The type of fat you select is critical to health, performance and weight maintenance. Fats are grouped into 'good' fats and 'bad' fats.

Good fats include polyunsaturated fats Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats and monounsaturated fats Omega 9 fats. Whereas saturated fats found in meats and processed foods are to be limited, Omega 3 and 6 fats are vital to maintaining health and are found in nuts, seeds, fish and oils such as flaxseed, borage and starflower oil.

Additional benefits from these fats include a reduction of inflammation in the body, making them great for those with asthma and allergies while also providing a stimulatory benefit to the metabolism, and therefore assisting in weight loss.

Good fats are known to reduce bad cholesterol LDL and are therefore an important part of the diet to assist in the prevention of heart disease. Aiming for around 20g of good fat per day is a great strategy for health support without the risk of adding too many calorific fats to the diet.

There are two main types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble ones. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in the body. The water-soluble ones, however, are not stored in the body and therefore are needed in the diet every day.

Minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc are also needed daily, but only in very small quantities. These vitamins and minerals can be found in a variety of foods.

The NHS recommendation of five pieces of fruit and vegetables per day is aimed to assist in the daily achievement of these vitamins and minerals along with sufficient fibre intake. Selecting a rainbow of colours and aiming for darker-coloured fruits and vegetables is recommended.

However, avoid mega-dosing on nutrients unless used as a short-term treatment for example in the case of vitamin C and zinc use during a cold to reduce severity and duration of symptoms. Since glucose and energy is key to performance, this may be a game-changer in optimising performance.

What are the key benefits of seeing your blood glucose level minute to minute? In training, you can see real-time responses to your nutrition and ensure you have enough energy available to perform. Outside training, you can see how your body responds to food. Beyond food, you may be able to see how other factors might impact blood glucose e.

sleep , recovery etc. It takes time, effort and expertise to understand the data and gain actionable insights from it. Many variables affect energy availability, blood glucose level and performance; it may be hard to untangle correlation and causation.

Join now for unlimited access. The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Deena Blacking is a cycling coach and sports consultant at drivetrain. By Tom Davidson Published 12 February By Tom Thewlis Published 12 February Motivation is key: achievable, aspirational goals with clear checkpoints is a great place to start.

Structured training, bike servicing and joining a club will all help set you on the right trajectory, too. By Charlie Allenby Published 9 January How to come up with a target you can hit - plus some pointers on how to stay on track.

By Chris Marshall-Bell Published 5 January The cacophony of praise for Zone 2 training of late left Chris Sidwells scratching his head.

So he decided to find out what all the fuss was about. By Chris Sidwells Published 4 January As with most things in life, there is a balance to be struck…. By Andy Turner Published 19 November Getting the most out of your winter training means making sure you are optimally fuelled for every ride - here's what you need to know about the specific demands of cold season nutrition.

By Joe Laverick Published 18 November Your extremities are the first to suffer when the temperture drops. Here's how to avoid painfully cold hands and feet. By Hannah Bussey Published 14 November The season of weight training and nutritional debauchery is here.

By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published 27 September Throwing down almost a dozen strength, flexibility and health benchmarks, we dare you pedalling specialists to put some numbers on your all-round athleticism.

By Chris Marshall-Bell Published 18 September Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. Vitamin D is a key component for building stronger muscles, stronger bones, and increasing your metabolism - leading to shorter recovery times.

You need vitamin C to give your immune system a boost and allow it to protect you from nasties that might keep you out of the saddle and place you ill in bed instead.

No one wants that. It also helps fight cardiovascular disease, prevent wrinkles, and keep your eyes healthy pretty great benefits for cyclists all-round - especially those of us who care for our complexions. Vitamin C is abundantly found in fruits and vegetables, but, admit it… are you really eating your 5 a day?

Of course, if fresh fruits and vegetables especially citrus fruits, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes etc. Vitamin E protects the cells within your muscles and lungs - both of these are obviously pretty important for cyclists, so we should do our best to give them a helping hand, right?

Indeed, increased vitamin E intakes have been proven to actually boost your lung capacity at altitude, which is great news! Tour de France, anyone…?

Magnesium helps regulate your blood sugar, blood pressure, bone development, and nerve function. Moreover, it actually helps your body to more efficiently process carbohydrates and fats for fuel as well - obviously excellent for us cyclists, so Magnesium is pretty key.

Fortunately, it can be easily found across the food groups in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, poultry, fish, beef, and even chocolate… yep.

Bonus for choc lovers and chasers of sweet treats. But, for everyone else, stick to eating whole foods maybe not too much choc though in healthy amounts and you should be fine!

We all remember those lessons from school, right? This will obviously impact your rides immensely and in a negative way. Not great. Meat-eaters rejoice, because you can get plenty of iron through eating regular healthy portions of meat and fish.

An amazing, pocket-sized way to fuel up on the go. We at Veloforte have spent years playing with natural recipes for the perfect energy bars that not only give you the boost you need, but also taste great!

