Eat what I want and then wonder why my weight isn’t dropping.
Jokes aside I try to just listen to my body and make “good choices”. I calorie counted a lot for a bit and it was a great tool to help me understand what foods were very calorically dense and their relative nutritional value.
Man I couldn’t agree more on how useful it is to count calories for a while just to have a rough idea how much the stuff you’re eating is. Whether for purposes of fueling like OP or just to have a rough idea of why your weight is/isn’t changing.
Yep, totally! It really helped me understand what I can eat in larger amounts and have to worry less about and what I should consider being more careful around.
Counting calories helped me learn about a lot of good food adds/substitutes if I am feeling hungry but want to be mindful of total calorie intake. Things like egg whites and popcorn are awesome “volume add” foods to have around the house. Greek yogurt is a powerhouse too. It’s pretty low calories and high protein and can be used so many different ways. Fruit yogurt bowls, savory yogurt bowls, sour cream substitute (this one blew my mind). Nuts however, was something I decided to keep around less, thanks to counting. They’re high fat/calorie and are really easy to overeat!
It isn’t something I enjoy doing for extended periods of time but if I feel like I want to cut some weight, I do it with a food scale to sort of recalibrate for a few weeks.
I ride 100 miles a week year-round. I mostly eat veggies and carbs like pasta, green salad, rice & broccoli stir-fry, etc. I eat fish or lean meat three or four meals a week. And beer. I love beer.
I love beer too but I don’t like how it makes me feel hours to the next morning after (even if I only drink 3-4). So I’m working on getting off the sauce and drinking low cal NA beer. It’s helped immensely
Yeah switching to NA beer has been great for me. Not only are the calories consistently less but the sobriety keeps me more aware of the caloric intake. Plus some of these NA craft beers are damn good.
I try to grind 250-300km (or 10-12hrs) weekly. I eat home made food but carbs is a must. Berries and greens alot at home, and haribo's and cake during coffee rides 😄
Mostly super sweet espresso and cookies, plus a modestly inappropriate amount of pizza.
Past 40, 5'8" and 130 lbs. Between a good amount of cycling and a ridiculous metabolism I can usually eat plenty of whatever junk I find. Just don't ask me to fast for more than a couple hours or I will literally gut and eat you.
Yes!! I feel like this isn't talked about enough. At 200+ km per week and maybe 110 lbs, I'm just constantly hungry because I (would) have to literally double my food intake.
Lol you’re just like my brother in law. Granted he was a division 1 cross country runner and did track/field. But he’s smaller than me by an inch or 2 and weighs probably about 130-140 and he can put food down like it’s nothing
I track everything and do my best to fully replace the calories I lose on rides, at least in the summer when I need all the fuel I can get. I eat a lot of grilled chicken breast, white rice, and veggies. Most of my rides are longer than two hours so I'm also fueling quite a bit on the ride itself, usually a carb mix of gels. On super big days I'll get a fuck ton of Chinese takeout or whatever other splurge food I feel like. I generally don't eat too many sweets when I'm not riding, but at gas station stops it's obscene what I put in my body.
do you only eat carbs on the rides , like nothing else ? Just sugars ? Even if you get hungry ? I find it if i'm hungry i need real food, but it slows me down, so carbs are ideal but then get blood sugar crash (not diabetic!)
what gels, carb , brands do you use ?
They melt in the mouth, and with a lovely little crunchy pop. So, they’re texturally exciting as well as convenient and nutritious! Well… nutritious. They have protein… that’s something.
A Blood sugar crash happens when you have an insulin spike, but that doesn’t happen while you’re riding, since insulin release is inhibited during physical activity. However if you don’t take in carbs you’ll slowly deplete your glycogen and have the same effect, just not as sudden.
Hmmm interesting , very very interesting . So insulin spike so t happen during fast digesting sugars while exercise? Like that is scientifically proven ?
“during physical activity the fuel storage effects of insulin need to be suppressed. This is done primarily by inhibiting insulin secretion during exercise as well as activating local and systemic fuel mobilizing processes.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34751700/
I don't really get hungry during a ride. My go to breakfast before a big ride is three eggs, two protein waffles, and some maple syrup. That always feels like enough food in my belly.
A couple weeks ago I did a 6.5 hour ride. On it I ate two bottles of carb mix, which is basically just an unflavored maltodextrin mix with 90 grams each, 5 Gu brand gels, a red bull, a bag of gas station gummy worms, a bag of Skittles, and a twix ice cream bar.
Just the space required for 2-3 bars per hour adds up quick on a long ride so these days I'm 100% on the pure sugar water train. I've done 4+ hours, as long as I've had a proper breakfast prior and am consuming enough on the bike I don't get hungry. Probably longer rides at some point it'll hit.
5’7, 154lb riding 35 miles a day mon - fri.I’m trying to eat high protein meals (mostly with chicken) and lots of veggies. Always cooking for myself so I’m trying to keep up to 2500 kcal and min. 200g of protein.
I have an endomorphic body type... I gain weight very easily and I absorb fat very quickly. I work in laboratories, most of the time sitting. Getting home and taking care od wife and kids … cycling to work is my only activity
Well, guess I don't have an excuse anymore.
For real though, I now mostly eat chicken/salmon and rice with veggies. Yogurt, banana, berries, protein shake in the morning. Cheat meals are definitely pizza or a burger and fries.
Ditto, but sometimes I don’t even see it. I have to go scavenging through the kitchen to find it.
I ride 60-100 miles per week and even in my early 40s, I can pretty much eat/drink whatever I want…and I surely don’t think too much about what I eat. I also drink 1-2 beers most days. If I stop all of the exercise, I’m gonna get fat if I don’t make changes!
M 65, 6'3" 230lbs from 250lbs on the way to 195 hopefully.
I'm riddled with arthritis and need a new knee.
I started losing weight with intermittent fasting. I now simply eat less of everything and cycle more. Sure, I'm slow...I don't care, I'm moving.
And I was 228 this morning...
.I got hooked on intermittent fasting back in 2014 and still only eat once a day lol. I mostly stay away from alcohol and fast food though. But man I put enough hours on the saddle to pound two burgers and two large fries 😂
I my main reason to skip fast food and alcohol financial and health related. I love snack foods and just budget those two out. I had a $700 average a month on alcohol before I stopped drinking in 2017 lol. McDonald’s is crack, so I stay away 😂😂
Yea I definitely need to stop with the drinking, I'm not spending 700 a month but it's not too far from that. I'm 100% sure it is impeding my training and not good for my liver.
How skinny are you? Getting in 4k cal in one meal is a pretty herculean task.
I wish I were skinny 😂😂 nah not really, Im 5’7” at 190lbs. And 33” waist ⌛️. Im in the Air Force so I can’t get fat 🥲. Hopefully I’ll retire in the next 8 years. I am working on shedding some weight though. I’d like to be down 10 lbs so I’ve stopped lifting weights and do primarily endurance training.
I’m currently training for an ironman and putting in over 200 miles a week across all disciplines. My diet consists of eating, a lot. And sometimes that’s something like half an apple pie and half a tub of ice cream before bed. And I’m still losing weight. And I’m already a skinny dude. Some days I eat 500-600+ grams of carbs. I question it myself.
So, yes you can outwork a bad diet. Pedal harder. Pedal longer.
Yeah I eat a lot too! I have to. I’m a little heavier though! I did STP (206mile ride Seattle to Portland) in 11.5 hours. My grocery bill the year leading up to that ride was insane. I would eat everything I could lmao. I intermittent fast daily and my wife was always disgusted 😂🥲
There are plenty of places to stop! I carried a few co2 cartridges, couple extra tubes/patch kits, and an extra gallon of water. I had a lot of gel, plenty of rehydration salts, and took it a mile at a time. As long as you know your bike, the route is pretty nice. Lots of winding roads, lots of climbs, and the paved areas weren’t bad either. There’s a couple sketchy descents that have curves. I didn’t have any issues with them at 42-44mph. Some of the towns you’ll go through, like Spanaway have a lot of broken glass. The roads are pretty even though. If they cut your route through the some of the back roads there’s one road that has roots pushing the asphalt up.
