Breakfast for the commute

cjcp
cjcp Posts: 13,345
edited May 2009 in Commuting chat
The question about what food, if any, to eat before setting off in the morning seems to come up every now again.

Don't know if a thread on the issue will act as a useful resource for present forum users or newbies, but here's what I'm eating atm, and seems to be doing the trick nicely:


One banana (chopped), one kiwi fruit, one handful of raspberries and blueberries, three tablespoons of Greek Natural yoghurt, with some honey drizzled over it.

EDIT: Two cups of coffee. Commute = 14 miles each way.
FCN 2-4.

"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."
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Comments

  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    weetabix. only one though or too heavy on stomach, plus a strong expresso. my trip in is 15 miles
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    2 x slices of wholemeal toast with 2 eggs scrambled & a glass of OJ

    bucket of real coffee

    Works every time for me, that's all I used on today 79 miler and last Fridays 95 miler, like magic :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    2 substantial and powerful cups of coffee.

    Cycle commute.

    Repeat as required until about 1.

    Go to gym.

    Inhale limp sandwich.

    Cycle commute.

    Eat entire antelope and digest for 12 hours.
  • spasypaddy
    spasypaddy Posts: 5,180
    1 or 2 or 3 wheatbix, depending on the amount of wheatbix i will add cornflakes.
    Whatever juice is on the table if any.

    If no wheatbix then a big bowl of muesli which is my warm weather variant on porridge
    BMC TM01 - FCN 0
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  • kloftus1044
    kloftus1044 Posts: 20
    I like to eat 2 packs of instant cream-of-wheat about 45 minutes before I set off. Take a bottle of water and when I get to work, a gel-pack (2 if there was a stout headwind) or a banana. One way is about 19 miles, pancake flat.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    cereal and ballbustingly strong coffee - get on bike

    get off bike - banana and similar coffee

    simple
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    In the winter it was a bowl of porridge. Now it's some fancy muesli.

    Proper coffee, normally Illy or some other poncey brand such as Blue Mountain from Cafe Verganno. Coffee intake continues until approximately 3 hrs before alcohol intake begins.

    Sometimes I miss b/fast and gorge myself on a (hot) bacon sandwich at the office. I tell myself in these cases that it is allowed because I have been burning off my core fats on the breakfastless journey in.
  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    BTW, what in god's name is "instant cream-of-wheat"??
  • tardington
    tardington Posts: 1,379
    I think he means that stuff where in the advert a plasticene man gets an orange glow around him? Eddie?

    Is it shreddies?

    NB - timing is important! You have to do your morning poo before you set off*, for me its about half an hour after the first cup of coffee.

    *esp if your bike is carbon, natch.
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    Bowl of porridge cup of tea at home.

    Several bananas at work.

    Other fruit, chocolate bar

    Often my packed lunch

    then it is lunch time

    something from the canteen if it looks edible

    home and a cooked dinner

    then some snacks (whatever my wife hasn't tied down/ my kids haven't scavenged)

    Repeat.

    Even when I am nominally inactive, I tend to burn off a lof (the fidget diet). Commuting it gets a bit silly. My colleagues laugh at the size of my lunchboxes (phnar).



    On Fridays I'll tend to eat an additional cooked breakfast at work and have a late lunch at home (finish work at 2).
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  • neil_sheehan2000
    neil_sheehan2000 Posts: 529
    Two to three cigarettes, followed by whatever biscuits are readily available once I get to work.
    Meta
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Coffee's featuring very heavily. Zero for tea. :lol:
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • tardington
    tardington Posts: 1,379
    Tea is useless as a cycling drink.

    Pfft tea.
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    Pot of strong coffee
    +
    summer : posh muesli with chopped banana in it
    winter: porridge with sultanas & lots of honey

    When I get to the office, fruit/cereal bar, plus more coffee.

    Canteen lunch if it's edible.

    More coffee.