After all, you want to enjoy what you eat, right? Much like energy bars, protein bars are small, convenient, and easy ways to both fuel yourself and get some extra protein needed to help your muscles recover.

Check out our Forza and Mocha bars to get the little protein kick you need. Naturally, we have the perfect solutions to your energy gel needs at Veloforte, allowing you to get the speedy energy you need quickly, conveniently, and in a gel packed full of natural goodness.

Recovery shakes are just what you need to get that injection of protein as soon after your ride as possible for maximum benefits. Naturally, the extra protein helps your muscles recover from the exertion faster and more efficiently and promotes healthy development.

Of course, we at Veloforte have considered recovery shakes as well and have developed our Vita and Nova shakes to be packed with protein to help your recovery. Excellent ways for your body to get the carbohydrates and sugars that it needs, pasta and rice are cheap, quick, and easy ways to get what you need.

Broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower, cabbage - all are excellent for providing you with the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. These are especially good for providing you with an iron boost, so ensure that you eat these alongside some citrus fruits to get the most iron bang for your buck.

An amazing source of carbohydrates, protein, and vitamins, you can enjoy either white or sweet potatoes and reap the benefits.

Whites are better at giving you a prod of potassium, whilst sweet potatoes will up your vitamin A intake. Both are great and healthy options in moderation - and maybe not in the form of crisps or fries. Oats are amongst the healthiest grains you can eat, will keep you full for a long time, and are suitable for coeliacs being gluten-free.

Oats are also loaded with important vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B3. Studies suggest that salmon may even benefit weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease. Not bad at all from our fishy friends. Vitamin E is hard to get elsewhere and not effective when taken as supplements, so this is some key advice right here.

Red meat is the most effective way of doing this and getting a huge helping of protein at the same time. Just keep an eye on those extra sugars. Staying hydrated when cycling is absolutely critical for the digestion of food and to maintain a high level of performance.

Dehydration, even in its mildest form, can really slow you down and leave you feeling ill and with a head-ache after your ride. Generally, bad times. As well as drinking the normal recommended amount of glasses of fluids per day you need to drink extra to match any fluid lost through exercise, which can be lost through sweat and urine both during and after your ride.

So, stay hydrated, kids! Another thing to bear in mind is keeping your body well-balanced with electrolytes. These minerals carry a tiny electric charge and are essential for maintaining a healthy pH balance in your body fluids, as well as balance the amount of fluids you retain in general.

Electrolytes can be easily lost through sweat and urine during intense rides, so ensure that you stock up on pre-mixed electrolyte drinks, add a tablet to your water bottle, or mix up a smoothie to keep yourself balanced.

If you have a sweeter tooth, you can even slurp a small bottle of cherry, watermelon, or orange juice - these fruit juices are rich in electrolytes. A key point to remember, though, is that cycling energy drinks can make staying appropriately hydrated easy and, naturally, we have a range of Veloforte Electrolyte Powders available to make staying hydrated as easy as possible.

For every 0. Also, water alone is fine for short rides in cooler weather but if you are producing a lot of sweat then taking on board a little bit of extra sodium can really help your body maintain fluid balance, and prevent cramps.

Your most likely pre-ride or pre-race meal will be breakfast, but the same principles apply at any time of the day. Your meal needs to ensure your glycogen stores are fully topped up and that you are properly hydrated. It must also be easy to digest - particularly on race or event day when pre-race jitters may make digestion harder.

Look for foods with a good combination of protein sources and carbohydrates. Half fruit juice, half water is a great way to hydrate and the fructose from the juice will also contribute to your carb needs.

light sources of protein such as scrambled egg, unsweetened yogurt, nuts and seeds. Different types of cycling training sessions need fuelling in different ways, here are some examples:. To perform these sessions well and reach the desired high intensities to get a training effect, you need to be properly fuelled for these endeavours.

This is a good test for your nutrition strategy and helps you to know what flavours of bar you like and how your body reacts to different foods, nutrition and fluids and timings. After your ride, whether it is a short and easy one, a tough training session or after a race, your first priority should always be recovery.

The first minutes after finishing exercise is known as the replenishment window or glycogen window. During this time your body is primed to be ready to replenish your glycogen stores and start rebuilding your muscles that have been damaged through hard exercise - all you need to do is give it the blocks and let the builders in your body handle the rest.

The carbohydrate is needed to replenish energy stores in the form of muscle glycogen and the protein is needed to help convert the carbs into glucose and build and repair your damaged muscle fibres.

Our Veloforte Mocha bar is the perfect way to get the mixture of carbs and protein that you need during or after your ride. Naturally sourced from pea and rice protein with a dash of hazelnut and a coffee and cocoa kick, these bars are the perfect pocket-sized way to get the extra protein you need for recovery.

Elite Performance Cherry Ride day: Aim to have your breakfast minutes before you start riding. Elite Active Hydrate Pacing and fuelling are intrinsically linked. Elite HiLo Protein Bars Rest of the ride Stick to the same structure and discipline throughout the ride.

