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NUTRITION ADVICE FROM JESSICA LORING, REGISTERED DIETICIAN, SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTER

Ride the Rockies is both a challenging and life changing experience. I know this first hand after completing sixteen Ride the Rockies Bicycle Tours. In order to train for this ride and complete the full week, both time in the saddle and fueling your body correctly are essential. Over the next five months, work on perfecting your cadence while figuring out what foods work best for you.

Use the following information as a general guide to help meet your nutritional needs while training for the 2010 Ride the Rockies Bicycle Tour.

Two Schools of Thought – Low Carbohydrate vs. High Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are not only the fuel choice for the brain, they are also the primary fuel for muscle contraction. Over the years, there have been numerous studies to determine the perfect amounts of carbohydrates that an athlete should consume. Below are a few facts on low carbohydrate verses high carbohydrate diets.

Low Carbohydrate

In the past few years, the 40-30-30 diet has become more popular with cyclists and athletes. This diet, also known as the ZONE, is a diet that consists of 40% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 30% from fat. This diet has been suggested as a way for athletes to reduce body fat while increasing muscle mass.

When we eat, blood sugar (glucose) rises; insulin is then produced in the body as a response to carbohydrate intake. Although insulin is essential to utilize and process the foods you eat, it has also been shown to inhibit fat usage or metabolism. Researchers of the Zone diet state that with lower carbohydrate intake, the body is able maintain stable levels of blood insulin and burn more fat. In addition, the 40-30-30 diet suggests eating larger amounts of protein increases “glucagon” levels, which is a hormone that enables the body to burn fat.

The bottom line is, individuals may loose weight or fat from this diet, but weight loss most likely occurs by monitoring what you eat and counting calories. If your goal is to get in shape and burn fat, this will come from burning more calories than are consumed at meals – not a “magic” ratio of 40-30-30. The fact remains that the majority of scientific research supports a diet higher in carbohydrate for athletes. The recommendations for carb intake, along with overall calories for the 40-30-30 diet, are too low to meet increased energy needs for training and will not improve performance. Remember that carbohydrates, not fat, are the favored energy source during moderate to intense cycling.

High Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are required while training and are the primary source of energy for cyclists. It is essential to eat a variety of carbohydrates to provide approximately 55-65% of your total daily calories. Riders should consume a minimum of 30-60 grams of carbs for each hour they spend on the bike. For higher intensity riders, 65-70% of total daily calories should come from carbohydrates, up to 75 grams of carbohydrate per hour. While both complex carbs (bread, rice, potatoes) and simple sugars (honey, milk, fruit) provide energy when cycling, the most beneficial carbohydrates to consume during cycling are still up for debate. Both types of carbohydrates turn into glucose when consumed and this concept might be easier to understand if foods are listed by absorption rate or Glycemic Index. The glycemic index ranks foods by their ability to raise blood sugar compared to a reference carbohydrate. High glycemic index foods are absorbed quickly, while low glycemic foods are absorbed at a slower rate.

Examples - Each serving listed below is approximately 15 grams of carbohydrate

Rapidly Absorbed	Moderately Absorbed	Release Energy Slowly
1 1/2 tbsp of raisins	4 oz orange juice	1 medium apple
1/4 large bagel	1/3 cup bran cereal	1/2 cup garbanzo beans
12 small crackers	1/3 cup pasta	2 oz peanuts
3/4 cup of corn flakes	4 pieces melba toast	8 oz skim milk
1/2 baked potato	1/2 cup cooked oatmeal	1 medium orange
1/3 cup white rice (cooked)	1 cup grapes	1/2 cup kidney beans
1 tbsp honey	1 small banana	1/4 cup dried apricots
8 oz sports drink	1/2 cup cooked corn	6 inch wheat tortilla
1 slice thin white bread	1/4 baked beans	6 oz low fat plain yogurt

Avoiding the "Bonk" while cycling

"Bonk" or "Hitting the Wall" occurs when your body has depleted all of its carbohydrate stores and starts to use stored fat as the main source of energy. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscle as glycogen; in the normal diet there is enough stored to support two hours of vigorous exercise before you may feel the "bonk". If you plan to cycle longer than one and a half to two hours, on a training ride, consume carbohydrates at the start of the ride. Once you have "hit the wall", the carbs you consume may be less effective. In several studies that compared athelets that consumed low carbohydrate diets (40%) with those that consumed higher amounts (70%) during several days of 2 hour workouts, those with the lower intake had low muscle glycogen stores and fatigued quickly. On the other hand, the diet higher in carbohydrate, helped maintain the athelets muscle glycogen stores and they were able to continue with vigorous cycling. In order to avoid running out of energy too quickly and to maximize your body's glycogen stores, consider the following tips:

