybe some ideas of healthy fat gaining foods.

Michael Rasmussen says you're too fat.

:D

See a doctor. Now.

When you ride anything above 2 hours, aim to consume about 250-300 calories per hour while you ride. That should keep you going the whole way through.

You do not have to go to energy bars, instead have a browse through your local grocery store. Get cookies, cereal bars, granola bars, fruit, and all sorts of things. When you stop for something to eat mid-way through the ride, consider hamburgers, pizza, donuts, etc. etc. etc. You can eat all of that stuff when you ride longer distances.

Enlighten me someone

dangers of low body fat?

His weight for his ht does not look like an obvious problem to me.

My question is, wouldn't your hormones be effected if your body fat was dangerously low, since they start with cholesterol?

...and would you not have metabolic problems? Calipers are not that accurate, are they? I know how to Google, I just wanted to know what the conventional wisdom in here is....

Sometimes I notice people telling others to make a b-line to a doctor, and well, we have some (here) that don't seem to know that much.

I was thinking that there had to be some inaccuracy in the measurement method, but (trying to to "brag") I do look very tone. I definitely can't "pinch an inch." I was curious if there were any better, reasonably priced, alternatives to the skin fold test.

"Michael Rasmussen says you're too fat."

I know.. I really need to cut my fingernails...

Travis

4% is extremely low, the last time i tested for body fat i was at around 4% as well. Maybe im biased but i don't think it is unhealthy. It COULD be unhealthy for some people, who may starve themselves to reach that level. But for me, and probabley you too, Diet+genetics+exercise puts us at that level. Just make sure your getting enough nutrients. As for affecting your performance, It really shouldn't make much of a difference, as long as you fuel yourself correctly, before and DURING the ride. About 250 calories everyhour (i like bannanas+accelerade/endurox+potatoes).

As for the accuracy of the skinfold calipers, i'm pretty sure its the most accurate besides the one where you get submerged in water or something($$$$)... it's more accurate than the bioimpedance tests anyway, those things error if it's under 5%.

Hello all,
I am looking for some advice on how best to train/eat for mid distance biking (Looking to be able to do a 100 mile ride by August). I already have a solid base of road biking experience and have been riding a "spin" bike for hour and a half sessions 3 times a week (for the last 2 weeks). The longest ride I did last year was ~65/70 miles and I was quite wiped out.

I am 22 and about 5'5/134lbs. My concern is that when I had my body fat % calculated I was at about 4% (Having it re-checked again this weekend to make sure that is accurate).

I try to eat as healthy as possible without going into the powder/bars/shakes. My diet is mostly chicken, fruits and vegetables, rice, bread. No "candy" or chocolate, my only real vices are 2-3 cans of Pepsi/day and pizza once a week (whole pepperoni pizza).

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could do? Is that % body fat reasonable or unhealthily low for what I am trying to achieve?

Thanks in advance!
Travis


*Other Important Edits

Another goal is to do a sprint distance Triathlon this summer the two week days I don't bike I spend in the pool working on my swimming. I can't swim that well so its usually 100 yards then chill for a while, then do another 100 yards. Rinse and repeat until I reach 500-600 yards.

Skinfold caliper accuracy is hugely dependent on the skills of the person doing the measurement. Further, some people carry more intramuscular fat. I would be surprised if your body fat is much under 10% - I'm at about 8% body fat in season, but that's after a ton of riding. My BMI is about what your's is.

So, I wouldn't worry about it.

As for your diet, whole grains and brown rice are your friends, and if you can either switch to diet pepsi (or better, water), that would be a good thing. But lots of people do long rides on diets that are much worse than yours.

Long rides are about being able to choose an appropriate pace, being comfortable on the bike, and, most importantly, knowing how to eat. If you get 200-300 calories/hour of mostly simple carbs and enough water (I like to get them together), you will find that you don't get as tired.

Holyspokes (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=110663), ericgu (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=7958)

Thanks much for you help you two. I definitely think that the points about genetics and intramuscular fat are very valid.

Potatoes were mentioned as good foods to eat while riding... are we talking about like mashed potatoes or some healthy form of chips? Any other suggestions on other good foods to eat on the go?

Travis

I realize 4% is very low... When the person did the skin fold she checked twice to make sure that she did it correctly. I was warned to "not loose any more weight." This test was done at a local health club and am going in to have it done by someone else to make sure it is accurate. You might want to try a scale which measures body fat using biolectrical impedance. It's not perfect either, but you can get a fairly decent home scale to do it for 30 bucks (and then can take an average of measurements across the day) or get a more accurate test with medical equipment at a lab.

Yeah, I'm a little over 8% also. I'm pretty well toned, 6'0" at 143-145 lbs during the summer.

I also question any concern for riding that distance with low body fat. A skinny person pretty much has as much glycogen stored up as a larger rider, which is good for upwards of 2 hours. Mix in moderate amount of calories during a long ride and you're golden.

I did lots of long rides and two centuries last year. Not Machka long, but long for me. :) What worked well was drinking one 30 ounce bottle of water with 200 calories of energy drink/gels consumed PER HOUR. My last century I drank 5 bottles and ate 1000 calories in 5.75 hours. Felt pretty good nutrition wise.

With that said, it's real easy to "shock" your body with long rides even if you eat and drink plenty. If you go hard for 5-7 hours or more with no prior conditioning of that intensity/duration, you'll pay for it with fatigue and aching at the end. It's just part of adapting the body.

I use boiled potatoes, you can skin em if you want, and wrap em in tin foil or even better paper foil if you can get some. Mashed potatoes would be messy!

good luck

Good call about the mashed... thanks for the boiled idea!

Travis

I was just researching this immediately before logging on to this forum for the first time!

I was tested in a dunk tank many years ago. I do not have low body fat like you but just wanted to know. I did not like it because you had to expel all the air out of your lungs. I remember almost giving myself a stroke. You do it multiple times to verify accuracy.

The National Institute for Sports and Fitness has a BOD POD test that uses air instead of water. NISF description. http://www.nifs.org/node/35

List of clients directly from bodpod website. University of Hawaii-Hilo is on the list. http://www.bodpod.com/c_usacanmex.php

Where can I find out if there is a BOD POD testing facility in my area?
For information about the nearest BOD POD to you, call 1-800-4 BOD POD, or send an email to lmi@bodpod.com. Be sure to indicate the city and state you live in.

http://www.bodpod.com/p_bodAbout.php
description of process on bodpod's website.

If you like sweet potatoes, then you can bake them in a micro wave and then eat them peal and all. It is almost like a candy bar except that you don't have to dispose of a wrapper.

Holyspokes (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=110663), ericgu (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=7958)

Thanks much for you help you two. I definitely think that the points about genetics and intramuscular fat are very valid.

Potatoes were mentioned as good foods to eat while riding... are we talking about like mashed potatoes or some healthy form of chips? Any other suggestions on other good foods to eat on the go?

Travis


Boiled potatoes are traditional, and they're nice because you can add a lot of salt to them. I prefer to get most of my calories from a hydration drink, and mix in just a few foods. Mostly because it's easy to get a nice steady stream of calories with hydration drinks, and it's a bit harder if you have to eat more. But I do like some whole food to augment it.