Your body is the engine to your bike. Just like you fuel your car's engine, you need to fuel your body with good stuff so it holds up to your expectations. But fueling your body is not as simple as choosing Regular or Premium. Before, during and after the ride, you have to choose specific nutrients that will help, rather than hinder, your performance.
Before you hop on the bicycle, stay away from heavy, high-fat foods. Put down the drive thru breakfast burrito and choose a meal with a prime balance between complex carbohydrates and protein. So frequently we are all pressed for time on our way to our ride. Your best bet is to plan ahead, with a light breakfast. Whole Grain Cereal with Fruit works perfectly for a pre-ride fuel up. In a pinch, an energy bar will work, but if you rely on this quick fix frequently your training will suffer.
Hydration is also very important before you start your ride. Water, water, water! Always drink plenty of water to hyd rate you. There are many energy drinks that are designed to increase hydration but beware of the sugars that many of these drinks have. Read your labels before putting a ton of sugar in your body. Yes, the sugar will give you energy, but it will also pull you down just as fast. Avoid coffee and tea too. They contain caffeine which acts as a natural diuretic that will surely dehydrate you.
During the ride you will need to fuel up frequently. It's a well known fact that carbohydrates are the best food to sustain high levels of energy on the road. Stay away from simple sugars that you'll find in candy bars. That fuel has no nutritional value and will burn off quickly, leaving you tired and taxed in no time at all. We're trying to avoid the "Bonk" here people! There are many varieties of energy bars to choose from and you don't need to hit a health food store to get them. Yes, a health food store has plenty of variety, but a decent selection of the most popular bars can be found at a grocery store or Walmart.
The reason you will need to refuel often during a ride is that your body only stores two hours of glycogen at a time. Glycogen is muscle fuel and it is what keeps you riding. (Well, Glycogen and Passion.) Be sure to refuel your Glycogen every 30 to 45 minutes while you're riding intensely. Luckily energy bars are easy to unwrap and eat while riding.
If you prefer unprocessed foods, Bananas and Peanut Butter Sandwiches provide excellent fuel without the preservatives. A standard sized Banana provides 105 calories with 27 grams of carbohydrates and 422 mg of potassium. As an added bonus, the potassium will help reduce any leg cramps.
Again, and we can't state this enough, STAY HYDRATED! You will need to drink at least one liter of water (or energy drink) per hour to stay hydrated. If you choose an energy drink, be sure to get one with electrolytes to help replenish important nutrients.
Fueling up after the ride is equally as important as fueling up before and during the ride. This is the time when you need to add some protein to replenish and repair your muscles. Proteins are more important than most athletes realize because the proteins are what help to transport the carbohydrates through your system. Proteins allow your body to heal faster and they help to maintain muscle mass. In fact, when the workout is over and you are looking at your post-bust-your-butt meal, adding protein to your high carb intake will allow those carbs to move more efficiently to the muscles to get them refueled as quickly as possible. In his book Food for Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right Lance Armstrong's trainer Chris Carmichael suggests a ratio of one part protein to seven parts carbohydrate. So a post workout meal of seven parts brown rice to one part chicken (to keep low on the fat) would be prime.
As for how much you should eat, there is no way to advise on the amount of c alories you should have because every athlete is different. Differences in size, shape, intensity of workout and level of fitness determine the caloric intake needed. In fact, even different times of the year call for different training goals, so if you need a specific caloric intake to follow, you will want to consult with a personal trainer.
It goes without saying that how you fuel your body will be reflected in how your body performs. The old adage of "You are what you eat" followed up with "Garbage in, Garbage out" should drive the point home. As an athlete it is crucial that you give your engine the best fuel possible for best results possible. Now get out there and Keep Cycling!
