Nutrition

Nutrition for Cyclists – A Basis

April 20, 2016 by Lee Agur

Eating right can be hard at the best of times, especially for those of us who like to exercise as a hobby. With a passion for cycling often comes a need for a balanced diet – and this is even more true when you opt to cycle for long periods of time, or even on a more professional level. Nutrition is a minefield of do’s and don’ts for many areas of exercise, so knowing the right nutrition for cyclists of any ability is essential if you want to get the best out of your ride. Let’s take a look at the right kinds of nutrition to help you to become not just a healthier cyclist – but a faster and stronger rider, too.

Nutrition for Cyclists – Carbohydrates for Fuel

If you are a keen cyclist, you’ll probably know that carbohydrates can be your best friend. While it’s no secret that they are the body’s main energy source while cycling, knowing a weekly and daily requirement for carbohydrates may not be so easy.

Carbohydrates need to support your cycling routines and not hinder them, and the reality is that too large a portion can lead to peaks and dips in energy that can actually leave you feeling lethargic. A good rule of thumb is to aim to eat a fist-sized portion of low-glycaemic carbohydrates to ensure that you get a steadier release of energy as you ride. Low-glycaemic carbohydrates burn slower than others, so eating foods such as wholegrains, fruit and vegetables will promote the right intake. Add these to each meal, or carry small portions as snacks when you head out for a ride to obtain optimal nutrition for cyclists.

Powerful Protein?

Many sports enthusiasts will tell you that protein is muscle food and therefore not essential nutrition for cyclists but getting a good amount of protein when you ride will work to support your overall health – mainly in terms of immune function and recovery. As protein is responsible for tissue maintenance, it will aid the recovery of any muscle damage that you experience during your ride and this can be particularly important if you are riding on a more professional level.

Try adding beans, lean meats, fish, and dairy (potentially) into your diet for a no-fuss boost of protein, and as these foods tend to be more filling than sugar-filled carbohydrates, you’ll feel fuller for longer, too!

Vitamins and Minerals

There are two main types of vitamins that you need to ingest for good nutrition for cyclists; fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are stored within the body to be used at a later date while water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin C) are needed daily to ensure a balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables are a rich source these in general and this is why nutritionists everywhere promote that you eat 5 pieces each day. Opt for a range of colors when you buy fruit and veg for a balanced diet- and in darker shades – to really get a well-rounded amount of each.

Minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc are also necessary for good cycling nutrition, but as these are only needed in small quantities, your intake of 5-a-day should more than suffice.

The Right Amount of Calories

Whether you ride your bike on a personal or professional level, it is important to remember that cycling will require you to increase your calorie intake. This is because you will need to replace the extra calories that you burn whilst riding.

Knowing how many extra calories to ingest can be a problem as simply upping portion size and eating more calorie-rich foods can cause you to consume too many calories. A great way to keep on top of the right amount of calories for your needs is to multiply the distance you travel in miles by 40-50 calories. Try to keep towards the lower limit if you’re a slower or lighter rider and consume towards the top end if you typically cycle faster or are heavier as you will be burning more calories to cover the same distance. This calorie calculator can help to estimate calories burned while riding.

Timing Pre-Ride Nutrition

It is really important to have a good plan for timing pre-ride nutrition for cyclists. Nobody wants to ride hungry or with a belly full of food, so be sure to eat at the right time! Experts suggest that eating a your pre-ride meal at least 90 minutes before a ride is the best way to go, but eating small, regular meals throughout the day and downsizing your three main meals to allow for the right snacks at the right time will help ensure that you are properly fueled, whenever you decide to jump on the bike.

Dairy and Cycling – Pros and Cons

April 19, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

There’s not doubt whatsoever — and science will back this up — that milk is the gold standard of nutrition…for a calf. If you research the information provided by the National Dairy Council, dairy products are promoted as one of the pinnacles of sports nutrition. However dairy and cycling doesn’t necessarily always play together well. Look at nature as an example; humans are the only species that actually go back to drinking milk after being weaned off.

Dairy and Money

The reason for the controversy around dairy and cycling centers around profit. The pricey cost of dairy products make it lucrative for manufacturers. Gold medal cyclist Kristin Armstrong, former spokesperson for chocolate milk, (more on this later) is a perfect example of the dairy industry using a cycling superstar to promote dairy products.

Benefits of Dairy

But lets not be overly harsh on them either, dairy products can be very important to your health. They are a good delivery systems for foods such as yogurt, flavored drinks, spreads, and a wide range of other products that contain compounds and nutrients that are essential to good health and performance. Protein is a prime example of one of the benefits of milk.

Questions From the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission took claims that milk was the gold standard of nutrition to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) , to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in those goofy “milk mustache” advertisements. The outcome flies in the face of milk. Mark Hyman MD., has published a variety of reasons why milk may not be the perfect food.

Dairy and Cycling

“Dairy may cause numerous allergy-based infections ranging from ear infections, to respiratory, to gastrointestinal and skin symptoms. Anyone who suffers from these is recommended to have a strict 2-3 month dairy free period to see if symptoms ease.” Says Dr Michael Greger.

Dr. Spock

Dr. Benjamin Spock, probably the most respected pediatrician of all time, takes it a step further and recommends a life-long elimination of cow’s milk.

What is Milk

Most milk comes from pregnant cows; therefore carries a lot more estrogen to your diet. Estrogen is another story in itself.
Cows are often fed antibiotics, engineered hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals that flow directly to your milk.
Human milk has 10 times as much essential fatty acids and three times as much selenium as cow’s milk.
Adult cows get the calcium they need from plants, not milk.
It still remains widely accepted that calcium in dairy products strengthens bones and can help prevent osteoporosis.