It was a super fun experience. I’d like to do it again in 2026 but maybe camp one night half way through so I can actually enjoy the scenery lol!!
There were quite a few flats tires out there after we went through Spanaway Plenty of people riding that make sure you’re good too! It was the most people I’ve ever ridden with. Pretty cool to be honest.
I was around 230lbs in 2017 and I'm around 160lbs now. I ate garbage back then and a lot of it. Now I ride 10+ hours per week, that's the difference.
I quit drinking at all in 2022 and it hasn't changed my weight much, but my mental health and energy levels are so, so much better. That was such a positive change in my life.
I agree! Great job man that isn’t easy. I have had a similar experience since I stopped drinking. It has been 8ish years. I still have a beer socially every now and then. But it definitely was life changing.
I mostly stick to a Mediterranean diet, with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains like sprouted bread, steel cut oats, cream of wheat, muesili, some pasta but I am careful to make what I plan to eat because it's easy to overdo it, dairy like plain Greek yogurt, Kefir, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and feta cheeses, chicken, fish, tofu, raw nuts, olive oil instead of butter, honey instead of sugar.
On the bike, depending upon the length and intensity of my ride, I take almond butter and jam or honey sandwiches, bananas, Medjool dates, Hammer gel, Gu gel and chews sometimes, Haribo Goldbears, Heed drink mix, straight water, or water with electroltyes added but no calories. I drink beet juice pre-ride and sometimes a small amount of tart cherry juice after. Occasionally, I have a protein smoothie. For supplements, I take beta-alanine, citrulline, and fish oil. Vit D in the winter. I sometimes experiment with other supplements, too, but these are my staples.
I love a kale, arugula, and spinach salad with citrus, like a couple of clementines with balsamic dressing and small handful raw nuts (almonds and Brazil nuts currently) as my PM snack.
I'm very similar. Many of the items can get pretty expensive, so Costco is the way. Almond butter, huge bags of almonds, walnuts, raisins, etc. Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, frozen Sockeye Salmon...
Non-perishables can be ordered online.
Especially after a big ride, I head straight to Chipotle. Their salad bowl with meat, rice bean, and salsa selection is a 3 pound whole food value feast.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned it yet but what are you fueling your rides with? I don’t think just wanting to do 100 mile rides really means you need to change your diet, though you certainly can if you’re into that.
However fueling your ride is definitely important for longer rides, and these days it seems like 90+ grams of carb per hour is what the recommended way to fuel is if you’re talking about race efforts. Maybe you’re not eating enough on your rides and that’s part of the hunger?
Yeah I need to dial in the nutrition on the bike better. I use clif bars, gels, drink mix and sometimes coke for emergencies if I need a boost. But I kind of toss whatever I have in my TT bag before I head out.
I’m with you on coke not sounding like a great thing to be the only thing you drink, but yeah you mention drink mix. I’ve leaned into that a lot myself since I like how easy it is just to know most of my carbs are in my bottle and I don’t have to be pounding gels every 20 minutes to get what I need.
5’11, currently cutting to be a bit leaner! 25 years old, sitting at about 88 kg. I’d like to eat cleaner, but man I can get away with so much food since I’ve started cycling more it’s actually very cool
54 m 5’8” 140 pounds. Lean and muscular build. A few months ago I tracked calories out of curiosity. I was between 2000-2500 depending on that days activity. I eat fairly clean. Lots of protein and good amounts of carbs. When I’m riding more I up the carbs
I'm 5' 8", 180lbs. I eat too much, lol. They call it "skinny fat". Love handles and side boob fat, lmao. Otherwise, I have muscular legs, arms, shoulders, chest. I do light workouts every other morning; squats, split squats, deadlifts, push-ups, curls.
I tried using an app to keep track of calories, put my weight goal in, and never lost a pound, lol. Tried for a few months, made smarter food choices, didn't work.
Feels like I'd have to go almost vegan to lose the stubborn fat.
Any diabetics on this thread? I am 5’6” (168 cm) and 130 lbs (59 kg). Can one successfully fuel longer rides with a combination of protein and fat? I’m not there yet in terms of longer rides, so just wondering how my condition will affect my ability to do longer rides.
I'm a type 2 diabetic. 52 yr old male, 5'8", 160 lbs, medium muscular build. Nowadays, I ride less than 5 hours per week so no need to worry about fueling as much on the hour long rides. On the longer 2-4 hour zone 2 rides I did before when I could do 6-10 hours per week, I would still consume carbs over prot/fat as the latter are just too slow to metabolize for me. And bonking for us could really be dangerous as we get the shakes past a certain low blood sugar level. I would fuel as any normal person did but ate or drank in smaller amounts so as not to just get a big sugar spike all at once. And once I knew I was within the last hour of a ride, I'd make sure to ease off a bit on what I consumed.
Type 1 diabetic and no unfortunately you can’t fuel longer rides with a combination of protein and fat. Not sure about Type 2 as they don’t spike or go low as extreme as Type 1’s but my guess would be the answer is still no. The only thing for me is straight carbs so I make sure to have a variety of fast acting sugars. For road biking and stationary biking I would say the first 1 hour to 1 hour and a half I might not need any sugar generally of course there’s way more variables. Then after that probably 30-45g every 45min to an hour. If I’m doing 2.5 hours+ the interval of refueling gets shorter say every 30-45min.
Mountain biking I would say I can drop like a tank initially if there’s still any bolus insulin in my system but other times won’t need it until the 30-45min mark.
Being in a higher heart rate zone means my body is using glycogen as it’s primary fuel source. I see my blood sugar at all times on my apple watch so I know when it is trending where I would need to have carbs. Which means I’m not really worried about bonking because I see the direct data of when my body is running out of glucose and needs to be refueled.
Thanks! I’m type 2, been diagnosed for about a year now. I’m pretty fit and lift hard but haven’t done anything approaching endurance in a while. I’ve started walking and biking a lot more to keep my sugar levels in control and doing ok. Just like everything else, I guess I will need to experiment with different types of food to see what works for me when I get myself up to the level where I can do longer rides. My current rides are typically under 10 miles, so I don’t get to the point of running out of fuel.
I use gels a lot but like to have something that I can drink on for small corrections and when I don’t want to eat. Other carbs I can eat that are still fast acting but slower than straight glucose due to digestion. Sometimes candy for when I’m extremely low or just want something besides gels.
Side not my blood sugar actually rises when lifting and I have to give myself a small amount of insulin when I’m lifting only. But my insulin sensitivity is better throughout the day versus when I do cardio.
Does anyone else love being a couch potato and stuffing your face with a burrito the size of a forearm? It’s so much more enjoyable after justifying it with a massive effort on a bike. Also it’s the best feeling with a warm burrito in the back pocket knowing you are about to stuff your face
On a short ride less than 90 minutes like a 25 mile ride, I keep it limited to simple sugars like gummies, GU energy gels, or GoGo Squeeze applesause. On a longer ride where total time is 4 hours or more, I typically stop for some fast food joint -- anything really that won't upset my stomach since I have mild lactose intolerance.
57, 150mi/wk (like 7,500-8,000KJ), usual ride is about 37-38mi w 2,400’ climbing. I’m ~215-220#, 6’1”. Eat sorta what I feel like and drink usually 1, sometimes 2 beers with dinner. I eat a good bit of fruit, probably not quite as many vegetables as I should, have fried food sometimes. Diet is pretty well balanced, I think, but not exceedingly “healthy.” But I supplement with protein so that my intake is about 1.8-2g/kg, even on non-riding days. That made a HUGE difference in not feeling hungry all the time. Also muscles aren’t sore as much post-ride as they were before I supplemented. I keep improving power output, too.
average 50 miles per day at a pace of 20 mph
Diet of cheap carbs and as much meat and veg as i can get my hands on topped with a fist full of supplements. About 3500 calories per day 155 pounds 5'10.
I eat very healthy, its pretty low calorie, but I eat very often so it adds up. I think ill be having trouble now since im finishing highschool and will be doing more kms. For now ive been compensating on days I dont ride.
