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I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

Nutrition Tips

  • Weight Loss

Top 10 Ways To Lose Weight Cycling

September 15, 2014 by Lee Agur

Top 10 Ways To Lose Weight Cycling

top 10 ways to lose weight cycling, weight loss cyclingBurn more calories than you take in to lose weight… wow… tell me something I don’t know! The following list is a little more creative:

1. Interval training or intense training burns the most calories.

Burning the most calories possible = winning. This magic “fat burning zone” is ridiculous as explained in this article: Best Way to Lose Weight Cycling

2. Think of cycling as fun and not as a weight loss program.

The more you love cycling, the more you will do it! Do whatever it takes to make it fun… pretend you are on the tour, race cars off the line or put a bell and tassels on your bike whatever will make you happy to turn those cranks!

3. Immerse yourself in the bike culture.

Go to your local bike shop and hang out… the good influence will rub off on you. You will find other people that are passionate about cycling, find out why they love it, why they are out there and what they are doing…

4. Find a partner!

It is easy to plan a ride and cancel if it is only yourself; however, if someone else is depending on you to be there… you will show up! Group rides are also encouraged! Having trouble finding group rides or ideal partners? Go to your local bike shop find out where people are meeting! (often local coffee shops in the morning)

5. Download Strava!

Track your progress, watch yourself improve, see how far you went or how long you were out there. Challenge yourself or your friends. This program got me addicted to cycling!

6. Change your routine.

It can be subtle little things that you begin to change like riding to work once a week or going for a group ride every Thursday.

7. Get extreme or creative.

I did not renew my car insurance for a month so I was forced to ride my bike to get in better shape! Sign up for a big event. Make bets with people that you can ride to work for an entire week…

8. Sleep & water.

Getting adequate amounts of sleep is critical as sleep deprivation is often mistaken for hunger. The same goes for drinking water.. if you are thirsty you may eat something as opposed to drink water.

9. Ritual.

Many people do a long ride for their birthday every year, select at least one day to do an epic ride each year.

10. Habit

Make cycling a habit in order to effectively lose weight. Again, doing whatever it takes to make it fun and part of your routine.

Cycling is an amazing way to help with weight loss as it is a low impact sport that you can do for a lifetime. Stay fit and have fun.

What To Eat On A Long Bike Ride

May 26, 2014 by Lee Agur

What To Eat On A Long Bike Ride

What To Eat On A Long Bike RideInterestingly, most people really focus on a training plan and often forget how important a nutrition plan actually is. When I first started endurance rides I had no clue what I was supposed to do, I ate when I was hungry and drank when I was thirsty, which inevitably was too late. Bonking is no fun for anyone but I did it on a regular basis, it was just a given, 3-4 hours on a bike was my limit! That was until I learned what to eat on a long bike ride.

What You Should Eat On A Long Bike Ride

Most of us already know the answer to this, it is carbohydrates, but why? Carbohydrates can be broken down quickly and efficiently into glucose, which is then used as energy. Proteins and fats can be broken down in to glucose as well; however, the process is long and inefficient.

Factors Affecting Carbohydrate Intake

Multiple carbohydrates: The ability to digest and utilize carbohydrate is dependent on the amount and types of carbohydrate consumed. Individual carbohydrate sources have different transport mechanisms in the gastrointestinal tract which allow for different rates of absorption. There is good physiological data to support an upper limit in our ability to breakdown carbohydrate during exercise. However, the upper limit is increased if there are multiple sources of carbohydrate consumed. By selecting a product with more than one source (e.g. sucrose and fructose), you are able to absorb more than when you consume a single source (e.g. glucose only). Glucose, sucrose and maltodextrin are absorbed more quickly than fructose, galactose and amylose. –

Effort Level: At increased intensities the blood required to convert carbohydrates to glucose has moved from your digestion to your legs resulting in a less efficient conversion process.

Heat: As temperatures rise your body is not able to digest or absorb as much carbohydrates – even though your body requires more.

Info from: First Endurance

How Much Should I Eat On A long Bike Ride?

Truthfully, the better question is how much carbohydrates can I process? The answer depends on factors listed above, (and has little to do with how many calories you burn per hour) but it is anywhere from 45g to 80g of carbs per hour. If you have one single source of carbohydrate (e.g. glucose) then you are able to absorb a maximum of 60g of carbohydrates an hour. When you combine two different carbs, studies show that you are able to absorb as much as 90g of carbohydrates an hour. (I max out at taking 80g though).

