Diet...

xgriffin

Well at the moment, I am "cutting my calories" to try and get more "in shape"

I havn't cycled/exercised in about 6 months or so. And this has caused me to put on about a stone - a stone and a half ish.

Basically, I am waking up at aproximately, 11-12am. Eating 2 wheatabix for breakfast..
I am then doing work till about 5-6 oclock which I am then eating tea (usually some sort of meat with rice or salad) And I am then going for aproximately an hour bike ride (the most I can comfortably manage at the moment)
I am then returning and have about another 5-6 hours awake in which i was wondering if there is anything I should be eating, (since i heard its bad to eat before you go to bed if you're trying to lose weight) Because at the moment I'm just getting home and drinking water...

Any help is appreciated, Thanks.

jibberjim

How intense is your ride? Are you going hard, or are you pootling along? On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is sitting on a sofa, 2 is easy, 5 is tough, 10 is all out absolutely everything you can manage what would you have?

Unless it's at the low end of that scale, you should probably look to add some protein and calories immediately after you return from your ride. Not much for such a short ride, just something that contains protein and carbohydrates - say a small chocolate milkshare made with nesquik powder or similar. That will top off the glycogen which you used in your ride, and enable you to ride harder/longer the next day easier.

xgriffin

I'd say about 7. I just spoke to a friend who also said that all i really need to do is have some high gi stuff when i get home to top up my glycogen.. I was considering cycling before my evening meal rather than after...

jibberjim

Then yes, with your hard ride, you should definately look to have some carbohydrates and protein immediately after returning.

You should probably also consider mixing in some lower effort rides that let you go for longer now and then, so as not to just do the same hard workout every day. ie pick a pace that lets you go for 90 minutes and do that a couple of times a week.

xgriffin

Yeah I was thinking of doing that, at the moment im just trying to get back into the feel of it, after a 6 month break it really does take its tole, especially when someone passes you, i hate that :P