RR3

The issue with eating so close to the start of a ride is more related to the impact on insulin levels that thwart the burning of fat. When I do long rides (say 400KM), I don't eat within 3 hours of the start because I want to primarily rely upon beta oxidation but I might need some fibre because I am full of ****, too.

wolfchild

Depends on what type of a meal it is... 20-30 grams of whey protein in water and a banana 1 hour before a ride or a workout is fine... A dozen eggs and half a pound of bacon 1 hour before a workout would be very bad.

gregf83 

The banana is fine but why whey protein before a ride?

wolfchild

Because exercise has a catabolic effect on the muscles, and I am not just talking about lifting weights. Longer duration endurance activities will eat the muscle tissue because some of the protein in the body is being used for energy production. Ingesting protein helps to prevent that.

gregf83 

I don't think there's any evidence you need anything beyond the amount of protein you get with a balanced diet.

Machka 

None of these rides require that you eat anything above and beyond what you're normally eating. None of them are more than an hour.

If you're riding for less than two hours ... eat normally before and after the ride, drink water on the ride, and bring a granola bar just in case.

If you're riding between 2 and 4 hours ... eat normally before and after the ride, drink water on the ride, and aim to consume maybe 200 cal mid ride.

If you're riding over 4 hours ... eat normally before and after the ride, drink water on the ride, and then you might want to focus more on eating during the ride ... like maybe 200 cal every hour.

nuclear_biker

My question wasn't really how much I should eat not to bonk, I more meant ways to convince your body to consume fat vs glycogen. Have read a few things online (some of it contradictory), and was looking for opinions here.

Also there has been some discussion of workout intensity. The area I'm in is fairly hilly, and the hills really get my heart pumping fast. You may have underestimated how out of shape I am. I should have some heart rate data in a few days.

wolfchild

The reason why your body is not well adapted to burning fat for fuel is because you are new to this and out of shape. It takes time and it takes training for the body to become more efficient at burning fat for fuel. Give it some time and just continue to ride. Some people have had good success riding and working out in a fasted state or with very minimal food intake, but everybody is different and there isn't a one size fits all approach to weight loss.

Machka 

+1
@nuclear_biker ... just keep gradually increasing your distance over the next couple months.

And while you are, feel free to join in on the Weekend Rides thread. I know I find it motivational to read what everyone is doing.
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...y-18-19-a.html

Machka 

I also live in a very hilly area. They can be a challenge. But keep plugging away at them, and losing weight will help. Eventually you'll ride up some of them without such a high heart rate. Then you'll want to go faster!

Drew Eckhardt 

When you eat isn't too significant.

What you eat influences the fat/glycogen balance when you exercise (lower carb diets shift the balance towards fat), energy dense foods are easier to over-eat, and carbs have shorter lasting satiety so you're likely to eat more although there's still _a lot_ of latitude there too.

How much you eat is the big factor, and the answer there is likely far more than you need to sate your hunger. I found that within half an hour I felt as full eating 1/3 less than I was consuming.

It takes about 30 minutes for your appetite to catch up with your intake, so you're over doing it when you eat until you're full unless you're at a sushi bar where the chef feeds you two bites at a time slowly over two hours.

After growing to 205 pounds and at least 36" around (noting that Esquire magazine measured a 39.5" waist on Dockers labeled that size) with a sweaty crease between man boobs and belly I adopted a very simple philosophy:

1. Only eat when hungry.
2. Only eat enough to be sated 30 minutes after the last bite, going back for seconds and even thirds when necessary.
3. Always eat when hungry to avoid becoming too ravenous to follow rule #2 .

That plus a lot of riding got me down to 137-138 pounds with a 26" waist measured with a tape measure.

nuclear_biker

Hehe I actually meant fast to prepare and eat. My friend has a glass of milk and a banana after his workouts (biking/strength training). I hate the texture of bananas but was considering making some kind of smoothie/shake.

I already knew the bars were trash (well, at least many). I'm looking for alternatives. I do make my own granola bars for snacks on rides.

I made this mistake before. Its not fun.

nuclear_biker

This is exactly how I ended up gaining so much weight. When I came to college and didn't have my mom doing portion control (not that she ever controlled what I ate, but the serving sizes just helped) I started way overeating. Even now when I eat really tasty meals I have to think about how much I eat or I can accidentally consume way more than I meant to. This is why I like MFP so much.