Training & Nutrition - Good Recipie for Pre-Ride Smothie? Post Ride Recovery?

I'm getting into biking a bit late this season but I'm taking it and losing weight more seriously. I normally ride about 11-12 miles and I average around an hour of actual moving time. It has some pretty steep and long climbs so I think I do pretty well. But I would like a nice recipe for pre/post ride smoothies. I normally just throw in some frozen berries, a scoop or two of whey protein powder, and a few ice cubes and some yogurt and a bit of milk. But I'm sure that it can be improved on and I don't know how well that is really benefiting me.

You don't need pre- and post-ride food for an 11-12 mile hour long ride. You'll be taking in way more calories than you are burning.

You don't need pre- and post-ride food for an 11-12 mile hour long ride. You'll be taking in way more calories than you are burning.
+1. I would not alter eating habits for rides under 90 minutes, especially if weight loss is the priority.

I just make sure I don't go out hungry -- have a banana in the afternoon if I'm having an evening ride that pushes dinner back.

I'd hold off on protein powder shakes until you're comfortable with your weight. I think those would be better to take after a ride when the goal is to repair/build muscle. I'm pretty trim, but when i started riding more than an hour, especially over 1.5 hours, thats when I had a noticable increase in appetite. I'm thinking that if weight loss is your goal right now, try increasing the time you spend riding.

For shakes, I've tried: frozen fruit w/ milk and/or yogurt; 2 cups milk + 1 or 2 bananas + a bit of honey; and probably my favorite, 2 cups chocolate milk + bananas, sometimes with peanut butter added.

You don't need pre- and post-ride food for an 11-12 mile hour long ride. You'll be taking in way more calories than you are burning.


Agreed. On Sunday I competed in a morning Duathlon, biked 4 miles more miles after I got home and then did 25 more miles in the afternoon at a brisk pace. I ate normal meals and had a scoop of whey with milk/water and ice cubes after dinner.

Sometimes for an early dinner I do: 5 ice cubes, 1 cup vanilla soy milk, 2 tsps (or a large tablespoon if I'm really daring) of reduced fat peanut butter, 1 banana. Something about PB and Banana smoothie is addicting. I've seen recipes where folks add a little honey to this. I haven't done that though.

I'm getting into biking a bit late this season but I'm taking it and losing weight more seriously. I normally ride about 11-12 miles and I average around an hour of actual moving time. It has some pretty steep and long climbs so I think I do pretty well. But I would like a nice recipe for pre/post ride smoothies. I normally just throw in some frozen berries, a scoop or two of whey protein powder, and a few ice cubes and some yogurt and a bit of milk. But I'm sure that it can be improved on and I don't know how well that is really benefiting me.

If weight loss is a priority, I would follow the advice from other posters. You don't "need" a smoothie or pre-/post-ride foods for something that short.

If you do feel like you need something after a ride, then I would try something small, like a banana. Bananas are actually really good for this purpose. At worst, a Clif Bar should do.

Agreed. On Sunday I competed in a morning Duathlon, biked 4 miles more miles after I got home and then did 25 more miles in the afternoon at a brisk pace. I ate normal meals and had a scoop of whey with milk/water and ice cubes after dinner.

Same here. I found that I feel fine if I ride in the morning (commute to work; a little less than an hour each way) without eating breakfast, though I do eat breakfast afterwards. I hear doing that speeds up one's metabolism; is that true?

I make mine with a banana, blueberries, then miscellaneous frozen fruit. Then add some plain yogurt and milk (or silken tofu and soy milk if you're vegan; i've made both versions and they taste pretty much identical!) and blend!

For all of you that make them with peanut butter, doesn't it get all over your blender/smoothie maker and make cleaning a pain?

I don't do it all the time, but yeah, peanut butter will force you to scrape the sides when cleaning. however, it tastes great and has good protein.

I make mine with a banana, blueberries, then miscellaneous frozen fruit. Then add some plain yogurt and milk (or silken tofu and soy milk if you're vegan; i've made both versions and they taste pretty much identical!) and blend!

For all of you that make them with peanut butter, doesn't it get all over your blender/smoothie maker and make cleaning a pain?

I haven't had a peanut butter scraping issue. I use about a tablespoon or 2 teaspoons which is very little. The most I've had to deal with is a little dab on the side of my glass blender. Totally not an issue.

1 scoop (only ) whey protein, 4 oz water, tomatoes, spinach and or broccoli, pineapple, frozen berries and 2 to 4 tbs olive oil. I have at various times put black beans and or pintos in this. They add fiber, potassium, magnesium, and protein. Turns out purple, delicious and nutritious. I think the idea of a smoothie after the workout is fine. You could get cramps if you eat then exercise. The smoothie that I have every day is actually the size of 2 smoothies. I'm not gaining weight but I'm reasonably active.

1 scoop (only ) whey protein, 4 oz water, tomatoes, spinach and or broccoli, pineapple, frozen berries and 2 to 4 tbs olive oil. I have at various times put black beans and or pintos in this.
I LOVE every ingredient/item you mention, however (and I mean this respectfully) but that sounds absolutely putrid. I am told I have an iron stomach, but that gives me shivers. :-)

BTW I make a fire breathing chili with many of those ingredients but cannot imagine trying to turn it into a "smoothie".
OTOH if you can stomach that, it probably does provide lots of nutrition.

If you really want to lose weight then do High Intensity Interval Training on your bike rides. (Google this.) Don't eat first or you *will* throw up. Seriously: only eat before a ride if you've not eaten for hours, and then make it something like a banana.

I LOVE every ingredient/item you mention, however (and I mean this respectfully) but that sounds absolutely putrid. I am told I have an iron stomach, but that gives me shivers. :-)

BTW I make a fire breathing chili with many of those ingredients but cannot imagine trying to turn it into a "smoothie".
OTOH if you can stomach that, it probably does provide lots of nutrition.

It's hard to get enough servings of veg's every day and too much fruit seems like excess sugar, IMHO that's why I started putting the (raw) tomatoes and broccoli and spinach. Be aware raw spinach and broc do not have the cooked cabbage like taste and only give this some tang not to mention loads of micronutrients. Always wash the vegetables (I spray off with the sink sprayer) before eating raw and be sure not to use any spoiled ones.