This is my second post on Loving the Bike and this one is about my Grandma’s bike. She got her bike for her 12th birthday. Before that, she tried to learn how to ride a bike on her older brother’s bike, but it was too big and she couldn’t learn how to ride. My...
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For this installment of Mac Mondays, I’m going to look at products you can add to your iPhone, iPod Touch and general audio devices that could help you better enjoy your ride. I currently don’t own any of the products listed below; but, I did find them interesting and will probably add all of...
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There is an exciting new cycling bike tour kicking off this weekend and because it caught my attention a couple weeks ago, I wanted to blog about it and help with the promotion. On Sunday, September 26th The first Annual Ride For Red will begin. It is a 4000 km bike tour starting in Calgary, AB...
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I’d like to tell you about my friend Jack….he’s a cyclist. Well actually he’s a whole lot more, and I’ll get into that in a second. Jack’s last name is Ofalltrades….maybe you’ve heard of him. Jack is not only a great cyclist, but he’s become good at so many other things that has come...
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Bike Repair for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad is a reference guide to help you fix 34 bike problems. Riders identify the problem area(s) on their bikes, pick the appropriate bike part, chose the problem and follow the step by step solution to fix or adjust the problem area. Most of the solutions have...
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Three simple tips to decrease saturated fat, sugar, refined starch, and trans-fat intake: • Shop the exterior of the grocery store where most foods are unprocessed. • Avoid boxed and bagged (processed) products – snack on nuts, fruits, and veggies rather than potato chips. Eat a homemade dinner rather than one out of a box...
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Some say that change is one of the most difficult and stressful things that a person can go through. My Family and I have definitely had our share of major changes in the past….and here we are going through it again. I think it takes a certain kind of person to actually bring these...
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If I had to search within myself and pinpoint where my love for cycling comes from, I would find it on the DNA strand that came to me courtesy of my Grandpa. There’s no doubt that I got the “Loving the Bike” feeling from him, and I find it very interesting that it took...
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SizeMyBike is a simple iPhone app to help new and existing riders properly fit a bike. Users input six body measurements (height, inseam, sternum, arm length, foot length, and shoulder width) and SizeMyBike will compute the optimal geometry of a road bike or a mountain bike. The maker of the app says that the...
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With the colder weather now creeping in to certain areas, it is important to remember to continue to drink while you ride or perform any other exercises. Many people forget to drink enough since they may not sweat as much, which is a trigger for us to drink. Dehydration can occur just as quickly...
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I’m not a very big guy…..not quite 5’5″ and with all the cycling I’ve been doing, I’m down to around 120 pounds. But when I’m on the bike, I feel like a giant. Yeah, I know you know the feeling….Unstoppable, Invincible, Indestructible. This “Bike Confidence” almost got me in a heap of trouble on...
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Please join me in checking out this guest post from Jeremy Durrin. He has the drive and motivation to be the next big cycling pro….but over here at Loving the Bike we already see him as a Champion. Congratulations to Paul Prosser from Arizona. He is the winner of the Licensed Team Cycling Jersey...
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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.
Nutrition Tips
