Commuting - Commuter Diet

When I ride home I feel like I am exhausted. My legs feel wobbly and jello-like and I am wondering if my diet has anything to do with that.

I eat a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast in the morning and have 1-2 sandwiches for lunch (usually peanut butter or some sort of meat).

My ride is 6 miles each way so it's not too bad, and while the desert heat (100+ in the afternoon) certainly doesn't help, are there any suggestions as to what I could/should be eating differently to give me more energy on the homebound commute?

How's your hydration?

How long have you been commuting? I was like that at first because my body just wasn't used to it. I'd get home after 13 miles and feel like collapsing, but now, after a few months of doing it, I actually feel pretty good when I get home.

How early/late do you eat lunch? I bike home around 5 and if I only eat a PB&J at around noon, my energy level is noticeably lacking. I generally eat lunch and then eat a PB&J around 3 or 4 in the afternoon; that gives me enough energy to get home comfortably at the pace I like to maintain.

If I don't have that second sandwich then I'll eat a gel pack right before I change to ride home. Gel packs aren't as good as real food, but they do in a pinch.

How long have you been commuting? I was like that at first because my body just wasn't used to it. I'd get home after 13 miles and feel like collapsing, but now, after a few months of doing it, I actually feel pretty good when I get home.

Ditto for me. When I first started, my commute was only 6 miles each way, and I got the jelly legs. It just took some time and some miles for that to go away.

How early/late do you eat lunch? I bike home around 5 and if I only eat a PB&J at around noon, my energy level is noticeably lacking. I generally eat lunch and then eat a PB&J around 3 or 4 in the afternoon; that gives me enough energy to get home comfortably at the pace I like to maintain.

If I don't have that second sandwich then I'll eat a gel pack right before I change to ride home. Gel packs aren't as good as real food, but they do in a pinch.

+1 it sounds like a lack of hydration along with a drop in blood sugar. 6 miles is not really enough to justify sports specific nutrition products but try having a few fig bars or something before the ride and make sure you are drinking plenty of water through the day; hydration is not a race, it is an endurance event (meaning you have to drink through the day not just before the ride).

Chief

Seconding extra hydration during the day. Between 20 and 30 minutes before you leave eat just a few calories, perhaps an apple and a few crackers or other food just to get you home. This way you have maybe 150-200 carbs to get home on and then eat a good meal. Cereal and small sandwiches is a fine diet if you don't like lots of fruits and veggies (like me) and just want to eat simply with no junk food. Lots better than going out to eat!! I commute 17 miles each way and make due with some toast and cereal in the morning, a small lunch, and (since I am a student with a meal plan) eat dinner at school, come home, then eat 200 carbs so I'm not hungry all night.

Sounds like the heat is also doing a number on you too!

drink more water. I have a hydration pack, I only hike with it, but in that heat i would bike with it too. you're probably just not drinking enough water and not keeping your glucose and electrolytes(sp?) up. grab a banana before you leave in the afternoon. and in that heat drink gatorade mixed 50/50 with water, if you drink it straight it's not quite as effective in hydration, and it's too strong for me.

and since you're bike commuting, don't be scared to eat a little bit more at meals! it's one of those perks we talk about...

By the way, this is an cycling adage you need to adhere to for endurance: eat before you feel hungry and drink before you feel thirsty.

More water+small "ride-home" fuel==no worries. :D

For me, the only time I bonk out is when I'm too hungry or slightly dehydrated. It's 100 degrees here and that is not really a problem, just eat eat eat. Eat and drink a bunch of clear cold water within an hour or so of riding home.

What works for me:

lots of carbohydrates (wholewheat preferably), more fresh fruit and vegetables, more protein (fresh meat/chicken, not processed crap)

more water throughout the day, sip constantly, don't try and drink 10l at once

avoid salty or sugary processed crap

have your biggest meal of the day at breakfast time, next biggest at lunch and the last meal/2 meals should be snack sized so you don't go to bed on a full stomach

try and have 4-5 smaller meals a day rather than 2-3 large meals

Ramen noodles and beer.


actually, well yea.

