Originally Posted by
leftthread
Among the interesting points: eating a small amount of about 200-400 calories of complex carbohydrates immediately before an endurance event and eating within 60 minutes after finishing a workout to top off muscle glycogen stores.
When to start eating the 200-300 calories an hour while riding?
I should clarify something - when I mentioned the 250 or so calories an hour, I neglected to add something important.... why. According to the reading I've done, your body can only metabolize that much in an hour - the rest just sits in your stomach causing problems. The trick is to pick the right type of calories.... one you can use most effectively. That's why I use a sports drink powder that has maltodextrin in it. It is a complex carbohydrate in liquid form and gets absorbed easily and steadily, and can keep you in the saddle all day.
Stuff like Gatorade has a lot of simple sugars in it, and while it is good for a 2-3 hour run, it can leave you collapsed on the side of the road after several hours if that's all your using. Plus, my personal experience is that after drinking it for several hours, I get nauseous. I just don't need gastric distress on a 6 mile 8% climb.
For those interested, this place will mix a custom powder for you:
http://www.trueprotein.com/
But all this is way off topic for Tom - he's not riding big distances and long hours. Tom, here's what worked for me when I was in your shoes - 5 small meals a day, balanced with 6 ounces of some sort of lean protein, 6 ounces of some complex carbs (baked sweet potato was my favorite), and all the steamed vegetables I could eat (broccoli and brussel sprouts....MMmmmmmm!). Add fruit to the mix and you will be surprised at how full you are all the time. The first meal, breakfast, was always just lean protein - usually egg whites. You will have to adjust that when riding right after breakfast, as you'll need something like oatmeal to give you the energy to get moving.
Also, you might try getting the habit of carrying PayDay candy bars. Junk food, I know - but is a great energy bar in a pinch and has saved the day for me on more than one occasion.
So.... blad, blah, blah.... yadda yadda yadda. Keep it simple, Tom.... a healthy 400 or so calorie breakfast an hour or two before you ride, and a mix of protein and carbs throughout the day. The carbs for energy, the protein to keep you feeling full and to keep your muscles in good repair. And have a pizza now and then.