Keeping It Simple Sustenance for Cycling

When my cycling club asked me if I would write an article on nutrition for the MasterLink (their newsletter) I initially balked.  First, sports nutrition is not my specific area of expertise. Besides I thought, many cyclists are already “on their own team” so to speak with their eating.

Second, I have found that folks often become self-conscious about their eating if they find out that I am a nutritionist.  Believe me, I am not the paragon of virtue that my knowledge level should have inspired.  I came into the field from the disordered end of the spectrum, so I get it if, as an otherwise informed and intelligent individual, you still choose to make food decisions (at least some of the time) based purely on pleasure, not proper nourishment.  Didier’s almond croissant springs to mind!  So I will make a deal with your right now – I won’t scrutinize you if you don’t scrutinize me, OK?

Third, nutrition is a dynamic field with new information continuing to unfold daily.  Biochemical individuality makes no one answer right for everyone and no single information source 100% reliable. Then there is the mainstream media who unfortunately often get it wrong.  So even with the best of intentions, we may be living by inaccurate or outdated information. That said, here’s some science that can make us more informed consumers.

Perhaps you have already found your stride for sustaining energy for cycling, but it still may be worth a look at the quality of your diet because every morsel of food we eat is information to our cells, every morsel.  Each tells our cells to become healthier or less healthy, to function properly or not so much, to thrive or to sicken.

Case in point:  Many chronic conditions we call diseases today (like Type II Diabetes) are actually our body trying to defend us from our sugar habits and to self-correct for the damaging choices we are often unknowingly making.  Our body has not betrayed us.  It is trying to save us from ourselves.

On the bright side though, our body is very forgiving and it is harmed more by what is lacking in our diet than by throwing some junk on top of an otherwise healthy diet and active lifestyle.  The nutrients in our food help comprise the internal army that defends us against some of our more questionable choices.  So arm it well.

A good measure of overall health and longevity is how efficiently we burn fat, which in turn is contingent upon how well our insulin functions.  Insulin is a storage hormone and excess amounts secreted when we eat a high sugar/processed carb diet increase the risks of most chronic illnesses, initiate inflammation and worse yet, tell our body to sequester body fat and make it inaccessible for fuel.

Our body becomes what we ask it to do.  If we teach it to be a fat burner, it will become just that.  If we teach it to be a fat storer, it will become that instead.  How?  By the type of exercise we do and food choices we make.  Both matter.

The amount of insulin required to process our first meal sets the stage for insulin response for the entire day. Interestingly, legumes have so much soluble fiber that they actually improve blood sugar response even at the next meal.

A pre-ride meal of protein, fat and some whole food carb will provide a slow steady release of sugar throughout our ride.  I find it helpful to start my day with something that isn’t sweet so pre-made, frozen soups like split pea (I protein spike mine with the Teton Waters Ranch grass-fed polish sausage from Costco) and even chili make a hearty start for winter riding.

We will likely need more fuel mid-ride though if we are riding for long durations or if we consumed primarily processed carb for breakfast like cereal and skim milk or a bagel. Without something to slow it down (fiber, protein or fat) the sugar will spike and then plummet leaving us longing for, you guessed it, more sugar.  If the cereal is whole grain like steel cut oats, there is more nutritional value and the process is slowed somewhat, but it still virtually all becomes sugar.

We can always refuel with a fast sugar choice like a sports drink or bagel, but we could also choose something that would give us a steadier sugar release and some nutritional value.  Apple is slower than banana (think fiber) and nut butter (think protein and fat) slows them down even more.

Sports bar labels need scrutiny as many of them are nothing more than highly processed, glorified cookies, and I suspect we would not argue so vehemently for their convenience if they tasted like chicken and broccoli.  Equally convenient, more cost effective, temperature resistant and nutritionally loaded options could be nuts and dried high fiber fruits like figs. Rule of thumb: real trumps processed every time.

Try this link for more easy make aheads, portable options and sound science.  (https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=irenamacri.com/paleo-on-th-go-breakfast-lunch-and-snack-ideas&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8).

If however we would rather teach our body to become a fat burner and use our own stored body fat for fuel (and who wouldn’t?), then no loading up on carb before during or even after our ride.  Instead, teach our body to turn to that belly fat, keeping insulin low by consistently practicing a low starchy carb diet.  It could take some weeks before our body adjusts efficiently though since different enzymes and more steps are required to convert fat to fuel. As with fitness, the body has to learn what we expect of it. The best time to have any starchy carb or sugar in this case would be within a couple of hours after the ride when we are replenishing glycogen (stored carbohydrate energy).

Perhaps most importantly, studies show athletes generate more oxidative stress (read: free radicals) since they process more oxygen.  Exercisers therefore need even more of the anti-oxidant containing foods to quench that internal fire.  Where do these anti-oxidants ideally come from? Vegetables and fruits – especially non-starchy, colorful produce and low-glycemic fruits like berries.

That’s some sports specific direction, but here’s what’s always true:

1. Eat real food.  Nature is smart enough to incorporate all the essential elements for efficient uptake and utilization if we would just stop processing them out.

2. Blood sugar management isn’t just for sustained energy when cycling.  It is central to all the chronic conditions that we accept as “aging”.

3. My favorite that my sister made into a quilted wall hanging for me with a quote from one of my newsletters.  It graced the walls of my office for 25 years and its message is as true today as it was then:

“The answer to any question about nutrition or weight management (and now add exercise) is always the same…vegetables, vegetables, vegetables.”