What works for me:

lots of carbohydrates (wholewheat preferably)

Watch out for the cheaper brands that are labeled "healthy" but contain HFCS in them. I know not everyone has a local bakery or bread-maker. It's just a game of eat as few prepackaged foods as you can. :thumb:

What works for me:

lots of carbohydrates (wholewheat preferably), more fresh fruit and vegetables, more protein (fresh meat/chicken, not processed crap)

more water throughout the day, sip constantly, don't try and drink 10l at once

avoid salty or sugary processed crap

have your biggest meal of the day at breakfast time, next biggest at lunch and the last meal/2 meals should be snack sized so you don't go to bed on a full stomach

try and have 4-5 smaller meals a day rather than 2-3 large meals

+1, except i'm a veg so it means more beans/veggies/etc to get more protein instead of more lean meats.

+1, except i'm a veg so it means more beans/veggies/etc to get more protein instead of more lean meats.

How do you handle that and sports? I've tried being a veggie (no meat, chicken or fish but not vegan) twice and, while I initially lost weight, I didn't recover at all from exercise and ended up tired and sore all the time.

What works for me:

lots of carbohydrates (wholewheat preferably), more fresh fruit and vegetables, more protein (fresh meat/chicken, not processed crap)

more water throughout the day, sip constantly, don't try and drink 10l at once

avoid salty or sugary processed crap

have your biggest meal of the day at breakfast time, next biggest at lunch and the last meal/2 meals should be snack sized so you don't go to bed on a full stomach

try and have 4-5 smaller meals a day rather than 2-3 large meals

+1

I eat damn near constantly. (A few coworkers have referred to me as "the bottomless pit". :D And I weigh 130 lbs at 5'7"...) A steady intake of food is infinitely better for you than a few large meals.

If all you are eating is cold cereal and a sandwich or two, it's no wonder you are running out of gas. Fruit, vegetables, complex carbs, lean meat/fish, beans/legumes, and plenty of hydration will work wonders for you.

I can't say that I arrive home chock full of energy. I too commute in 95-100 degrees temps, along with ridiculously high humidity. I typically need a half hour or so to recharge with Gatorade and (yet another) small snack, then lift weights for an hour or so. You will find that a) changing your diet will help, and b) you will get used to it if you push yourself and realize that the human body is capable of a lot more than most people get out of it.

i eat lots of whole grains (Heritage O's cereal in the morning), fruit and veggies all day long (celery, carrots, peppers, cukes, orange, apple, grapes, blueberries), whole grain english muffin, trailmix with lots of differnet seeds and dried fruit and at least 60oz of water by the time I leave at 5. I never have an issue

How do you handle that and sports? I've tried being a veggie (no meat, chicken or fish but not vegan) twice and, while I initially lost weight, I didn't recover at all from exercise and ended up tired and sore all the time.

i started as a veggie 10 yrs ago while I was in the Army jumping out of planes, ruck marching 20 miles and running at least 30 miles/wk and I never had an issue as long as I ate right - lots of beans and legumes will take care of ya - oh yeah...and veggies!

Glad I found this thread. I'm into my 6th full week of commuting, and 4th full week of going to the gym for a swim along the way. I am famished all day long, and feel like I keep nibbling all the time.

I typically don't eat before I leave the house, except maybe a banana, but have a decent sized bowl of oatmeal when I finally get to the office. I will add a piece of fruit afterwards, then a lunch which more times than not is nothing but fresh veggies and a (very) small amount of protein, such as salmon, or left over steak or pork chop. I also keep some fresh almonds at the office, a jar of PB and J in the fridge. When my body says it wants something, I obey. I'm no skinny minny. When I started this I was 250 lbs. Haven't noticed much weight loss yet, but I've dropped about 4 inches from my waist, so the nibbling isn't doing me any harm, I guess.

Watch out for the cheaper brands that are labeled "healthy" but contain HFCS in them. I know not everyone has a local bakery or bread-maker. It's just a game of eat as few prepackaged foods as you can. :thumb:

Whole Foods carries this killer bread product called Food for Life. it is in the frozen section and is usually named with a scripture verse from the bible (Genesis, Ezekiel). Kind of odd names for a loaf of bread, but the stuff rocks. It is made from sprouted whole grains and seeds and they freeze it immediately because the most benefit from grains you receive are when they are used immediately or frozen. they carry loafs of bread, tortilla shells, english muffins - I buy em every week - they are so good and filling!

Bananas.

They'll help tremendously.

