this came off my blog i'll add more detail and depth soon but it's a start for people just getting going
Eating for the long run ? endurance exercise and diet
The best thing about being an endurance athlete is the food, put simply when you?re out there training you are burning calories ? when you get back from training you need to replace them so you can do the same thing the next day. Sadly though it?s not all about the three C?s (crisps, cake and chocolate) there?s a little more to it than that (I mean I forgot to add custard and chips) . But we?re about to learn that the athletes diet can include all kinds of good food at the right times and in the right amounts, the great thing about training is that it lets you indulge little more whilst becoming more little?.
I?m going to take you through my diet at training camp this week and then suggest adaptations that you can make if you aren?t exercising six hours a day.
Breakfast/pre ride
It?s good to get some caffeine before the exercise session of the day (if you train later in the afternoon maybe not, I like to stop drinking coffee 6 hours before bed) before training you need carbs, depending on the length and intensity of your session eat between one and 3 hours before (longer for hard, short sessions, closer for long slow days) I?m a huge porridge fan ? I like to add rasinins (amazin? raisins are awesome here) nut butters, pumpkin puree, honey, cinnamon, coca, granola, other dried fruit ? soy milk or whatever else I fancy. Some of the boys eat eggs ? I prefer not to but generally carbs are the focus. Other ideas if it?s not brekkie time include nutella on toast, cereal, yogurt, baked potatoes (with lowfat fillings) pasta, rice etc.
Riding
I like to take in about 300 kcal an hour on ides over 2 hours, I was riding 6 hours a day on amp so I tend to mix up an electrolyte beverage at about 5-10% carb concentration and take on a trek bar every hour. To mix it up I at dried fruit, rice krispie squares, cakes if we stop for coffee and cakes, sarnies with jam/honey/nutbutter and then in the last hour of the ride or race sweets with a high gi and lots of simple sugars or maybe energy gels or honey packs. I get some caffeine on the ride as well up to 800mg from ports foods and products.
The take home lesson here is to fuel any session over 90 mins with a low fat high carb snack like bananas trek bars or dried fruit
After riding
When I get home, ?m tired and empty ? your body has about 20 mins to refuel it?s muscle glycogen (stored energy) and it?s a great time o take on some good food. I like to eat kiddie cereal with yogurt and fruit, many people favour a milkshake, or recovery drink. Basically you want low fat and carbs to protein in a 4:1 ratio. I eat this then shower and clean my bike before hitting a big meal ? rice and beans with veggie curry being a current favourite. If it?s been a big day I?ll take a dessert now or with my evening meal ? I like to make cake and cookies with my girlfriend and rice pudding is always popular as is ice cream
Your take home lesson here is to eat a snack soon after you get back. Peanut butter and jam on toast is great as are smoothies keep the fat low, carbs high and moderate protein (about 10g) aim or about 500kcal then wait an hour or so to eat more.
The rest of the day
Depending on how hard you exercised and for how long you could have anything up to 4,000 calories to still eat. If this is the case feel free to indulge, eat a little bit of cake, have some cheese whatever takes your fancy, I try to always have an apple before i eat something like that, just to take the edge off my hunger but if I?m going to exercise then dammit I?m going to eat what I want. Lots of endurance sportsmen/women like to deprive themselves I?ve had too many hangry (hungry-angry) teammates in the pst to think this is a good idea. Food is fun, enjoy it! If you?re trying to loose a little weight this is the time to cut back don?t skimp on the pre/post training foods as they will fuel muscle and allow you to exercise more to burn off that xmas pudding
Make sure you get in a decent dinner if you?re training he next day, some carbs, protein and a bit of fat is in order ? pasta, rice and cous cous all have masses of yummy permutations - if you can go wholegrain do it ? I like wholegrains most of the time but in some cases (i.e. before or during rides where fiber should be kept down or pasta with pesto where you need a plain pasta) it?s fine to go with white stuff. Always hit your five a day (this is pretty easy really especially if you mix it up with some variety, I?m currently on a massive frozen berry kick)
It can get more complex than this and maybe I?ll go into depth later but stick with the following few take home rules:
- Fuel your fire before during and after training
- Eat yummy, natural wholesome foods where possible but don?t worry about treats try to stick to 80% good food 20% whatever you want
- Keep up the variety ? boredom leads to big bellies
- Get everyone in your house with the program, sharing is caring
- Enjoy eating and cooking, nothing says I love you like hot cake!
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