Eat what you want
 

An upper level manager (who I really like) asked if I was still riding my bike. He also commented that, "...you can probably eat whatever you want, can't you?" I sort of shrugged.

"Not really," was my approximate reply.

What I didn't mention was how cycling had heightened my awareness of my need to eat nutritious foods. I am more conscious now about what I eat because I am not eating for fun anymore. My eating is serious business.

Some folks notice the power of cycling to burn off excess calories and assume they can eat just about anything. There is a bit of truth to that, but overall, a cyclist depends on a well-nourished body. We notice shortcomings in our energy levels, strength and performance more acutely than do sedentary folks.

Heck, a cigarette would gag me now, whereas before I thought I needed them. It seems that my body is getting more picky, not less, about what I take into it. After all, people that are careful about keeping fresh oil in their cars and maintaining them in spotless condition don't always do the same for their dear bods.

I hear you there, Pete. Just because you exercise, doesn't mean that you can eat EVERYTHING. I wish! My metabolism has definitely slowed down, so I have to be a little more selective on what I eat. Okay, that's not to say that I "fall of the wagon", but I do try!

I gave up smoking a long time ago, so at least I got that out of my system. For awhile, I would smoke during social situations, but I had quit cold turkey eventually. Didn't take me long to stop smoking those "cancer sticks", but I was darn lucky that I didn't get really addicted to them.

Well I have noticed that I do eat more throughout the day. Usually I snack about every 2 hours, but it is mostly healthy stuff like fruit or veggies (but I still sneak in a cookie hear or there) and I have noticed that munching all day actually helps my metabolism. I feel good too!

I'm always a lot hungrier too, when I'm riding regularly, and sometimes that's a problem at work where there's not always the most nutritious snacks around. It pays to plan ahead and try to have my own food there so I don't just fill up on "empty" calories.

Like Pete, I'm more aware of the foods I eat and try to eat stuff that's going to do me some good on the bike. Pasta is something that I'm eating more of for the carbs.

I like to have powerbars etc. around for that quick intake of protein and carbs, as Pete mentioned in another thread, to take advantage of that recovery window a short period after the ride. I read the labels though, to try and get the best bang for the buck as far as nutritional value goes.

Technogirl, you're right about the metabolism slowing down. I've really noticed it the last couple of years and have to watch what I eat carefully. It's hard after years of being a BIG eater!

An article on BBC Online just yesterday told about the surprising (to the scientists!) discovery that the brain, like the rest of the body, becomes depleted of glucose and, under hard functioning (like heavy study, difficult mental tasks, etc.) needs replenishing. Apparently it was thought previously that the brain always had plenty of glucose.

What a surprise to find out that the brain is part of the body! :D Don't you just love some of these studies?

Anyway, this makes yet another case for snacking as contrasted to widely spaced meals.

JonR,

A guy I worked for about 20 years ago was a big time roadie. He and his riding buddies came up with this inside joke about "low brain sugar," as in, "yeah, low brain sugar caused me to turn the wrong way and ride an hour in the wrong direction, low brain sugar made me eat three Circle-K burritos," or his best: "We rode into Pedro's South of the Border, deep into low brain sugar, and thought it was the neatest place on earth! We bought hundreds of dollars' worth of souvenirs!"

I asked whether he meant "low blood sugar," but he shook his head. "No, that's different. That's when you bonk. With low brain sugar, you can still ride... it just makes you stupid."

Now he has clinical proof...

Yet another defense of the infamous Sweet Tooth! :)

Interesting conversation. You see, since May I've been riding
more and more and trying to keep the junk out of the diet as
much as possible. I'm not perfect and have relapses, but I am
noticing by the way my body reacts that some foods I formerly
subsisted on just won't work anymore.

I'm finding that if I go a week without eating garbage (fried
fast food fare or overly fattening stuff from applebees/fridays
style places) my body tends to go a little nuts and really
doesn't like it. And reacts accordingly (the toilet trot).

I think now if I order something like a burger in one of those
places I'll go for the fruit on the side instead of fries because
I can notice the grease more since I've been eating it less.

My diet during the week is turning into a jared (from subway)
kind of thing just to keep control.

I'll be riding tonight if I can since I went a little kooky around
midmorning (hit the machines which I usually try to avoid).

I noticed consistently during the years I commuted by bike, that if I had "Chinese" or "Mexican" lunches I would cycle home slowly and often painfully. If I had Subway, I would zip right along. It couldn't be a coincidence: it always happened that way.

Technogirl was a smoker?

That's unbelievable.

I can't believe it.

Believing this is what I cannot do.

I can only not believe this.

Really, Technogirl?! We are all glad you gave THAT up, but what convinced a sporty personality like you to smoke in the first place? How very curious.