For a real treat, eat a peanut butter and banana sandwhich at lunch. Your muscles will thank you. Use multi-grain bread or something healthy. You get carbs, protein, and pottasium all at once.

Peanut butter and banana sandwiches. What could be better?

6 ways each way can be done without eating, at least for me. My vote is on hydration.

How's your hydration?

Not as good as it could be. I do try to drink throughout the day but I should probably drink more. I always make sure my water bottle is full before I leave.


How long have you been commuting? I was like that at first because my body just wasn't used to it. I'd get home after 13 miles and feel like collapsing, but now, after a few months of doing it, I actually feel pretty good when I get home.

I've been commuting off and on now for about 2-3 months. I've been fighting a rash of flat tires lately (patch it at night, flat again in the morning, panic, take the car again) so I'm sure the inconsistency hasn't helped me at all. Nice to know that it may just be a phase.


How early/late do you eat lunch? I bike home around 5 and if I only eat a PB&J at around noon, my energy level is noticeably lacking. I generally eat lunch and then eat a PB&J around 3 or 4 in the afternoon; that gives me enough energy to get home comfortably at the pace I like to maintain.

This could be part of it too. I usually eat lunch about 11:15 or so and leave between 4 and 4:30. Perhaps I need a bigger breakfast so that I can hold out longer before lunch.


+1 it sounds like a lack of hydration along with a drop in blood sugar. 6 miles is not really enough to justify sports specific nutrition products but try having a few fig bars or something before the ride and make sure you are drinking plenty of water through the day; hydration is not a race, it is an endurance event (meaning you have to drink through the day not just before the ride).

Chief

Agreed on the nutrition products. I don't figure I need to down a Powerbar or anything like that but I've been curious as to what other commuters eat to maintain their energy.


By the way, this is an cycling adage you need to adhere to for endurance: eat before you feel hungry and drink before you feel thirsty.

More water+small "ride-home" fuel==no worries. :D

And there is the question, really: What types of "fuel" work well? It sounds like the best things I can do are:

-Drink water
-Eat a bigger breakfast and a later lunch
-Drink water
-Eat something not too long before heading home
-Drink water

Yes?

Thanks for all the responses!

I think that eating small snacks in addition to your usual lunch (and don't take one too late) helps out a lot.

I really had a hard time with exhaustion my first few months of commuting. It would appear that my timing of when I ate was an important factor in addition to what I was putting in my body. I generally eat a snack (peanuts and raisins) within an hour of arriving at work. Also limiting sugars has helped me a lot.

When I ride home I feel like I am exhausted. My legs feel wobbly and jello-like and I am wondering if my diet has anything to do with that.

I eat a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast in the morning and have 1-2 sandwiches for lunch (usually peanut butter or some sort of meat).

My ride is 6 miles each way so it's not too bad, and while the desert heat (100+ in the afternoon) certainly doesn't help, are there any suggestions as to what I could/should be eating differently to give me more energy on the homebound commute?

I think the heat is the biggest contributing factor with your exhaustion. Make sure to keep tabs on your fluid intake. I've decided not to cyclocommute during this past weeks due to heat and humidity here in South Texas.
I felt all the same stuff's you mentioned plus lightheadedness about a month ago. ' got scared big time.
I'll just resume full time cyclocommuting when the weather gets better.

When I ride home I feel like I am exhausted. My legs feel wobbly and jello-like and I am wondering if my diet has anything to do with that.

I eat a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast in the morning and have 1-2 sandwiches for lunch (usually peanut butter or some sort of meat).

My ride is 6 miles each way so it's not too bad, and while the desert heat (100+ in the afternoon) certainly doesn't help, are there any suggestions as to what I could/should be eating differently to give me more energy on the homebound commute?

