Fuel, getting it right
 

I did a quick search of the forum, so I maybe repeating an old thread, but I have discovered a big problem for me, that I don't really remember having a couple years ago, that is what I eat having an effect on how I perform on the commute. I know a couple years ago, when I rode 25 miles one way I was eating lighter, like pasta salads, and the like, mostly carbs with some meat. The other day I tripped over the fact that I ate too heavy for the ride home, and the food I did eat didn't help, it seemed to detract from my performance.
I guess I'm trying to recall what worked for me back then and get it working for me again.

I find I'm rather dead when I ride to school in the morning with nothing in my stomach. Even moreso if I have to ride home without eating yet too (starving student lol). Particular foods don't seem to have a specific impact though, that I've noticed so far anyways. It does help if I ate a good meal the night before though as far as my morning ride goes.

I find I need the protein. Whey powder, egg whites and lots of tofu.

The miracle of Lasagna.

*Garfield*

I am not watching my diet at all, yet. However, I have started having a goo before my ride in and ride home. That has helped me alot. I think I gained 2 mph average because of that or because it is above freezing. I now regularly buy a box of Clif Bars' goo. Cheaper that way.

Cheerios are my fuel in the morning, they seem to be enough for my 4-km commute. If I had a longer ride, I'd probably either eat more Cheerios, or add a bagel or some eggs. Some jam on the bagel gives an added sugar-rush if you need it. None of these are high in fat, but they are certainly high in carbs!

I eat an energy bar in the morning during my 30 mile commute to work.
Then something sensible for lunch. Peanuts for a snack.

I usually don't eat before my 14 mile commute because it's so early and I'm usually running late. But when I do, I ride stronger and faster. A bowl of cheerios with a banana makes all the difference.

Anyone seen any research on the effect of aerobic exertion before breakfast, while the body's still in 'fasting' mode? I rarely eat anything before my morning ride, and I wonder if it's a good/bad/neutral thing.

Eating a heavy (e.g. TexMex, or Italian with a lot of bread rolls) lunch makes me a slug for the ride home, I know that much.

Bowl of cereal before I leave the house, (sorry, I really dig the sugary ones). Then I gnarf down a banana with a yogurt smoothie or chocolate milk, when I get to work.

For the ride home, I usually have another yogurt smoothie or a protien bar about 20 minutes before I start riding.

Oh and there is a constant infusion of coffee, during my waking hours.

i find i am burping up mcdonalds on the way home whenever i give in to the guilty pleasure.

my usual chinese food seems better.

this is no surprise to me but damn if a bigmac just ain't tasty.... tasty enough for me to go through this over and over ;)

I hear ya, brotha!

I have to eat like 4 of them to stay full for 45 minutes. What gives?
Freaking hyper metabolism.

I had Panda Express (rice, noodles, chicken--lots of food) for lunch and a Jamba Juice on top of that yesterday and my 23 mile commute was a breeze. Usually I am dead by the time I get home but yesterday I even had energy to help with dinner. Problem is that the big lunch cancels out some of the calorie benefits of the commute...Need to find a happy medium

hot dogs and shishkabob and if i'm really hungry, a knish. wash it all down w/ a black cherry soda. all this is available at almost any street corner in nyc.

The only things that I consume in the morning are coffee and a vitamin C. Then, much coffee later, a lunch of either kung pao chicken or spicy Indian food will give me ample energy (and thrust) for the ride home.

Although that curried cabbage didnt sit too well this afternoon...

as for my daily diet and it is daily, truly--i'm quite disciplined--i have:

breakfast: * big bowl of oatmeal with a banana or pre-chopped (always done the night before) apple bits
* water with Vitamin C supplement
* a bit of Gatorade before and during the commute for extra punch

commute to work

9am: Luna Bar(yes, men can have them too! :)) or Nutri-grain bar, banana, Quart of milk

around 11am the tummy growls so i snack

snack: either a) baby carrots / celery
b) unsalted nuts with raisins
c) pretzels
d) PB cracker sandwiches (i make them myself, nothing fancy)
e) graham crackers

Lunch: *Veggie Sandwich (Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber, Sprout, Avocado, Cheese(usually provolone),
Green peppers, and Mayo) or Tuna Sandwich or Deli Sandwich (Turkey or
Chicken slices only)
or Pasta dish (portion control! when it comes to this)
* more baby carrots/celery
* pepperjack or cheddar string cheese
* pretzels
* can of V8
* water to guzzle it all down
* another piece of fruit to top it all off

about 420pm ;) : finish up the day's snacks. sometimes i'll have half a candy bar :D (always around this time so i'm fairly confident it's broken down and ready to be burned by the time i punch out)