Consume a high carbohydrate diet in the days before you ride (60 - 70% of calories from carbohydrates).
Eat a carbohydrates fueled meal 2 hours before you ride.
Consume carbohydrate containing foods while riding such as energy gels and sport drinks. Consuming a sports drink, with carbohydrate, while riding can be beneficial over water alone by helping maintain blood glucose levels. Most 8oz servings provide 15 grams of carbohydrate, so try drinking 8oz every 15 minutes to avoid fatigue when glycogen stores are low.
In the first thirty minutes after the ride, make it a priority to consume foods with both carbohydrates and protein - this will help you start the re-fueling process and re-build glycogen storage. During this time try to consume 0.5 grams of carbohydrate and 0.25 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For a 150lb rider this would be 75 grams of carbohydrate and 30 grams of protein.

While carbohydrates remain the key nutrient and foundation for your daily meals, it is important to incorporate all food groups for a healthy balanced diet.

Protein

Protien is used to repair and rebuild muscle that is damaged during exercise, it is not used as a source of energy. On average, cyclists require 0.6 – 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. For a 150lb rider this would be approximately 90 - 120 grams per day. It is important to remember that when fueling, carbohydrates are the priority. If you are a rider with a sensitive stomach or get full easily, consume the lower end of the protein recommendations. The following are examples of good protein sources:

8 oz skim milk - 8 grams protein	1 cup low fat yogurt - 12 grams protein
1 oz cheese - 8 grams protein	1 cup cottage cheese - 28 grams protein
1/2 cup kidney beans - 7 grams protein	1/4 cup egg beaters - 6 grams protein
4 oz salmon - 22 grams protein	3.5 oz chicken breast - 30 grams protein
2 tsp peanut butter - 8 grams protein	4 oz lean ground beef - 28 grams protein
3 egg whites - 12 grams protein	1 can (3oz) tuna fish - 22 grams protein

Fluids

While carbohydrates and protein are important, staying hydrated is essential. Dehydration will not only slow down a rider, it can cause serious harm to your body. Water is essential for regulating your body temperature and cardiovascular function. Each rider sweats differently and outside temperatures fluctuate, so fluid requirements will vary between riders. As a general rule, drink 20 oz of water before the ride; 5 oz every 15 minutes while you ride; and 30 – 40 oz after the ride. As we sweat, we loose great quantities of sodium so sports drinks are encouraged. Riders who sweat heavily may want to trial a back-mounted water system or salt tablets during training rides, prior to use on Ride The Rockies.

Fat

Although it may be tempting to increase fat intake during the rides, because you are working extra hard, it is important to remember that high-fat foods fill the stomach and leave less room for carbohydrates. High fat can result in poorly fueled muscles, larger fat cells, and delayed digestion. Cyclists should try to consume at least 0.45 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day. For a 150lb cyclist this would be around 65 – 70 grams per day. When choosing fats, pick heart healthy fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, olives, and avocados.

Fruits and Vegetables

We are often so focused on protein, fluid, and carbohydrates, fruits and veggies go by the wayside. Not only are fruits and vegetables great sources of carbohydrates and immune building antioxidants, they taste great too. While training and during the ride, try to consume 5 - 9 servings of fruit and vegetable per day.

Examples of serving sizes of fruits and veggies:

One medium-size fruit (such as an apple, orange, or pear)

1/2 cup raw, cooked, canned, or frozen vegetables or fruit

3/4 cup (6 ounces) fruit or vegetable juice

1/2 cup fruit

1/2 cup cooked or canned legumes (beans and peas)

1 cup raw, leafy vegetables (such as lettuce and spinach)

1/4 cup dried fruit (such as raisins or mangoes)

While training over the next several months, remember that by changing a few daily dietary habits it can and will make a big difference in your overall energy level. Start today by incorporating all of the above food groups in your diet to maximize your energy stores and make your training rides the best they can be. Best of luck and get ready for a ride of your life!