Ten Mantras for Endurance Cyclists

by Susan I. Barr, PhD, RDN, FACSM

Susan Barr, is a Professor of Nutrition, University of British Columbia. She is a veteran of the Rocky Mountain 1200, Paris-Brest-Paris, Team Furnace Creek 508, Pacific Crest and PAC Tours

1. One-way Principle
   ~ Food and drink should be palatable, go down easily, and stay down.


2. Moderation, Variety and Balance
   ~ Moderation: no good foods or bad foods; rather, healthy diets and not so healthy diets.
   ~ Variety: nutrients are distributed in different foods.
   ~ Balance:
       · your diet isn't too lopsided (e.g., so high in carbohydrate that protein is neglected).
       · energy balance (eating enough to meet your energy needs).
       · fluid balance.
   


3. Water, Water Everywhere
   ~ Maintain fluid balance while riding. To estimate your rate of fluid loss, weigh yourself nude before and after a ride.
   ~ Sweat rates when exercising hard in hot weather can exceed 1 L/hr (35 oz) and average stomach emptying rate is just over 1 L/hr, so it's not always possible to keep up.
   ~ Drinking on the bike is learned and that you can get used to the feeling of more fluid in your stomach.


4. Pass the Salt
   ~ Sweat contains about 1 g of sodium / liter!


5. I Never Met a Carbohydrate I Didn't Like
   ~ A minimum of 5 g CHO/kg of body weight/day, and up to ~10 g/kg/day for those in heavy training.
       · 154 lb person: 350 - 700 g CHO / day (1400 - 2800 calories from carbohydrates)
       · 176 lb person: 400 - 800 g CHO / day (1600 - 3200 calories from carbohydrates)


6. Fat is Not a Four Letter Word
   ~ For those in heavy training, fat calories are a good way to meet high energy needs.


7. Where's the Beef?
   ~ Lean meat is the best source of iron and is also a good source of zinc, B vitamins, and high-quality protein.
   ~ Although there’s still some debate, athletes may need more protein — perhaps 1.2-1.5 g/kg of body weight
       · 154 lb athlete: 84-105 g protein / day (336 - 420 calories from protein).
       · 176 lb athlete: 96-120 g protein / day (384 - 480 calories from protein)
   ~ As examples, 3 oz. of meat, fish, or poultry provides about 20 g protein; 1 oz cheese,1 egg, or 4 oz of tofu provides 7-10 gm of protein.


8. Calories or Convenience?
   ~ Bars, gels and sports drinks are convenient, but don’t provide superior nutrition compared to "real food".


9. Timing is Everything
   ~ Before cycling: 50 - 200 g CHO, 1 - 4 hours before activity if you want your stomach empty when you start cycling.
   ~ Before a long ride, larger quantities in closer proximity to the start of the ride.
   ~ During a ride 50 g/hr for a 70 kg cyclist riding a century
   ~ Longer rides, balance the energy you’re using with what you’re taking in over the course of a 24-hr period.
   ~ After a ride, take in carbohydrate soon after exercise to help replace glycogen stores.



10. Be Prepared
    ~ Eat before you’re hungry; drink before you're thirsty.
    ~ Know how far it is to the next minimart!

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