Nutrition on the road - What, How and Why?

My 100-mile nutrition plan is a banana and a malt loaf

How close is it to a banana bread?

Totally baking malt Loaf tonight. With dates and Walnuts. hmmmmmmm.

How does Norway not have Soreen?
Or figrolls?

Winner. If you look at the nutritional content per 100g vs a packaged bar like Clif it's more or less the same. The banana ones are good.

You can get them in little mouthtful sized multipacks, individually wrapped, which is handy. But a whole loaf in the back pocket is better

Similar - still has the moist / spongey / chewy kinda texture of soreen. It's very good.

Don't worry, the company that own Soreen are tory party donors and the Aldi/lidl versions are too claggy. Home made is the way to go!

Malt loaf without an equal amount of butter >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Gonna add dates and Walnuts.
Should be awesome.

Its just a pain sometimes when I have a long ride planned and theres nothing Instant availible in the stores. No flapjacks, no malt Loaf, and up untill recently no dried fruit bars. I bake my own flapjacks usually. But this could be a Nice change.

I lived with a friend of mine when he rowed for his university - he swore by fig rolls. There was a cupboard in our kitchen almost completely full of the things.
I guess in terms of nutritional make-up they're probably not massively dissimilar to soreen.

Figrolls have some magnesium. Which the sports nutrition Companies will tell you helps prevent cramping. Although I'm not sure eating while already riding will give it time to do anything.

I fecking love figrolls. But they make me poo. So avoid them when riding.

Remember buying a massive pressed fig cake at the highest point of Gran Canaria after a long 2000m climb. Smashing it. Then instantly descending full gas to my hotel. Timed it just right.

/CSB.

This. I usually slice my butter rather than spread it.

helps prevent cramping

Isn't the latest thinking on cramps that it's simply due to being tired, rather than than a deficiency of some kind?

That idea was shown to have been started by Gatorade, or one of the other "fizzy water and sugar" producers.

Obvs the science has been suppressed by the the "sports drinks" manufacturers...

#illuminaticonfirmed

On cramping.

I experience it when tired and not tired. The best thing for me is an electrolyte drink, always zero calorie. I've tried many rides with and without it/short/long rides. I like the 'tabs' that one dissolves in water but many zero calorie electrolyte options are available. So my own experience says minerals...

There's a "cramps" thread on here: I'll try and find it and back-up my conspiracy theory...

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/10153654/

brilliant
sold!

I can believe that optimal hydration can help avoid cramps. Maybe the hydration tabs help this.

I'm taking magnesium daily anyway. To be honest I'd drink my urin if I thought it might help. Last intense race both my glutes went into full on spasm mode while I was in a tight paceline. Was fucking agony, fucking Dangerous, and figuring out a way of pedalling my bike at 40kph without them, just meant the rest of my legs got fucked over. I recovered, then parked 30 meters from the steep finish. Cant have this happening Saturday.

In more important News.

I cant find malt extract.

No fig rolls, no soreen, no flapjacks, and now I cant find malt extract. I'm stacked up on English mustard and vegemite. SO I Guess I'll fill my suitcase With malt extract when I'm over in the summer.

I've always suffered from horrendous cramp in my legs. Ever since I was a kid, way before cycling. My mother is the same. Doesn't matter how fit, in shape or out of shape I am, the mileage I'm doing, my hydration or diet...even commuting home from work will have my legs spasming. I've only ever had cramp once on the bike (which I do believe was a combination of lack hydration and going extra hard on the first session after a long spell off the bike). All my cramp comes a couple of hours afterward when I'm resting or during the night. Literally every single day I'd suffer.

I started yoga and couldn't make it through a single class without the onset of cramp when sitting or standing still for a pose. The teacher put be on a high does cocktail of magnesium, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin C. No change at first, but since I'd bought the pills I thought I may as well use them up. Then after about 3 months, almost overnight, the cramp went away. No other changes in diet, lifestyle or exercise. That was probably 4 or 5 months ago and I've not had a single attack since.

Yeah. I'm on a similar cocktail.

I used to get mad cramp post exercise. Havent had that for years.

I had a load of carbs in my bidon last race. I watered it Down more than recommended. But I still suspect the hydration effect was heavily lowered. It was 10 minutes of climbing all out to make the selection. Then paceline riding bent over constantly to try and minimise effort. So I can see how it happened.

Saturday will be much the same except a million times harder. So I'm taking 2 750ml bidons With just a hydration tab in each. Should be replacement bottles on route. But I'm keeping my carbs as gels in my jersey and not fecking With my water this time.

Try this the night before and after races.

It is painful,but it works
Sanddancer's suggestions might also help yoi.

How much do people drink on hot rides roughly?

I'm out in the Pyrenees and finished my ride on a 50 min climb in 33deg c and bonked hard. Pretty sure it was a dehydration thing as I ate plenty

I am conscious of how much I drink but always suspect it's insufficient. You can get away with it most of the time in England , but it bit me big style today

Worst I'm riding in the Pyrenees post ever.

It's a tough life

recommended is 500ml-1l/h
ensure electolytes if hot.
can also weigh yourself daily to ensure fluid upkeep. or check wee colour

possibly dehydration. possibly what you ate.