Other Nutrient Sources

Some scientists agree that it’s better for us to get calcium, probably the most touted benefit of milk, from other food sources. Calcium, potassium, protein and fats, also in milk, are readily available in whole plant foods — vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and even seaweed if you like sushi.

Lactose Intolerance

Then there’s the lactose intolerant issue with dairy and cycling. The majority of humans naturally stop producing significant amounts of lactase, the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose, the sugar in milk, sometime between the ages of two and five. Most mammals stop producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and metabolize milk after they have been weaned. Dairy causes digestive problems for about 75 percent of the population.

Constipation Issue

Constipation (this one is tricky for cyclists) with dairy and cycling is controversial and it can be a problem. According to pediatric testing, milk can cause constipation. And it’s a well known fact that cheese causes constipation.

Diabetics Take Note

Early exposure to cow’s milk has been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Albeit, in all fairness to milk, these test have typically centered around exposure to cow’s milk at an early age.

Mucus and Cycling

A study done in 2005 — these are really dated — published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers were unable to detect any measurable mucus increase. Dr. James Steckelberg is a consultant in the Division of Infectious Diseases and a professor of medicine at the Mayo Medical School. He has this to say about mucus: “Although drinking milk may make phlegm (mucus) thicker and more irritating to your throat than it would normally be, milk doesn’t cause your body to make more phlegm. In fact, frozen dairy products can soothe a sore throat and provide calories when you otherwise may not eat.”

What This All Means

What this all means to you is that you should think about what you’re putting in your body. If dairy products work for you the so be it, but you’re more likely to have fewer health issues by sticking with water or sports drinks.
Based on the limited research, milk appears to have favorable alterations in protein metabolism. The results of this study suggest that dairy can be an effective post-exercise rehydration drink and can be considered for use during and after cycling by everyone except those individuals who have lactose intolerance.
Milk’s nutrients—protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water—are rapidly absorbed and metabolized by the body to produce energy during cycling and help to replenish nutrient stores after activity. New research shows that milk is just as effective than commercially-available sports drinks and can increase muscle growth
Some cyclists may be fond of believing that a glass of chocolate milk is the perfect beverage. But although it has a good carb-to-protein ratio, the average store bought chocolate milk has a lot of high-fructose corn syrup — if you’re comfortable with that.

It’s Your Call

If you’re considering dairy and cycling as part of your regimen, it boils down to personal choice. But dairy is not a secret weapon. You can perform at your highest levels without it. The nutrients dairy provides can readily be obtained from other sources. On the other hand, unless you have a reason to avoid dairy products, it is worth considering the benefits of dairy. Dairy can make a contribution to your energy and nutrition goals and your post ride recovery. As an added plus, dairy products are delicious and what would life be without them.

Anemia And Cycling – What You Should Know About Iron Deficiency

April 17, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

Iron deficiency is the number one nutritional disorder in the world according to the World Health Organization. Over 30 percent of the world’s population is iron deficient. Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional problem worldwide. Iron deficiency anemia and cycling do not play together well. Fortunately, it’s a condition that’s relatively easy to deal with.

The Importance of Iron

Despite food fortifications in the United States, iron deficiency is on the rise in certain populations. Iron deficiency can result in premature births, low birth weight babies, delayed growth and development, delayed normal infant activity, and movement. Iron deficiency can result in poor memory or poor cognitive skills, and poor performance in school and work. So it’s no wonder anemia and cycling effects your cycling performance.

Anemia and Cycling

Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. As the name implies, iron deficiency anemia is due to insufficient iron. Without enough iron, your body can’t produce enough hemoglobin — which is a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. As a result, anemia and cycling may leave you tired and short of breath.

The Many Faces of Anemia

Symptoms of anemia are many. They may include chronic fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headaches, depression, sore tongue, sensitivity to cold (low body temp) and shortness of breath doing simple tasks like climbing stairs, walking short distances, doing housework. If that’s not enough you may also experience restless leg syndrome and pica (the weird desire to chew paper, dirt or non-food items.) Still more — a loss of interest in work, recreation, relationships, and intimacy…. Damn.

What is Iron

Iron plays a crucial role in the body. Iron is what the oxygen (O2) is bonded to in the hemogloben of which is then transported around the body. Each hemoglobin is then capable of carrying four oxygen molecules. These vehicles, also known as red blood cells or hemoglobin, carry oxygen throughout the body to release energy in the form of carbohydrates (sugars).

Iron is one of the most abundant minerals on earth. About two-thirds of the body’s iron is found in hemoglobin. An adequate supply of iron is necessary for the body to produce hemoglobin. If too little iron is available, fewer and/or smaller red blood cells are produced, leading to decreased oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. Because of anemia and cycling, you could actually become dizzy while cycling.

Co2 and Oxygen

Iron also plays an important role in carrying carbon dioxide from cells as well as many other significant functions to keep bodies running optimally. It’s pretty obvious by now that the harder you cycle the more iron is needed to transport enough oxygen to keep up with energy demands. If you don’t have enough iron circulating around your body, you won’t be able to produce adequate energy and you get tired. You may not even realize that you are declining in iron and that anemia and cycling is affecting your performance.

Women Versus Men

A recent survey of nearly 25,000 Americans found about 10 percent of young women to be iron deficient and 3-to-5 percent anemic. In contrast, iron deficiency anemia is rare among men, who lose little iron physiologically. So iron deficiency anemia, often mild and subtle, is common among female athletes. In contrast, anemia and cycling is somewhat rare among males.

