Post ride munchies

charliew87

Can watch what I eat during the week no trouble. Go to the gym and eat normally Monday to Friday no problem.

Then Sat/Sun comes round and ill go out for a 2/3/4 hour ride, come back and can't stop eating.
Anything. Totally famished and can't resist the fridge.

I'll eat a banana or cereal bar or something like that if I'm out for more than a couple of hours on the road.

Seems to be worse in the winter.

Anyone else have this issue, any advice?

Gizmodo

Issue - yes. Advice - no.

smidsy

Not taking on enough during the ride. 1 banana or 1 cereal bar on a 3 or 4 hr ride is not sufficient.

tetley10

Same. I'm new to this cycling lark and can't believe how hungry I'm getting. I stocked up on that earthy rabbit food over the weekend. Going to try and munch munch on that rather than 3 bags of hula hoops.

lotus49

My objective in starting to cycle again is really to get fitter. I wouldn't mind losing a little bit of weight but that's mainly so I can get up hills more easily - I'm not at all overweight.

This is fortunate for me, because, just like you, I find cycling gives me a hearty appetite. I shall be gaining weight at this rate. At least I'll be fit .

Camus

Know the feeling. Just keep it healthy if you're going to eat between meals. Personally I try and hold out until dinner and just have fresh coffee to perk me up when I get in.

During the ride is the time to take in fuel so that your body puts it towards the activity of cycling. Take an extra banana or sports based snack with you, I sometimes use SIS Go Electrolyte drink powder (carb based) which does alleviate the problem.

TakeTurns

If you're lounging around at home on weekends, it may be why.

After I ride, I personally struggle to eat much.

diy

Not drinking enough. The body struggles to tell the difference between hunger and dehydration. If you are out working moderately hard, you should be taking on at least 350ml of water in cold weather per hour. You wont want to drink this much.

but its easier to work out if you have accurate scales, weigh yourself before and after, the difference is about 95% water loss.

Try drinking a pint of water when you get back in.

tetley10

TakeTurns wrote:

If you're lounging around at home on weekends, it may be why.

After I ride, I personally struggle to eat much.

Don't feel the hunger as soon as I've finished riding but after an hour I will be starving, and then for the rest of the day there will be spots when I will be depserate for food. Problem is that if it gets to that point I end up eating plenty. Bought the nuts and dried fruit and all that to try and stave off those poionts during the day.

Bobbinogs

As above, eat more on the ride, eat protein/carb mix as soon after the ride as you can.

On hard rides most bodies can cope with about 90 mins, after that you will need 65g of carb per hour (that's 1 banana or flapjack, 25g, and a carb drink, about 45g). Obviously you can go without food for a 2 hour ride but expect to end feeling completely empty.

I try and drink at least a pint of semi skimmed milk immediately after a very tough ride and eat a protein recovery bar too (the Zipvit ones are nice). Then, after clean up, etc., I eat something decent within a couple hours, like a big chunky sarnie with sardines/pilchards. I find that helps my overall recovery as well as stopping any hunger pangs.

peat

I tend to neck a pint of choc nesquick milkshake when i get in. Hydrating(ish) and nourishing(ish). Stops me cracking open the biscuits anyway.

Gazspurs

Agreed as above are you drinking enough water on a ride? what also works for me is having a nice cold 'for goodness shake' recovery drink in the fridge awaiting my return. They state great & put everything back in that the body needs. This generally gets me through to dinner when I'll have a nice decent (half healthy) blow out

simon_masterson

It's for that reason that I like using recovery drinks; a big hit (I tend to have about 500ml of water in mine) helps to suppress hunger a bit.

Milk is really good too - add some oats if you're really ravenous - but I've read that for immediate recovery nutrition (taking in carbs and protein straight after exercise to put them back where they came from) water is better as milk takes much longer to digest.

ShutUpLegs

All duff advise on this thread, 10 replies all different

jane90

Camus wrote:

Just keep it healthy if you're going to eat between meals. Personally I try and hold out until dinner and just have fresh coffee to perk me up when I get in.

I've received the opposite advice from nutritionists and been told that for weight-loss, it's better to eat a little, more often than just one or two large meals a day. Also, certain things you can eat are natural appetite supressants; apples, for example contain pectin and are high in fiber. Nuts are also good, just a handful of pine nuts or almonds can make you feel full. I like to graze across the day on nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit and probiotic yogurt but then restrict my caolory-intake in my main meal and it works very well for me.

diy wrote:

Not drinking enough. The body struggles to tell the difference between hunger and dehydration. If you are out working moderately hard, you should be taking on at least 350ml of water in cold weather per hour. You wont want to drink this much.

This is very true and most of us don't drink enough water. Another good strategy is to eat more soup, especially clear broths which are low in calories but can often feel more filling than just drinking a glass of water.

charliew87

Think drinking enough, in the winter especially, is a problem. Out for 2hrs on Sunday I had about half of my water bottle (300ml or so) and wasn't thirsty. In the summer when it's warmer I'll finish it off and have to stop and refill it somewhere on a similar length ride. Will try and force it down next time see if that helps.

Joeblack

As above drink more, and have a good quality protein shake with full fat milk after you get in. If you don't have anything like that blend full fat milk with a banana and some honey

Camus

jane90 wrote:

Camus wrote:

Just keep it healthy if you're going to eat between meals. Personally I try and hold out until dinner and just have fresh coffee to perk me up when I get in.