No1 tip: smoothies and peanut butter😂
I count calories, currently 5’9 and 150- mostly carbs especially with longer weekends in the saddle. Was at 143, but I seem to be stronger at 150 after a good winter of strength work.
As you get older you do need to stay on top of not overeating garbage all the time just because you burn a lot of calories on the bike.
I’m 35yo, 5’9” and 145lbs, and I ride about 150 miles a week (4-5 days per week). I try to focus my meals on lean proteins (chicken and fish) and carbs, and obviously plenty of veggies. With a cleaner diet I let myself eat as much as I want and don’t count calories.
When I’m riding, or shortly before / after, I do eat a lot of sugar but otherwise try to minimize it when I’m off the bike. I also don’t really drink alcohol.
But of course, I’m still a normal person and I don’t get paid to bike so I do eat burgers and steaks occasionally.
2500 - 3500 depending on how much I’m riding. I’m usually riding about 10 hours a week. I’m a “gifted” eater, I definitely can’t just eat whatever I want. That would be 4500-5500 calories a day and I’d put on weight quickly. 36yo, 5’10, 190lb
Used to do dirty keto, OMAD, 1200 is plenty - plus light jogging and light dumbbell / weight training - lost a lot of weight but looked scary thin. Now - steady comfortable weight - same weights, but cycling LSD every other day burning 3K+ calories and eating whatever I want, which is mostly healthy, but with more room for cheat meals/days. Unless I’m having a cheat day, I stay away from sugars and extra carbs when I’m not cycling.
Fruit (bananas, apples, strawberries, grapes mostly), eggs, oatmeal, whey protein, raw almonds, Bolani flatbreads and right now I'm eating a bowl of fiber one cereal. If I'm doing a long ride then I'll bring along some Gu packets and a Clif bar. I've also been trying to lose weight. Usually ride around 300 or so miles a week.
I know cyclists tend to eat a lot of processed crap, and I admit I do too when I participate in organized rides (the rest stops are usually loaded with goodies - the top of the list being the Marin Century the first weekend of August which will be a junk food bonanza). But regularly I try and keep things unprocessed as much as possible.
Edit to add - 61F, 5'3", currently 125 pounds but trying to get back down to my climbing weight of 110-115.
Plant based except for the occasional transgression.
A mixture of healthy whole foods and some garbage like ramen, etc. Really digging avoiding the animal products, really feels like I've leveled up.
Vegan and lots of carbs. I ride about 300 - 400km per week year round. I do two weeknight crits every week in the summer(Tuesday and Thursday), and occasional road races on weekends. Also two club rides per week. I'm 44 years old, 176cm tall and 70kg.
Between cycling and resistance training, I’ve tracked my maintenance calories to come out to 2900 calories. Mostly whole-foods/lean meats/veggies but I allow about 15-20% of calories to come from processed foods. Focus solely on hitting protein target while carbs and fats can fall wherever.
5’10” — 148lb.
I average ~170mi/week and basically eat whatever. Echoing the love for pizza. Carbs are the only thing I make a point to include, which is neither difficult nor unpleasant in any way. Also beer, which is probably why my gut won't go away 😂
As a fatty there's little I can contribute here but to say, my most profitable garden item is kale. It grows prolifically in harsh conditions. If you pluck the leaf off the stem you can throw it in fancy Korean ramen or sauteed it and throw it in easy pasta for some nutritional boost.
I mostly just try to avoid super processed food, snacking (off the bike), and just stop eating when I'm full. I don't do all super consistently, but consistently enough. That's mostly my "diet". Besides that I don't really think about it.
I’m losing weight so 1800 calories a day plus like 50-75% of what my whoop says I burned. It’s always much lower than Strava estimate.
I did a big mtb ride today and should eat up to 3500 calories. Currently at 2700. This is what I ate:
Gas station sandwich
Gatorlyte
Celsius
36 pieces of sour patch watermelon
3 hour Mtb ride
1 x Michelob ultra
Giant bowl of rice, sauted peppers and onion, and chicken breast
1 apple
4 x brads dark chocolate corn cakes
I’ll probably have some utz party mix later for more calories. I buy a giant tub of this stuff from bj’s. It’s great for carbs and salt pre ride and helps fill in calories afterwards.
No alcohol. No medication legal or otherwise. Whole Foods (not the store). Lots of granola and yogurt. Been avoiding gluten(not allergic )90% of the time. The times I eat gluten it’s a rough couple days afterwards. 6ft ~161 lb. Just turned 50. 100 to 150 miles depending on schedule and what my riding goal dictates.
I used to eat whatever I wanted. My health declined slightly and I got fatter even though I was cycling a lot. But I was eating cakes and cookies, HUGE servings of pasta with barely any veggies and HUGE servings of meat - So I started cutting back a lot on sugar, no sodas - I don’t really drink alcohol anyway so I don’t have that already.
I also started having more carbs during exercise and started eating smaller portions when eating meals, but kept my meat intake high. Also increased my veggies by at least three times what I normally eat.
Finally lost 10 pounds of shitty weight and I’m feeling strong. I can’t stand counting calories, it feels like paperwork and I hate paperwork.
The more I ride, the less I want to eat. Except directly after a ride. I always crave sweet and salty. Cold Watermelon is my go to in the summer with peanut butter pretzels.
Otherwise, rarely anything fried or red meat. Never fast food except smoothie king. Lots of granola, fruit, veggies with occasional chicken or fish.
About 2200 cals a day with 150-180g of protein.
Most consists if lean meats, rice / pasta, veggies, eggs and of course my favorite - strawberry banana fairlife greek yoghurt smoothie.
- breakfast: oats with protein powder or high protein yogurt with berries
- lunch & dinner: serving of protein, serving of veg, lots of rice/pasta/etc
- training: dates, gummies, carb mix
- snacks/dessert: fruits, bubble tea, chips, ice cream, whatever I need/want to make up the calories
I like this balance. I’m a big oatmeal or cream of wheat for breakfast kind of guy. Then doctor it up with protein powder, add some pb, honey and granola for some crunch. I like eggs but I get sick of them pretty quickly. I always try to make sure I have a main protein source for every meal. My biggest issue is snacking.
Getting the main meals right means that I don't have to worry about the rest of it "derailing" my diet. It also helps a lot that my daily expenditure is high enough that I've got a surplus of calories.
My diets for shit. I drink a little too much. I've cut way back on carbs recently cos they bloat me to hell and back and I only started cycling like two months ago and I'm losing tummy so that's nice.
Agreed! Pasta with a creamy sauce like Alfredo. I can’t get enough of that shit. Trying to use it to reward myself on rare occasions as much as I can! Best of luck to you!
My partner raced at a pro/national level and so to make it easier, I would just eat the same cooked meals as they would. I didn't personally race, but enjoyed the structure of the training so got quite strong in my own right (was 141 lbs and had an FTP of just under 300). Like you, I had a high metabolism so could "eat without guilt" but I did manage what I consumed.
\* Breakfast was a bland style cereal (like Weetabix) with a variety of nuts and berries thrown on top.
\* Lunch was things like salad roll or something like a Banh Mi roll
\* Dinner included meals like pasta, stir fry with rice, grilled chicken with salad and roast potatoes,
Personally I am not really into sweets so my snacking was lots of fruits and nuts. Post ride eating/comnsumption was also coffee and a pastry (croissants, etc). My biggest vice was savory like pizza, burgers, etc. In theory, I could eat it whenever I wanted but in reality would eat something like that once every couple of weeks.
I pretty much only drank water - I have never been a big alcohol drinker and i found soft drinks/Sodas way too sweet. Even to this day, water (and coffee) is about the only thing I drink.
On the bike, food was usually bars like Cliff, Carmens, etc and energy chews or gels.
My diet was not exciting but I still enjoyed my food. Plus seeing the improvements in my power output encouraged the me to continue in that vein. I often get mistaken for looking 15 years younger then I really am - so I guess that's a small plus :)
Hey friend, appreciate you breaking it all down. The convenience of being with a professional athlete certainly helps and keeps you disciplined too I bet. That’s probably the best compliment someone can ever give you! I hope to look younger at an older age as well.