Iron Deficiency Causes

Iron deficiency can be the result of numerous factors. Conditions that result in iron deficiency may include menstruation, blood donation, surgeries, and accidents. Iron deficiency can also be caused by certain medications, dietary supplements or substances that cause bleeding such as pain relievers with aspirin, and/or alcohol abuse.

Women Most at Risk

Women are most at risk. Men are rarely iron deficient; but when they are, it is generally due to blood loss from the digestive tract diseases that affect iron absorption. Except for those who are strict vegetarians, men rarely have dietary iron deficiency.

Sports Anemia

Blood consists of blood cells and liquid blood plasma. Sports anemia is characterized by a rise in blood plasma, making the percentage of hemoglobin lower. The plasma volume can — in extreme cases — shoot up to 25 percent. Due to the increase of the plasma volume, endurance athletes have a much greater circulating blood volume than sedentary humans. For example; non athletes have a blood volume of 5 liters. Endurance athletes have a blood volume from 6 to 7 liters. Plasma increase is a training effect — a physiological adaptation of the body to endurance training.

Not Typically an Issue

Sports anemia is usually not treated. If treatment is done, then athletes may be asked to refrain from training for 3 to 5 days and have blood tests repeated to produce normal results to offset anemia and cycling.

Too Much Iron

Of particular concern is athletes taking iron in the hopes of increasing their performance. They can develop iron overload and eventually experience complications. But increased iron levels do not improve performance. In fact extra iron is stored in body organs and can result in cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, and possibly cancer.

Causes of Iron Deficiency

Losing iron: any form of blood loss including the use of anti-inflammatory drugs that cause gastrointestinal bleeding.
Heavy sweating
Prolonged high demand for iron: heavy cycling training over many weeks or months.
Lack of iron in the diet.
A combination of the above causes.

Your Mom Was Right

Your mother and her allie Popeye (a spinach eating cartoon character) was right about spinach. Although the iron found in vegetables, called “non-heme” iron, does not absorb quite as well as iron found in animal foods called “heme iron”. A well rounded diet with both types included in your diet each week is recommended.

A few examples of food high in iron include the following:

Eggs
Cocoa powder, dark chocolate
Liver, or chicken liver
Clams, oysters
Beef steak, chicken
Caviar
Tomatoes lentils, soybeans, spinach
Dried apricots, dried fruits

If you do heavy cycle training and/or are a woman and you’re concerned about anema and cycling, get your iron levels tested sooner rather than later. At least if nothing is wrong you can use it as a benchmark for the next test.

Just Be Aware

It’s wise to just be aware and think about what you put into your body. This is one of the biggest reasons for iron deficiency; not eating right. A few small adjustments to your diet could make all the difference to your energy levels and morale a few months down the road.

When to See a doctor

Iron deficiency anemia isn’t something to diagnose online. If you develop signs or symptoms that suggest iron deficiency anemia, see your doctor rather than taking iron supplements on your own.

What to Eat Race Day Morning

April 13, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

Ask a dozen typical cyclists what to eat race day morning and you’ll get a dozen different answers. However, certain types of nutrition have become the norm for professionals. If you group the answers together you find similarities that proves that what you eat race day morning is important and advantageous to performance.

What is a Race Day Morning Meal

It’s more appropriate to categorize a race day morning meal by what the food consists of in terms of nutrition. A wide range of foods can meet your needs and the list extends beyond bagels and bananas. Miles and hours in the saddle, gender, size, fitness, environmental conditions, and nutritional status leading into the event all play roles in what you need to eat the morning before a race.

What Professionals Eat

To eliminate the guessing that goes into finding the right balance of foods for what to eat race day morning, it might be best to look at some of the favorites per a survey of professional racers.

What to Eat Race Day Morning

The Belkin Team

Belkin nutritionist, Marcel Hesseling advises his racers to eat like this: “To consume the right amount they have to eat a lot of carbohydrate-rich foods but it’s really important to do that with foods they are used to eating to guard against stomach upsets.”

“Because it is really important for their glycogen stores are completely full, they have to choose products with a high carbohydrate density (oatmeal, bread, rice, energy bars/drink, juices, etc).

“It’s important that the riders eat the food that they normally eat,” said Hesseling. “Our cook makes delicious pancakes, oatmeal and fresh bread.”

The SaxoBank / Tinkoff Team

Alberto Contador only eats food prepared by Saxo Bank team chef Henna Grant. Her “what to eat race day morning prep” for racers is summed up like this: “The riders follow a diet very low in milk and milk products, and most drink rice milk.” The reasoning she said, is that “lactose is not highly digestible and therefore more difficult to convert to calories.

“Breakfast consists of a hot porridge, a mix of rye, spelt, and barley. Fruit and nuts are added to the meal as well.” Grant also offers a traditional Danish style muesli made with corn flour, dried carrots and lots of grains soaked overnight in yogurt (one of the few times milk products are used).

Team Trek

Trek Factory Racing’s head chef Kim Rokkjaer and senior sports nutritionist Emma Barracloug is also on board with the porridge and muesli: “First up is an early serving of porridge consisting of oats, cinnamon, pineapple juice, salt and olive oil. If the riders prefer the muesli, it’s prepared like this; basic muesli (no added sugar), rice milk, mixed berries, honey, natural yogurt.

Emma Barraclough has this to add: “From the moment the riders wake up, their diet is focused on maximizing their carbohydrate stores. The fruit juice and olive oil keep the muesli dairy free and the oil ramps up the calories. Muesli is really popular with the riders. Again it’s a good combination of fast and slow release carbohydrates, with plenty of fruit included. The rice milk and yogurt provides protein.”

