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"Real Food" vs. Chem "Fuels"

I waded through all fifty pages of HammerGel's nutrition paper. I now understand their claims with regard to

- If you're going to do endurance exercises you're going into nutritional defecit.
- There's a limit to how much nutrition input you can handle per unit time
- Maintaining electrolyte balance is important.
- Protein is useful for endurance food
- Complex carbs are better than simple carbs in that they are more easily assimilated

Somehow one must be able to do most of this using "real food" for the most part and maybe supplements where appropriate. Does there exist literature / recommendations for such an approach?

John
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,228
20,005
Sleazattle
I can't think of any single source off hand but I have read several books on nutrition for endurance. I have come to the conclusion it all depends on what your stomach can handle and what works well for you. I know people who can ride for endless hours eating jelly donuts and five alarm chili. I on the other hand have serious issues. Any simple sugars and my stomach locks up, anything not easily digested and it just sits there. Personally I have found that the Hammer type drinks and gels help to supplement nutrition while I am riding but I have to eat real food to get some substance in my stomach. I have found fruits like bananas, melon, grapes and pineapple work great because the offer a bit of fiber to slow the absorbtion ofthe large amounts of sugar they contain as well as other good nutrients. The acidity of the pineapple seems to help with my digestion. I guess when drinking gallon after gallon of fluids my stomach ph probably gets a bit low. In non race situation I just jam my pockets with bananas and the odd oatmeal bar or PB&J sandwich.

If you haven't had any particular problems with what you have been doing I wouldn't worry about. If you have been having issues what are they?
 
pigboy and Herb are chemical fiends. I ride the VT 50 with them. Last year I cramped like a mofo from mile 20 to the end (exacerbated by lack of riding that year due to broken arm in June). This year I got more riding in, carbo loaded like hell the prior day, drank plenty, mostly sports drinks, during the race and ate lightly at every checkpoint. No cramping, but I was plenty tired during the last third or so. Since pb&H are such true believers, I figured I'd read their bible.

I posted here just to get other opinions and recommendations.

On long road rides I seem to be perfectly comfortable eating a big sandwich midway and immediately doing a big climb... Herb says he can't. Different strokes, I guess.

J
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
water, cytomax, Peanut Butter and Honey sandwiches, beef jerky... not perfect, but it's gotten me through a few centuries and many 60+ mile rides. Consuming ~100 calories every 20 minutes or so.

oj and/or V8 before and after.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,228
20,005
Sleazattle
pigboy and Herb are chemical fiends. I ride the VT 50 with them. Last year I cramped like a mofo from mile 20 to the end (exacerbated by lack of riding that year due to broken arm in June). This year I got more riding in, carbo loaded like hell the prior day, drank plenty, mostly sports drinks, during the race and ate lightly at every checkpoint. No cramping, but I was plenty tired during the last third or so. Since pb&H are such true believers, I figured I'd read their bible.

I posted here just to get other opinions and recommendations.

On long road rides I seem to be perfectly comfortable eating a big sandwich midway and immediately doing a big climb... Herb says he can't. Different strokes, I guess.

J
Well there is tired just from being tired and tired from low blood sugar. If you are getting tired from low blood sugar the best way to fight back a bonk is a banana or several gels.
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
On long road rides I seem to be perfectly comfortable eating a big sandwich midway and immediately doing a big climb... Herb says he can't. Different strokes, I guess.

J
I'm Herb and you're my buddy Tom... well, maybe. One time, we went for a long ride, stopped at 7-11 and he ate a hot dog and munched on a big bag of chips while we rode along with a big soda all within 20 minutes. Then we did a moderate climb. I would've puked, but he was fine.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,228
20,005
Sleazattle
I'm Herb and you're my buddy Tom... well, maybe. One time, we went for a long ride, stopped at 7-11 and he ate a hot dog and munched on a big bag of chips while we rode along with a big soda all within 20 minutes. Then we did a moderate climb. I would've puked, but he was fine.
On one of my 'death march' routes there i occasionally a roach coach parked near the entrance to the Shenandoah National park. If he is there I always stop for a hotdog or bacon and egg sammich. It doesn't sit in the stomach too well but boy does it taste good.
 

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
I use to cramp alot on longer rides so this summer I decided to see what I could do to stop it. Came down to the fact I wasn't getting enough fluids in. Started weighing myself before and after my rides and figured out how much I had to drink per hour and made sure I did it. I used half strength gatorade to suplement some salt and sugar. Didn't have any problems at all this summer.


There is quite a bit of debate about what really causes cramping though.