fuelling and recovery

ashleydwsmith

Sorry if its been asked before, well im not really.

So feulling during rides what is recommended, obviously a few gels for the energy boost but what else.

And recovery this is my biggest problem. I get back from rides and feel ok but then startto get headaches and mega hungry. Not going to buy expensive recovery drinks sow what else can I use or is reccomeneded ?

Cue smidsy with a witty comment.

smidsy

Not sure what you mean.

It has been asked before LOTS and I am sorry but I can't be arsed to answer it AGAIN...well no I'm not really.

Search is your friend.

MTBUK

Touché

ashleydwsmith

Cheers smidsy, apologies if you think or anyone thinks I was being out of line.

Was merely making a comment as everything I have seen posted by you so far genuinely makes me laugh. So no offence meant.

smidsy

Whoossshhh! :-)

No offence at all. I am glad I have my uses (limited as they may be).

simon_masterson

You need high GI carbs and protein immediately following intense exercise. It just so happens that a recovery drink (which needn't be expensive if you buy the ingredients in bulk - eg. MyProtein) is a very convenient way to accomplish this. (Partially, anyway; it isn't a meal substitute)

During rides it depends on your pace, duration and metabolism. I won't tell you what your body needs but if you eat a proper diet you shouldn't need to eat anything or use any energy product on a ride of less than an hour, unless you are going at full-on time trial pace; though you may choose to eat during the first hour of a longer one. Eating flapjacks/bananas/jam sandwiches/gels/bars/etc periodically and using a carbohydrate drink is a good approach, and it works for me.

If you want a 'boost' though, use something with caffeine in it.

Gizmodo

ashleydwsmith wrote:

Sorry if its been asked before, well im not really.

So feulling during rides what is recommended, obviously a few gels for the energy boost but what else.

And recovery this is my biggest problem. I get back from rides and feel ok but then startto get headaches and mega hungry. Not going to buy expensive recovery drinks sow what else can I use or is reccomeneded ?

It really depends on the type of rides you are doing. For a 5 mile potter down the shops you only really need a balanced healthy diet.

Try
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... ing-30327/
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... uel-29335/
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... ery-23323/
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... hes-30363/
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... ate-28330/
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... ing-29652/
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... -bike-874/

Would you like me to do any more free research on your behalf?

ashleydwsmith

Simon and giz many thanks.

Looking at the longer ride stuff and the post ride. Quite like theold high 5 recovery stuff. But it is expensive.

simon_masterson

I just use maltodextrin and dextrose mixed with unflavoured protein powder in a 4:1 ratio, with water (milk takes much longer to digest and therefore apparently impedes the effect of having a recovery drink during the window immediately following exercise). This works out really cheap, and the dextrose and maltodextrin make a great carbohydrate drink as well; it may not taste as nice as High5, but it does the job.

g00se

Beans on toast and a sweet cup of tea.

Or beer and peanuts.

chrisaonabike

Headaches? Are you dehydrated?

chrisaonabike

g00se wrote:

Beans on toast and a sweet cup of tea.

And beer and peanuts.

FTFY

danlikesbikes

ashleydwsmith wrote:

Simon and giz many thanks.

Looking at the longer ride stuff and the post ride. Quite like theold high 5 recovery stuff. But it is expensive.

You've got loads of homemade options that are easy to do.

Banana if I'm short on time and need to go out somewhere straight away.
Smoothie with your choice of fruit, yoghurt, nutella, peanut butter, nesquick, milk, fruit juice
Hot rice pudding
Muesli with yoghurt & fruit
Toast with speculoos spread

Choices are endless, just don't overdo the calories.

simon_e

You don't need recovery powders or gels, that's just marketing BS. Banana milk shake - chop a banana into a large glass of milk, 30 seconds with the hand blender, sorted. If you like chocolate flavour add some decent quality cocoa powder not Nesquik, it's mostly refined sugar and additives you don't need.

Headaches is likely inadequate water before and/or during exercise.

simon_masterson

Banana milkshake doesn't contain all that much protein and a single banana doesn't contain much carbohydrate; quite low GI as well. Certainly not bad if you're peckish after cycling, but if you've really worked hard enough to need recovery nutrition then you could do much better. Milk isn't digested very fast either so it's not going to do much for you immediately...

fluff.

http://www.forgoodnessshakes.com/ seem to have made a business out of flogging milk (+ magic faerie dust) as a recovery drink

simon_masterson

It's not that milk is bad for recovery - far from it - more that part of recovery is the window immediately following exercise during which the body is more receptive to what you put in it...

simon_e

Simon Masterson wrote:

Banana milkshake doesn't contain all that much protein and a single banana doesn't contain much carbohydrate; quite low GI as well. Certainly not bad if you're peckish after cycling, but if you've really worked hard enough to need recovery nutrition then you could do much better.

