Cycling Nutrition: Food is Fuel

What you eat and when you eat it can make a difference in the quality of your bike ride. Nutritionist blogger, Jeni Tackett shares her tips on preparing and consuming “bike fuel.”

by Nutritionist Blogger, Jeni Tackett, RD, LD

Fueling for bike rides can improve your performance and your attitude. Have you ever been hungry during a long bike ride? That means you ran out of fuel.

You need to consider what you eat the day before, the morning of, during, and after a long ride. Proper nutrition fuels muscles, reduces soreness, and speeds up recovery.

The day before

Carb up: Eating adequate carbohydrate to fill up your glycogen stores (carbohydrate stored as fuel in your muscles) can increase your stamina for the next day. Healthy carbohydrate choices include fruit, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and beans. Fruits and starchy vegetables have a high water content which will help to hydrate you for the upcoming ride.

Stick with happy hour: If you drink alcohol the day before a ride, drinking well before bedtime allows your body to process the alcohol so that your sleep is not interrupted. A happy hour drink vs. a nightcap will ensure that your sleep is not disrupted.

Water is best: Drinking water instead of alcohol or caffeinated beverages is always better the day before an athletic event so that you start off hydrated.

The morning of

Don’t have time to make a breakfast before the big bike ride? Try making a nutritious smoothie, instead.

Eat smart: Eat breakfast about an hour before your ride and include carbohydrates and lower fat foods. An example of a great breakfast would be oatmeal made with 1 cup low fat milk, a medium banana, and blueberries.

Short on time? Try a smoothie: You can also fuel with a liquid meal which will be digested rapidly and can be consumed 30 minutes before you ride. A smoothie made with low fat milk, peanut butter, and fruit would be a great pre-ride liquid meal.

During the ride

Refuel yourself: If your ride lasts more than an hour, then you need to refuel with carbohydrate (1 gram per kg of body weight per hour – 60 kg rider would need to consume 60 grams of carb/hour). More strenuous rides require more fueling and a lower intensity ride will need less fueling. Examples of fuel during a ride can include fruit (bananas are great), sports drinks, sports gels or beans, or pretzels.

Practice makes perfect: Practice fueling during longer rides so you know what foods you tolerate best. We are all different, and you have to train your stomach to fuel during exercise.

Stay hydrated: Make sure to drink water throughout your ride. You can alternate between water and a sports drink to get some carbohydrate from the sports drink.

After the ride

After-ride munchies: Eating 30-60 minutes after a long ride will take advantage of the higher heart rate and blood pressure to deliver nutrients to the cells. Have a snack or meal with carbohydrate, protein, and fats. An example of a meal would be rice (carbohydrate), grilled chicken breast (protein), and salad with salad dressing (fats). A snack could be yogurt, fruit, and granola. Having fruits and vegetable will provide micronutrients which are important for repair and reduced injury.

Nutrition is an essential part of your cycling plan. Don’t skimp on the fuel that your body needs to get in those miles on your bike.

by Nutritionist Blogger, Jeni Tackett, RD, LD

Fueling for bike rides can improve your performance and your attitude. Have you ever been hungry during a long bike ride? That means you ran out of fuel.

You need to consider what you eat the day before, the morning of, during, and after a long ride. Proper nutrition fuels muscles, reduces soreness, and speeds up recovery.

The day before

Carb up: Eating adequate carbohydrate to fill up your glycogen stores (carbohydrate stored as fuel in your muscles) can increase your stamina for the next day. Healthy carbohydrate choices include fruit, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and beans. Fruits and starchy vegetables have a high water content which will help to hydrate you for the upcoming ride.

Stick with happy hour: If you drink alcohol the day before a ride, drinking well before bedtime allows your body to process the alcohol so that your sleep is not interrupted. A happy hour drink vs. a nightcap will ensure that your sleep is not disrupted.

Water is best: Drinking water instead of alcohol or caffeinated beverages is always better the day before an athletic event so that you start off hydrated.

The morning of

Don’t have time to make a breakfast before the big bike ride? Try making a nutritious smoothie, instead.

Eat smart: Eat breakfast about an hour before your ride and include carbohydrates and lower fat foods. An example of a great breakfast would be oatmeal made with 1 cup low fat milk, a medium banana, and blueberries.

Short on time? Try a smoothie: You can also fuel with a liquid meal which will be digested rapidly and can be consumed 30 minutes before you ride. A smoothie made with low fat milk, peanut butter, and fruit would be a great pre-ride liquid meal.

During the ride

Refuel yourself: If your ride lasts more than an hour, then you need to refuel with carbohydrate (1 gram per kg of body weight per hour – 60 kg rider would need to consume 60 grams of carb/hour). More strenuous rides require more fueling and a lower intensity ride will need less fueling. Examples of fuel during a ride can include fruit (bananas are great), sports drinks, sports gels or beans, or pretzels.

Practice makes perfect: Practice fueling during longer rides so you know what foods you tolerate best. We are all different, and you have to train your stomach to fuel during exercise.

Stay hydrated: Make sure to drink water throughout your ride. You can alternate between water and a sports drink to get some carbohydrate from the sports drink.

After the ride

After-ride munchies: Eating 30-60 minutes after a long ride will take advantage of the higher heart rate and blood pressure to deliver nutrients to the cells. Have a snack or meal with carbohydrate, protein, and fats. An example of a meal would be rice (carbohydrate), grilled chicken breast (protein), and salad with salad dressing (fats). A snack could be yogurt, fruit, and granola. Having fruits and vegetable will provide micronutrients which are important for repair and reduced injury.

Nutrition is an essential part of your cycling plan. Don’t skimp on the fuel that your body needs to get in those miles on your bike.