BMC Racing Team

Austrian sports nutritionist Judith Haudum, who is responsible for feeding the BMC Racing Team has prepared a typical menu for race day morning.

1 bowl of porridge (150 calories per cup, cooked) with banana (105 calories per banana), and some nuts (529 calories per cup of almonds)
1 big plate of pasta (174 calories per cup)
1 piece of cake (roughly 225 calories)
Coffee (1 calorie per cup)
Fruit juice (122 calories per serving)

Porridge and Muesli

It might seem that porridge and muesli (a type of porridge) have the most votes for what to eat race day morning. Porridge and muesli both fall into the category by definition of “any grain simmered in liquid to become a hot cereal.” But what works for some cyclists, doesn’t necessarily appeal to others:

Mark Cavendish

British cyclist Mark Cavendish has won the final Tour de France stage four times in a row—at the time of publication, he holds a total of 25 stage wins. This is what he has to say on what to eat race day morning:

“A lot of riders like eating oatmeal for breakfast, but that’s not something that works for me. But rice does, so I’ll have an omelet and rice for breakfast in the morning—it’s such a simple carb to digest, and it has a lot of fluid. I also don’t drink much dairy—a lot of riders say drinking milk before riding increases phlegm in their chest. Instead, I’ll take an alternative, like almond milk or sometimes soy milk.”

Go With Your Gut

The only sure way to know what works for you is to test a variety of strategies and repeat until you find the meal that works for you. Don’t eat anything risky. Don’t eat things that you’re unsure that your stomach can handle. Take advantage of long days in the saddle and use them as test races.

Race Day Constipation — Information Cyclists Don’t Share

April 5, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

It’s race day morning. You have the right gear. You completed the training and your body is ready. You’re confident that you have done everything to perform at your highest level. But one simple mistake can make all the difference — a bout of race day constipation at this point can spell disaster. All vanity aside, this is a serious issue that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Race Day Constipation

If you have ridden in races or large group rides, you’ve seen it in action. Long lines of cyclists waiting to get into the bathroom at the last minute, desperate for a bowel movement before getting on the bike. Why is this happening now? It doesn’t have to be that way.

Why it Happens

If you’re racing or embarking on a distance ride, you’re often out of your element. At home your routine is consistent and you take normal bodily functions for granted before getting on your bike. But if you’ve been traveling your routine is out of whack. Eating while traveling throws off your diet. Your nerves get frazzled and it can lead to a failure of digestive habits — also known as race day constipation. Professionals agree — if not silently — that a proper morning constitution is essential for a good performance. But how can you ensure it?

Know Your Body

It’s not a complicated equation if you pay attention to your body and what you put into it before your big ride. The basics of regularity are proper fiber and water in the weeks and days leading up to your race. Getting your body on a regular schedule to avoid constipation that you can rely on the day before and the day of your race or ride is important.

What Science Says

Felice Schnoll-Sussman, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Weill Therapeutic School of Cornell College and a New York City marathon finisher, has a few tips to inspire yourself to go.

“Getting enough fiber is vital in the days and weeks before a race for keeping assimilation customary and avoiding clogging.” Schnoll-Sussman says. “Be that as it may, on race day, expending more fiber than expected can bring about the runs, so don’t eat (or drink) vast sums the morning of, particularly in case you’re not accustomed to it.”

Staying hydrated is additionally key—particularly in case you’re flying on a plane or traveling. “Obstruction happens when the stool is excessively dry, making it impossible to travel through the body effortlessly, so drinking a lot of water can simply move things along,” Schnoll-Sussman says. “Topping off on H20 the days prior to your race and drinking that warm refreshment first thing in the morning, is the most ideal approach to ensure you’re ready to go when you have to.”

How Much Fiber

The amount of fiber you need is tied to the number of calories you eat in a day. For healthy adults, the USDA recommends 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed. So a person eating 2,000 calories a day should strive to get 28 grams of fiber daily.

A Few Proven Winners

If you have been training with other cyclists or have done the miles on your own, you probably already know what your body needs or doesn’t need to keep it regular. Here are a few time tested tips that most cyclists rely on to avoid constipation on race day to ensure you don’t have any issues.

Coffee

Caffeine produces peristalsis and increases levels of cholecystokinin which regulates bowel movements. At least one study confirms that drinking coffee can produce the urge to go and it lasts for about 30 minutes. If you’re not into coffee, some cyclists claim that any hot liquid such as hot water or tea can have the same effect.

Broccoli

Eating broccoli on a regular basis is one way to make sure that you don’t get constipated. And while you should definitely eat a varied diet, broccoli is one of those vegetables that could be consumed on nearly a daily basis for better health.

Avocados and Nuts

Fats are necessary for a healthy metabolism along with proteins and carbohydrates in the proper ratio. If you’re avoiding fat thinking that it will make you fat, think again. If you avoid fat entirely, you’ll actually slow your metabolism along with your bowel movements. Always choose healthy fats from whole foods. Avocados and nuts are perfect examples of healthy fat.

Brown Rice

If you have been avoiding rice because you heard it gives you race day constipation, it’s time to welcome brown rice into your diet. This is the unprocessed version of rice and is a whole grain. Whole grains can help you maintain regularity and avoid bouts of constipation altogether.

Apples

There’s a reason for the “apple a day” saying and part of it is because apples will help keep your digestive system functioning properly. Contradictory as it may sound, apples can also help with cases of diarrhea. This is because they act as bulking agents, helping to move waste through your digestive system if you’re constipated and to firm up the stool if you have diarrhea.

Yogurt

Eating yogurt is one outstanding way to increase the number of good bacteria in your gut that promote healthy bowel movements. Simply eat a cup of yogurt with breakfast and try to eat it with snacks throughout the day for better effects.

