Yen

I planned to go riding tonight after dinner, and I looked forward to it all day, planning my route. I thought I should let my dinner settle a little first so I helped clean the dishes, checked and inflated the tires, adjusted the saddle a tiny bit and changed my clothes. By that time, the sun was starting to set and I lost interest. It didn't help that I am very upset over a family matter about which I don't know what to do or say.

I have a ridiculous commute (1 hour each way) that robs me of 2+ precious hours/day. It's important to me that my husband and I eat dinner together, and I don't want to make him wait for me, so I am not going to take off and let him eat alone every night.

I think what I will do on days when I plan to ride after work is eat a *small* dinner, like a pre-ride meal, and then eat more when I return. Or, eat more throughout the day before dinner, and then eat a light dinner. That way, I can eat something, with my husband, and ride sooner.

If you ride after dinner, do you wait a little while to let your meal settle, or do you go right out and ride?

Red Rider

I eat a decent meal (at least a Clif Bar and a piece of fruit) 2-3 hrs. before I ride in the evening. One evening ride is fairly calm & relaxed, the other is a hammerfest -- that's the one where it pays to eat early.

After the ride (7:30-ish) I eat whatever we're having for dinner. If I eat dinner I don't ride. I walk the dogs.

I really prefer riding about 6:30 a.m. It's cool, clear, the roads aren't busy, and I'm done early in the day. It sets the tone for the rest of the day for me. And yes, I eat about 5:30, preferably toast with cashew/macadamia nut butter and fruit jam. After the ride I'll a more hearty meal.

I admire that you make your meal with your family a priority. I firmly believe in family first.

maddmaxx 

Later in the year as the days get shorter and shorter, its a rush to get home, energy bars, go ride and then home to dinner. Dinner however is later than for some.

cyclezealot

heck with dinner. I have a lite snack and get in my ride. Can have another snack later. Particularily should it be hot.

tlc20010

As the days start getting shorter, riding time gets harder to come by. In the evening, it is pretty much eat and ride or miss the ride as you found out. How come the husband and you can't ride off to some favorite spot for dinner and then ride home?

HopedaleHills

Hey Yen,

I have the same issue, a 1.25 hr commute. Plus I happen to live in a poor weather section of the country where the good riding season is basically 3-4 months. What we do is try to get home at 6:30, change clothes, get out on the road. We usually do a 12 mile loop which puts us home around 7:40 or so, then make dinner and eat. For example, last night we ate at 8:45. We just have to squeeze in the miles every chance we get. We find we can do that 12 miles easily on whatever we had for lunch.

zacster

I ride before dinner if I can manage to leave my office early enough. We always eat late in my house anyway so it doesn't impact us. And if I ride I make sure we're having an easily prepared meal. 282-4915 (our local pizza joint) is our friend.

This last week I've been forced to work from home by the steam pipe that burst in Manhattan and I'm able to ride mid-day for an hour, then when I'm done working, or even before I start.

europa

You're doing it right Yen, but I know your frustration. I'm a single dad so get caught in the 'family pincer' quite often (not that I mind, but it does hurt a bit sometimes).

Buy some decent lights for the bike. You will probably suffer the same 'loss of desire' as night comes on, but at least you'll have the option of going for a ride later. It'll remove the 'I missed out on a ride' frustration and replace it with 'I chose not to ride in the dark'. It's no genuine compensation but I've found that strategies like this have helped me.

Richard

Hermes

My wife and I ride right after work usually starting around 6PM and try to get 30 miles. I would puke if I ate dinner and then road 30 miles. It is a bad idea to ride when one is digesting food in your stomach because the digestion process requires a lot of blood flow / energy. We eat after the ride. Remember when your mother made you wait one hour after eating before going into the pool?

stonecrd

We also never eat until at least 7:00p so not a problem for me to ride before dinner. I keep the weekday rides to 20 miles so I know exactly how long it will take. Once summer ends I switch to morning rides and get out at 7:00a and get into work later. Both cases I am home by 7:00p.

Terrierman

No way could I have dinner and then ride. I would either see dinner again or ride slowly (more slowly than usual). I just eat later, which some say is not good but has to be better than eating earlier and not exercising because of it.

Yen

OK, here's a plan. Last night Hubby said he'd ride with me but he already rode 20 miles that morning (he's already retired ). So.... I am going to suggest that we ride together as soon as I get home from work, and he can prepare a crockpot dinner we can eat when we return (or heat up leftovers), whatever is quick and nutritious. Riding my bike is the most fun I've had in ???? years and I don't want my commute to steal this joy from me if I can help it, and if Hubby and I can ride then eat together, that's even better.

SaiKaiTai

Sometimes Life just intervenes despite our most fervent wishes, dreams, and desires
You just do what you have to to make it all work

bobbyahines

The crockpot is a good idea, Yen. Hit up the local bookstore for a Slow Cooker cookbook. There's lots of really decent dishes you can throw in the pot in the morning and it's ready when you get home...