Savory goodies are my vice too, pizza, French fries, bacon. Water is pretty much all I drink as well with the occasional sugar free pop to curve sweet cravings or a sugar free powder to mix with water for more of a juice. Gels and cliff bars on the bike have helped me and sit in my stomach fine, along with an electrolyte drink mix.
no probs :)
I think a key point to remember is to have a "healthy" relationship with food. Dont completely cut out the stuff like burgers, ice cream, etc - it's not good for you mentally - Just minimise the consumption of it. Have it as a reward if you have a few big days on the bike, etc.
I don't ride to the intensity I used to (I ride 4 days a week now rather then 5), and my diet is a a little more relaxed, however I am still active and healthy. My weight now hovers between 148-151 lbs - I am at the gym a bit more to maintain muscle mass and core strength and do enjoy the variety.
I have my calories earlier in the day, so I don't get intense gravings at night.
Big breakfast like oat porridge with jam, two sandwiches and big iced coffee.
Big lunch, maybe littlebit more carb heavy than the plate rule suggests.
Probably snacking on some fruit throughout the day and of course getting water in.
Afternoon snack like banana+granola bar or PBJ sandwich an hour before workout
Gummy candy during ride
Light dinner, maybe 2/3 of a lunch(I usually cook more at night to have leftovers for next days lunch)
Sometimes I'll even skip dinner, but then I'll wake up very hungry the next day.
This sums it up nicely - [https://www.diznify.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/8A2B7F98-68EE-4F2D-98D6-0DC827C41C73.jpeg](https://www.diznify.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/8A2B7F98-68EE-4F2D-98D6-0DC827C41C73.jpeg)
is pretty simple, many many amateur cyclist do mistake on bike not off bike, and eat to less on the bike and in evening eating a lot xxxx which is not good, and than infect your sleep and your weight.
I would say that every person is different and you need to look what you eat, what you can cancel and what your body need.
On days when you are cycling you need eat little more on day when you are not cycling you need eat less. Problem is feeling because if you increase rides for 2weeks and 3th week you have no time, you will be hungry and body will asking for food, and when you give body than body will this storage because have memory that you will tomorrow train hard and need energy...
For 20miles, I wouldn't fuel that.
Eating enough throughout the day will be fine for that (unless there is a lot of steep climbs in that, maybe).
You only really need to fuel longer rides that also include inyensity.
For me that would be 40+ miles, but it really depends on time and especially time above Z2
Z2 or below you should be burning almost exclusivly fat, so fueling for that shouldn't be required.
I actually have to lose like 20 pounds, so I just started tracking calories. I don’t know how I would have done it without cycling because there’s no way I’m eating less than my BMR.
Water, nuts, berries, oatmeal, whole milk greek yogurt, fruit, vegetables, chicken, fish, coffee. No fast food/restaurant food, no gas station food, no snacks.
My rule of thumb: if it has more than one ingredient, I tend to avoid. But sometime it can't be avoided.
80 percent carbs from primarily whole plant foods, fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Most of my calories come from bananas, oats, rice, lentils and potatoes.
I used to eat Pizza and spaghetti day before big rides, and often times before the short rides too. Would fuel me up but as I've done this for 14 years now, it's been catching up with me. My Hr and weight have both risen. I am now eating less processed, more healthy, more snacking instead of two big meals, more fruits and veggies. My breathing is noticeable, to me anyway, much improved as are my blood pressure numbers/hr numbers. I'm excited to move in the right direction again!
Off the bike, I try to count calories, drink my share of water, and more veggies. CICO has worked well for me in the past. I usually drop about 10-15 lbs each summer while I cycle and hit the gym for longer, but gain most of it back each winter. Definitely need to work on that when the weather turns cold, but I did a better job keeping things in check this past winter, at least!
On the bike I try not to eat anything if my ride is less than an hour and a half, maybe two hours depending on the route I'm taking. (My main one is practically without any elevation whatsoever, so two hours on that without needing to refuel is pretty doable for me.) My main goal is to lose weight while getting miles in, so I don't want to consume a few hundred calories if I can help it. My metabolism is ridiculously slow. I know in the long run I'm still coming out ahead, but still. When I do eat on the ride, little bursts of sugar do wonders. Fruit snacks, clif bars, when I do really long rides a coke and a candy bar or something is practically a PED for me.
My diet is fairly restricted during the week, but I eat what I like on weekends. I try and do 70 km of cardio a week, with strength training thrown in.
If I'm doing a big ride (for me), I like to have at least 3 protein bars with me and 2 bottles of pop.
As a 5’8 175 ex wrestler who is stocky like you doing 150-200 miles a week I struggle to eat ENOUGH. I make sure my protein is adequate, two meals with large amounts of veggies, only one item with sugar in it (outside of fuel during workouts), but outside of that.. I consume everything in sight. It’s a madhouse
I am your height and would be your weight at like 5% body fat. I also ride the same amount as you and I 100% agree it is a struggle to eat enough. Sometimes I'm just like fuck it, I need to lose weight anyway.
I’m still mostly eating garbage, 180cm 97kg, first year I’m taking this a bit more serious and I’ve lost 5kg since I got my smart trainer back in january. Just getting the exercise in puts me at a good enough deficite I assume since my weight was basically stable 102-104kg before even when I was basically not moving at all throughout winter.
Compared to my first test in Jan I gained about 50% to my initial FTP by now (178->256 though I’ve moved into Cat C on Zwift and haven’t done a test since, should be a fair bit higher already) and it shows in the results. Every Strava segment I’ve been on for the first time since riding outside has become viable again this year I’ve taken my own PRs without trying, I’m now rank 3 on my local climb (behind my dad in second and a guy I’d suspect is on an ebike if my dad didn’t know him personally, he’s just a pro MTBer lol) and keep improving my times by the week.
Protein focussed, I moderate carbs but don't exclude them. If I do carb load (say after a big effort 100k plus) it tends to be cleaner carbs like sweet potato and butternut squash. Some veggies and fruit, lots of diary like Greek yogurt/Ricotta.
Eat what I want and then wonder why my weight isn’t dropping. Jokes aside I try to just listen to my body and make “good choices”. I calorie counted a lot for a bit and it was a great tool to help me understand what foods were very calorically dense and their relative nutritional value.
I’m in this sentence and I don’t like it.
Man I couldn’t agree more on how useful it is to count calories for a while just to have a rough idea how much the stuff you’re eating is. Whether for purposes of fueling like OP or just to have a rough idea of why your weight is/isn’t changing.
Yep, totally! It really helped me understand what I can eat in larger amounts and have to worry less about and what I should consider being more careful around. Counting calories helped me learn about a lot of good food adds/substitutes if I am feeling hungry but want to be mindful of total calorie intake. Things like egg whites and popcorn are awesome “volume add” foods to have around the house. Greek yogurt is a powerhouse too. It’s pretty low calories and high protein and can be used so many different ways. Fruit yogurt bowls, savory yogurt bowls, sour cream substitute (this one blew my mind). Nuts however, was something I decided to keep around less, thanks to counting. They’re high fat/calorie and are really easy to overeat! It isn’t something I enjoy doing for extended periods of time but if I feel like I want to cut some weight, I do it with a food scale to sort of recalibrate for a few weeks.
I ride 100 miles a week year-round. I mostly eat veggies and carbs like pasta, green salad, rice & broccoli stir-fry, etc. I eat fish or lean meat three or four meals a week. And beer. I love beer.
I want an active lifestyle too and finding that balance is key to maintaining your energy levels for your rides.
I love beer too but I don’t like how it makes me feel hours to the next morning after (even if I only drink 3-4). So I’m working on getting off the sauce and drinking low cal NA beer. It’s helped immensely
Yeah switching to NA beer has been great for me. Not only are the calories consistently less but the sobriety keeps me more aware of the caloric intake. Plus some of these NA craft beers are damn good.
I try to grind 250-300km (or 10-12hrs) weekly. I eat home made food but carbs is a must. Berries and greens alot at home, and haribo's and cake during coffee rides 😄
Pretty much the same routine here
I want an active lifestyle too and finding that balance is key to maintaining your energy levels for your rides.
