Training & Nutrition - the best things to eat before and after

I have been riding around 30 miles a day three days a week. In between the days I ride I go to the gym and lift weights. I do high reps, low/medium weight. My question is that this year doing that I find that it takes me about half my ride before the ache in my legs go away and becomes that nice burn. I am thinking I am not eating properly. I eat about 2 hours before I ride. I dont eat anything specifically. What I usually do is if I go out to lunch, I eat half of what I order and then eat the other half again about two hours before I go riding. Can anyone recommend what I should try to eat before and after I ride to maximize my ride and help recover my energy after I ride? I am riding to lose weight not maintain. I ride a road bike.

I have been riding around 30 miles a day three days a week. In between the days I ride I go to the gym and lift weights. I do high reps, low/medium weight. My question is that this year doing that I find that it takes me about half my ride before the ache in my legs go away and becomes that nice burn. I am thinking I am not eating properly. I eat about 2 hours before I ride. I dont eat anything specifically. What I usually do is if I go out to lunch, I eat half of what I order and then eat the other half again about two hours before I go riding. Can anyone recommend what I should try to eat before and after I ride to maximize my ride and help recover my energy after I ride? I am riding to lose weight not maintain. I ride a road bike.


Sounds like your going to hard without enough miles in your legs. the burn you get is lactic acid, slow down go at an easy pace, food wont help the burn time on the bike will.

Sounds like your going to hard without enough miles in your legs. the burn you get is lactic acid, slow down go at an easy pace, food wont help the burn time on the bike will.

Thanks, the burn actually feels good. its the ache before I get the burn that bothers me. last year I never experienced it.

eating some carbs within an hour after the ride helps me feel better the next day out...but i don't know how that works for weight loss

You aren't hammering your lower harder with the weights this year? made any changes to your gym routine?
I ended up dropping my lower body workouts when I started to cycle more, the pain was brutal the next day :)

I remember reading that you should probably stop weight-lifting exercises for legs before the start of the cycling season.