Carbs how do you eat it all?

BMKN
BMKN Posts: 222
edited January 2014 in Training, fitness and health
After reading a cycling mag claiming I should be having about 450 grams of carbohydrates. I did some calcutions and I am only taking in about 200-300. It explains why im bonking during a ride or why I get post workout fatigue etc. Im curious to know u fit it all in without going over your calorie allowance?

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Don't believe everything you read in cycle mags...
  • dw300
    dw300 Posts: 1,642
    1-awestruck-by-a-wall-of-incredible-cakes-on-display-in-osaka-japan-cygy-924.jpeg
    All the above is just advice .. you can do whatever the f*ck you wana do!
    Bike Radar Strava Club
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  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,345
    mmm, i want the raspberry one and the strawberry one, nom nom nom

    though having rapidly gained 2kg through a total loss of willpower involving choc biccies, twiglets, crisps, pasta, wine etc., i'm contemplating reducing intake at the moment


    op - determining true energy expenditure over the course of a ride is tricky, wind, temperature, gradient and other variables make a huge difference, a power meter is best, but even that's not perfect due to individual variations in efficiency

    based on the pm, if i'm caning it, i burn c. 1,000 kcal/hr, but going easy uses far less

    after a hard ride, some protein and carbs can help recovery and avoid an energy dip, but after easier rides you don't really need to do anything beyond maintain a good diet

    eat before setting off, if you're not pushing hard then this may be enough

    otherwise, on the road a glucose/fructose mix is the fastest way to get the carbs in, you could use an energy drink mix, but personally i prefer gels or simply stopping at a cafe - for steady/easy rides, 'real' food is great, but as the pace goes up i find i can either chew or breathe, not both, this is where the gels come in

    on long hard rides in the heat, a chilled coke is a lovely way to get some quick carbs in
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    madasahattersley wrote:
    200-300g of carbs is pretty low, but doesn't necessarily explain why you're bonking on rides. You're bonking because of glycogen depletion, which is rather avoidable if you have a good breakfast (Low GI carbs) then eat higher GI carbs while riding. You've only got about enough glycogen in your body to support 90 minutes of hard riding, so after that taking energy on board while riding is pretty essential.

    +1

    You need to take on more whole food carbs like brown pasta, rice, wholemeal bread before you ride. When riding you can take on the more refined sugary stuff to keep your glycogen stores from dropping too far. I have started using mini packs of haribo bears. 1 bag is about 70 calories. so 4 of these an hour is enough to keep me going. If you are going to use gels try before you ride as I have had a few give me bad stomach cramps. not good when out in the middle of nowhere.
  • dw300
    dw300 Posts: 1,642
    Think about it like this ..

    200-300g is probably about your maintenance amount. You need the 450g so that 150g is going to replenish your glycogen.

    If you were to go out and burn off every last bit of glycogen, you'd need to eat 450g for 2-3 days to fully replenish.

    150g carbs = 600kcals. You can store maybe 1200 - 2000 depending on body size.

    So if you are under eating you are going out with an almost empty tank, which you've topped up with a little breakfast. Of course you're not going to last long.

    Surely this is all the reason you need to eat right? :)
    All the above is just advice .. you can do whatever the f*ck you wana do!
    Bike Radar Strava Club
    The Northern Ireland Thread
  • cenkee
    cenkee Posts: 71
    how about some maltodextrin powder with some milk before a ride?

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