Submitted By: Nathan Geiger, Austin, TX

In July, a couple of friends and I are planning to ride from Austin to Boulder on our bikes.  We plan on riding basically every day for over a week, probably at least 8-10 hrs a day.  Do you have any recommendations for what to eat while on this trip?  I will need a lot of calories, but I will need to eat food that can be easily digested during the day. Also, I weigh about 180-185 now, and I plan to lose 10 lbs or so in the 7-8 wks before the before the ride, just to be lighter on the bike.  Would you recommend against this, since I'm also training to ride long distances? Thanks a lot.

I wouldn't recommend against losing the weight if it is fat. Being lighter on the bike will help.

You are going to have to rely on a liquid source of calories, vitamins, and electrolytes along with pre-package foods like bars during the day. Later in the afternoon when you are finished biking, you should get most of your daily supply of protein and use an essential fatty acid supplement (EFAS) such as flaxseed oil or Udo’s Choice.

When training such long hours, depending on intensity you are potentially in a situation where the greatest threat to performance is a calorie deficit. And it may be impossible to avoid such a deficit by relying on carbohydrate alone. You probably will not have time for more than two meals and maybe a protein shake after training. The first meal should be aimed at supplying the micronutrients, antioxidants, protein, essential fats, and calories needed for optimal recovery. A large salad containing approximately 50 grams of protein (tuna, chicken, beef, egg, etc.) along with salad dressing supplemented with 5 tablespoons of EFAS and little bit of bread and butter will deliver between 1200-1700 calories and truckload of potassium (which enhances intracellular hydration). The next meal, a few hours later, should essentially be a carb-load meal with 20-40 grams of protein. Pasta is a good choice here because it contains 3-5 grams of protein per ounce. Six ounces of pasta contains approximately 120 grams of carbohydrate and 600 calories. Feel free to use tomato sauce but not to the exclusion of olive oil and/or EFAS. Again, 5 tablespoons of oil buys you an additional 600 calories that you may need. The guidelines of macronutrient cycling are more flexible where avoiding a calorie deficit is a priority. But as you can see from this suggested menu, some degree of macronutrient partitioning is still beneficial in these circumstances.

Follow up . . .

Nathan,

I’d like clarify this:

Being leaner on the bike may help, but actual weight is not as much of a factor as it is with running because your bodyweight is supported by the bike. Uphill riding is a different matter, and from Austin to Boulder I imagine you will encounter hilly terrain. If you are already lean at 180-185 and if losing the weight involves calorie restriction or extreme measures, I’d advise against it. The adverse effect of dropping weight upon performance can offset any advantage gained by weighing less.

Rob