Nutrition - Ride discomfort / stomach issues

chris217
chris217 Posts: 218
Ok , in brief , i am reasonably fit, have been riding Sportives and similar for a few years and thought i had my nutrition reasonably well organised.

recently , although did happen a few times last year , i have been suffering with quite bad stomach discomfort after the first couple of hours of relatively intense cycling.

it is not quite nausea or a sickness feeling however feels like bad indegestion and that i have a 'ball' / heavy, churning feeling in my stomach.

it does improve with eating and i am aware with adrenelin etc excitement i sometimes find it difficult to eat but always have breakfast although sometimes only 1 to 2 hours before the start of the event.

it really impacts on my ride and is annoying.

i have thought it could be dehydration or certain caffine containing gels reacting badly,

any thoughts or similar experiences ??

cheers

Comments

  • nunowoolmez
    nunowoolmez Posts: 867
    this can be quite a common problem but one you can sort out. What is your normal diet like? Are you eating enough fibre, ptotein, carbs? Are you keeping 'regular'? What about fluids? Are you having enough & have they got the right nutrients in.

    Finding the right breakfast that works for you can take a while. I still don't know if i prefer porridge or bagels. Both good but heavy on the tummy. Even more difficult is finding the right combination of gels, bars & drinks. This really just takes trying a few out & seeing what works best for you. I found a lot of them gave me an upset tummy but then chanced upon the Torq gels - which are brilliant & don't give me any tummy troubles. I also tend to use the liqourice flavour Mulebar bars & zipvit choc coated strawberry bars. Both taste good, have nice texture & easy to eat, & don't give me tummy trouble. I find i can take most carb drinks but prefer High 5.

    Just keep trying different routines, breakfasts, & products & you should find a solution to your problem. If not maybe seek out a sports dietician?

    Good luck. Remember, whats works for others may NOT work for you!
  • I had that once. The cause was PSP22, so I swapped to another brand.
  • chris217
    chris217 Posts: 218
    thanks guys and yes trying to eat a balanced diet, lots of fruit, cereals pasta fish etc.

    do sometimes suffer with sugar cravings and then eat crap but generally think my diet is good.

    will re think my breakfast regieme and see what happens