Originally Posted by
bigbossman
While it won't fill the hole and address your problem, "crap like that" is a valuable aid in budgeting calories and fuel for long-distance rides.
Carbo-loading is great, but carbohydrates metabolize relatively quickly and you will get hungry again sooner than if you include some lean protein in your diet. Plus, if you don't use the metabolized carbs, the turn to fat pretty easily. Don't forget - if you're riding a lot you are not only needing to fuel the muscles (carbs), you are also needing to keep them healthy and in good repair (protein).
While I won't tell you specifically what to eat, I will tell you what works for me. Lean protein such as fish, chicken, ground turkey, a variety of steamed vegetables, and various complex carbs such as baked sweet potatoes, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta.
On long rides (especially strenuous ones), you need to metabolize about 250 calories/hour. Solid foods take more time to process, liquid calories do not. If you're gonna be out all day, energy laden drinks (maltodextrin mixes) absorb through your small intestine much more quickly and with a lot less stress on your body, which is preoccupied with moving the bike and fueling the muscles. You don't want to waste energy digesting a ham sandwich when you could be using it on the brutal climb in front of you.
+1 Thank you for bringing intelligent comments to this discussion. You are absolutely right about the content and timing of nutrition. There is a lot of good information about this subject on the LD forum. You have to find the nutritional plan that works for you. For a few weeks last year, I was riding 250 miles a week. My calorie consumption was 4,000 plus per day.
For me, I try to get some type of complex carb in my stomach about an hour before a long ride -- humus or peanut butter toast work well for me. Then, if the ride is more than 35 miles, I supplement with whole wheat fig newtons along the way. It is hard for me to eat solid food immediately after the ride. So, I usually make a "recovery" drink of whey protein, Ovaltene, frozen apple juice concentrate, and 1% milk. That feeds the immediate need until I can eat later.
I have bonked twice -- once while cycling and once will hiking/mountaineering. It hurts really, really bad and I don't want to go through that again.