    More munchies in the afternoon before leaving


    I may have a coffee problem :lol:
    Misguided Idealist
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    A glass of orange juice first thing, and that's it untill i get into the office, and then it's three weetabix with honey. My commute is 22 miles each way
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    No, one for tea.
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  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Espresso before I leave, then dry cereal and about 4 pint-sized mugs of black tea get me to about 11am... I love tea.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Bowl of porridge with milk & sugar, cup of coffee and away - 20 miles.
  • lynseyf
    lynseyf Posts: 47
    Pint of water before I leave then bowl of muesli or porridge with chopped banana when I get to work, 9 miles each way
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    +1 for tea, got to be Tetley though, working through a bag of 1100, to wash my cornflakes and toast down though my commute is 1 mile this sets me up till 10am when my stomach calls my mouth wanting more food.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • AndyManc
    AndyManc Posts: 1,393
    I never bother, 5:30am and I haven't got the time or inclination to make anything.

    The best I've done is coffee and a jam butty :)



    .
    Specialized Hardrock Pro/Trek FX 7.3 Hybrid/Specialized Enduro/Specialized Tri-Cross Sport
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  • John Stevenson
    John Stevenson Posts: 962
    Couple of slices of toast with peanut butter and jam, and a coffee (two shots - I don't know how I'd get moving in the morning if I didn't have an espresso machine.)

    I have read that if you're trying to ride for weight loss, you're better off skipping breakfast and eating after the ride. Riding fasted supposedly forces your body to dip into its stores. In my case I'm sure it's just result in a half-way cafe stop though.
    John Stevenson
  • counterculture
    counterculture Posts: 507
    before an early shift - the water from brushing my teeth and slivers of toothpaste before going to work, then an isotonic drink and a few slices of toast, on white or brown, depending on whats been made, when i get to work.

    before a late shift - bowl of cheerios, with milk before work, then whatever is on the dinner trolley once i get to work.

    i should really get up early and eat properly, but i enjoy my bed tooooo much
    i spent all me money on whisky and beer!!!
  • bluesacs
    bluesacs Posts: 95
    two cigarettes a cup of tea

    two bacon rolls

    fruit cake

    cheese sandwich with salt & vinegar crisps

    5-8 pints of beer

    lots more cigarettes

    something takeaway

    repeat
  • paulfitz
    paulfitz Posts: 103
    I have a Jerry can full of home made isotonic drink before during and after the ride, and then have an extremely thick slice of wholemeal toast, a 'nana and a vat of coffee when I get into work.

    I have definately noticed improve weightloss when not eating anything before the morning ride, and feeel better on the ride aswell with nowt wieghin ma' belly down.

    I get a Tuna Pasta mix thingy from the canteen at lunchtime, and at least another 'nana which sorts me out for the ride home...

    I then eat anyhting and everything when I get home! And usually wash it down with a Becks Vier or 2 (lovely stuff that is :wink: )
    <a><img></a>
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    You folks who can't move without ingesting coffee, that really isn't good for you. It's like jump-starting a car. No, I'd say it's worse. I would suggest you consider why you're so sluggish in the first place (though in mid-Winter it's understandable). Warm water with lemon juice is much better for the digestive system and your liver.

    Its not that I have anything against coffee. I love the stuff (ground, not instant cr@p), but it's not a good idea first thing on an empty stomach.

    For a while I ate a bowl of porridge before leaving the house, but too often I felt too full so now I have it at work. It saves me getting the munchies within an hour or so. Instead I have a glass of water, half a grapefruit and a weetabix before leaving.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    A bowl of granola covered in smoothie, either homemade or innocent atm as it's less faff!

    In fact I'm eating it now.

    Sometimes I'll have a large cafetiere's worth of the black stuff, but lately I've been cutting the coffee out.
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    nothing, well, glass of water

    10 miles

    skinny cappucino plus flapjack at station/train

    3 miles

    water

    Sometimes I dont have the flapjack and have branflakes plus grapes in the office instead.

    works for me - takes me a little of time for my appetite to develop when I wake up and I dont have any time before leaving home. If I take the hilly route then the 1 in 10 five minutes in on an empty stomach is occassionally a trial.

    J
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    BTW, this

    Two to three cigarettes, followed by whatever biscuits are readily available once I get to work

    is clearly the breakfast of champions! Good man.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    jedster wrote:
    BTW, this

    Two to three cigarettes, followed by whatever biscuits are readily available once I get to work

    is clearly the breakfast of champions! Good man.

    Keriiiist I honestly don't understand why anyone smokes, especially first thing in the morning. Makes my stomach turn. A £20 a day habit adds up to a Wilier Mortirolo over the course of a year, or a shiny new groupset, etc etc.

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