boshk

Anyone have a massive craving after riding whether it's training or general fitness riding?

Twice now I've come back from only a 60-90mins ride and I have this massive craving that I can eat anything and everything.

I tried drinking water, half dose of protein drink, banana and apple......but after shower, I'm so hungry.

Maybe oats? Chicken?

ridelikeaturtle

I try to eat some sort of protein within an hour of finishing a ride. A pint glass of milk is good. Bacon is also good, though milk is probably better for you

thehammerdog

Sadly, I eat alot of junk.
Thus I remain Fat & Fit.......ride hard eat harder is my motto at 50 plus years of age it = big belly

Silvercivic27

Don't overthink it. Just eat a meal. If possible, have it be a high quality nutritious meal. A 60-90 min ride usually doesn't do anything to my appetite. A really big ride usually actually decreases my appetite and I can't eat much...for about 3 or 4 hours, then I want to eat my bicycle and anything else in my path.

Machka 

What do you eat after riding....

Usually dinner.

PepeM

Usually breakfast. More often than not a bagel with peanut butter and oatmeal with a banana in there.

mcours2006

I try not to overeat after doing any kind of exercise, which is easy to do so, both from a physiological and psychological standpoint. You're hungry, sure, so you eat, but you're also thinking I've earned some bonus points by burning all those calories, so I can eat more.

For me usually something with protein, some good fats, and perhaps a fruit, if the after ride doesn't coincide with a meal. If it's a pre-breakfast ride, then it's usually oatmeal, banana, and some coffee with cream, maybe a some nuts.

San Pedro

A pint of milk is in no way healthy. There's​ just too many calories. To be honest I'm not too careful about my diet, and I really like to eat, but I am fairly active off my bike, and the food I eat is much healthier than the vast majority of choices in America.

To be more specific to the question posed; when I eat after a ride, it's a normal dinner, so rice, veggies, and some kind of meat or fish.

ridelikeaturtle

How many calories do you think there are in a pint of milk? According to the internet - which we all know is infallible, I get that - it certainly isn't "too many", only @300 or so.

But it is "healthy", and effective as something to consume after a workout: see Why it's much better to drink milk after a workout than water - Telegraph

"... because milk releases very slowly into the small intestine, so it is absorbed much more gradually into the bloodstream, helping the body retain fluid for longer. It also has a high number of electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, which are lost from the body when sweating."

rpenmanparker 

I eat lunch or dinner. I can assure you that no oats are included...except maybe in cookies at the end.

bonz50

beer followed by whatever meal of the day it is.

silversx80

Depending on the ride and intensity, I may need to replenish glycogen stores, so complex and simple carbs. Proteins and fats are also important to have.

So, oatmeal with flax, pecans, and maple syrup is a good go-to for me.

BKE

Weekday rides after work it's a beer and dinner (salad or veggies w/ meat or fish). Sat. or Sun. it's most always a slice of ham and swiss or provo. rolled in half of a large flour tortilla (or 1/2 low carb tort.) with a beer.

soundgarden

I prefer boiled eggs, a toast with avocado, and fruit water.
But also can very easily stop by for a french fries, which is horrible, I know. Sometimes can't help myself. :sad face:
I will definitely try the milk instead of a water, never heard of this advice.

merlinextraligh

Part of the answer is what are you trying to accomplish. If the goal is to lose or maintain weight, the answer is nothing. You don't need to anything special to refuel or replace muscle glycogen after a typical 60-90 minute ride, particularly if you're not in the middle of a stage race or long tour.

With all the talk about recovery drinks, and glycogen windows, many people consume too many calories during and after riding, then wonder why they don't lose weight.

If you're doing a long hard workout, and planning on doing another the next day, then eating after the ride matters, otherwise not so much.

And if you're not trying to lose weight, eat whatever the hell you want.

indyfabz

Small children, preferably rotisserie style.

redfooj

beer.

after a hard ride its a protein shake, shower, and then beer.

rpenmanparker 

Thank you. The truth is always refreshing.

merlinextraligh

with fava beans, and Chianti?

indyfabz

I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner.

Carbonfiberboy 

How long have you been riding? IME it's unusual to have a "massive craving" after only a 60-90 minute ride. My guess is that you're relatively new to it and haven't yet adapted metabolically. Try this: take a bagel or 200 calorie sports bar with you on the road. Eat half of it at 30 minutes and the other half at 60 minutes for a 90 minute ride, just the half for the 60 minute option. Eating a small amount during the ride is the best way to defend against post-ride hunger. Gradually that'll get better so that you don't need to eat at all during the ride and are also not particularly hungry after the ride.

The mechanism is that if you don't have much base, you tend to burn a lot of carbohydrate during the ride, some blood sugar, some glycogen. After the ride, that lost blood sugar and glycogen demands to be replaced. The glycogen replacement process keeps scouring out your blood sugar and keeps you hungry. As you build more base, your body will get better at burning fat instead of carbohydrate, which will make you less hungry later. Eating a small amount during the ride minimizes that loss of blood sugar etc., which makes you less hungry after.

But yeah, drink a pint of chocolate milk after the ride. Don't just chug it down. Make it last for a while, drinking a little every 15 minutes until it's gone. After a long ride of 3+ hours, you'll have burned enough calories that you can chug it down and then eat small amounts of carbs every 15 minutes for the next hour or so. You want to avoid blasting your blood sugar up too abruptly and then have it drop out again, which makes you hungry. Dribble the food in until you can have a major meal. Another thing that can break the eat/hunger cycle is eating a small handful of walnuts, about 1 oz.

Dan333SP

You're doing it wrong.

I usually enjoy a shower beer after a hard ride. Preferably an IPA.

69chevy

I ride with a guy who also races. He trains non-stop, year round. After a 20+ mile ride, even at a fairly easy pace, he will immediately start eating like he's been on a hunger strike and talk about being "hangry" until he can get some calories.


I usually eat a few hours later... I think we're all different, because my friend has been on a few podiums, so I'm pretty sure he's adapted metabolically.

evan326

Usually half to an entire deep dish pizza.

Dan333SP

BITD when I had 15 hours a week to ride, I'd eat nonstop as well, even after short easy rides.

Now with ~7 hours a week to ride, I don't get nearly as ravenous and really only crave my shower beer after a hard ride.