500pm: start the ride home

DINNER: nothing out of the ordinary here. pastas, soups, sandwiches, tuna, tuna tuna! :D
* protein shake

** now i have to include that my commute is not as arduous as other commuters on here. I have seen some whopping commutes; 15-20 miles one way! :eek: so i do not believe this may work for others, but it does work for me. I have energy throughout the day (unless i begin to doze from redundant work) and feel very comfortable as i embark for the ride home. also, this can get pretty boring so if I do mix things up i try to keep the "exciting" consumption reserved for dinner. I'll go to a favorite sandwich shop, have some yummy Thai or Vietnamese food, Sushi, Indian cuisine, even *gasp* a burger or just surprise myself and try something new--as you can see i am open to an array of cuisines. I manage this very carefully, especially because when I do choose to go out I find it more rewarding as I savor each bite and each dining experience.

TO work : 7 miles
FROM work: 10 miles (i take the "scenic" LA route everyday on my way home to squeeze in more work)

I also have a saturday recreational ride of about 28 miles. Sunday I rest. my diet for Saturday does not differ much from my week's diet. And that's about it folks. Hope it helps. Enjoy yourselves and keep riding! :)

** i forgot to include that I do NOT drink coffee. Get enough rest the night before and if there's a show :) or a night at the bar is just too irresistable :lol: then TOUGH IT OUT the next day. Fortunately for me I just turned 23 so I can still say things like that. hehe :p

The ideal breakfast for me is oatmeal, unfortunately, I very seldom eat it before I commute to work. My rides home tend to be easier because I had a chance to eat and drink fluids before returning home. During long trips I find ensure and other liquid meals help a great deal.

Well, all those Peeps today didn't seem to harm my commute home. Luckily, though, those are a once-a-year event.

Peeps for breakfast. Ugh.
There are some really good ideas here, and I have followed many of them in the past, but at the moment I can't do a lot of preparing the night before, as I am usually hitting the bed when I get home cause I'm running on 4 hours of sleep that night. Okay, that's not been every day, this week has been special, and the paycheck I'll have come payday will show it. Next week will be back to every other day, so getting something prepared won't be a problem.
I do have to admit that breakfast isn't one of my better meals, and I usually get to work and have a muffin and a Naked Green Planet juice, I like the idea of Spirolina in me. I have done the smoothies in the morning, but that would take away from my espresso making, and we can't have that, other than my mt. dew that's all the caffiene I have all day. I used to live on pitchers of coffee. And I have a refined coffee palete now, I can't drink Folgers or any big commercial coffees, I have acquired the taste of fresh roasted and ground beans, and I have tried other roasters, and have one place I get my beans, no others will do, I can't tell you why, but I can tell the difference in the beans, or the roasting or the blending.
I have thought of roasting my own, I've heard you can use one of those old popcorn popers that stir the kernels as they pop. Need to do some research.
I experimented this week with eating "lighter" stuff, like a couple salads, and not heading to Taco Bell, and snarfing the chalupas. Seems to do the trick, but nothing beats a veggie sandwich, or one of my French faves, a bagette with goat cheese tomatos and onions, that is tray be-in. So, I'll start working on pre work prepping and see what happens, there's got to be a middle ground somewhere.

Powerbar and Coffee before the ride in, breakfast at work (oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, fruit or yogurt) water all day, lunch, and then a Powerbar about 45~30 before ride home.

V8 and peanut butter = race fuel for me .. on low octane.

Weekends is nutella.

No one on earth needs any special diet to be able to do a 14 mile round trip commute.

My commute is 14.8 miles each way, and a bowl of cereal or Clif bar before each trip is plenty.

- Warren

Cheerios barely get me over half an hour. Try crushing a bowl of cheerios and you have like a spoonful of powder :p

A can of ready whip. Seriously.
There's a ton of sugar in it, and the propellant is nitrous oxide.
If NOX makes your car go faster, imagine how fast you'll go!!!
hahahahhahahahahahahhahahhahahhahahahhahahahhahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahaha
hahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahah
hahaha hahahahahhaha ahahahahha ahahahaha aha ha ahahha haha ahha (gasp) ahahhaha