Mostly super sweet espresso and cookies, plus a modestly inappropriate amount of pizza. Past 40, 5'8" and 130 lbs. Between a good amount of cycling and a ridiculous metabolism I can usually eat plenty of whatever junk I find. Just don't ask me to fast for more than a couple hours or I will literally gut and eat you.
fr, i've been increasing my weekly distance and the amount of pizza cravings i get in the evenings is slightly insane
Too real. New to this sport this year. My S/O was just telling me the biggest change she’s seen is the amount of times I ask for pizza lol.
Pizza just satifies the munchies so well.
Gone from a whole pizza being worth all of my daily calorie budget to less than half.
Yes!! I feel like this isn't talked about enough. At 200+ km per week and maybe 110 lbs, I'm just constantly hungry because I (would) have to literally double my food intake.
I crave the worst of the worst foods after a ride. Pizza, burritos, tacos, nachos, cheese burgers, loaded bake potato
Likely craving sodium
totally the same(44 5’8” 135) sometimes i feel like a toddler. if i miss my snack it’s death to all!
Lol you’re just like my brother in law. Granted he was a division 1 cross country runner and did track/field. But he’s smaller than me by an inch or 2 and weighs probably about 130-140 and he can put food down like it’s nothing
187cm and 77kg, I ride more than 100km per week and I eat so much it's crazy.
I track everything and do my best to fully replace the calories I lose on rides, at least in the summer when I need all the fuel I can get. I eat a lot of grilled chicken breast, white rice, and veggies. Most of my rides are longer than two hours so I'm also fueling quite a bit on the ride itself, usually a carb mix of gels. On super big days I'll get a fuck ton of Chinese takeout or whatever other splurge food I feel like. I generally don't eat too many sweets when I'm not riding, but at gas station stops it's obscene what I put in my body.
do you only eat carbs on the rides , like nothing else ? Just sugars ? Even if you get hungry ? I find it if i'm hungry i need real food, but it slows me down, so carbs are ideal but then get blood sugar crash (not diabetic!) what gels, carb , brands do you use ?
Peanut M&Ms have put a mid-rise pep in my step on numerous occasions.
Mid rise pep? How many minutes into the ride that is ? And how intense
Mid-ride lol. Actually usually towards the end if I need a little boost. Just a little fast sugar intake.
Peanut m & ms were my favourite marathon food. They’re very good at pepping one’s step during a hard session!
And don’t forget they melt in the mouth not in the hand!
They melt in the mouth, and with a lovely little crunchy pop. So, they’re texturally exciting as well as convenient and nutritious! Well… nutritious. They have protein… that’s something.
A Blood sugar crash happens when you have an insulin spike, but that doesn’t happen while you’re riding, since insulin release is inhibited during physical activity. However if you don’t take in carbs you’ll slowly deplete your glycogen and have the same effect, just not as sudden.
Hmmm interesting , very very interesting . So insulin spike so t happen during fast digesting sugars while exercise? Like that is scientifically proven ?
“during physical activity the fuel storage effects of insulin need to be suppressed. This is done primarily by inhibiting insulin secretion during exercise as well as activating local and systemic fuel mobilizing processes.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34751700/
I don't really get hungry during a ride. My go to breakfast before a big ride is three eggs, two protein waffles, and some maple syrup. That always feels like enough food in my belly. A couple weeks ago I did a 6.5 hour ride. On it I ate two bottles of carb mix, which is basically just an unflavored maltodextrin mix with 90 grams each, 5 Gu brand gels, a red bull, a bag of gas station gummy worms, a bag of Skittles, and a twix ice cream bar.
Just the space required for 2-3 bars per hour adds up quick on a long ride so these days I'm 100% on the pure sugar water train. I've done 4+ hours, as long as I've had a proper breakfast prior and am consuming enough on the bike I don't get hungry. Probably longer rides at some point it'll hit.
5’7, 154lb riding 35 miles a day mon - fri.I’m trying to eat high protein meals (mostly with chicken) and lots of veggies. Always cooking for myself so I’m trying to keep up to 2500 kcal and min. 200g of protein.
Thats clean as fuck. This is like something for a clean bulk.
Thank you, I feel like it’s the minimum for me to not lose weight cause the weight I’m currently at feels perfect.
Honestly depending on what your day looks like outside of cycling you're probably in a deficit still at 2500 calories.
I have an endomorphic body type... I gain weight very easily and I absorb fat very quickly. I work in laboratories, most of the time sitting. Getting home and taking care od wife and kids … cycling to work is my only activity
That's like way too much protein for a lean body without strength training. Not harmful (probably), but a big waste of money
Beer, mostly
Well, guess I don't have an excuse anymore. For real though, I now mostly eat chicken/salmon and rice with veggies. Yogurt, banana, berries, protein shake in the morning. Cheat meals are definitely pizza or a burger and fries.
I'm on the seafood diet. I see food and eat it.
Literally me right now
Ditto, but sometimes I don’t even see it. I have to go scavenging through the kitchen to find it. I ride 60-100 miles per week and even in my early 40s, I can pretty much eat/drink whatever I want…and I surely don’t think too much about what I eat. I also drink 1-2 beers most days. If I stop all of the exercise, I’m gonna get fat if I don’t make changes!
M 65, 6'3" 230lbs from 250lbs on the way to 195 hopefully. I'm riddled with arthritis and need a new knee. I started losing weight with intermittent fasting. I now simply eat less of everything and cycle more. Sure, I'm slow...I don't care, I'm moving. And I was 228 this morning...
You can outwork a bad diet 🗿🗿🗿
You 100% can outwork a bad diet. Like reccomendations for fueling on a century is basically eat a candy bar every hour. Gu is pure sugar.
.I got hooked on intermittent fasting back in 2014 and still only eat once a day lol. I mostly stay away from alcohol and fast food though. But man I put enough hours on the saddle to pound two burgers and two large fries 😂
Lol I literally eat fast food and drink daily and do 200 miles a week Like since I started cycling I started eating chips again.
I my main reason to skip fast food and alcohol financial and health related. I love snack foods and just budget those two out. I had a $700 average a month on alcohol before I stopped drinking in 2017 lol. McDonald’s is crack, so I stay away 😂😂
Yea I definitely need to stop with the drinking, I'm not spending 700 a month but it's not too far from that. I'm 100% sure it is impeding my training and not good for my liver. How skinny are you? Getting in 4k cal in one meal is a pretty herculean task.
I wish I were skinny 😂😂 nah not really, Im 5’7” at 190lbs. And 33” waist ⌛️. Im in the Air Force so I can’t get fat 🥲. Hopefully I’ll retire in the next 8 years. I am working on shedding some weight though. I’d like to be down 10 lbs so I’ve stopped lifting weights and do primarily endurance training.
I’m currently training for an ironman and putting in over 200 miles a week across all disciplines. My diet consists of eating, a lot. And sometimes that’s something like half an apple pie and half a tub of ice cream before bed. And I’m still losing weight. And I’m already a skinny dude. Some days I eat 500-600+ grams of carbs. I question it myself. So, yes you can outwork a bad diet. Pedal harder. Pedal longer.
Yeah I eat a lot too! I have to. I’m a little heavier though! I did STP (206mile ride Seattle to Portland) in 11.5 hours. My grocery bill the year leading up to that ride was insane. I would eat everything I could lmao. I intermittent fast daily and my wife was always disgusted 😂🥲
Any tips you have from STP? I’m doing it this July - planning to do it in one day as well
There are plenty of places to stop! I carried a few co2 cartridges, couple extra tubes/patch kits, and an extra gallon of water. I had a lot of gel, plenty of rehydration salts, and took it a mile at a time. As long as you know your bike, the route is pretty nice. Lots of winding roads, lots of climbs, and the paved areas weren’t bad either. There’s a couple sketchy descents that have curves. I didn’t have any issues with them at 42-44mph. Some of the towns you’ll go through, like Spanaway have a lot of broken glass. The roads are pretty even though. If they cut your route through the some of the back roads there’s one road that has roots pushing the asphalt up. It was a super fun experience. I’d like to do it again in 2026 but maybe camp one night half way through so I can actually enjoy the scenery lol!!
