newbeebiker

I am very new at riding and I am in mediocre shape. I find that when I eat breakfast and then ride, I feel Like I want to throw up. Can you recommend breakfast options that will give me the nutrtion that I need without making me feel sick when my heart goes up?

skydive69

I have always had an issue with that - especially in competition. My current pre-ride meal is a glass of juice, a breakfast bar and a banana. Somewhere down the line, I eat a packet of Power-Gel during the ride. I can do my pre-club warm-up ride an hour after that, and be ready for our hammerfest an hour and a half after that breakfast with no stomach distress.

I came up with a pre-race breakfast that is a bit odd, but I didn't retch until the finish line, and it really had me pumped up when I came to the line for a time trial: A power bar, a glass of Power Bar endurance drink and a banana.

If I have the luxury of three hours before the ride, I eat a breakfast of shreaded wheat, whole wheat toast and a glass of OJ. It takes me about three hours to be able to hammer without stomach distress after eating.

Hipcycler

Keep posting what you eat prior to your rides....I'm interested in this as someone who is now trying to force myself to eat breakfast, something I have never done.

I can eat something about 8:00 a.m. and I usually go out for my 26-miler at about 10:30 a.m.

Suggestions for a breakfast that provides fuel yet doesn't weigh me down?

LowCel 

I had a problem figuring out what I could eat before a mountain bike race for a while as well. I tried several different things and what ended up working for me is 2-3 scrambled eggs (in microwave). I also have two pieces of toast with peanut butter. I have to eat this two hours or longer before the race.

1/2 hour before the race I have a power bar then I have a gu (or equivalent) every 1/2 hour during the race.

It works for me, have no idea if it will work for anyone else.

my58vw

I have to eat atleast 3 hours prior to the race or I can not keep it down, nurviousness I guess. I have no appatite before a race so I just push down a gel 30 min before with water and have no problems. I try and eat something in the morning before I go that will stay down easily, like a bowl of cerial. If it is just a normal ride then I just eat a normal breakfast, nothing too filling but enough...

superdex

I've read that the three hour mark is a good place to start with your last "big" meal before strenuous excersize. This gives your body a chance to digest things and clear out your stomach. Then, about an hour or so prior, a small snack (I like yogurt and/or banana) will help keep levels up and stave off hunger.

I've found I have to eat closer to 4 hours prior, and a small snack an hour prior. Since my rides tend to be short (no time for anything longer than 20-25 miles usually), I just hydrate during, and eat as soon as I can after...

But as far as what to eat, the only thing I can definitively suggest is to stay away from spicy foods (ease up on the tobasco/salsa on those eggs). --At least I do. Acid reflux while trying to breathe sucks and hurts....

clausen

I eat a bowl of oat meal with jam mixed in for flavour about an hour or two before I ride. Never have had any problems. Make sure your leaving yourself enough time between eating and riding that may be your only issue.

DnvrFox

The latest issue (yesterday in mail) of Bicycling Magazine (page 48) lists slow-cooked Oatmeal with raisins and nuts (even with brown sugar) as the "picture-perfect" breakfast before a competitive ride (or any ride) and recommends eating at least 2 hours before an intense ride or race.

Low on glycemic scale, protein from nuts and raisins add iron.

Guess what I have for breakfast every morning. Right on! I also have a glass of skim milk and some strawberries.

titanium

i have a bowl of cereal or jam sandwhich an hour before roughly. i have never felt more then minor destress and not often. Infact riding in the later afternoon after school i have eaten 15min before riding, i did notice that eventualy and after drinking quite a bit of water on the ride, i start getting a stich as i pick up the pace.

On race day, well i have never raced but when my first race comes round i will probably be nervous, which amplyfies the chances of this feeling and can even cause you to feel sick when you do not eat. ON race day i think you should just try and have brekfast as far away as possible if it means getting up earlyer then do so and then just have some sports drink to top up 30min before the race.

PhattTyre

I really like a flour tortilla with peanut butter wrapped around a banana. I find it's easy on the stomach, easy to make, and easy to eat. As far as nutrition goes, it has a lot more good stuff than bad stuff (especially with natural peanut butter). It's also a one hand food, so you can even eat it on the bike as you start your ride.