Hydration before the ride and in the a.m. plus throughout the day, just don't overdo it if you are in air conditioning all day. Eat a little something with potassium and sodium (bananas and something with salt) during the extreme heat. Depending on your size/weight/age you may not be eating enough. A bowl of cereal is probably 200 calories and usually loaded with sugar unless it is the healthy kind. You blood sugar probably spikes in the a.m. but I'll bet your cereal calories are used up by the time you get to work. A normal, home made sandwich is probably no more than 350 -450 calories unless you load it with extra meat, cheese and mayo. If you are say, 200 pounds, you probably need 2000 calories per day to maintain your weight and your commute is using somewhere around 500 calories @ 12 mph more or less. This is just an estimate but you can research the actual figures for your weight and energy output on the commute. You need to spread your calories evenly throughout the day among 5 or 6 smaller meals. You must get enough complete protein, either animal or vegetable and you must get sufficient vitamins through vegetables and fruit. Don't over do the carbohydrates either, especially the grain based ones even if they are complex carbohydrates. Eat vegetables instead, of many varieties and fruits to some extent, since both are loaded with water also. Stay away from foods that contain high sugar and simple carbohydrates like white rice, potatoes, white bread,candy, cookies etc. these will spike your blood sugar and are not necessary for a 12 mile, daily commute, unless you want to gain weight.

How's your hydration?

+1, sounds like a hydration problem.

If possible, check your weight before and after a ride, if it is several lbs/kg lighter, then you're not drinking enough during the ride, heavier and it's too much.

Just wanted to throw out one more thing - don't become a slave to the weather. All around me I see people saying that they aren't going to run/bike/(insert physical activity here) because "it is too hot." Well, if you live in a hot environment, it is much more beneficial to become used to the temperatures that are the norm where you live. Get used to it, or you will be at its mercy.

I am not saying you should be running wind sprints in the heat of the day, out in the middle of an open field, wearing plastics, until you drop. But making an effort to get used to the weather invariably results in one feeling better and able to accomplish more during the day. Simply by commuting during the heat of the day, you are helping yourself by becoming more adapted to local weather conditions. Your body will adjust, and will thank you with more energy during the time that you spend outside doing tasks other than cycling.

Wow, surveyor. Great advice. Sometimes I will get rattled at by mum for going out on a long-distance ride when it hits a high of 95+. The simple matter is one must simply adapt. For me I think of 12n to 1pm as the "crucial hour"--when the temperature peaks at my area. That hour I will usually spend eating lunch, resting under a tree, etc.

Plus, you get to look very manly after riding all day through high heat. :D

+1 on hydration and +1 on "getting your cycling legs". My first commute was a lot like that (heck, my commute this morning was like that, but only because I up the mileage by about 50%. ;)) As far as food, I eat steel cut oats and orange juice in the morning at least one hour before I ride (that way it's got time to actually get into my system), drink plenty of water en route, have a granola bar and/or a banana or some fruit with more water once I reach my destination. (Oh, and I travel 10.5 miles normally, but today I rode 16 miles because I left from the house rather than driving part way. YMMV ;))

I also keep a couple granola bars handy for an afternoon snack. May add some fig newtons to that mix, too. For a 6 mile commute, food shouldn't be a problem, but if that's what it turns out to be, you're probably better off with something like fig newtons rather than a Powerbar-like snack; the sugars get into you blood stream faster than complex carbs will, and newtons have both, so win-win (at least short term).

Also, are keeping a high cadence? You should aim for somewhere between 80-100 RPM, that will keep your legs fresh.

Good luck and keep it up. :thumb:

Just wanted to throw out one more thing - don't become a slave to the weather. All around me I see people saying that they aren't going to run/bike/(insert physical activity here) because "it is too hot." Well, if you live in a hot environment, it is much more beneficial to become used to the temperatures that are the norm where you live. Get used to it, or you will be at its mercy.


+1 In past years I said I wasn't going out in temps, or heat indexes above 95. This year I've decided to throw that out the window and cycle regardless. I keep myself much better hydrated in the higher heat, but I can definitely tell a difference in my tolerance of it.

In previous years when the temps rose above 90 or so I could just stand outside and sweat. Now, the heat doesn't bother me nearly as bad. I still try and avoid riding hard in the heat as much as possible (going home later in the day rather than at 4), but getting used to the heat is definitely a plus in the long run.

Just wanted to throw out one more thing - don't become a slave to the weather. All around me I see people saying that they aren't going to run/bike/(insert physical activity here) because "it is too hot." Well, if you live in a hot environment, it is much more beneficial to become used to the temperatures that are the norm where you live. Get used to it, or you will be at its mercy.

Your body will adjust, and will thank you with more energy during the time that you spend outside doing tasks other than cycling.

