Cycling Nutrition 101-What to eat and drink

Nutrition is one of the key elements of success in every single sport. You can only go as far as your body allows you, no matter how dedicated you are. Giving your body the nutrients that it needs to function will give you an edge, no matter which sport you choose.

It's especially important for an activity like cycling because it's so demanding. Good nutrition can have a huge impact on every aspect of cycling. Everything from muscle development to stamina is affected by the food you eat. This is why you need to keep track of your diet 'and what yourself optimal circumstances for success. Here's what every cyclist should keep in mind when drawing up a diet for themselves.

Proper hydration

Proper hydration is a key part of any sporting activity. Whether you enjoy running, boxing, or tennis, you're going to have to provide your body with an adequate amount of water to see good results. Starting off your session with good hydration is a great way to guarantee yourself optimal circumstances for a quality workout.

For a cyclist, hydration is especially important. It's an activity that really saps you of the water in your system. Cyclists need to be able to keep themselves hydrated throughout long-distance rides. Even a small percentage of dehydration can seriously inhibit your performance. You're likely going to be sweating half the trip, which means you're going to lose quite a bit of water as you ride. Staying hydrated will help you maintain your stamina and allow you to cover the distance without dehydrating.

Keep your water bottle on your person at all times as you ride. You're not going to feel the effects of dehydration right away, so it helps to keep a routine up. Take a few gulps here and there so that you're constantly replenishing your water reserves.

Hydration is just as important off the bike as it is on it. You need to make sure you're well-hydrated while recovering from your ride as well. The issue is, it's difficult to determine how much water you need throughout the day, as you can't really measure your losses in sweat. Or can you? You could always weight yourself before and after a ride to see how much weight you've lost. There's nothing to lose during the ride but water, so it's a good measure of how much you've dehydrated. This is how top athletes measure their hydration needs. If you've lost half a kilogram of weight, you should drink half a liter of water during your day to prepare for the next ride. 

The importance of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are an essential source of short and long-term energy for cyclists. They're the preferred source of energy that your body will use during any cyclist session. Before a single bit of fat gets burnt, the body will first look to carbs for its energy needs. This is why it's important that you get your fill of them before you can start your training session.

Carbs often get a bad rap in discussions of nutrition. They're generally seen as harmful due to their role in insulin spikes and weight gain. However, this isn't something you can fault carbs for. Most of our diets will be composed of carbs, but the types of carbs we consume tend to differ.

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. It's important that you pick the right source for your carbohydrate needs so that you can get optimal energy out of your meal. Both slow and quick release carbs have their uses. Slow-release carbs can fuel you with the energy you need to get through your workouts without having to take a snack all the time. Quick-release carbs aren't usually recommended for workouts unless you need an immediate boost of sugar and energy. Their only drawback is that they sap you from energy by spiking your insulin. As long as you pace yourself and consume an adequate amount of both types of carbs, you'll be able to get through your ride without issue.

Caloric intake

Regulating calories is a crucial aspect of any sport. You need to provide your body with the energy it needs to get through rigorous training. Ending up in a caloric deficit will inhibit your progress and muscle development. Whenever there's a deficit of calories, the body utilizes fat and muscle reserves to compensate. This is something you don't want to happen, as it can leave you weaker and less able to complete your workout.

Cycling is especially demanding when it comes to caloric intake. It takes a lot of energy to cycle long distances, and you'll need to up your caloric intake to be able to keep up. However, this presents a complex problem for dedicated cyclists. How many calories are too many? It's easy to reach into the fridge and grab your favorite snack every time you finish a workout, but that might not be the best decision. You don't want to overdo it, as you might end up getting more calories than you bargained for.gaining weight will only slow you down and make it even more difficult to reach your physical potential. Worse yet, an intake of bad calories could leave you feeling sluggish and weak, simply because you aren't distributing them properly.

This is why it's crucial that you stick to healthy food choices that will add the right number of calories to your diet. The best way to figure out how many calories you need would be to use simple math. Many nutritionists have come up with good estimates for how many calories a cyclist needs based on their distance traveled. For every mile that you cover, you're going to want to add around fifty calories to your regular diet. If you go thirty miles one day, you'll want to eat somewhere between 1200 and 1500 calories. It also depends on how difficult your session is and how fast you go. If you prefer a casual low ride, you should err to the lower end of this span.