I've received the opposite advice from nutritionists and been told that for weight-loss, it's better to eat a little, more often than just one or two large meals a day. Also, certain things you can eat are natural appetite supressants; apples, for example contain pectin and are high in fiber. Nuts are also good, just a handful of pine nuts or almonds can make you feel full. I like to graze across the day on nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit and probiotic yogurt but then restrict my caolory-intake in my main meal and it works very well for me.

This is true, it's about keeping the metabolism working I think. I say that because I'll normally already have eaten something on my rides if they're any more than a couple of hours, some fruit/nuts/energy bar, but for weight loss you're right, little and often is good.

wheezee

When I get in after a long ride I gorge on cakes, biscuits and sweets. This makes me feel queasy, and often I can't finish my evening meal.

I'm thinking of making the rides shorter.

Wobblehead

ShutUpLegs wrote:

All duff advise on this thread, 10 replies all different

I go for protein as soon as I get back as I thought it helps muscle recovery

Tin of tuna, chicken breast etc

But maybe I'm wrong

charlie_potatoes

charliew87 wrote:

Anyone else have this issue, any advice?

I gave up worrying about it. I generally ride for 4 hours on Sunday then eat like a horse. I always put on weight when I weigh in on Monday morning but its back to normal after a couple of midweek 1 hour rides. I lost 22kgs like this but now find I have to eat loads to maintain my current weight. Which is nice.
I generally eat healthy stuff though.

As others have said I do find that a recovery drink straight after can help a bit.

simon_masterson

Wobblehead wrote:

ShutUpLegs wrote:

All duff advise on this thread, 10 replies all different

I go for protein as soon as I get back as I thought it helps muscle recovery

Tin of tuna, chicken breast etc

But maybe I'm wrong

It does help muscle recovery, but not without carbohydrate. The ratio I've read of is 4:1 (carb:protein), and that is what I use.

Wobblehead

Simon Masterson wrote:

Wobblehead wrote:

ShutUpLegs wrote:

All duff advise on this thread, 10 replies all different

I go for protein as soon as I get back as I thought it helps muscle recovery

Tin of tuna, chicken breast etc

But maybe I'm wrong

It does help muscle recovery, but not without carbohydrate. The ratio I've read of is 4:1 (carb:protein), and that is what I use.

Thats good, because its normally in a sarni...

ba68

Personally for rides of 2-3 hours (30 - 45 miles) I find you should not need too much post recovery if you are adequately fuelled pre ride and are well hydrated, if I finish a ride a few hours before my next meal then some simple carbs, i.e. pasta, rice or good bread along with some protein in the form of tinned fish (it''s quick) and plenty of water should be enough to replenish your energy stores and quench the desire for sugary drinks and stuff.
I really don't think protein shakes, chocolate milk etc are really doing anything for you other than giving you a boost in the form of sugar, fat etc. I'd much rather recover on real food.

Joeblack

Yes you're also missing sugar, which is imperative to sending the nutrients in your food to the muscle, with a banana honey milkshake, your getting protein carbs and sugar

Joeblack

Wobblehead wrote:

Simon Masterson wrote:

Wobblehead wrote:

ShutUpLegs wrote:

All duff advise on this thread, 10 replies all different

I go for protein as soon as I get back as I thought it helps muscle recovery

Tin of tuna, chicken breast etc

But maybe I'm wrong

It does help muscle recovery, but not without carbohydrate. The ratio I've read of is 4:1 (carb:protein), and that is what I use.

Thats good, because its normally in a sarni...

White or brown bread?

simon_masterson

ba68 wrote:

I really don't think protein shakes, chocolate milk etc are really doing anything for you other than giving you a boost in the form of sugar, fat etc. I'd much rather recover on real food.

Milk has been shown to be beneficial for recovery. A "protein shake" in the most literal sense may not be the best thing to have after cycling as you mainly need carbs, but a recovery drink with dextrose/maltodextrin/other simple sugars and protein powder is just that: protein and carbs. It's a simple way of administering them quickly, and is also handy if you aren't up to eating straight after your ride.

Joeblack

Immediately after training/riding ect you need a protein and a sugar source, the protein is to aide the muscle to recovery and the sugar is to help the body receive the protein quickly, then about an hour after you need to get some white carbs in the body, white rice, white bread, something that the body can break down quickly and use for energy.

the playing mantis

after a sat early morning 75+ miler, a full fat choc milkshake, then grilled bacon, hashbrowns, sausages, fried or scrambled eggs, white and wholemeal buttered toast, 4 cups of tea and black pudding if its in the house and of decent quality. thats on top of a few slices of the devils own soreen i have managed to force down on the ride.

sorts me out fine and im not a abit overweight, indeed nearer underweight for my height. as for what it does to my insides is another matter.

Joeblack

the playing mantis wrote:

after a sat early morning 75+ miler, a full fat choc milkshake, then grilled bacon, hashbrowns, sausages, fried or scrambled eggs, white and wholemeal buttered toast, 4 cups of tea and black pudding if its in the house and of decent quality. thats on top of a few slices of the devils own soreen i have managed to force down on the ride.

sorts me out fine and im not a abit overweight, indeed nearer underweight for my height. as for what it does to my insides is another matter.

Hahaha not what I'd advise but if you like it then hey, I will say this there's a lot of fat in that meal and that much fat will actually prohibite recovery of the muscle