Neal's Meals : Finding the Right Nutrition for Your Ride Part: 1

I grabbed this much nutrition in less than a minute. Clearly, there are some options.

For a gigantic topic like nutrition I called upon the help of somebody much more knowledgeable than myself. Hopefully, this is not the only time we touch on this subject, as it has an endless amount of topics within itself. This will definitely not be the last time you hear from Neal!

Nutrition is one of the most personal aspects of cycling. Everybody's body is different, handles digestion differently, and has different needs during a ride. While I would happily field questions all day long on what nutrition would be best for each individual person, each response would only be an educated guess. The only way to know, for sure, what a nutritional supplement will work for you is by trying it on a ride.

Note: Nutrition is a HUGE subject. Because of this, we've split this into two posts. Be sure to follow through and read the next post when it comes out.


Hydration
It doesn't matter how much or what type of nutrition you are using, if you are not hydrating properly you will undoubtedly fatigue at a rapid pace and most likely experience some sort of cramping. Drinking water before, during, and after your event is one of the most important and beneficial things you can do for your overall performance. Chilled water absorbs into your body faster than lukewarm water, so investing in a Polar or Camelbak insulated bottle is definitely worth the extra couple bucks.
Pre-ride, make sure you are drinking ample amounts of water on a frequent basis.
During and after your ride, adding some sort of carbohydrate/electrolyte mix to your water bottle will allow your body to re-hydrate as well as absorb other nutrients your body has lost (i.e. sodium, potassium, carbohydrates, protein, fats, and sugars).

Pre-Ride Preparation
If you were going on a long road trip, one of the first things you check is how much fuel you have in your vehicle. The same concept applies to nutrition. Making sure you have enough energy for your morning ride actually starts the evening before.
It takes time for your body to break down food and convert it into usable energy. Carbohydrates are going to be a key slow-burn energy source for your ride, so have that second serving of pasta at dinner the night before.  Carbs are your main energy source during all stages of your ride so load up! It will definitely benefit you in the morning. Most people take in more than their fair share of sodium through the course of an average day, but sodium the evening before a ride is key. Added sodium during pre-ride preparation will help your body retain all that extra water you've been drinking (wink, wink). It also promotes better overall hydration and nutrient absorption the following morning.

Frequency is Key
As discussed before, your body needs time to absorb nutrients. This means that your intake of nutrition needs to be frequent regardless of how you feel. The majority of mixes, gels, and chews you'll see on the shelves list recommended time intervals pertaining to how much and how often you should consume the product. This is because there is no product out there that is going to absorb immediately and give you the energy and nutrients you need to keep cranking. If you wait until you feel like you need your products to actually utilize them, it's probably too late for them to work effectively. Even if you're feeling great and don't necessarily think you need to eat or drink anything, taking a swig of your drink mix or popping in a chew will give your body a chance to absorb those nutrients at a steady rate and decrease your chances of hitting that wall.

Know Your Stomach
Does too much sugar make you feel like you have a brick in your stomach? How does caffeine make you feel? Do you like things that taste like fruit punch or chocolate and coffee?
These are all things that may help you to narrow down the amount you test. Each product of every brand has a different mixture of carbs, sugars, sodium, potassium  etc.  Just like taking care at the grocery store, flip the product over and read about the contents. While riding and trying it out, keep those levels of sugar, sodium and other factors in mind. This may give you an idea of levels that are helpful and other items on the list that are hurtful.

Find Your Style of Food
Between gels, blocks, granola-style bars, fruit puree, mixes, pressed bars, even jelly beans! There are a lot of ways to get the fuel to your body.
I can't stand oatmeal. I've tried. I love the taste. I love the nutritional value. I just can't stand the texture! Like my breakfast predicament, you need to keep the texture in mind when looking down the nutritional isle.
Another reason for all the different shapes and sizes is the speed and quality of the much needed carbs and salts can get into your system. Unless you feel the same way about gels as I feel about oatmeal, don't write off all brands of gel simply because you didn't like one. They are all different.

What's Your Ride

In the infinite world of athletically based foods, there are different supplements for different styles of rides. If you are doing a century and all your foods are designed for a short sprint-style ride, you're going to start fading before you finish the century. Not all packaging makes finding this information easy, so if you're not sure, ask for help. You may even find out some helpful tips!

The trial and error of nutrition can be a pain. But ask anybody who routinely rides with nutrition and they can tell you, it's worth the effort. Once you understand your body and how it handles different types of food, you're set for a long time. Plus you may find that it not only improves your performance but your quality of the ride as well!

Click Here  for specific suggestions and a few staff picks in the next post!

Written by Neal and Andrew