what are the best types of foods and drinks to eat/drink during a ride to help keep your legs and body from giving up on you?

I'm not a big, gel/powerbar/sports drink, kinda guy (doesn't seeem to want to work with my stomach) so what are other alternatives to keep me and my legs feeling fairly nourished and fresh?

Thanks in advance

Tyler

Ask in Training and Nutrition. A lot of us roadies don't care all that much...

Most real roadies DO care, another good example of a rude wanta be poser, he only speeks for himself! I would suggest salted nuts and seeds with raisins or any variety of dried fruits in the mix too. You need the salt for your muscles and hydration; the nuts and seeds are good food. Eat before you get hungry.

Whole-wheat bagels, with a little (natural) peanut butter on them, are the best endurance food I've found. Very cheap too.

Woops. Well, I guess not a lot, but the guys in T and N seem to be more of the race types, as opposed to just recreational cyclists. I just do the basic water an Clif bar route.

Eric Harr (pro tri guy) suggests eating PB&J about an hour prior to long exercise in one of his books. He suggests fat and carbs prior exercise and PB&J fits the bill real well.

Banana, bagel, muffins, cornbread, apple, and gatorade.

My top five:

1. Bananas, the world's most near-perfect food.

2. Peanut butter and honey on whole wheat....great recovery food.

3. Tuna fish on whole wheat...protein.

4. Fig Newtons are my best friend.

5. My last name is Cianciola.....me LOVE pasta.

cool anything else?

Peace
Tyler

I don't like to eat alot before i take off, so i eat things that only require a small serving, but have alot of carbs. I usually eat a yogurt with raisins and a bannana, thats about 90g of carbs and thats some good fuel right there. For your legs i reckon you just keep yourself hydrated. The way you know whether you gave your muscles enough water or not is if you get cramps, muscle cramps are usually a sighn of poor hydration.

Though I consider pizza to be one of the world's perfect foods, I do not recommend eating it right before going on a ride. I tried that once, and not only did I get very thristy, but my stomach cramped up something fierce about 10 minutes after leaving. Must've been all that fat and cheese.

After running for a couple years before starting to ride I really had to watch what I ate and when, or I would cramp up and feel to sick to run. Although I never threw up, I just couldn't run. When I ride I can eat pretty much anything I want 30 min before a ride and not worry about cramping up or getting sick. I agree with the salted nuts comment. I usually get a small pack of trail mix with sunflower seeds, peanuts, raisens, m&ms ect.

Foods with a little bit of fiber in them are a good idea as it slows down the digestive process a little and makes your energy last a bit longer. Something like a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread should give you a good boost of energy that wont sugar spike you like some energy bars. Couple that with a banana and a ziploc bag of trail mix seems to work pretty well for me.

so if i want to really eat well i should make a penut butter - banana - raison - pasta with tuna fish on the side? i'm eating loads of pastas but sometimes it makes you feel tired cause your body has to convert all the carbs.

to echo comments above...

The best thing I have found is a peanut butter sandwich with sliced banana on it. Put a little honey on that as well and you have a pretty good snack.

what about to drink?

Peace
Tyler

Spuds McDoogle also suggests this in his writings.

He also says that PBJ provides excellent crash protection for cyclists.

Eat Oatmeal before a long ride. Through in some raisins, blueberry's or strawberrys as you cook. Then top it off with a splash of honey and milk (preferably soy milk). During a long ride eat fig newtons, bananas, or take along a peanut butter and jelly sandwitch on whole wheat.

Do not drink diet sodas or tea as they will cause further dehydration.

Three things your body has to have:

1) Hydration - muscles don't work good without it.
2) Electrolytes (salts) - if you do not replace salts your body cannot use the water you may be pooring into it.
3) Energy - the fuel

Yesterday it was soft batch choc. chip cookies.