Most people on here don't train hard enough or often enough to benefit from recovery products. Also, I wasn't suggesting that a banana was the only thing you should eat after a long ride!

Forums like this are awash with talk of nutrition, fuelling, supplements and recovery products but most people would be better off improving their diet and lifestyle first (says the SDA, more here and here). If you eat properly you don't need extra protein. But that takes discipline and a little effort. Buying a powdered product or fancy shake is easy and people think they are more 'pro' :roll:

keef66

Well I'm definitely not 'Pro'. Pint of sweet tea and a couple of hobnobs for me after a 1 - 2 hour midweek ride. But I'm not time trialling like Wiggo.

Longer weekend rides and I'll take some fig rolls (=energy bars) and jelly babies (=gels) so I can snack every 30 mins or so. Might even take a sandwich for a mid ride picnic. Mug of tea and beans on toast when I get back.

A KIRK

If I'm out for a few hours then ill carry a banana and as already mentioned some jelly babies for a quick boost. However mid ride a coffee and a cake always goes down well.

I tend to avoid the gels as they send me loopy, but maybe I've not found one that agrees with me yet. However most the time I.m fine till I get home then it's coffee and biscuits or again a piece of cake if I have any.

I do tend to drink a lot of water compared to my friends while out riding.

simon_masterson

Simon E wrote:

Simon Masterson wrote:

Banana milkshake doesn't contain all that much protein and a single banana doesn't contain much carbohydrate; quite low GI as well. Certainly not bad if you're peckish after cycling, but if you've really worked hard enough to need recovery nutrition then you could do much better.

Most people on here don't train hard enough or often enough to benefit from recovery products. Also, I wasn't suggesting that a banana was the only thing you should eat after a long ride!

Forums like this are awash with talk of nutrition, fuelling, supplements and recovery products but most people would be better off improving their diet and lifestyle first (says the SDA, more here and here). If you eat properly you don't need extra protein. But that takes discipline and a little effort. Buying a powdered product or fancy shake is easy and people think they are more 'pro' :roll:

I quite agree that 'extra' protein is not required.

But what are 'recovery products' and the benefits of them? The facts here are that the body needs carbohydrate and protein after hard exercise, and that it is most receptive to them immediately afterward; therefore it seems obvious to something that is quickly absorbed, not to mention easy to prepare, ingest and carry around if needed. What is wrong with using something that fits all of those requirements?

team47b

Drink water then .5 - 1 gram of carbs per kg of body weight after exercise and a protein balance of four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein is an 'average' recommendation, overdoing the protein will slow down the restoration of glycogen stores. Carbohydrates stimulates insulin production, which aids the production of muscle glycogen.

A small cheese sandwich

simon_e

Simon Masterson wrote:

The facts here are that the body needs carbohydrate and protein after hard exercise, and that it is most receptive to them immediately afterward; therefore it seems obvious to something that is quickly absorbed, not to mention easy to prepare, ingest and carry around if needed. What is wrong with using something that fits all of those requirements?

Nothing 'wrong' with it but why choose an expensive manufactured, processed, powdered product when for most of us natural sources do the same thing but without the added crap?

Too much protein leads to weight gain and can put extra strain on organs. A significant number of people asking for advice on here are overweight to some degree or other. Recommending powdered protein supplements, energy and recovery products is unnecessary and could be counterproductive. If you're bothered about your protein intake then work out what you're eating. If it's not enough then eat more eggs, some fish or a bit more horse (which is widely sold in supermarkets these days, I'm told).

monkeydan

Simon Masterson wrote:

Banana milkshake doesn't contain all that much protein and a single banana doesn't contain much carbohydrate; quite low GI as well. Certainly not bad if you're peckish after cycling, but if you've really worked hard enough to need recovery nutrition then you could do much better. Milk isn't digested very fast either so it's not going to do much for you immediately...

On the contrary, milk is a perfect postworkout drink due to its high insulinogenic response. It also has a sufficient amount of protein for recovery from endurance exercise. You can't actually do much better than chocolate milk and this is SCIENTIFIC FACT.

Plus, just eat some food really.

charlie_potatoes

monkeydan wrote:

On the contrary, milk is a perfect postworkout drink due to its high insulinogenic response. It also has a sufficient amount of protein for recovery from endurance exercise. You can't actually do much better than chocolate milk and this is SCIENTIFIC FACT.

Apart from the slow digestion?

Simon Masterson wrote:

I quite agree that 'extra' protein is not required.

But what are 'recovery products' and the benefits of them? The facts here are that the body needs carbohydrate and protein after hard exercise, and that it is most receptive to them immediately afterward; therefore it seems obvious to something that is quickly absorbed, not to mention easy to prepare, ingest and carry around if needed. What is wrong with using something that fits all of those requirements?

+1