Foods to Avoid

Avoid new foods or those that can upset your digestion. This is not always the same for everyone so it’s important to know your body. But generally speaking, don’t overeat or under-eat the day before your ride or race since that can throw off your bowels too. Here’s a few proven race day constipation initiators:

Cheese

This is a big one, mostly because it’s the primary ingredient in the pizza that’s so popular the night before a big ride or race. Cheese is near the top of the list for constipation. The high fat, low fiber content of cheese is a recipe for race day disaster. Eating cheese the night before a race can result in a digestive slow down or complete back up.

Dairy

Milk blocks bowel functions and can cause discomfort, pain, and other problems. Since dairy products are often highly touted by athletes, use at your own discretion. Experiment and take notes weeks or months before your big ride. Yogurt — although a dairy product — contains the friendly bacteria that contradicts the general dairy rule and has less lactose if that upsets you.

Red Meat

High protien, low fiber red meat can be hard to digest in a small amount of time. But red meat can be consumed without digestive back up if eaten with appropriate amounts of fiber. For example, and 20 oz sirloin steak is not a good option by itself, but mongolian BBQ with BROWN rice, vegetables, and noodles will likely cause you no issues.

Painkillers

Pain medications are well known constipation initiators. Avoid them before a race if possible, but only before consulting with your doctor.

Alcohol

As a diuretic, alcohol derives you of precious fluids that you need for healthy bowel movements.

Some Contradictions

Too Much Fiber

Fiber is one of those experimental options. Too much fiber can overwork your system and actually cause back ups. For example; if you’re not accustomed to beans, don’t eat them the night before a race. Experimentation ahead of time is key.

Bananas

Bananas are well known to cyclists. But unripe bananas have green skin with high levels of starch. This high starch content may be a trigger for constipation. Keep bananas in your fruit bowl until the skin turns a bright yellow with plenty of brown speckles and you should be good to go.

Have a Seat

If you haven’t been following good digestive rules, you may be suffering from race day constipation and waiting for a bowel movement in line with the rest of them. If you’re aware of it ahead of time, there are a few things you can eat to help initiate it. For example; a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, toast and peanut butter, or a small smoothie can help to initiate the flushing sound. Make sure to wake up early enough so you have at least one hour to get something going down there. If you don’t have the immediate urge to do so, the simple act of sitting and relaxing on the toilet can sometimes bring on the urge.

5 Best Foods For Athletes – The Superfoods

March 15, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

Drive up to any gas station and you’ll see options for fuel — regular, plus, and. It’s a perfect example of what you put in versus what you get out. Cyclists are like high performance cars. They put higher demands on their body and seek superior performance by adding the right fuel. The best foods for athletes are high-octane.

Nutrient Density

The best foods for athletes are superfoods with highly dense nutrients that provide an abundance of nutrition and can improve performance and overall health. Superfoods aren’t the magical answer to all our problems but they are note-worthy when it comes to adding the right nutrition to your diet.

What Superfoods Are Not

Endurance athletes burn a significant amount of calories so they need to regularly consume a lot of calories to replenish their energy reserves. Eating the best foods doesn’t mean junk food that is calorie dense. Just because athletes can inhale a box of powdered donuts or a mega soda does not mean that they should even though they may burn it off.

Plant Based, Natural Fats, and Protein

Because of the extra demands athletes put on their bodies, it’s important for them to consume a diet rich in plant-based foods, high quality protein sources, healthy fats, and limit nutrient-deficient and inflammation-causing foods such as sugar and trans fats.

The 5 Best foods for athletes

You’ve probably been bombarded by superfood adds that tout exotic berries from an island in the pacific, nuts or seeds that may be hard to come by and taste terrible. You have to order them online or make a special trip to some trendy grocer to obtain them. Not that they won’t help you — it’s just that you don’t need them. Superfoods for athletes should be at your fingertips and you’ll be surprised how available they really are.

#1: Sweet Potatoes

Despite their naturally sugary taste, sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index which means they can be absorbed and used gradually. This in turn prevents blood sugar from spiking and crashing. Studies have shown that sweet potatoes improve blood sugar, even in Type 2 Diabetics. Sweet potatoes are also one of the best sources of beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes raise blood levels of vitamin A — which is a fat soluble vitamin. As an added benefit, vitamin A is best absorbed when eaten with some dietary fat so don’t be afraid to put butter on them. Sweet potatoes are a good carbohydrate source for athletes and are also helpful in preventing inflammation, which aids in recovery.

#2: Fresh Eggs

Eggs are an endurance athletes’ best friend. Containing the highest quality protein of all foods, eggs are in the gold standard for protein. All the essential amino acids are represented in an egg: lysine, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylanine, tryptophan, histidine and methionine, and their protein is highly digestible, meaning that it can be retained and used by your tissues.

Eggs are also rich in vitamins, minerals, Omega 3 fats, antioxidants, and contribute significantly to energy production, strength, and power as well as muscle synthesis and recovery. Convenient, cheap, and easy to prepare, eggs are an athlete-friendly dish for time-pressed athletes.

#3: Salmon

Salmon is a source of high-quality protein, iron, and Vitamin B12 – which is important for optimal athletic performance. It also contains omega 3 fatty acids. The nutritional fats found in salmon have been shown in epidemiological and clinical trials to reduce the incidence of heart disease. Recent studies have also indicated that omega 3 fatty acids may be beneficial to intestinal health. In addition, omega 3 fatty acids may have anti-inflammatory effects, protecting against conditions such as arthritis. It’s no wonder salmon and other fatty fish have long been touted as superfood for athletes.