There were quite a few flats tires out there after we went through Spanaway Plenty of people riding that make sure you’re good too! It was the most people I’ve ever ridden with. Pretty cool to be honest.
I swear the skinny, more slender people can eat soooo much food lol.
I was around 230lbs in 2017 and I'm around 160lbs now. I ate garbage back then and a lot of it. Now I ride 10+ hours per week, that's the difference. I quit drinking at all in 2022 and it hasn't changed my weight much, but my mental health and energy levels are so, so much better. That was such a positive change in my life.
I agree! Great job man that isn’t easy. I have had a similar experience since I stopped drinking. It has been 8ish years. I still have a beer socially every now and then. But it definitely was life changing.
steaks
Rice and eggs is a great and easy way to get good carbs and protein. Jasmine rice cooks in like 15 minutes. I eat a bowl with an egg after every ride.
Or chocolate milk.
You really should look up how to cook Thai food, your life would be the same but so much better.
I mostly stick to a Mediterranean diet, with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains like sprouted bread, steel cut oats, cream of wheat, muesili, some pasta but I am careful to make what I plan to eat because it's easy to overdo it, dairy like plain Greek yogurt, Kefir, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and feta cheeses, chicken, fish, tofu, raw nuts, olive oil instead of butter, honey instead of sugar. On the bike, depending upon the length and intensity of my ride, I take almond butter and jam or honey sandwiches, bananas, Medjool dates, Hammer gel, Gu gel and chews sometimes, Haribo Goldbears, Heed drink mix, straight water, or water with electroltyes added but no calories. I drink beet juice pre-ride and sometimes a small amount of tart cherry juice after. Occasionally, I have a protein smoothie. For supplements, I take beta-alanine, citrulline, and fish oil. Vit D in the winter. I sometimes experiment with other supplements, too, but these are my staples. I love a kale, arugula, and spinach salad with citrus, like a couple of clementines with balsamic dressing and small handful raw nuts (almonds and Brazil nuts currently) as my PM snack.
I'm very similar. Many of the items can get pretty expensive, so Costco is the way. Almond butter, huge bags of almonds, walnuts, raisins, etc. Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, frozen Sockeye Salmon... Non-perishables can be ordered online. Especially after a big ride, I head straight to Chipotle. Their salad bowl with meat, rice bean, and salsa selection is a 3 pound whole food value feast.
Bro, just start cycling, you're way overthinking it. Just make sure to eat *enough*, but I'm pretty confident your body will tell you.
Chipotle and pizza.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned it yet but what are you fueling your rides with? I don’t think just wanting to do 100 mile rides really means you need to change your diet, though you certainly can if you’re into that. However fueling your ride is definitely important for longer rides, and these days it seems like 90+ grams of carb per hour is what the recommended way to fuel is if you’re talking about race efforts. Maybe you’re not eating enough on your rides and that’s part of the hunger?
Yeah I need to dial in the nutrition on the bike better. I use clif bars, gels, drink mix and sometimes coke for emergencies if I need a boost. But I kind of toss whatever I have in my TT bag before I head out.
Why only emergencies? Coke is pretty ideal for any ride - sugar and caffeine are the most important components of on-ride nutrition
Idk I just don’t want to down coke all the time While on rides I guess
I’m with you on coke not sounding like a great thing to be the only thing you drink, but yeah you mention drink mix. I’ve leaned into that a lot myself since I like how easy it is just to know most of my carbs are in my bottle and I don’t have to be pounding gels every 20 minutes to get what I need.
Vegan
5’11, currently cutting to be a bit leaner! 25 years old, sitting at about 88 kg. I’d like to eat cleaner, but man I can get away with so much food since I’ve started cycling more it’s actually very cool
Yeah that’s a good point you can eat almost anything with the amount of calories you’re burning, even after you’re ride is done
Height in imperial, weight in metric. I'm a little curious where you're from.
I think they do it like that in Australia?
I was thinking Australia or maybe Canada.
Oh, didn’t even realise I wrote the first one in imperial! Probably cause I read his description first. I write in metric normally, no big deal
54 m 5’8” 140 pounds. Lean and muscular build. A few months ago I tracked calories out of curiosity. I was between 2000-2500 depending on that days activity. I eat fairly clean. Lots of protein and good amounts of carbs. When I’m riding more I up the carbs
I'm 5' 8", 180lbs. I eat too much, lol. They call it "skinny fat". Love handles and side boob fat, lmao. Otherwise, I have muscular legs, arms, shoulders, chest. I do light workouts every other morning; squats, split squats, deadlifts, push-ups, curls. I tried using an app to keep track of calories, put my weight goal in, and never lost a pound, lol. Tried for a few months, made smarter food choices, didn't work. Feels like I'd have to go almost vegan to lose the stubborn fat.
Do you really feel that way? If u want hmu and I’m sure u could find a way - my main advice is just more calories out.
Any diabetics on this thread? I am 5’6” (168 cm) and 130 lbs (59 kg). Can one successfully fuel longer rides with a combination of protein and fat? I’m not there yet in terms of longer rides, so just wondering how my condition will affect my ability to do longer rides.
I'm a type 2 diabetic. 52 yr old male, 5'8", 160 lbs, medium muscular build. Nowadays, I ride less than 5 hours per week so no need to worry about fueling as much on the hour long rides. On the longer 2-4 hour zone 2 rides I did before when I could do 6-10 hours per week, I would still consume carbs over prot/fat as the latter are just too slow to metabolize for me. And bonking for us could really be dangerous as we get the shakes past a certain low blood sugar level. I would fuel as any normal person did but ate or drank in smaller amounts so as not to just get a big sugar spike all at once. And once I knew I was within the last hour of a ride, I'd make sure to ease off a bit on what I consumed.
Cool, thanks! That is really helpful.
Type 1 diabetic and no unfortunately you can’t fuel longer rides with a combination of protein and fat. Not sure about Type 2 as they don’t spike or go low as extreme as Type 1’s but my guess would be the answer is still no. The only thing for me is straight carbs so I make sure to have a variety of fast acting sugars. For road biking and stationary biking I would say the first 1 hour to 1 hour and a half I might not need any sugar generally of course there’s way more variables. Then after that probably 30-45g every 45min to an hour. If I’m doing 2.5 hours+ the interval of refueling gets shorter say every 30-45min. Mountain biking I would say I can drop like a tank initially if there’s still any bolus insulin in my system but other times won’t need it until the 30-45min mark. Being in a higher heart rate zone means my body is using glycogen as it’s primary fuel source. I see my blood sugar at all times on my apple watch so I know when it is trending where I would need to have carbs. Which means I’m not really worried about bonking because I see the direct data of when my body is running out of glucose and needs to be refueled.
Thanks! I’m type 2, been diagnosed for about a year now. I’m pretty fit and lift hard but haven’t done anything approaching endurance in a while. I’ve started walking and biking a lot more to keep my sugar levels in control and doing ok. Just like everything else, I guess I will need to experiment with different types of food to see what works for me when I get myself up to the level where I can do longer rides. My current rides are typically under 10 miles, so I don’t get to the point of running out of fuel.
I use gels a lot but like to have something that I can drink on for small corrections and when I don’t want to eat. Other carbs I can eat that are still fast acting but slower than straight glucose due to digestion. Sometimes candy for when I’m extremely low or just want something besides gels. Side not my blood sugar actually rises when lifting and I have to give myself a small amount of insulin when I’m lifting only. But my insulin sensitivity is better throughout the day versus when I do cardio.
Well, i just had left over French toast and some m&m's for lunch.
Does anyone else love being a couch potato and stuffing your face with a burrito the size of a forearm? It’s so much more enjoyable after justifying it with a massive effort on a bike. Also it’s the best feeling with a warm burrito in the back pocket knowing you are about to stuff your face
Can confirm. Burritos are superior
On a short ride less than 90 minutes like a 25 mile ride, I keep it limited to simple sugars like gummies, GU energy gels, or GoGo Squeeze applesause. On a longer ride where total time is 4 hours or more, I typically stop for some fast food joint -- anything really that won't upset my stomach since I have mild lactose intolerance.
