[BurlyShirley]

So where do i begin?


I know it may sound stupid, but i really dont know what i need to eat to get in good shape. Im in pretty good shape 5'10 185lbs...no flab or cellulite, but im wondering how to eat for endurance.

What exactly is a balanced diet for someone who is active at least 5 days a week?

Will drinking only Mt. Dew have any long term effects?

Sorry if this thread isnt the way things are normally done in the Fitness forum, but ive never posted here before...SO BACK OFF!

 

[BurlyShirley]

oh, i forgot to mention that i hate all vegetables....will that be a problem?

potatos and mushrooms are cool though....

 

[Squeak]

Mountain Dew is an evil concoction! I love it so much. :devil: Hard to cut back on....

 

[Serial Midget]

Mountain Dew has too much sugar (instant carbs) for endurance, you peak very fast but crash too soon. The sugar high is no good for endurance but great for short blasts like DH racing.

You don't really eat for endurance - you train and build your muscles for slow twitch activity.

I can't give nutritional advice and I don't eat a lot of fruits and vegetables...

Any lean meat, rice, potatos and some dark greens should be fine for lunch/dinner. Something with lots of oats that has not been overly processed is good for breakfast.

If you sometimes feel tired and sluggish for no reason - try cutting out sugar (including fruit juices and pasta) for a week to see if that does anything for your energy level.

 

[-BB-]

I heard that KIWI fruit is one of the most vitamin packed things you can eat. Sweet potato's too...

OH... I have a great meal for you (or anyone who doesn't like veggies too much.)

Sausage/spinace soup.

1-2 HOT Italian sausages (remove from casing)
Brown in a small pot.
Add in 1 cup rice
1 can chicken broth
2-3c water

When the rice is cooked, add in a BUNCH of fresh spinach (it will cook down to almost nothing.) and boil for only 1-2 more minutes.

The sausage will more than cover the taste of the spinach, but you still get all the leafy-green vitamins.

 

[Will_Jekyll]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
Mountain Dew has too much sugar (instant carbs) for endurance, you peak very fast but crash too soon. The sugar high is no good for endurance but great for short blasts like DH racing.

You don't really eat for endurance - you train and build your muscles for slow twitch activity.

I can't give nutritional advice and I don't eat a lot of fruits and vegetables...

Any lean meat, rice, potatos and some dark greens should be fine for lunch/dinner. Something with lots of oats that has not been overly processed is good for breakfast.

If you sometimes feel tired and sluggish for no reason - try cutting out sugar (including fruit juices and pasta) for a week to see if that does anything for your energy level.

Eating for endurance is just as important as training for endurance and not just the day or two before a big ride but consistently. You should try to maximize your carb intake and minimize your protein intake. During aerobic activity you are using mostly muscle glycogen and liver glucose for fuel these are both topped off by eating carbs. Also try to get carbs in you with in 90 minutes after exercising within this window you can top off your stores after it closes it will take a full 24 hours to restore your muscle glycogen and liver glucose. Gels and sports drinks are all basically just carbs to refuel your liver glucose levels.

 

[BurlyShirley]

mmmmmmmmmmmm..........sausage.


Thanks for the tips everyone.

Obviously the best way to build endurance is by riding as often as possible...right? What else do you guys do to keep from burning out early?

Reason why im asking this is, ill be doing my first XC race here pretty soon, and i dont feel like emploding too early. Ive raced DH plenty, but this is altogether another beast.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by BurlySurly
Reason why im asking this is, ill be doing my first XC race here pretty soon.

CLIPPY PEDALS!!! Whahahhahahaha... or yer gonna get your ass kicked.

Will_Jeckyl is correct, I just meant that merely changing your diet wasn't going to set you up with magical endurance. Any good, well balanced diet will do that.

I know quite a few ultra-endurance runners who are quite good - their approach to diet is very unscientific - they don't measure protein, carbs or glycogen levels and yet still manage decent times for long distances.

Train your body and mind for endurance and the food stuff comes easily.

 

[indieboy]

hehehe what a bunch of crap, i live off of ramen n rice and i'm doing just fine

 

[Jorvik]

As of the past year I've gained a bunch of weight from lifting and eating more and while I can't go racer boy fast in track or XC I find I can ride or run for much much longer without feeling dead. I just eat so much more than I used to, with little crap.

