Training & Nutrition - Eating before the evening commute - No success!

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
smarley
03-31-08, 11:50 AM
Hi all,

I have been riding and racing bicycles for most of my life and up until a few years ago, I was able to find the right foods that would give me energy for a ride.

I stopped racing a few years back and I now just enjoy the daily commute along with riding on the weekends.

I just can't seem to find a diet at work that provides me with riding energy for the evening ride home. I have tried all sorts of food for lunch and snacks (including powerbars, fruits, vegatables etc), but by the time I'm ready to leave work, I really feel weak. I often end up needing a PowerGel half way home as I am close to bonking.

It's really strange. I don't have this problem on the way into work. I typically have a few cups of coffee and some PB&J on 9-grain bread for breakfast and I ride well. The problem is that I would really like to lose a few pounds and I don't want to eat the peanut butter twice per day.

Does anyone have some good tips for reasonably low-calorie riding fuel for the way home? I am going to try bananas this evening to see how they work.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Steffan

Fixitman
03-31-08, 11:55 AM
Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty.
Do the gel before you start your commute and be sure to drink your water ( both during the day , and on the commute ) as well. Dehydration can zap you just as bad as lack of nutrition.
Nickel
03-31-08, 01:25 PM
You can eat peanut butter 2x/day as long as you account for it in your Caloric intake. Do you know how many Calories you are consuming before riding home? How long is it between lunch and the ride home?

Carbonfiberboy
03-31-08, 07:29 PM
You don't say how long the commute is. Try this: 2 hours before your commute, eat about 250 calories of mixed carbos, protein, and fat. I like about 3/4 c. of a mix of peanuts, raisins, and M&Ms. Then about 1 hour before, drink about 15g of whey protein stirred into about a cup of water. You won't believe how well this works.