So What EXACTLY Should I Eat and Drink Every Hour?

Aim to drink a minimum of one bottle of sports drink (500 ml – 32g of carbs – 130 calories) half a bottle of water 250 ml, and eat one gel (30g of carbs – 100 calories) every hour on the bike. If it heats up you will need to drink more. Remember that this is an absolute minimum at moderate intensity.

I often add half a banana (12g of carbs – 50 calories) and more sports drink to get up to 80g of carbs per hour. Be careful not to drink more than 1.5L/hr though as most people are only able to process between one and one and a half litres of water per hour. For better hydration guidelines read this post.

When To Eat?

Start eating and drinking within the first half an hour of your ride. You may not feel hungry or thirsty, but by the time you do it is already too late. Eating and drinking steadily is much better than stuffing your face all at once. Set a timer for every 15 minutes to eat and drink. One important consideration is if you are eating powerbars or gels, then wash them down with water (not sports drink) so they are easier to digest.

Can I Eat Too Much On A Ride?

This happens quite frequently, do you ever get that nauseous feeling or have gastrointestinal problems? It is likely a result of eating too many carbs. If you feel this way in a middle of a long race make sure to dilute the high concentration of carbs with water and eat less frequently. Slowing down, drinking more water and eating half a banana (instead of a gel) will often save a ride.

Some people have lower tolerances to the high carbohydrate concentration in gel’s and gu’s. It is important to find your individualized nutrition and hydration plan that considers how long the ride will be, effort level, heat and tolerances.

What If I Don’t Eat?

You will likely be ok for an hour to an hour and a half at moderate intensity levels, but anything past that and you will lose energy, strength and focus and it will seem nearly impossible to finish the ride. In other words you are going to bonk!

What Do I Eat After A Long Ride?

A 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is a general guideline for efficient post-ride recovery. When putting together a meal or snack to help you refuel, aim for this 4:1 ratio by combining different food options listed here. It is important to eat within 30 minutes to an hour immediately following your ride for optimal recovery as those nutrients get “fast tracked”. The carbohydrates will replenish you lost glycogen stores while the protein will help rebuild the damaged muscle tissue.

Coles Notes

  • Eat carb rich foods – low in fats and protein.
  • Consider effort levels, heat, duration and tolerances when implementing a nutrition and hydration plan.
  • Eat and drink early and often.
  • Consume between 45-80g of carbs per hour.
  • Don’t drink more than 1.5 litres of water per hour.
  • Always wash gels and power bars down with water and not sports drink.
  • Don’t dilute sports drinks with more water as they are absorbed fastest with pre-mixed amounts.
  • Have a fun ride!

Did you know all of this? Share it with your friends below and comment on what works for you to help out the cycling community!

Ten Foods to Eat After a Long Ride

May 25, 2014 by U.M.

Ten Foods to Eat After a Long Ride

Ten Foods to Eat After a Long Ride cycling - what to eat after a rideBesides water, there are two main things your body needs after an intense ride: carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates are necessary to replenish glycogen stores, which can become depleted during a long ride. Protein is needed by your body to build and repair muscle tissue. [Read more…]

Real Ride Food for Cyclists

January 19, 2014 by Craig Richey

Real Ride Food for Cyclists  Real Ride Food

Many cyclist are careful about their diet, buying organic fruits and vegetables, as well as avoiding preservatives and highly processed food. However, many people fail to achieve this same quality diet while riding or racing. Typical ride food such as sport bars, energy chews and gels are highly processed and contain a large amount of preservatives. Check the expiry date on your favorite ride food, many have a shelf life of more than a year.

In the pro peloton most riders eat real food, from little sandwiches to the famous cyclist rice cakes. These riders also eat commercial processed sport products as supplied by their team’s nutrition sponsor. Now most people are not racing hundreds of kilometers day after day but some of the same nutrition concepts apply. At some point you have probably gone for a long ride and eaten a typical buffet of processed sports products and felt kind of sick after, maybe your stomach even hurt while riding. This is usually a result of all the processed junk that your stomach is not used to dealing with.

This gut rot issue is becoming a hot topic and real ride food is becoming increasingly popular. The Feed Zone Cookbook by famous sport nutritionist Allan Lim shares many of the recipes for the real ride food that you would find in most pro peloton musettes.