Phatman

damn. you guys must have sensitive stomaches. There were only two times when I thought I was gonna lose my lunch, the first was when I had this sports drink called "revenge" oh boy, it wreaked havoc on my system. The second time was when I had a subway 12 inch meatball sub :30 before a ride. that did not sit well for the first hour or so.

Generally, I like to eat exactly two hours before a race/ride. more then three hours means that I'm gonna bonk. I think I could probably push it to 1 hour before.

my breakfast is usually pretty large, but I ride around two o' clock. It usually consists of a couple scambled eggs, a biscuit, yogurt and granola, a glass of milk, half a belgan waffle, a banana, some strawberries, and if I'm still hungry, I'll get a piece of toast with peanut butter on it. I also have numerous glasses of water.

In case you hadn't realized, I'm always starving when I wake up. Its generally my stomach that wakes me up in the morning. I'll cut out the waffle and PB toast if its a non-ride day.

Then, around noon, I get a chick-fil-a chargrilled chicken sandwich and a carton of skim milk.

Then I ride.

caloso

If I've got a hard ride, I always eat a big bowl of oatmeal with honey and fruit. And a steaming mug of Peet's finest (see my member title).

BeTheChange

I've found a fruit smoothy works pretty well in the morning. If I'm going for a ride directly after I try not to use any fruit that are very acidic (blackberrys and stuff like that). Just some fruit juice, fruit, nonfat plain yogurt and blend it. I've found this emptys from my stomach pretty quick and gives me some good energy (and plenty of antioxidants to take care of O2 byproducts).

coastie1975

For me, I love going to IHOP a couple of hours and loading up before going on a long hard ride. I get 2 pancakes, hashbrowns, 2 eggs, 2 bacon strips, ham and a good large glass of OJ. I have never had a problem and it fuels me the whole ride.

forum*rider

I eat a(couple) bowl(s) of whole-wheat cereal w/ skim milk about 2 hours before my rides.

nbf

Saw a homepage for a CSC rider. He always eats oatmeal with soy milk in the morning. Personally I take oatmeal (uncooked) with raisins and skim milk.

Travelinguyrt

Oatmeal, brown sugar or honey, skim milk, a banana, small glass of warm apple juice; nothing better

Snuffleupagus

Oatmeal with raisins and or chocolate whey protein and a banana works wonders for me. Also maybe a glass of milk or OJ.

I feel full, great and ready to rock within 2 hours.

I didn't eat very much this morning(just oatmeal and a cereal bar), and then went on a trail half marathon run. Lets just say I felt fine during the run, and the drive back home. After my shower though, I bonked HARD. I started to get dizzy, sick to my stomach etc. I then developed an intense urge for vanilla ice cream. So, I went to Hardees, and got a small vanilla shake - for some reason I felt substantially better. Weird, I guess I need to eat a little more before a max effort workday next time.

Trekke

Sounds like you are riding too soon after eating. I try to wait at least 90 minutes.
My pre ride breakfast meal is the same as every breakfast I have eaten in the past several years. Long cook oatmeal, raisans, blueberrys, strawberry's all cooked together. I usually drink orange juice and mike Soy milk in the oats after they come out of the pot. Top this off with an orange for pre ride days. Works great for me.

Roody

Sounds like a great breakfast--for a horse! How (and why) do you eat uncooked oatmeal?

Snuffleupagus

Uncooked oatmeal of the 'quick' or 'old fashioned' variety is actually much softer than normal breakfast cereal.

If you're eating steel cut oats, obviously getting them uncooked isn't gonna feel good.

oldspark

I used to eat uncooked oatmeal for a snack when I was a kid, I used to think it was tasty, I need to try it again.

surfncycling

Stomachs are very personal things, so I'd say experiment for a bit.

For me I'll eat a whole wheat bagel with a tiny bit of jam right when I get up. Then right as I'm heading out the door to ride I'll eat a banana.

Roody

I tried the uncooked oat meal. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated, but I will continue to cook it. I made the greatest Sunday morning pancakes today--whole wheat flour, oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, egg, canola oil, milk and cinnamon. Mmmm!

Trekke

Ummmmm. Sounds great and good for you too. Where you live. Maybe a bunch of us can ride to your house next Sunday and taste test those pancakes.

Off to the Kitchen