MTB and food

theshrew

After my first trip to a trails center last week (Llandegla) loved it.

To be honest my legs were shot when we had finnished probably mainly because im overweight , unfit, smoke and drink to much, have never been that far on a bike before and only had about 3hrs sleep the night before.

This got me thinking about what i should eat before a ride perhaps it would give me some more energy.

I normally ride early morning so id only had a bowl of cornflakes. Should i have eaten more / or anything different ? Or something while i was out on the bike ?

What do you have / Do ?

Nachimir

theshrew wrote:

3hrs sleep

theshrew wrote:

bowl of cornflakes.

These are what did you in. There's less than 200 calories in a bowl of cornflakes. If you're overweight and riding energetically, you'll be lucky to get 45 minutes out of that before your body starts ploughing into its reserves. Once the glycogen in your muscles runs out, your body will resort to less efficient methods of generating energy, namely converting fat and muscle tissue.

Good for weight loss, perhaps not so good for fun days out with your mates. Carbs and sugars are what will sort you out. Eat pasta and bread the day before to stock your muscles up, sleep well, don't have too big a breakfast, and eat little and often throughout the day to keep your energy up. Bananas are great for this, and I also favour really stodgy things like fruit loaf.

You can spunk your money on optimised sports food and drink, but generally nutritionism is heavily garnished with b*llocks and lesser foods will get you by just fine.

cooldad

Pies and bacon. Food of the gods.

jayson

One of the absolute finest things u can eat is porridge, a good bowl before u go out riding will see u through ur ride with a couple light snacks thrown in ur bag to top up lata in the day.

theshrew

Nachimir wrote:

theshrew wrote:

3hrs sleep

theshrew wrote:

bowl of cornflakes.

These are what did you in. There's less than 200 calories in a bowl of cornflakes. If you're overweight and riding energetically, you'll be lucky to get 45 minutes out of that before your body starts ploughing into its reserves. Once the glycogen in your muscles runs out, your body will resort to less efficient methods of generating energy, namely converting fat and muscle tissue.

I suppose thats why my legs felt like they were on fire then

Im not that bothered abould loosing weight although i suppose i will do a bit the more i ride. I just want to have more energy when im on my bike and build up my legs. My heads in it but my legs cant cope with some hills at the moment.

mattrgee

Stick to complex carbs. Its sounds boring, but you can't go far wrong with a bowl of porridge.

MountainMonster

Bangers and mash are a good breakfast, and provide good energy for me

miss notax

jayson wrote:

One of the absolute finest things u can eat is porridge, a good bowl before u go out riding will see u through ur ride with a couple light snacks thrown in ur bag to top up lata in the day.

Agreed, I always eat a bowl of porridge before I ride (at about 6pm last night before a night ride - yum !

paul_75

wont being unfit, smoker and being over weight have more to do with your legs being shot and however knackered you were than what you eat? im a couple of stone over weight, not the fittest in the world either but after being out on the bike a few times and useing the cross trainer at home for a few weeks the hills that used to cause me to struggle are fairly easy now, i normaly go out in the morning myself and have a couple of slices of toast with a boiled egg that seems to keep me going

Raymondavalon

I never feed my bike before a ride.. it cramps up..

As for me, I am a pasta convert with grain/energy bars and fruitcake as an ideal filler between rides

Muttly1981

Nachimir wrote:

theshrew wrote:

3hrs sleep

theshrew wrote:

bowl of cornflakes.

These are what did you in. There's less than 200 calories in a bowl of cornflakes. If you're overweight and riding energetically, you'll be lucky to get 45 minutes out of that before your body starts ploughing into its reserves. Once the glycogen in your muscles runs out, your body will resort to less efficient methods of generating energy, namely converting fat and muscle tissue.

Good for weight loss, perhaps not so good for fun days out with your mates. Carbs and sugars are what will sort you out. Eat pasta and bread the day before to stock your muscles up, sleep well, don't have too big a breakfast, and eat little and often throughout the day to keep your energy up. Bananas are great for this, and I also favour really stodgy things like fruit loaf.

You can spunk your money on optimised sports food and drink, but generally nutritionism is heavily garnished with b*llocks and lesser foods will get you by just fine.

I always make sure i eat a fair portion of pasta the night before a ride, the day of the ride i'll have a couple of slices of toast and a can of Rockstar recovery on the drive up, then just pretty much top up with jelly babies or winegums untill i can get a hearty dinner inside me. I have tried to ride Llandegla with a stinking hangover once and it wasn't plesent experience :oops:

Anonymous

The bigger problem I find is not what I eat before, but what I eat after to compensate for all the calories burnt. I'll make a meal double the calories I burnt, or more, scoffed down with plenty of beer or wine.

But anyway, carbs and sugar, and don't forget during the ride also and include salt with that as you need to replace lost salt. I make up a drink out of high juice, water and a little salt.

Though samosas and cheese straws from the shop in Peaslake are a mandatory requirement during a ride, regardless of whether they're any good for me or not.

pilsburypie

Yep - carb up..... I am also a fan of isotonic energy drinks - probably more mental than physical...... Tesco do 500ml bottles for 40p. So for £2 I drink one on the way to a ride and 3 in the camel back...... Then smash into the stellas on the way home.

Arkady001

To be honest, trying to 'eat-for-fitness' only really works when you are fit enough to take advantage of it.

Lardy gits like me need to get fit in order to take advantage of any nutritional benefits from carbo-loading and the like...

Lots of short, sharp rides, coupled with longer, easy rides and decent recovery periods in-between will get it done faster.

butcher of bakersfield

Food is obviously important. It can make or break a ride sometimes. Just getting plenty of calories into your system beforehand is a good start, without cramming it in 5 minutes before a ride - that's never a good idea!

But fitness plays a big part. You don't need to be fit per se. But regular riding will ensure the right muscles are ready for the abuse that you're going to give them. If I haven't been out for a while, I find myself tired after short bursts, taking rests, legs burning, etc. If I'm out regular, my legs will continue on at a regular rhythm with far less effort, and it makes the whole thing much less of a chore.