Agreed! Temperatures easliy get into the 110s here during the summer but things still need to be done. When it is that hot outside, temperatures in the 90s and 100s actually feel pretty good. I really don't mind the hot ride home provided my headwind isn't too bad (which it usually is).

I've been stashing the following in my desk and about 1 hour before I leave I eat what is in the parentheses:

- jar of peanut butter (1 tbs)
- box of prepacked Bear Naked granola (1 small bag)
- tub of almonds and walnuts (1 handful)
- couple of boxes of Fiber One snack bars (1 bar)

These things hold up well as stored foods, and I have noticed a difference in my energy levels when I get home. When I used to have a trainer at the gym, he made me keep a jar of peanut butter in the car and have a tablespoon before my workouts. I would recommend natural peanut butter over Jif, Skippy, etc as they have quite a bit of refined sugar in them and that won't sustain you...

I also make a point of drinking at least 2 liters of water while I am at work. I'd rather have to stop somewhere to go to the bathroom on the way home than be super dehydrated!!!

Take care of yourself!!!

Just wanted to throw out one more thing - don't become a slave to the weather. All around me I see people saying that they aren't going to run/bike/(insert physical activity here) because "it is too hot." Well, if you live in a hot environment, it is much more beneficial to become used to the temperatures that are the norm where you live. Get used to it, or you will be at its mercy.

I am not saying you should be running wind sprints in the heat of the day, out in the middle of an open field, wearing plastics, until you drop. But making an effort to get used to the weather invariably results in one feeling better and able to accomplish more during the day. Simply by commuting during the heat of the day, you are helping yourself by becoming more adapted to local weather conditions. Your body will adjust, and will thank you with more energy during the time that you spend outside doing tasks other than cycling.

+1 - absolutely agree - ride, you fools, ride! i laugh at the weather gods...hahahaha :lol:

year round, any weather! :thumb:

Definitely drink a lot of water. I probably eat 1000-1200 calories' worth from breakfast through when I hit the road at the end of the workday.

I'm quite busy in the "exercise thing": training for cross-country races/general running each day that I don't have university rugby practice, along with picking up ice canoeing practice once a week in autumn... and the usual kayak/hike-run/mtn bike long rides in weekends. Oh, and commute every day, in every weather, a 15 mi round trip. So I usually have a big food intake, but I'm trying to vary in size and quantity. I don't like having big meals, so I eat often during my day, usually breakfast with full-grain cereals, toasts and juice at 7, then leave to work by bike, grab a fruit + water when I enter my office around 8, then having an am snack of fruit and carbs (homemade muffin/banana bread/cake, granola bars, cereals), sometimes milk or yogurt in between 10-10h30.

Lunch is usually very diverse, but most of the time with carbs, lean proteins, veggies. Then an afternoon snack around 4, basically same stuff as the morning, except if it's a big rugby training around 6 or 7. If so, pb on top of a bagel with fruit, granola with yogurt, little portion of pastas. It all depends on the intensity/duration of my evening training. Longer activity = more food before. I like to cut my supper in two when I train lots in the evening. For the normal run/cycle/rowing (an hour max) after the commute, I prefer to have a good snack first and then supper.

Oh, and +1, DONT skip on hydration. Water is perfect all day long... no sugary sodas, half juice/half water sometimes to change, or during the afternoon commute. If you are a coffee drinker, take good care fo staying well hydrated during your day. Keep your snacks varied, and bake some! (...when I have time, not often enough though.... )

Cheers! :D

Just wanted to throw out one more thing - don't become a slave to the weather. All around me I see people saying that they aren't going to run/bike/(insert physical activity here) because "it is too hot." Well, if you live in a hot environment, it is much more beneficial to become used to the temperatures that are the norm where you live. Get used to it, or you will be at its mercy.

I am not saying you should be running wind sprints in the heat of the day, out in the middle of an open field, wearing plastics, until you drop. But making an effort to get used to the weather invariably results in one feeling better and able to accomplish more during the day. Simply by commuting during the heat of the day, you are helping yourself by becoming more adapted to local weather conditions. Your body will adjust, and will thank you with more energy during the time that you spend outside doing tasks other than cycling.

I agree wholeheartedly with this post. Temps here are now over 100º for the highs. I've been riding since the end of March and although the heat does not exactly feel good, I am pretty accustomed to it.