Prima Real Cycling FoodAlternatively if you don’t want to do any cooking before your next ride a new company called Prima has some amazing real food options. These bars are delicious, made of nutritious real food, and contain no preservatives, plus they are gluten free. The downside is that since they don’t have any preservatives they only last for a few weeks in the fridge. Prima is a small company and has limited retail distribution, but you can order online from their website and fresh bars will be made and shipped right away. Order Prima Here. 

About The Author: craigrichey

Craig Richey is a multiple time Canadian National team member, representing Canada at mountain bike World Cups and Cyclocross World Championships. Craig is currently doing an MBA in Boston and recently launched SponsorConnected.com

Best Way To Lose Weight Cycling

January 15, 2014 by Lee Agur

Best Way To Lose Weight Cycling

best way to lose weight cyclingCycling at a medium pace primarily targets fat cells for energy; therefore, people say it is the “fat burning zone” and is the best way to lose weight cycling. Although all of this is true it is only half the story.

The Other Half of the Story

Example 1

So you have gone out at your medium pace (approximately 60% of VOmax) for an hour and burned 400 calories, primarily fat, good work. After the workout you are hungry so you go grab some food… Well, your carbohydrate stores are mostly full because you didn’t use any… Better store most of that 500 calorie meal as fat… Wait what?

Your body is designed to use what it needs, and if it doesn’t need it it will store it as fat until it does.

Example 2

You go as hard as you can for an hour and burn over 1000 calories, primarily carbohydrates, hard work. After the workout you are hungry so you go grab some food… Well, your carbohydrate stores are depleted because you primarily used them… Better store most of that 800 calorie meal (you are more hungry than example 1 because of the hard workout) as carbohydrate.

1000 calories – 800 calories = 200 calorie net loss = good = weight loss.

Additionally, when you workout that hard you continue to burn calories long after the work out has ended.

The Rules

If you are looking to lose weight it does not matter what energy source is used during the workout because the golden rule of weight loss still applies “burn more calories than you consume”.

If you burn more calories than you can consume the net affect will be that you lose weight. A 200-300 caloric deficit per day is healthy and optimal.

The Actual Best Way to Lose Weight Cycling

Since burning the most calories is the primary objective that means that higher intensities are preferred for weight loss. That does not mean that every time you get on a bike you should put the hammer down and go like a bat out of hell, you will burn out.

Depending on how much time you have in a given week should determine how intense you should go:

  1. If you only have a chance to get on a bike twice in one week for 30 minutes each… bike like you stole something.
  2. If you are blessed with being able to afford lots of time on the bike then don’t go so hard that you need several days to recover afterwards. Include low and medium intensity workout sessions.

At the end of the day interval training is a great mix between high intensity and low/medium intensity to burn lots of calories for weight loss. Mostly I recommend to do whatever it takes to make the experience as fun as possible so you make it a priority and do it more often. Go buy a Garmin and watch yourself improve, go with friends or your husband/wife (or go without them…), use your bike to commute… whatever it takes… Just get out and ride.

Are energy drinks posing as sports drinks fooling you?

January 11, 2014 by Lee Agur

This is Your Brain on Red Bull – Are energy drinks posing as sports drinks fooling you?

are energy drinks posing as sports drinks fooling youA battle is being waged on North American convenience store shelves. Sports beverages, led by Gatorade are fighting for their lives against energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster and Rock Star. At the heart of the battle is the question: do any of these drinks really boost performance?

Gainesville, we have a problem.

The first batch, it is said, tasted so bad that none of the researchers could stomach it. In the spring of 1965, Dwayne Douglas, a University of Florida Gators assistant football coach asked a question: why did players lose so much weight during practice but never felt the urge to urinate? Robert Cade, director of the UF College of Medicine’s renal and electrolyte division would later recount, “that question changed our lives”. Cade’s wife gets the credit for suggesting they add a little lemon juice.

The following year, armed with their new magic potion, the Gators rolled to an 8-2 record and established a reputation as a come-from-behind second half team. A small Indianapolis beverage company licensed Gatorade the following year and the sports drink industry was born.

The real Godfather of long distance truckers.

Started in 1987, Red Bull was the brainchild of Dietrich Mateschitz, the secretive mastermind that turned a carbonated and caffeinated version of an Asian energy tonic into a global media phenomenon. Red Bull launched a new beverage category and continues to dominates the 37 billion dollar global energy drink market. Most people recognize the brand as a sponsor of sporting events, professional soccer clubs and motor racing teams.

