When to eat?

Cretin · June 2007

My diet consists mostly of meat, vegetables, and fruit, along with copious amounts of proper coffee and diet drinks. Probably about 2000 calories a day.

In weather like this I'll cycle around 100 miles a week over rough-ish terrain, usually canal towpaths and farm tracks. In the winter, probably no more than 20 miles a week.

When is it best to eat - before or after a ride? And when is the best time to ride - in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

vernonlevy · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cretin

My diet consists mostly of meat, vegetables, and fruit, along with copious amounts of proper coffee and diet drinks. Probably about 2000 calories a day.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sounds right to me
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
In weather like this I'll cycle around 100 miles a week over rough-ish terrain, usually canal towpaths and farm tracks. In the winter, probably no more than 20 miles a week.

When is it best to eat - before or after a ride? And when is the best time to ride - in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Spreading the mileage out for the week gives you an average of 14 miles per day. I'd not bother doing anything special for that distance apart from having a drink before setting off and carrying a bottle of water. A peanut butter or jam sandwich when I got back would suffice.

The best time to ride is when it's cool, sunny and you've got a tailwind [:o)] Aprt from that it doesn't really matter when you ride, the calorie burn willbe the same.

Cretin · June 2007

I ask because I only ever seem to build muscle, and not burn fat

My 'regime' is to cycle fairly quickly with my feet spinning rapidly, not pushing myself, I just move quickly because thats my natural pace. Interrupted by bouts of pushing, say every 15 minutes or so, until I get tired and go back to just relaxing and riding.

PhilBixby · June 2007

Cycling tends not to build much muscle, especially if you're spinning the pedals. It does however burn off the spare bits of leg so you can see the muscle more. If you set up your calorie intake and exercise appropriately (ie a little more burned than eaten) you *will* burn off fat - if that's what you'd like to do. As Vernon says, you're not piling on too many miles so just eat normally, maybe a bit of extra carbs if you end up hungry. I don't think there's any magic to "best times" - ride and eat when it fits in with your life and when you enjoy it most, just avoid riding any distance on an empty stomach.

Phil B
Clifton CC York

Cretin · June 2007

Thanks for the advice. I think I need to reduce my calorific intake slightly, I don't eat many carbohydrates as it is, I don't eat any refined sugars, much of my energy comes from the fruit and the fat content of the other foods.

ut_o_cykla · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cretin

I ask because I only ever seem to build muscle, and not burn fat

My 'regime' is to cycle fairly quickly with my feet spinning rapidly, not pushing myself, I just move quickly because thats my natural pace. Interrupted by bouts of pushing, say every 15 minutes or so, until I get tired and go back to just relaxing and riding.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

From personal experience its easy to overestimate energy output and end up eating very slightly too much too often. If you want to lose a bit of weight it should really be the other way round. Also I prefer not to cycle hard too soon after a meal but don't like riding 'hungry'- so before breakfast is out for me.
How about not changing how much you eat - just split it up a bit so you can eat something after cycling.

pousse moi s'il vous plait

bahzob · June 2007

I second the last post. Cycling does not use up as much energy as you may hope. I did the Tour of Wessex a couple of weekends ago. Ate cereal for breakfast, lots on the bike during the rides and a nice big evening meal with pasta. Weighed myself when I got back and was gobsmacked to find I had put on 5lbs over four days. Lost it again but only by cutting back on food while maintaining exercise.

Sam Cycling · June 2007

Hi,
before the training or race the best are the carbohydrates (pasta) and sugars.
Later is better small carbohydrates, protein and minerals.
Vegetables and fruits are ever ok.

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Sam Cycling Ltd

When to eat?

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