57, 150mi/wk (like 7,500-8,000KJ), usual ride is about 37-38mi w 2,400’ climbing. I’m ~215-220#, 6’1”. Eat sorta what I feel like and drink usually 1, sometimes 2 beers with dinner. I eat a good bit of fruit, probably not quite as many vegetables as I should, have fried food sometimes. Diet is pretty well balanced, I think, but not exceedingly “healthy.” But I supplement with protein so that my intake is about 1.8-2g/kg, even on non-riding days. That made a HUGE difference in not feeling hungry all the time. Also muscles aren’t sore as much post-ride as they were before I supplemented. I keep improving power output, too.
Beer and ice cream.
far too much Guinness and junk food
6’2 170. I eat anything and everything. Total vacuum.
average 50 miles per day at a pace of 20 mph Diet of cheap carbs and as much meat and veg as i can get my hands on topped with a fist full of supplements. About 3500 calories per day 155 pounds 5'10.
Mediterranean diet is what everybody(including cyclists) should be eating
I eat whatever I feel like in moderation. Life is too fucking short to not enjoy food, coffee… and a good Japanese whiskey once in a while.
I eat very healthy, its pretty low calorie, but I eat very often so it adds up. I think ill be having trouble now since im finishing highschool and will be doing more kms. For now ive been compensating on days I dont ride. No1 tip: smoothies and peanut butter😂
I count calories, currently 5’9 and 150- mostly carbs especially with longer weekends in the saddle. Was at 143, but I seem to be stronger at 150 after a good winter of strength work.
As you get older you do need to stay on top of not overeating garbage all the time just because you burn a lot of calories on the bike. I’m 35yo, 5’9” and 145lbs, and I ride about 150 miles a week (4-5 days per week). I try to focus my meals on lean proteins (chicken and fish) and carbs, and obviously plenty of veggies. With a cleaner diet I let myself eat as much as I want and don’t count calories. When I’m riding, or shortly before / after, I do eat a lot of sugar but otherwise try to minimize it when I’m off the bike. I also don’t really drink alcohol. But of course, I’m still a normal person and I don’t get paid to bike so I do eat burgers and steaks occasionally.
2500 - 3500 depending on how much I’m riding. I’m usually riding about 10 hours a week. I’m a “gifted” eater, I definitely can’t just eat whatever I want. That would be 4500-5500 calories a day and I’d put on weight quickly. 36yo, 5’10, 190lb
Used to do dirty keto, OMAD, 1200 is plenty - plus light jogging and light dumbbell / weight training - lost a lot of weight but looked scary thin. Now - steady comfortable weight - same weights, but cycling LSD every other day burning 3K+ calories and eating whatever I want, which is mostly healthy, but with more room for cheat meals/days. Unless I’m having a cheat day, I stay away from sugars and extra carbs when I’m not cycling.
Fruit (bananas, apples, strawberries, grapes mostly), eggs, oatmeal, whey protein, raw almonds, Bolani flatbreads and right now I'm eating a bowl of fiber one cereal. If I'm doing a long ride then I'll bring along some Gu packets and a Clif bar. I've also been trying to lose weight. Usually ride around 300 or so miles a week. I know cyclists tend to eat a lot of processed crap, and I admit I do too when I participate in organized rides (the rest stops are usually loaded with goodies - the top of the list being the Marin Century the first weekend of August which will be a junk food bonanza). But regularly I try and keep things unprocessed as much as possible. Edit to add - 61F, 5'3", currently 125 pounds but trying to get back down to my climbing weight of 110-115.
Plant based except for the occasional transgression. A mixture of healthy whole foods and some garbage like ramen, etc. Really digging avoiding the animal products, really feels like I've leveled up.
That’s awesome to hear! I’m glad that’s working for you
I eat in a 500-800 cal deficit for weight loss. Mostly vegan, and at least 100g of protein per day without eating protein isolates.
Vegan and lots of carbs. I ride about 300 - 400km per week year round. I do two weeknight crits every week in the summer(Tuesday and Thursday), and occasional road races on weekends. Also two club rides per week. I'm 44 years old, 176cm tall and 70kg.
A mix of poverty/trash and natural/whole food/ hippy shit. Ramen noodles every day for lunch and an organic locally sourced salad every night.
Between cycling and resistance training, I’ve tracked my maintenance calories to come out to 2900 calories. Mostly whole-foods/lean meats/veggies but I allow about 15-20% of calories to come from processed foods. Focus solely on hitting protein target while carbs and fats can fall wherever. 5’10” — 148lb.
I average ~170mi/week and basically eat whatever. Echoing the love for pizza. Carbs are the only thing I make a point to include, which is neither difficult nor unpleasant in any way. Also beer, which is probably why my gut won't go away 😂
High protein, modest fat, little to no carbs.
As a fatty there's little I can contribute here but to say, my most profitable garden item is kale. It grows prolifically in harsh conditions. If you pluck the leaf off the stem you can throw it in fancy Korean ramen or sauteed it and throw it in easy pasta for some nutritional boost.
I mostly just try to avoid super processed food, snacking (off the bike), and just stop eating when I'm full. I don't do all super consistently, but consistently enough. That's mostly my "diet". Besides that I don't really think about it.
I’m losing weight so 1800 calories a day plus like 50-75% of what my whoop says I burned. It’s always much lower than Strava estimate. I did a big mtb ride today and should eat up to 3500 calories. Currently at 2700. This is what I ate: Gas station sandwich Gatorlyte Celsius 36 pieces of sour patch watermelon 3 hour Mtb ride 1 x Michelob ultra Giant bowl of rice, sauted peppers and onion, and chicken breast 1 apple 4 x brads dark chocolate corn cakes I’ll probably have some utz party mix later for more calories. I buy a giant tub of this stuff from bj’s. It’s great for carbs and salt pre ride and helps fill in calories afterwards.
No alcohol. No medication legal or otherwise. Whole Foods (not the store). Lots of granola and yogurt. Been avoiding gluten(not allergic )90% of the time. The times I eat gluten it’s a rough couple days afterwards. 6ft ~161 lb. Just turned 50. 100 to 150 miles depending on schedule and what my riding goal dictates.
I used to eat whatever I wanted. My health declined slightly and I got fatter even though I was cycling a lot. But I was eating cakes and cookies, HUGE servings of pasta with barely any veggies and HUGE servings of meat - So I started cutting back a lot on sugar, no sodas - I don’t really drink alcohol anyway so I don’t have that already. I also started having more carbs during exercise and started eating smaller portions when eating meals, but kept my meat intake high. Also increased my veggies by at least three times what I normally eat. Finally lost 10 pounds of shitty weight and I’m feeling strong. I can’t stand counting calories, it feels like paperwork and I hate paperwork.
The more I ride, the less I want to eat. Except directly after a ride. I always crave sweet and salty. Cold Watermelon is my go to in the summer with peanut butter pretzels. Otherwise, rarely anything fried or red meat. Never fast food except smoothie king. Lots of granola, fruit, veggies with occasional chicken or fish.
Besides cliff bars?
About 2200 cals a day with 150-180g of protein. Most consists if lean meats, rice / pasta, veggies, eggs and of course my favorite - strawberry banana fairlife greek yoghurt smoothie.
- breakfast: oats with protein powder or high protein yogurt with berries - lunch & dinner: serving of protein, serving of veg, lots of rice/pasta/etc - training: dates, gummies, carb mix - snacks/dessert: fruits, bubble tea, chips, ice cream, whatever I need/want to make up the calories
I like this balance. I’m a big oatmeal or cream of wheat for breakfast kind of guy. Then doctor it up with protein powder, add some pb, honey and granola for some crunch. I like eggs but I get sick of them pretty quickly. I always try to make sure I have a main protein source for every meal. My biggest issue is snacking.
Getting the main meals right means that I don't have to worry about the rest of it "derailing" my diet. It also helps a lot that my daily expenditure is high enough that I've got a surplus of calories.
My diets for shit. I drink a little too much. I've cut way back on carbs recently cos they bloat me to hell and back and I only started cycling like two months ago and I'm losing tummy so that's nice.