Red Bull and other energy drinks have squarely positioned themselves as sports drinks that enhance athletic performance. Red Bull’s Malaysian website extols the benefits they provide for “the World’s top athletes” and lays out specific guidelines. One can a half hour before training or competition, 1-2 cans during the activity with water and 1 after to aid recovery. Red Bull’s North American website is less specific, relying on sponsored athletes like stand-up paddle-boarder, Robby Naish to prescribe the optimum consumption schedule: “before, during, or after”.

Blinded by science.

It’s been well established in the academic literature that caffeine increases endurance, reduces the perception of fatigue and improves reaction times. Based on their single serving size containing the caffeine equivalent of one cup of coffee, Red Bull’s marketing message plays heavily on these same performance enhancing qualities .

Taurine, another major ingredient of Red Bull, is an amino acid naturally present in your body. As a supplement, taurine has not been widely studied, likely because the body can make plenty of it’s own. One recent study did however test the effects ingesting caffeine combined with taurine on short term memory. Since many University of Wisconsin students were using Red Bull to perform better on exams, researchers tested to see if caffeine mixed with taurine could improve performance on short term memory tasks. The results showed no improvement in short term memory but did uncover a surprising effect on heart rate.

Paper, rock, scissors.

Just when caffeine should have been raising heart rates, the combination with taurine actually lowered them. It may be that mixing taurine with caffeine counters the very performance benefits that Red Bull promotes.

Too much sugar.

During prolonged intense physical exertion of over an hour, consuming carbohydrates can restore blood sugar levels and supply glycogen to working muscles. At 11 grams per 100ml, Red Bull packs nearly twice the sugar concentration as Gatorade’s 6 grams. That should be good right?

A 2009 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism showed that glucose concentrations above 6 grams per 100 ml significantly reduced fluid absorption in the gut. Tossing back an energy drink during a hard workout is likely to leave you more dehydrated than drinking nothing at all.

The bottom line.

Sports drinks are for athletes performing intense physical activity for prolonged periods.

Energy drinks are for people that like energy drinks.

If you are thirsty and fall somewhere between these two groups, try water.

The ABC’s to Fats Proteins and Carbohydrates

January 8, 2014 by Lee Agur

Fats Proteins and Carbohydrates

take care of your body, its the only place you have to live fats proteins and carbohydratesYou are the engine. Fuel the engine properly and it will perform. Don’t… and… you will putter out.

Your body needs different things for different functions. If your car runs out of oil you don’t go and put gas in the tank! Your engine will literally burst into flames! Your body is similar. It needs a healthy balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Fats

Lets start with the common misconception that fat is bad. Saturated fats constitute approximately 50% of the cell membrane. Together with protein, fats give our cells stiffness and integrity, they are also required to give us strong and healthy bones. Fats are essential to rebuilding cell walls; so, as levels of inflammation increase (caused by cycling or working out) the need for cholesterol (<– the fat) increases so it can rebuild the damaged tissue. Unsaturated fats are required for oxygen transfer, muscle recovery, energy production and more. Fat is also a key component in brain development. Still think fat is bad for you?

Proteins

Amino acids, the “the building blocks” of protein, are used for building tissue and repairing damaged tissue. People have protein shakes after a hard bike ride or workout to repair the tissue that was torn from the stress.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our brains and bodies to function properly. The body breaks the carbohydrates down into glucose, the body then uses the glucose for energy, if there is not enough glucose then the body starts to use proteins and fats. If the protein is being used for energy then it is not being used to build and repair tissue and its other important functions.

The key to keeping your engine running smoothly is providing the right fuel.

What is that? You want jet fuel? You have to know what to eat and when. Some general guidelines are:

  • 45% to 65% of calories eaten should come from carbohydrates.
  • 20% to 35% of calories eaten should come from fat.
  • 10% to 35% of calories eaten should come from protein.

These are large margins due to the fact that it depends on what you are doing. For instance, if you are doing intervals for 2 hours then you are going to need lots of carbohydrates and very little fat.

Nutrition is one of the most difficult things to master. It takes years of experience and trial and error. The best gauge is to keep comparing how you felt and performed compared to your last rides/races/workouts and adjust accordingly. This in itself is a great reason to have a training log AND a meal plan.

Some Suggested Reading: The Paleo Diet for Athletes, The Feed Zone Cookbook, The Paleo Diet Cookbook

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