#4: Oatmeal with Blueberries

Oatmeal is a heart-healthy whole grain that contains valuable soluble fiber to help soak up unwanted fat and cholesterol in the bloodstream. But perhaps even more important; it’s packed full of good carbohydrates – the most critical energy source for athletes. Oatmeal maintains energy for a longer period of time during your ride or workout and curbs appetite by slowing the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream. Oats are also a good source of B vitamins, important for athletes as a source of energy.

Add the Blueberries

The miniature super fruit is chock full of nutrients and is the king of the hill when it comes to antioxidant properties. Antioxidants can help to reduce oxidative stress to cells resulting from free radicals produced during periods of strenuous activity. Nutrients in blueberries can also promote healthy blood pressure. Blueberries contain vitamin C which supports your immune system and are a source of energy-enhancing carbohydrates and fiber to help sustain your energy and keep you in the game.

# 5: Chocolate

Exercising or hard cycling increases the formation of free radicals so a diet high in antioxidants is important for athletes. Cocoa is one of the richest sources of antioxidants on the planet and has been proven to have positive effects when it comes to heart and cardiovascular health.

The Magnesium Connection

The cacoa in chocolate is also one of the best food sources of magnesium. Magnesium is required for enzymatic reactions, including the synthesis of fat, protein and nucleic acids, muscular contraction and relaxation, cardiac health and bone building. Magnesium improves blood flow and plays a key role in the metabolism of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), critical for aerobic and anaerobic functions.

Flavonols in Chocolate

Flavanols—one of the many antioxidants in cocoa—reduce UV-induced skin burning and help to fight off skin cancers. Cocoa contains the health benefits, so consuming dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is not only good for you, it can take you to that happy place with it’s incredible taste.

Is Glycogen a Carbohydrate?

February 17, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

Carbohydrates and glycogen stores are the gold standard of cycling performance. Managing them is vital to efficiency on and off the bike. Many recreational and competitive cyclists are not aware of the importance of carbohydrates and glycogen for proper training and performance. But is glycogen a carbohydrate? Or are they one in the same?

Most people have an understanding of carbohydrates and if you’re a cyclist you’re already familiar with glycogen. It’s the feeling of boundless energy and drive on your ride after a resting for a day or two. Your muscles are adequately fueled with glycogen. After the third day out in a row, you feel sluggish and your cycling suffers because you’ve depleted the glycogen in your muscles.

The Glucose Connection

Glycogen and glucose are the two forms of sugar your body uses to store and use as energy. Glucose is the sugar your body converts into energy. Glycogen is the sugar your body stores. Your body can’t use glycogen directly as a source of energy — and cannot store glucose.

What is a Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. They are called carbohydrates because at the chemical level, they contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Carbohydrates are processed by the body and used immediately as fuel. Carbohydrates are macronutrients, meaning they are one of the three main ways the body obtains energy, or calories.

Glycogen Storage

Is glycogen an carbohydrate? Sort of. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates. While glycogen is “gold” to cycling performance, the body has a limited capacity to store it. Since glycogen storage capacity is limited, many high performance cyclists find it difficult to keep up with sufficient carb intake and therefore can suffer from glycogen depletion.

Carbs to Glycogen

Your body cannot store carbohydrates in the same form that it ingests them. Therefore it converts carbs into glycogen through a process known as glycogen synthesis or glycolysis.

The Process

The process can easily be understood by scholars, but to cyclists the science behind it can get confusing and will make your eyes glaze over. In a nutshell, glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose from carbs. The actual energy of glycolysis comes from glucose, or our stored form of glucose, which is glycogen.

The Science of Carbs

The role of glycogen (could be referred to as stored carbohydrate in the muscle) in aerobic exercise has been clearly shown to be associated with increased work output and duration. But carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel during endurance exercise due to its more efficient energy yield per liter of oxygen consumed. At lower intensities, even the low end of the endurance zone, your body burns fat for fuel but at any activity level above this, carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source.

You Need Both

It is crucial to have good glycogen stores in addition to proper carbohydrates particularly for exercise lasting longer than 2 hours.

How Much

Carbohydrate intake should be based on the rate of glycogen depletion and the physical activity a cyclist is engaged in. Generally speaking, low intensity rides primarily rely on fat while as the intensity increases the amount of carbohydrates needed increases.

The Best of the Best

It’s clear in science and exhibited in the real-life experiences of athletes performing at the highest level. Kenyan runners, undoubtedly the best endurance runners in history, have dominated top events internationally for decades. The percentage of carbohydrates in their diet is 76.5 percent. With that in mind, it’s clear enough to assume that a good carbohydrate diet is of great importance.

Cyclist Tested

In a recent study looking at glycogen depletion in 99 competitive cyclists, they found that about 30 percent of all cyclists had sub-optimal glycogen levels and none of them knew about it.

Too Much of a Good Thing

The daily intake of carbs varies depending of the level of activity and duration. Consuming an excessive carbohydrate diet without the right amount of exercise leads to increased body fat due to conversion of carbs to glycogen to fat. Therefore a recreational cyclist who only trains 1 hour a day should never eat as many carbs per day as a high-performance cyclist.

Glucose to Fat

Your liver can only store a limited amount of glycogen. It’s the equivalent of about three to four hours of normal activity off the bike. When your glycogen reserves are full and you still have glucose in your system, your liver starts to convert the glucose into fat.

Regular Meals

A regular-size meal should fill up your glycogen reserves o it’s customary to store some fat when you eat. If you don’t eat between meals, about three hours later your glycogen levels will be running low and your body starts to convert fat into energy until you eat your next meal. For cyclists, or anyone else for that matter, it’s a natural process of filling up your glycogen supply, storing some fat, and then accessing that glycogen between fuel stops or aid stations.