If you prefer not to do the math on your own, you could always use a simple gadget to assist you. Cycling computers can calculate the rough number of calories you need after every ride. They will use your speed and the difficulty of the slope to determine this. It's going to save you some time when counting up your daily needs, so it's worth considering.

Recovering from a workout

The food you eat after a workout is just as important as pre-fueling for it. Your body is drained of energy and nutrients, and you have to compensate for this loss to prevent it from getting to a deficit. This is something you can easily achieve as long as you know what your body needs.

Carbohydrates and protein should be your top priorities after a, particularly difficult ride. Your body will break down muscle fibers as you go, and you need to get them back on track with protein. At the same time, your body is constantly expending energy, which means your carbohydrates are slowly being used up. Fats are always helpful, but they take a while to process in your digestive system.

It's important that you get this nutrition to your body quickly. The first twenty minutes after a workout are optimal for nutrient absorption. Your body is able to bring these nutrients to your muscles and tendons rather quickly during this time, so you should take advantage of It. If you consume a carbohydrate-rich meal right after a difficult ride, you'll be able to efficiently replenish your energy stores. Protein works much the same way. Get it into your system as soon as possible and your muscles will utilize them on time.

Supplementing protein

Around twelve to somewhere twenty percent of your daily food intake will consist of protein. This mostly applies to the general population on average. Eating a healthy dose of protein every day keeps your muscles healthy and functional and prevents the body from breaking them down. However, dedicated athletes will often require an extra boost of protein to keep their muscle growth consistent over long periods. Constant exercise will often create a higher demand for protein, which means supplementing is strongly recommended.

The way you provide your body with extra protein depends on your tastes. Some people will prefer to go the cooking route and prepare protein-heavy meals for themselves. Beans, lentils, and nuts have been proven useful for protein supplementation. On the other hand, others will keep their diets relatively similar, while adding some direct protein in the form of powders and shakes.

For cyclists, it's especially important that they consume the right amount of quality post workout protein, as their bodies require intake during, particularly long rides. It's also crucial that this protein is easily digestible since you don't want to go cycling on a full stomach. Having a protein shake ready at hand will allow you to consume protein as you go. It's easy to transport and you don't need to prepare it in any way.

Aiming for good fats

Fats are an integral part of any healthy diet. While the term "fat" might have negative connotations, fats are not necessarily unhealthy. It depends on the type and amount of fat that you consume. This is why it's important to distinguish "good ” fats from “bad” ones.

You might be familiar with saturated and unsaturated fats, but what's the key difference that sets them apart? Good fats consist of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. You know them as Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9    fats. a constant supply of them to function properly. Saturated fats are usually found in meats and processed products, and they're not particularly important.T hey can contribute to problems with cardiovascular health, and should thus be limited in your diet.

Consuming good fats should be your main goal when aiming for a good cycling diet. They provide a variety of benefits to your health, while also giving you extra energy for a workout.  A cyclist should aim to consume around twenty grams of good fats per day. With this small amount, you'll get all the great health benefits, while also avoiding the consumption of too many calories.

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals should always be considered when forming a sports-oriented diet. Without them, your body can't function at peak capacity. In the case of vitamins, it can't function at all without the right amount. This is why you have to keep track of them and make sure your chosen foodstuffs contain enough vitamins for your body's needs.

There are two main types of vitamins that you need: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Four of them are fat-soluble. These include vitamins A, E, D, and K.  These rarely present a problem, as they're stored. in the body's fat reserves. You won't be running out of them any time soon unless your diet is lacking in some key foodstuffs. Water-soluble vitamins are a different story. Vitamin C, for example, needs to be consumed daily. Not a lot of it is necessary, but it's something you still need to keep track of.

Minerals work in a pretty similar way. Some of them should be consumed daily, while others you only need from time to time. So, how do you provide your body with the right blend of vitamins and minerals?  As with any diet, a cyclist should aim to eat a wide variety of foods. Stay away from processed foodstuffs and make sure to include lots of vegetables and fruit in your diet. It's not without reason that parents stress the importance of eating lots of fruit and leafy greens. you healthy and allow your muscles to function optimally during your workout.

Conclusion

The right diet can get your body in shape and keep it that way. Eating a healthier diet will help improve every part of the cycling journey. Not only will you find your workouts to be much easier, but you'll be able to push further and test your own limits. Nutrition will get you just as far as dedication and a strong will, so you might as well add it to the repertoire.