Originally Posted by
JakiChan
Also, my diet was/is big on environmental control. If I'm out on an 80 mile training ride then I'm *not* having lunch at home. I have to eat out. And usually at a place I didn't choose.
If you've got jersey pockets, your lunch is
always under your control. On an 80-mile training ride, I'd stuff a bunch of Clif bars in my pockets and eat one/hour. Heck, put a sandwich and a banana in your pocket if that's what you want. If I'm riding hard a big calorie-laden lunch is usually the last thing I want.
Originally Posted by
JakiChan
I'm saying that when you exercise more it causes your metabolism to speed up and makes you hungrier.
If this is the case, you probably need to focus on your diet. In my experience, when I eat a carb-heavy diet (especially one with lots of simple carbs) I'm
always hungry. When I eat more fats and proteins, and drink plenty of liquids, I'm almost never hungry. For me, the 40/30/30 ratio of Carbs/Fat/Protein seems to work pretty well.
Also, remember that your body adapts very quickly to any routine. I find it helpful to occasionally take a break from both diet and exercise, though not necessarily at the same time. Keep doing the same things over and over and eventually you'll stop seeing benefits. Eating a bit more or exercising a bit less for a week often helps me to push past a plateau. Changing my training routines also helps. Spin like a madman one week then mash a bigger gear the next week, or focus on sprints/speed for a while then slow down a bit and focus on endurance. Anything you can do to change things up should help.