Is Glycogen a Carbohydrate?

Is glycogen a carbohydrate? You’ll not likely hear cyclists say that they need to ramp up the glycogen in their body, even though that’s one thing that’s happening. Carbs are the terminology typically used to describe the fuel your body needs while cycling. Carbohydrate and glycogen are part of a simple equation that you experience on your own through training and personal experience on the bike. Don’t worry too much about the science behind it. Just get out there with adequate nutrition at regular intervals and you’ll be fine.

A Calorie Counter to Calculate Calories Burned When Cycling

February 16, 2016 by Adam Farabaugh

Use this calorie counter to calculate calories burned when cycling. Select how fast you’re riding, your weight in pounds, and your duration in minutes to calculate calories burned while cycling.

How Calories Burned While Cycling Are Calculated

To calculate calories burned cycling the first metric needed is the intensity of which you are riding. Simply, the harder you ride the more calories you are going to burn in a set amount of time. The second aspect to how many calories you burn when cycling depends upon your weight. First, the more weight you have to propel forward, the more energy that is going to be required. Secondly, an increased body mass requires more energy even when you’re at rest because there are simply more muscles cells, and cells in general, that require energy. The final aspect to calculate calories burned is the amount of time you are riding. The longer you ride, the more calories you will burn.

More is Better? Or High Intensity?

An interesting fact of physics and calories burned is that if you ride 1 mile in 3 minutes at maximal effort, you will burn the same amount of calories if you were to ride that same mile in 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. Higher intensity gives you a “better bang for your buck” in that you can burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. However, when riding and working out in general, you can’t go hard all the time. You need to balance longer, lower intensity workouts with shorter high intensity workouts.

Calculate Calories Burned Everyday You Ride

Use the calorie counter to calculate calories burned while cycling each day you ride. Keep track and see if you can continue to increase the number of calories you burn cycling each week. Using a journal to keep track of your calories burned along with what you did for a ride is a great option.

Caffeine and Cycling – Cyclist’s Best Friend?

January 18, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

Caffeine has permeated the cycling culture forever. Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive ( affecting the mind) substance. Humans have consumed caffeine since the stone age, discovering that chewing the bark or leaves of certain plants had the effects of easing fatigue, stimulating awareness and elevating mood. Much later, people discovered that steeping such plants in hot water made it more palatable. Today, caffeine and cycling go hand-in-hand for many riders for the supposed performance benefits along with the joy of having a cup of coffee.

Caffeine Sourcing

Caffeine is an alkaloid that acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. Sometimes called guaranine, mateine and theine when found in guarana, mate and tea, caffeine’s primary source for cyclists is beans from the coffee plant. It’s used both as a recreational substance and medically to reduce fatigue and restore vitality.

Dosing and Application

Caffeine is a drug with a high level of popularity among cyclists, and a fair amount of dependency. A standard cup of coffee contains 70 to 180 mg of caffeine depending on the method of preparation. Tea has much less caffeine at 20 to 35 mg per cup, and soda has about 30 to 40 mg. But lets not leave out one of mountain biking’s most popular sponsor’s energy drinks, constantly trying to out-do each other with even higher levels of caffeine. As an example, Red Bull has about 80 mg of caffeine per serving. Monster contains 86 mg, or twice that of Coke. Note that there are many different sizes of drinks though, and each has differing levels of caffeine.

Caffeine and Cycling – Monster Versus Gatorade

A recent study looked at the effects of consuming a caffeinated sports drink on performance. Sixteen highly trained cyclists reported that perceived exertion was lower with caffeinated sports drink than with conventional sports drinks.

Dilation and Heart Rate

But are the benefits to cyclists all in your head? Not exactly. Generally speaking, caffeine is a stimulant that prepares your brain and body for action, but effects also include increased heart rate and dilation of blood vessels to ease blood flow.

Muscle Contraction

Danielle Clay is a former international road cyclist and downhill mountain bike racer who has spent a large part of her life working with world-class athletes. She say’s that there is evidence that caffeine improves muscle contraction. “Caffeine has a glycogen sparing effect.” Says Danielle, “Glycogen is the storage molecule for carbohydrates, and we start to use it up when we exercise. If we don’t replace it, then we have to ingest more carbohydrates.

Fat and Carbs

“But by taking caffeine in, we can stimulate our ability to break down fat instead of glycogen”, Danielle says, “which means there’s more glycogen available for longer compared to if we hadn’t have caffeine. That means when you come to the final stages of a race after having had caffeine, you’re not as glycogen depleted and you’ve still got some sugar from carbohydrates stored in the liver and the muscles ready to be used.”

Drawbacks to Caffeine

As with any drug though, side effects can increase with the intensity of the dosage. Heavy caffeine use can cause or exacerbate problems ranging from headache to insomnia, and it is possible to become physically dependent on the drug. The primary effects are to the nervous and cardiovascular system. They include tremors — who’s not had the coffee jitters — impairments in motor control and coordination, anxiety, high and irregular heart rhythms.

Diuretic or Not

Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning that it increases urine production, which in theory could exacerbate dehydration during exercise. However, recent studies have indicated that exercise negates the effect. Researchers from the University of Connecticut discovered that, “contrary to popular beliefs, caffeine consumption does not result in water-electrolyte imbalances or hyperthermia and reduced exercise-heat tolerance.”

Dependency and Tolerance

Caffeine dependency is where some cyclists fit into the equation. Dependency is characterized by the development of drug tolerance, with a direct reduction in the stimulant effects of caffeine.