My diet is usuall much the same day to day:

Vitamins
oatmeal
Whey protein
Tuna (Bumblebee white albacore, perhaps with some mustard if I'm feeling crazy)
Peanut Butter sandwiches (no jelly)
and about a gallon of milk

It isn't pretty, but it gets the job done.

 

[laura]

Originally posted by Jorvik
and about a gallon of milk

It isn't pretty, but it gets the job done.

i am going to be sick.

 

[Jorvik]

Originally posted by laura
i am going to be sick.

Not all at once, mind you.

 

[East Coast Mojo]

Whatever you do - don't eat a footlong chili dog with all the fixins an hour before your race. For that matter don't eat one a day before the race just to be safe! Just gonna have to trust me on this one...

And whatever you eat I can guarantee that you are not drinking enough water. For every Mt. Dew you have you should chase it with about a liter of water to flush out the toxins - don't ask me "what toxins?" - you know what toxins I'm talkin' bout!

 

[Westy]

Originally posted by BurlySurly
mmmmmmmmmmmm..........sausage.


Thanks for the tips everyone.

Obviously the best way to build endurance is by riding as often as possible...right? What else do you guys do to keep from burning out early?

Reason why im asking this is, ill be doing my first XC race here pretty soon, and i dont feel like emploding too early. Ive raced DH plenty, but this is altogether another beast.

You'll want to push yourself, you will probably be surprised how much pain you can endure. Just don't let your muscles go lactic. Back off if your legs or lungs start to burn. I found it takes a few miles to warm up before being able to put down lotso'power.

For endurance I have always tried to eat alot of complex carbs and protein up until 2 hours before the ride/race. Oatmeal and Ham egg and cheese bagel sandwiches are my favorite pre race food. A blast of sugar like a snickers bar right before a long ride seems to help too.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Ok,

Im implementing the plan, but its only got about a week to take effect.

First race coming up June 22. Oh, and im doing it on my singlespeed. Yikes.

Ill keep yas posted.

 

[bURKeNSTiEN]

I dont know if you're specifically after say a Pre-race eating scheme but I'll forge on as if thats what you actually asked

In the week up to the event I would concentrate on drinking a lot more water than you currently do. Cut the Mt Dew. I drink about 3-4litres of water a day at work. you don't want to be dehydrated (you know how to check for that i hope??? )

You'll want to be eating low glycaemic index foods such as pastas & wholegrain breads for your main meals to feed yourself plenty of carbs to stock up your glycogen levels. Also plenty of raw or lightly steamed vegetables are GOOD.

Also on the pasta topic, dont cook the life out of it. Cook it so its slightly firm still (al dente). Cooked this way, i'm told, has a slightly lower GI than overcooked pasta as it contains less water & so takes a bit more effort to get broken down by the body.

Pasta & a simple sauce (see recipe at end) is great (for me) the night before a race.

I also get LOTS of sleep in the few days before it.

Race morning, I try to eat breakfast about 3.5-4 hours before race start. I have 4 slices of wholemeal wholegrain bread w/ vegemite and a 50/50 water/apple juice.
I also cook 2 more slices of toast to take with me in the car.
When I'm at the event, I put this toast on the engine to heat it up & eat this about 75mins before the race. About 40mins to go I will eat a small fruit muesli bar & begin my warmup of about 25mins. About 10 mins to go I eat a Leppin gel & then line up (PHEW! i didnt say it was Quick!)

Additionally, I always try to sip at water throughout the morning, esp in the car driving to the event. I usually have a pee about 15mins before the start.




as for my pasta sauce! well glad you asked
brown a fair amount of chopped onions in pan with some olive oil. Chop up a lot (to taste) of small chillies & chuck them in with the onions.
Chop up a whole red capsicum & some mushrooms into strips & chuck that in too & brown them.
Get some hot salami & cut that into strips & stir that in too.
Finally, add a fair amount of napoli sauce & pour in your pre-cooked penne pasta & stir through & heat.

spoon that up & damn its TASTY. if you made it right it also has a fair chilli kick in it too (good immune booster)

cheers

 

[BarbaRosa]

go to the book store and pick up some books and mags on the topic, for the race... dude you are a little late,

food is key, when i was in early 20's ramen and hotdogs were my diet and i bonked soo bad one day on a great rock climb...

get some books, read,

in the mean time, screw it, go race and note the experience and then work on improved diet and regieme and note improvemtents on time.