Ever dreamed about opening a bike shop in the Caribbean? Our friend, Eric shares his personal story (and nightmare) of when he ran a bike shop on the island of St. Croix. The Adventures of Owning a Caribbean Bike Shop by Eric Hutchins For 6 years, I was the owner of a small bike...
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Not long ago, at the beginning of all the Holiday-feasting, we gave you a green detox super smoothie recipe. Our purpose was to offer a chance to take a whole-food smoothie-cleansing break from the extra foods, the extra sweets, and any extra alcohol drinking that can accompany the Holiday Season. Our super smoothie was...
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As the tag line for Loving the Bike, “Enjoy Your Ride” has become an important part of this site. It’s pretty much a self-explanatory slogan, but the meaning of it goes back quite a while and has a nice little story to it. Back in 1999, before I was married and had kids, I spent some...
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We’ve got Professor @egggman in today with a review of the Caliber Photochromic sunglasses from Ryders Eyewear. Mike is a year round cyclist and experiences all seasons and conditions over there in Ontario, so he’s sure to provide a full review on their performance. Enter to WIN: Oh, and we’re giving away a pair of...
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It’s that time of year where a lot of people are creating New Year’s Resolutions and gearing up for the best year ever. Setting goals is a fantastic idea, and something that really should be done throughout the year. In honor of making 2012 a kick butt rocking year for you on and off...
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The bicycle just might be the best Christmas gift in the World. Well, we think it is and so does our guest writer, Mark Beaconsfield. Mark is a cycling fan, cyclist, and a regular classmate at #bikeschool (along with his daughter, Kayla). He hails from Melbourne, Australia and we’re happy to share his beautiful...
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Sometimes the Holiday season feels like nothing more than a blur of hustle and bustle. And while we try to savor the moments, it can be tough to stop and enjoy it in the midst of a long to-do list. To make it a little easier on you this year, we’ve scoured the web...
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Since 2010 there has been a surge in the Electric Bicycle market, but what’s the deal with these things anyway? Instead of posting about the whole E-Bike market, we’re focusing on the conversion kits which allow you to turn a regular bike into a hybrid electric bicycle. Okay, so I know what you’re thinking….why...
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I would like to know how to get a stuck link fixed on my bike chain. Please help me. We’re back again with another answer to your bicycle tech questions. This question came in, and our resident bike expert and professional bike fit guru, Victor from Bicycle Lab is here to help: If you...
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As many of you will remember I spent a week in July at Le Tour with @SteamyWynndows & @AndyMWild and as a result of that trip, ended up the proud owner of a limited edition Team Sky jersey signed by the riders. Since returning from the Tour I’ve been determined to make that Sky...
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Our good friend, Eric brings his wisdom and talks about being a positive contributor to society in today’s Make it Happen Monday post. Be a Positive Contributor by Eric Hutchins I am a huge fan of the Lovingthebike site and of Darryl, its creator. He recently asked me to guest blog about what the...
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After a super-tough ride on the bike, what’s your best nutrition option for recovery? In the world of sports nutrition, there’s a lot of buzz about low-fat chocolate milk. Since I generally like simple, whole-food nutrition over chemicals and processed foods, the thought of it appeals to me (although many cheap chocolate syrups are...
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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