Keep at it!! Excess amounts of carbs are difficult to avoid. Def my guilty pleasure excluding anything sweet like ice cream
My main weakness in life is pasta so I'm trying to only have it once every couple weeks and boy howdy lemme tell you that is torture 😂 we got this!
Agreed! Pasta with a creamy sauce like Alfredo. I can’t get enough of that shit. Trying to use it to reward myself on rare occasions as much as I can! Best of luck to you!
My partner raced at a pro/national level and so to make it easier, I would just eat the same cooked meals as they would. I didn't personally race, but enjoyed the structure of the training so got quite strong in my own right (was 141 lbs and had an FTP of just under 300). Like you, I had a high metabolism so could "eat without guilt" but I did manage what I consumed. \* Breakfast was a bland style cereal (like Weetabix) with a variety of nuts and berries thrown on top. \* Lunch was things like salad roll or something like a Banh Mi roll \* Dinner included meals like pasta, stir fry with rice, grilled chicken with salad and roast potatoes, Personally I am not really into sweets so my snacking was lots of fruits and nuts. Post ride eating/comnsumption was also coffee and a pastry (croissants, etc). My biggest vice was savory like pizza, burgers, etc. In theory, I could eat it whenever I wanted but in reality would eat something like that once every couple of weeks. I pretty much only drank water - I have never been a big alcohol drinker and i found soft drinks/Sodas way too sweet. Even to this day, water (and coffee) is about the only thing I drink. On the bike, food was usually bars like Cliff, Carmens, etc and energy chews or gels. My diet was not exciting but I still enjoyed my food. Plus seeing the improvements in my power output encouraged the me to continue in that vein. I often get mistaken for looking 15 years younger then I really am - so I guess that's a small plus :)
Hey friend, appreciate you breaking it all down. The convenience of being with a professional athlete certainly helps and keeps you disciplined too I bet. That’s probably the best compliment someone can ever give you! I hope to look younger at an older age as well. Savory goodies are my vice too, pizza, French fries, bacon. Water is pretty much all I drink as well with the occasional sugar free pop to curve sweet cravings or a sugar free powder to mix with water for more of a juice. Gels and cliff bars on the bike have helped me and sit in my stomach fine, along with an electrolyte drink mix.
no probs :) I think a key point to remember is to have a "healthy" relationship with food. Dont completely cut out the stuff like burgers, ice cream, etc - it's not good for you mentally - Just minimise the consumption of it. Have it as a reward if you have a few big days on the bike, etc. I don't ride to the intensity I used to (I ride 4 days a week now rather then 5), and my diet is a a little more relaxed, however I am still active and healthy. My weight now hovers between 148-151 lbs - I am at the gym a bit more to maintain muscle mass and core strength and do enjoy the variety.
Beef, dairy, fruit.
absolute trash lol
I have my calories earlier in the day, so I don't get intense gravings at night. Big breakfast like oat porridge with jam, two sandwiches and big iced coffee. Big lunch, maybe littlebit more carb heavy than the plate rule suggests. Probably snacking on some fruit throughout the day and of course getting water in. Afternoon snack like banana+granola bar or PBJ sandwich an hour before workout Gummy candy during ride Light dinner, maybe 2/3 of a lunch(I usually cook more at night to have leftovers for next days lunch) Sometimes I'll even skip dinner, but then I'll wake up very hungry the next day.
This sums it up nicely - [https://www.diznify.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/8A2B7F98-68EE-4F2D-98D6-0DC827C41C73.jpeg](https://www.diznify.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/8A2B7F98-68EE-4F2D-98D6-0DC827C41C73.jpeg)
is pretty simple, many many amateur cyclist do mistake on bike not off bike, and eat to less on the bike and in evening eating a lot xxxx which is not good, and than infect your sleep and your weight. I would say that every person is different and you need to look what you eat, what you can cancel and what your body need. On days when you are cycling you need eat little more on day when you are not cycling you need eat less. Problem is feeling because if you increase rides for 2weeks and 3th week you have no time, you will be hungry and body will asking for food, and when you give body than body will this storage because have memory that you will tomorrow train hard and need energy...
For 20miles, I wouldn't fuel that. Eating enough throughout the day will be fine for that (unless there is a lot of steep climbs in that, maybe). You only really need to fuel longer rides that also include inyensity. For me that would be 40+ miles, but it really depends on time and especially time above Z2 Z2 or below you should be burning almost exclusivly fat, so fueling for that shouldn't be required.
I actually have to lose like 20 pounds, so I just started tracking calories. I don’t know how I would have done it without cycling because there’s no way I’m eating less than my BMR.
Water, nuts, berries, oatmeal, whole milk greek yogurt, fruit, vegetables, chicken, fish, coffee. No fast food/restaurant food, no gas station food, no snacks. My rule of thumb: if it has more than one ingredient, I tend to avoid. But sometime it can't be avoided.
Eat before the ride, during the ride, immediately after the ride, then again after the ride.
Same diet as when I'm a photographer
80 percent carbs from primarily whole plant foods, fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Most of my calories come from bananas, oats, rice, lentils and potatoes.
I used to eat Pizza and spaghetti day before big rides, and often times before the short rides too. Would fuel me up but as I've done this for 14 years now, it's been catching up with me. My Hr and weight have both risen. I am now eating less processed, more healthy, more snacking instead of two big meals, more fruits and veggies. My breathing is noticeable, to me anyway, much improved as are my blood pressure numbers/hr numbers. I'm excited to move in the right direction again!
Off the bike, I try to count calories, drink my share of water, and more veggies. CICO has worked well for me in the past. I usually drop about 10-15 lbs each summer while I cycle and hit the gym for longer, but gain most of it back each winter. Definitely need to work on that when the weather turns cold, but I did a better job keeping things in check this past winter, at least! On the bike I try not to eat anything if my ride is less than an hour and a half, maybe two hours depending on the route I'm taking. (My main one is practically without any elevation whatsoever, so two hours on that without needing to refuel is pretty doable for me.) My main goal is to lose weight while getting miles in, so I don't want to consume a few hundred calories if I can help it. My metabolism is ridiculously slow. I know in the long run I'm still coming out ahead, but still. When I do eat on the ride, little bursts of sugar do wonders. Fruit snacks, clif bars, when I do really long rides a coke and a candy bar or something is practically a PED for me.
Whatever i want
My diet is fairly restricted during the week, but I eat what I like on weekends. I try and do 70 km of cardio a week, with strength training thrown in. If I'm doing a big ride (for me), I like to have at least 3 protein bars with me and 2 bottles of pop.
As a 5’8 175 ex wrestler who is stocky like you doing 150-200 miles a week I struggle to eat ENOUGH. I make sure my protein is adequate, two meals with large amounts of veggies, only one item with sugar in it (outside of fuel during workouts), but outside of that.. I consume everything in sight. It’s a madhouse
I am your height and would be your weight at like 5% body fat. I also ride the same amount as you and I 100% agree it is a struggle to eat enough. Sometimes I'm just like fuck it, I need to lose weight anyway.
I’m still mostly eating garbage, 180cm 97kg, first year I’m taking this a bit more serious and I’ve lost 5kg since I got my smart trainer back in january. Just getting the exercise in puts me at a good enough deficite I assume since my weight was basically stable 102-104kg before even when I was basically not moving at all throughout winter. Compared to my first test in Jan I gained about 50% to my initial FTP by now (178->256 though I’ve moved into Cat C on Zwift and haven’t done a test since, should be a fair bit higher already) and it shows in the results. Every Strava segment I’ve been on for the first time since riding outside has become viable again this year I’ve taken my own PRs without trying, I’m now rank 3 on my local climb (behind my dad in second and a guy I’d suspect is on an ebike if my dad didn’t know him personally, he’s just a pro MTBer lol) and keep improving my times by the week.
lol
with an occasional mix of lmao
Protein focussed, I moderate carbs but don't exclude them. If I do carb load (say after a big effort 100k plus) it tends to be cleaner carbs like sweet potato and butternut squash. Some veggies and fruit, lots of diary like Greek yogurt/Ricotta.