Pre-training meal/snack

Rhods
Rhods Posts: 400
edited April 2009 in Training, fitness and health
Hi

As the title suggests, this is about what to eat before training, specifically, training rides after work.

I have just started going on hard rides after work and find that because lunch was hours ago, I'm low on energy! I've tried a flapjack, bananas etc, but they don't seem to cut it.

Would anyone recommend anything to eat a couple of hours before I set out (bearing in mind that i'm going to be at work)?

Thanks

p.s. I'm well aware that half of the problem is my fitness level, but the other half is definately fuel!!

Comments

  • deal
    deal Posts: 857
    Could you not move your lunch back a bit ? if not then try something like Allen Lims rice cakes or boiled potatoes, nicely wrapped in foil for convenience (personally i cant get enough of the rice cakes!)

    http://www.saris.com/athletes/PermaLink ... f3845.aspx
  • wiffachip
    wiffachip Posts: 861
    don't know about you, but if I've eaten 2 hours earlier the benefit will be long gone by the time I hit the road. I know some people don't like to eat immediately before riding, but for me a good scran 10 min before I depart is ideal. I couldn't imagine doing any distance if I'd not eaten for two hours

    As for what to eat it doesn't really matter, but if you're at work, something convenient like a couple of pies would be ideal, or if you're on a bit of a health kick try some pasta or a sarnie, or better still both

    in summary, eat as much as you can just before you go out
  • robby.racer
    robby.racer Posts: 11
    Just a thought - but maybe you arent setting yourself up with a substantial breakfast. - Im not talking special K here- a bowl of porrige made with jumbo oats and a kipper does the trick + fruit juice.

    To pep yourself up for ther ride try a double expresso an hour before you hit the road- it will reduce the pain at least and maybe even get you going a bit quicker
  • wiffachip
    wiffachip Posts: 861
    to each their own - a double expresso or a two mince pies ?

    you decide
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    The digestion time of the food is the most important factor here.

    You want to go out just as your body has digested the food.

    Here are some examples:

    Seeds/Nuts - 120-160 minutes
    Flapjacks/Porridge/Brown Rice/Pasta - 90 minutes
    Potatoes/Bread - 60 minutes
    Fruits - 40-20 minutes (depending on complexity/hardness)
    Sports Energy Gel - 20 minutes
    Fruit Smoothies - 15 minutes
    Honey - 5 minutes
    Water - 1-3 minutes (depending on how full your stomach is) before it's useful to the body
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Now i'm not as fastidious about nutrition as Bhima there, but i've been going out after work for years now on a simple bowl of cereal and a half hour sit down before I go out for an hour. The choice of cereal is your own.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Rhods
    Rhods Posts: 400
    Thanks for the replies. And thanks Bhima for all the detail! I'll try and time things a bit better with those digestion times in mind.

    Thanks
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    Bhima wrote:
    The digestion time of the food is the most important factor here.

    You want to go out just as your body has digested the food.

    Here are some examples:

    Seeds/Nuts - 120-160 minutes
    Flapjacks/Porridge/Brown Rice/Pasta - 90 minutes
    Potatoes/Bread - 60 minutes
    Fruits - 40-20 minutes (depending on complexity/hardness)
    Sports Energy Gel - 20 minutes
    Fruit Smoothies - 15 minutes
    Honey - 5 minutes
    Water - 1-3 minutes (depending on how full your stomach is) before it's useful to the body

    Have you got any more times or a website with more digestion times? This is the sort of information im looking for, the only thing I knew was porridge took 1.5 hrs and I always have a bowl before I go out, 1.5hrs before that it :)

    Also, say you have a large bowl of porridge 1.5 hrs before you go out giving it time to digest, how long would a bowl supply you with energy for, and would having a bowl slow down the use of your stored glucogen, or would you use up your stores first then use the glucose from the porridge???

    If thats the case then wouldnt it be better to have the bowl before you leave, sorry, this is a bit confusion trying to get the timings right......
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Gav888 wrote:

    Have you got any more times or a website with more digestion times? This is the sort of information im looking for, the only thing I knew was porridge took 1.5 hrs and I always have a bowl before I go out, 1.5hrs before that it :)

    Not sure. I've found some by searching but some contradict each other. I got my figures from a book down the library, which I can't remember the name of...
    Gav888 wrote:
    how long would a bowl supply you with energy for,
    Depends on how much you have!

    Gav888 wrote:
    would having a bowl slow down the use of your stored glucogen, or would you use up your stores first then use the glucose from the porridge???
    Don't know... Maybe someone else could answer this...?
    Gav888 wrote:
    this is a bit confusion trying to get the timings right......
    I think this is right, i'm not sure though:

    Lets say you have 2 hours-worth of porrigde fuel and want to eat flapjacks on the ride... It takes 90 minutes to digest the porridge so I think you'll have to start eating flapjacks 30 minutes in to the ride because they take 90 minutes to digest and, therefore, will begin to fuel you as the porridge fuel runs out.
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    Bhima wrote:
    Gav888 wrote:

    Have you got any more times or a website with more digestion times? This is the sort of information im looking for, the only thing I knew was porridge took 1.5 hrs and I always have a bowl before I go out, 1.5hrs before that it :)

    Not sure. I've found some by searching but some contradict each other. I got my figures from a book down the library, which I can't remember the name of...
    Gav888 wrote:
    how long would a bowl supply you with energy for,
    Depends on how much you have!

    Gav888 wrote:
    would having a bowl slow down the use of your stored glucogen, or would you use up your stores first then use the glucose from the porridge???
    Don't know... Maybe someone else could answer this...?
    Gav888 wrote:
    this is a bit confusion trying to get the timings right......
    I think this is right, i'm not sure though:

    Lets say you have 2 hours-worth of porrigde fuel and want to eat flapjacks on the ride... It takes 90 minutes to digest the porridge so I think you'll have to start eating flapjacks 30 minutes in to the ride because they take 90 minutes to digest and, therefore, will begin to fuel you as the porridge fuel runs out.

    Cheers for the reply.... I think a bit more research is needed :wink:
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond
  • JGS
    JGS Posts: 180
    Try some dried fruits like apple, banana and mango chips and a bit of caffiene about 30 mins before. Might perk you up enough to get you out and moving on your bike?
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Personally I eat a bowl of Muesli or a bowl of soup most days as soon as I get in from work - then kit up and go ride. Takes me about 15 minutes to get out the door so don't have to worry about cramp from eating and riding straight away.

    The food digests WHILE I ride - providing me with energy throughout the ride.

    I eat breakfast but not lunch and always have enough energy for a good, brisk 1 hour ride. Sometimes more if I'm up for it.

    Not ideal nutrition - but it just shows that you CAN eat right before a ride and be OK.

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