-bobby

Camilo

I'm lucky - I have access to pretty good riding routes from my office with only a couple miles in moderate city traffic before hitting country roads - so I just take a ride during lunch. I also now have a shower at my office. I usually do about 45 min - 1 hour, but at least a couple times a week I go for 1.5-2 hours and work later if needed. 1/2 hour later getting home at night can give me a much larger chunk of time (1.5 hours or more) to use mid day.

When I didn't have the shower, I'd cool down while working at my desk for a while (change into a nice cotton polo shirt kept on hand for that purpose) then do a quick sponge bath in the rest room before changing into my normal work clothes. That worked also.

Sometimes I'll skip my lunch break, quit an hour early, change to biking clothes, drive part way home, stop and ride the bike, then finish the drive home. Again, I often just ride for the hour and get home at the normal time, but again, if I add just 1/2 hour, dinner is delayed by 1/2 hour, but I get 1 1/2 hours to ride. With advance notice doesn't disrupt family dinner. It is easy to keep my bike secure inside my car(s) (chevy suburban and subaru outback), so bringing it to work is not a problem.

I find it nearly impossible to exercise in the evening. Sometimes I'll get away for an hour or so after dinner, but usually I lose motivation and/or get caught up in other stuff. Family dinner is almost sacrosanct to me, really essential to qualtiy family time My teenagers actually seem to find it essential too as they tend to make it happen within their busy lives.

So I TOTALLY AGREE with OP's need to base this around dinner with family members. That to me is more important than fitness. Maybe some creative scheduling can help?

Yen

I already proposed this grand idea to Hubby and he's all for it. In fact, he was already planning to ride with me tonight, before I even asked.

Now I just have to convince him to switch to morning rides in winter (since it will be completely dark after work and I prefer to not do regular night rides if possible) if we get proper winter attire. Lowest lows here are mid-20s, usually low 30s, but not all winter. Any suggestions for winter attire to keep us reasonably comfortable? Hubby also suggested buying a cheap bike and a decent trainer to ride indoors..... but I'd rather ride outdoors if possible. We don't get snow and sleet here.

Red Rider

Your hubby is a gem! You probably already plan to keep him.

Isn't it great how creative you can become to achieve what you want? That's just great to find a workable solution. Now you have nothing to get between you and your riding.

Enjoy!

doctor j

Before the after-work ride, I eat one pack of granola bars (2 bars) with some honey on them and down some Gatorade. After the ride, I eat something protein-rich like canned salmon, some carbs, and a glass of 1% milk. The after-ride dinner is usually small.

Yen

Yeh, I think I will.

Thanks for the tips everyone.

stapfam

I do not get home till 6 PM at the earliest- so If I am riding in the evenings- I check the bike and GO. Sometimes get a late Snack at around 4pm but on my evening rides- I always stop at a cafe. In the Summer it is not too bad as My Seafront cafe is open but it closes at 7 PM in the winter. SO winter rides and it is a different stop For a Sub and a Donut.

Winter rides are great providing you have the right gear. Two rear lamps and two front lamps. Leggings and an extra top are all that I need but Night riding is different. Lots more Wildlife about and Lots of Fast Cars-Hence the extra lights. If you really want to ride in the winter- Now is the time to look for the winter clothing bargains. Gloves that are windproof and I just use ordinary gloves -not cycling specific. A ski mask to cover the face on those really cold---Or cold wet-- Nights. A thin Fleece to put under the waterproof and My life saver last winter- A pair of Waterproof socks that kept the feet dry and hence warm

sauerwald

Yen

I have an hour commute to/from work each day, although if I drove a car it would be faster. Last night, I met my wife at an art gallery that was about half way home, we checked out the opening of a new exhibit, and then went to dinner, and I finished riding home after dinner (very slowly - nice dinner :-). Does your husband ride? - would it be possible to meet him somewhere between work and home and ride with him before dinner?

I also chuckled at the comment from hopedalehills about how weather keeps him from riding. I live in a part of the country generally not known for exceptionally good weather and find that weather only keeps me from riding 20 or so days each year - your weather must really be bad if you can only ride 3-4 months per year!

HopedaleHills

What I really meant was that there were 3-4 months of what I view as optimal riding weather, June - Sept, unlike the south or CA. I did get in at least a few rides each month last year, and Maine weather is definately worse than MA. I just really don't like cold below about 30F anymore.

BSLeVan

We've had similar scheduling issues at my house. We've resolved them by having later dinners and my purchasing a good set of lights for when the late fall and winter darkness arrives. I justify all of this, because I know that I deal with life, including "family situations" better when I can ride regularly. Hope you find a solution that works for you and your family.