Nutrition For Cyclists

Meals on Wheels!

Athletes who want to take up cycling as a dedication should follow a pro-cyclist diet plan.
This might be a bit different from what the usual fitness diet plan is. Being a cyclist, you have to focus on building endurance for the long-distance, making sure you don’t falter on the road.

Your diet plan should be a low-fat, high-carb one to give fuel to your rides. Body’s main sources of energy are obtained from carbohydrates which might also help boost endurance when taken correctly.

What to eat when cycling long distances is usually the question that revolves around the heads. Keeping up performance during the distance is necessary as cycling is an activity that needs you to push hard to cover the extra miles. Your muscles and cardiovascular system are under immense pressure on the bike.

Here are some diet tips to follow when creating a custom cyclist nutrition plan:

The first step is choosing between the carbs. Refrain from eating any kind of refined carbohydrates and refined sugar as they have little nutritional value. Load up instead of good carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Make protein your buddy as it will help you put on lean muscle, cutting down the fat. A leaner built for a faster you!

Timing your meals is as important as knowing what to put inside your body. Your breakfast should load you up with slow-burn carbohydrates and fluids which fuel you for the rest of the day. Home-made porridge, muesli, whole-grain toast with honey or jam, bananas, fruit juice are all carb-loading. Remember to stay between a range of 5-9g carbohydrates for each kilogram you weigh per day. This helps you stay lean and not let the carbs turn into stored fat, leading to an increase in weight.

As your body can only store two hours worth of glycogen, it’s what you fuel your muscles with that keep powering your body. Here come the most liked energy bars that help you pave through the tough roads. These should be eaten every 35 to 45 minutes. If an energy bar sounds tedious, take a banana to give you an instant boost of calories, carbs, and potassium to recharge your body. Peanut butter sandwiches and fig bars are another power-packed way to replenish the road.

Hydration is your holy grail if you want to see yourself completing any cycle race. Drink water or an energy drink every half hour during a ride.

Smart riders always know that what comes after a race is as crucial as what happens during or before it. Focus on replenishing your glycogen levels as soon as you can. Any healthy, high calorie drink proves effective in getting carbs.

If you choose the cycling life, or the cycling life chooses you, know that your calorie requirement will lie on the higher side than usual. Estimate and take note of your additional calorie needs by multiplying the distance you usually travel by miles by 40-50 calories. This gives you your extra calorie requirement depending if you’re a slower or a faster rider.