Short Versus Long Term

The scientific literature is clear that when used correctly, caffeine helps to improve performance on the bike, especially short-term, high-intensity efforts. The benefits of caffeine and cycling during prolonged endurance exercise is somewhat less clear, but some studies indicate that, in longer events, caffeine delays fatigue by reducing the athlete’s perception of effort. It increases the endorphin concentration during exercise; cyclists love endorphins. They affect mood, reduce perception of pain, and create a sense of well-being. So there you have it. Coffee just makes you feel good.

Caffeine Dosing

Caffeine is commonly used by endurance athletes 30 to 60 minutes before races to enhance competitive performance. The effect of caffeine is dose-dependent. The maximum effect is seen with doses of 5 to 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. For a 150-lb runner this translates to roughly 340-400 mg, or the amount of caffeine you’d get in 14 to 17 ounces of drip-brewed coffee.

Daneille’s Suggestions

“Pick a hard training session, like a chain gang session, and ingest the caffeine a couple of hours before. If you drink a lot of caffeine, have three cups and see how you feel. Some people feel nauseous, anxious, or get gastro-intestinal disturbance. Some will find it will disturb their sleep as well.”

Start Slower

“If you’re not used to drinking caffeine, start with one small cup of coffee.” Danielle says. “It’s difficult to tell how much of an effect it’s having because you only have a previous session to measure against, but you should feel slightly stimulated while training. If you’re having negative symptoms, it doesn’t mean that the caffeine is not working, it just means that you’re quite sensitive to it and you need to lower your dose.”

What This All Means to Cyclists

So from all the above, it is clear that moderation is important with caffeine and cycling. If you are serious about using caffeine as an aid rather than an excuse to drink coffee, you need to taper off the regular use of caffeine as much as possible and save its use for prior to and during actual events. If you still want the post-ride coffee, consider going decaf.

Not a Miracle Drug

With caffeine and cycling, caffeine is not going to turn cyclists into pro cyclists, and even supplements are only the beginning of a solid training program. Eating, resting, and living within your own limits is the key. Now, go enjoy some coffee because you just like it.

Choosing the Best Cycling Drink for Your Ride

January 12, 2016 by Lee Agur

Is there anything more important than nourishing your body during a bike ride? Setting out without the right sustenance can more than affect your performance. It can affect the way that your body processes the exercise that you are undertaking. It’s no secret that eating the right snacks and fueling up on supplements can help you when you ride, but what about choosing the best cycling drink? Consuming drinks both before and during your ride can give your body all it needs and more to ensure that you get the absolute best out of your ride.

Best Cycling Drink for Short Rides

When we cycle for short periods of time, our main concern nutritionally is hydration. This means that you need to arm yourself with nothing other than water when you cycle for under an hour. Water is undoubtedly the best way to hydrate your body without adding any unnecessary sugars, fats, vitamins and even carbohydrates, which simply won’t get used in time to help you on the ride.

As a general rule you should always take a bottle of water or two along on your ride, no matter how long you plan to be out and about.

Carbohydrates for Medium Length Rides

While utilizing your best cycling drink is hugely promoted for longer bike rides, they are also great for medium rides too. While some may argue that the body’s need for carbohydrates is slim on medium-length rides, ingesting carbohydrate during any amount of exercise has positive effects on the central nervous system. While carbohydrates are a primary source of fuel (and not necessarily required for medium length rides), many cyclists feel that drinking energy drinks containing them for the mental boost is more than worthwhile.

Electrolytes for Longer Rides

A good rule to follow when drinking on a longer ride (90 minutes and up) is to use energy-based drinks because they are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrate is the best source of energy when you are planning to be riding for a long period of time, so energy drinks offer an effective mix of carbohydrates from sources such as sucrose and fructose to ensure maximum output from the body. In addition to this, energy drinks contain water and electrolytes to keep you going for even longer.

Electrolytes are a key ingredient in energy drinks, and are essential to keeping your body hydrated during longer periods of exercise. They also work to:

Regulate nerve and muscle function
Balance blood pH levels
Maintain blood pressure
Rebuild damaged tissue

Electrolyte drinks that contain six to eight per cent carbohydrate are known as isotonic drinks and these contain the same concentration of dissolved salts and sugars as body fluids to promote better overall hydration. Isotonic drinks are a better alternative to energy drinks if you are going to be riding in particularly hot conditions as they are targeted to go that extra mile for hydration purposes.

The Caffeine Debate

Many cyclists won’t drink energy drinks that contain caffeine whilst riding because caffeine is believed to dehydrate the body but in recent times this fact has come under scrutiny from experts and keen cyclists alike. Although it is a known diuretic, it doesn’t actually mean that it will dehydrate the body as you ride. In fact, it may actually help you to burn carbohydrate-based calories instead!

There are many studies that are currently showing that caffeine actually works to lower the rate that you believe to have exercised (perceived exertion), and this works to improve strength, stamina, endurance levels and even mental performance on longer rides! The jury is still out on whether caffeine is good or bad though, so make sure to do some research of your own before you make any decisions.

What to Bear in Mind when Choosing the Best Cycling Drink for Your Rides

Sports drinks are designed to give your body exactly what it needs as you ride, so that you can simply ride. Carrying a couple bottles of the right energy drink for your ride’s needs will be easier and much less complicated than carrying pouches, packets and bars of high energy foods.

One of the most important things to consider when choosing the best cycling drink for your needs is that often, many of us are not properly hydrated before we actually leave the house! This means that no matter how good your energy drink is, it isn’t going to be able to fully help you if you are not fully hydrated in the first place.

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