Are you a speed junkie? I wouldn’t say that I generally am, but when I’m on a bike it’s a totally different story. It’s like the faster I’m going, the better I feel. I really think my mind was made to go the speed of a pro rider….now my body just has to catch...
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Hi everyone, my name is Clive Chapman from Birmingham, England. This is the story of me and my bike, and how it helped me get my life back. 12 months ago I was a 45 year old married bloke with 2 kids, who stopped riding his bike 10 years previously. That’s an approximate figure...
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Last week I was able to get out for the most km’s I’ve been able to rack up for a while. Five rides, and 335kms made for a week that I was quite satisfied with. But it’s funny, the more I ride the more I want to ride. If I wasn’t having one of...
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What is fueling your ride? There is a lot of emphasis on what cyclists use as their “pre-ride snack”…..but many studies show that the food going into your body the couple hours prior to exercise does not “fuel” your activity. These studies show that it takes 24 to 48hrs for muscle fuel (glycogen) to...
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Okay, so you ride a bike and you carry a water bottle(s) in the cage, but are you treating and maintaining that bottle the way you should? I know I’m not…..and this fact prompted me to start looking into it. I do my best to treat my body right, but I now realize that...
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Myron, from Loving the Bike, tries out a new cycling adventure and shares his experience. On Monday June 21st, I tried something new on a bike and I enjoyed it; polo on bikes! (I would describe the sport as hockey/soccer played on a bike). The Saskatoon Bike Polo group invited Loving The Bike to...
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First of all, I would like to send out a huge thank you to the people who willingly let me put their photos up on our website so that people could take shots at how old they think they are. To look back at the details of the contest and see the actual ages revealed,...
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What can Hemp Hearts do for you? Now don’t go thinking this stuff has anything to do with it’s most famous counterpart….Hemp Hearts are totally where it’s at for good protein and good nutrition. They are a great for your health and they taste pretty good as well. They have sort of a sunflower...
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With Father’s Day just a couple of days away, I wanted to post about the Super Dads out there. You know, the ones who successfully juggle being a role model to their kids, a caring and compassionate family member, hard worker, playful, inspiring, leader….and the list goes on and on. All that, and of...
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Tomorrow morning I’ll be turning 41 years old. Yikes, I really don’t like saying that out loud, and to be honest I really don’t believe it. But that’s how old my Mom says I am so I guess I have to go with it. I’ve often been told that I look so much younger...
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Three days ago, the world sat down in front of their TV screens to start watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup taking place in South Africa. The 19th edition of the biggest soccer (or football as it’s known around most of the planet) tournament in the world started on June 11 and will run...
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Hey, we’re looking for your help in putting together a new post over here at Loving the Bike. This one will be all about you and how cycling keeps you looking so young. If you feel that you look younger than your age says you are….and if you feel that cycling has contributed to...
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I generally eat pretty healthily and stay relatively fit but I wonder if I’m getting enough vitamins and minerals. Is there a product (available in the UK) that contains the right mixes of daily vitamins and minerals and if not, which individual supplements should I take to compliment a healthy lifestyle. (ps… I don’t want to take so many pills that I rattle!)
Kelli’s Answer:
Thanks for the question! First a disclaimer: It’s always important to talk to your personal health care provider about supplements -some should not be taken due to medication interactions and individual conditions.
Now, my general recommendations:
Although a healthy and balanced diet is most important, I do believe that most people, and athletes especially, need a good multivitamin/multimineral, extra vitamin D, and fish oil (or another source of DHA/EPA omega-3s) in addition to healthy foods. Mostly, I recommend this because our soils have been over-farmed (which decreases the amount of nutrients in our foods), our waters are polluted (which is one reason we can’t eat as much seafood as we’d like), and our ability to get outside and get sunlight year round has decreased with more time spent inside and at a desk. And, there’s a lot of exciting research that supports higher levels of vitamin D supplementation than previous recommendations.
Generally, I recommend these daily supplements:
Additionally, individual athletes may need extra iron, probiotics, calcium, etc. But, these 3 pills are a good place to start for most healthy athletes.
As you look for supplements, the keys are to find ones that 1) have what they claim they have (no exaggerated claims) and 2) don’t have anything that’s harmful. You don’t want lead or other dangerous heavy metals, and I try to stay away from colorings, flavorings, and unnecessary additives. Since this industry is not really regulated, it can be hard to find good brands that have support from a 3rd party expert. I often www.consumerlab.com, a completely impartial 3rd party site that tests supplements and reports on their ingredients. They don’t have every brand, but it can be a good starting point. I hope this helps!
Please send us your questions for our Expert Sports Nutritionist, Kelli Jennings to “Ask the Sports Nutritionist“. Kelli Jennings is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for healthy eating, wellness, & sports nutrition. For more information go to www.apexnutritionllc.com.
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