If you didn’t already know….I’m in Austin right now. Yeah, Austin, Texas – The state capital that prides itself on being far from ordinary. In fact, they celebrate being “weird.” Austin is a hot spot for creativity and embraces its community of musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and progressive thinkers. It’s home to a singer named Willie, a...
Read more »
My gypsy lifestyle has provided me and my family with a lot of different places to call home. Over the past eight years, we’ve lived in four different countries with a duration ranging from two months to three years in any one location. This lifestyle has meant that my 11 year old daughter has...
Read more »
I know that today’s blog will be filled with things I know for sure as well as some strange things I know for sure. Just like me…..partly normal, partly strange. I know that when you are exercising in the heat, there is no better taste than that of cold water. At that moment, it...
Read more »
I would have to say that my trip to Belize was extremely productive. The seven days that I spent in the country were jam packed full of travel, meetings, sites, and people. We crammed so much into that one week that it honestly felt like we had been there for a month. We were...
Read more »
I arrived in Belize on Friday with the first experience in the country being a quick spin around Belize City. I had heard that this area isn’t a very nice place compared to the rest of the country, so I left the airport expecting the worst….and was pleasantly surprised. I recorded this video about...
Read more »
I’ve left Canada and spent last night back in the beautiful State of Texas. We spent two years living in Austin, but last night was my first time ever in Houston. This morning I am off to Belize….Central America’s only country where English is the official language. I’m not going on a vacation….I’m not going...
Read more »
There are so many people around the world with the dream of moving to North America to start a new life full of tremendous opportunity. Coming from a poorer nation or one at political unrest allows them the chance to do so much more and to provide the things they desire for their families....
Read more »
 |
 |
 |
Question: Out of habit, I’ve always eaten cereal (granola) before my morning ride. For the last several weeks, I’ve been riding at 6am to avoid the heat, and eating at 5:30 am. I haven’t had any stomach issues, but I am not sure that this is the best pre-ride meal strategy. My legs have felt heavy since starting to ride earlier. My rides are 1.5-2 hours. Should I eat less, something different, or nothing at all? What do you think?
Kelli’s Answer: I think your pre-ride fuel strategy can be improved. The issue with eating a moderately high fiber breakfast within 30 minutes of beginning a ride is that it will likely take too long to digest, absorb, and metabolize to provide any energy to your muscles at all. And, what’s more, if the meal is setting in your stomach, you are increasing your risk of stomach cramps (but it sounds like you’ve been okay here) and a reduced bloodflow to your legs since your body is working at digesting.
Although many athletes feel like they need a full breakfast before a morning ride, I think you’ll have better result with less food, and ones that you can eat quickly and metabolize faster.
My first choice would be 2 Tablespoons organic honey + 0.5 – 1 Tbsp organic coconut oil (all straight off the spoon). Why? These are fast-acting, quick-metabolizing energy foods. The honey provides moderately fast carbs that act similarly to maltodextrin (moderately fast and longer lasting than glucose), natural enzymes to improve digestion, and antioxidants. The organic coconut oil provides fast-acting medium chain triglycerides which are used directly by the mitochondria of cells (energy producers) without the need for bile or slow digestion.
Another option would be a sports food with a moderate amount of protein – something like a Clif bar. Or, a smoothie with 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp honey, and water. These foods will also digest quickly and provide energy during your ride.
And, don’t forget about 8 oz. of fluid.
During your ride, especially if high intensity and over 60 minutes, or moderate intensity and over 90 minutes, you’ll still need during-ride fuel as well. With all rides in heat, you’ll want fluids and lytes!
