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Training & Diet

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  • 11-09-2008 6:21pm
    #1
    littleknown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 291 ✭✭


    at the moment i head out mountain biking for only around 3 hours on saturdays. this alone seems to be doing me good but i would like to do more and especially improve my diet.

    can anyone give me good pointers on what to eat for energy and to avoid dehydration etc.?

    also what type of spins should i be looking at to improve my health in the long term. im not looking to become race ready only loose weight and generally get healthy,

    any advice much appreciated.


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    #2
    Chips Lovell
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    You could always try the world famous El Tonto diet. Eat whatever the hell you want. If you find yourself not losing weight or indeed gaining weight, just ride more.


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    #3
    littleknown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 291 ✭✭littleknown


    thanks el tonto, ive half of it down already! only the cycling to go then.;


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    #4
    Raam
    Registered Users Posts: 14,317 ✭✭✭✭Raam


    el tonto wrote: »
    You could always try the world famous El Tonto diet. Eat whatever the hell you want. If you find yourself not losing weight or indeed gaining weight, just ride more.

    I whole heartedly second that one.


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    #5
    amjon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 174 ✭✭amjon


    littleknown wrote: »
    at the moment i head out mountain biking for only around 3 hours on saturdays. this alone seems to be doing me good but i would like to do more and especially improve my diet.

    What is your diet like at the moment?
    littleknown wrote: »
    can anyone give me good pointers on what to eat for energy and to avoid dehydration etc.?

    On spins I put about 200ml of fresh pure orange juice into my water bottle and fill with tap water and sip this.This allows me to stay hydrated while allowing my blood suger to stay topped up.I alo bring banana's as they release enery slowly and have some good electoyltes such as potasium.I also tend to bring a couple of bagles with jam,a good mix of complex and simple carbohydrates.
    littleknown wrote: »
    also what type of spins should i be looking at to improve my health in the long term. im not looking to become race ready only loose weight and generally get healthy,

    I read an interview with Greg LeMond a few months back and he said that people using the bike simply for health/weight loss should do no more than an hour.In this hour you should do about 20 30 second bursts at flat out.I can't remember his reasoning completely, but it was something to do with lower levels or cortisol so the rider dosen't have as big an apetite after a spin and more muscle is built this way so more fat is burnt in subsequent rides.


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    #6
    littleknown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 291 ✭✭littleknown


    thanks for that amjon, i usually head out early in the morning, so just get a pretty basic breakfast which leaves me pretty flat after an hour or so, bananas i know are good for energy,are there any other tricks,

    i have heard people eating pasta etc but obviously for an early morning spin thats not really likely or wanted,:pac:


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    #7
    Raam
    Registered Users Posts: 14,317 ✭✭✭✭Raam


    littleknown wrote: »
    thanks for that amjon, i usually head out early in the morning, so just get a pretty basic breakfast which leaves me pretty flat after an hour or so, bananas i know are good for energy,are there any other tricks,

    i have heard people eating pasta etc but obviously for an early morning spin thats not really likely or wanted,:pac:

    Porridge is a good thing to have for breakfast as the energy is released slowly.
    Stick some honey in there if it tastes too bland.
    While on the bike, make sure to have something to eat every 20 to 30 minutes. This could just be a bite of a bar. For me, an hour would be far too much to wait. That said, everyone is different.


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