Elite Kick-Start Caffeine Gum When you finish If you have fuelled and paced your ride correctly, you should finish the ride feeling hungry but not ravenous. Elite Essential Whey Protein It will also help to prevent you overeating when you do have some real food, which is likely to be a late lunch.

Member tips: Your alternative bike care toolkit Read Story. Where play fits into coaching. Playing on bikes. Your tips for keeping warm while riding Knowledge Level: Intermediate. Cyclo-cross tips and fails from Britain's best. Dress for summer cycling with Kalas Knowledge Level: Beginner. The fuel you put into your body is a massive factor in determining the performance you get out of it We cover every aspect of cycling nutrition to make you a stronger bike rider.

Hydration on the bike Knowledge Level: Beginner. Avoiding stomach problems on the bike Knowledge Level: Intermediate. Fuelling and hydration for indoor cycling.

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In this guide, nutritional experts from PowerBar tell us how to avoid stomach problems during races. GI gastrointestinal problems are common for marathon runners, long distance cyclists and triathletes; but there are ways to reduce GI, or elimitate it, with the correct nutrition approach.

If the aim of your session is to ride hard, then you need carbohydrate to fuel it. However, there are times where you might not want to eat carbohydrates during your ride, or you might even want to start your ride glycogen depleted.

The benefits to these low carb rides are twofold. Firstly, they can teach your body to become more efficient at using fat as a fuel source, meaning you will learn to 'spare' muscle glycogen for when you need it in races, like the high-intensity efforts that can win you races.

Secondly, it could help you adapt more to exercise. One of the main ways we adapt to repeated training sessions is by increasing the number of mitochondria in our muscles and completing training sessions with low muscle glycogen levels has been shown to increase the rate at which we create new mitochondria.

It is common to find that your power output is lower than normal when training low carb, but some of this loss can be restored by using a carbohydrate mouth-rinse.

Just swill a carbohydrate drink in your mouth for 10 seconds every five minutes and spit it out just watch out for your fellow riders.

One of the big issues with riding low carb is bonking. One way to avoid this is to take some high carbohydrate food out with you as a backup. Another huge caveat with low-carb training is that doing it too often can ruin your ability to perform the high-intensity efforts that are key to doing well in races.

There are several important enzymes in your muscles that allow you to produce energy quickly enough to perform high-intensity efforts, and chronically training without carbohydrate can reduce the amount of them in your muscle. In light of that, we suggest that you periodise your nutrition in the same manner that you periodise your training.

You may wish to avoid carbohydrates in some easier days, but on those tough days, make sure you fuel properly. During exercise, your body produces a lot more metabolic heat than it normally does, and the main way of losing this excess heat is sweating.

If you lose more than three per cent of your body mass in sweat 2. Pre-exercise, you should aim to drink about ml of fluid about four hours before starting.

The next time you urinate, if it is dark in colour, you should aim to drink the same amount again, and keep doing so until your urine is light or clear in colour. Some people sweat so much during exercise that they might struggle to replace all the fluids that are lost, and they may benefit from hyperhydrating before exercise.

While there are potential benefits, it does increase the risk that you may have to stop to urinate during the race, so be careful. If you consume more fluid than you lose through sweat, there is a risk of developing hyponatraemia; where the sodium in your blood becomes diluted.

The symptoms of this include confusion, weakness and fainting. In the most extreme cases, seizures and even death have occurred. The best way to find out how much fluid you should ingest is to weigh yourself pre- and post-ride in various weather conditions and keep notes.

Protein, or the amino acids that make it up, are the building blocks of all the cells in the body, including skeletal muscle. Whilst supplemental protein can help increase protein synthesis rates following weight-training, there is little evidence to suggest that it has any beneficial effect on endurance performance.

What should be of more concern for endurance athletes is refuelling with carbohydrate after races or tough training sessions.

Recommended calorie sources: whatever works and will motivate you to keep eating. Rationale: For cycling nutrition during ultraendurance rides, food boredom and GI distress are the big challenges.

The intensity of very long rides is generally moderate. As a result, your ability to absorb carbohydrate fast enough is rarely a problem. Having a variety of flavors, textures, and cravable foods is key. After the ride: The big thing is to stay present and engaged long enough to actually get a good meal.

Oftentimes, riders just totally shut off their brains at the finish of an extra-long ride. Instead, wait until you change, shower, and eat before considering the ride finished. Learn step-by-step how to overcome limited training time and get faster.

Walk away with a personalized plan to increase your performance. Email Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Pingback: Fueling Your Cycling Performance: What to Eat and Drink for Optimal Results — Rev Up Your Cycles.

A real mixed bag of opinions here. My advice is do what you think suits you best for for whatever you are doing in the form of exercise you participate in. It is not a one size fits all. Different strokes for different folks as they say.

I have followed the same routine for 20 years doing my cycling and it has worked well for me. For those of you thinking I am autistic no I am not.

I am now 66 and cycle 17 miles every day and feel the benefits of my cycling. silly me. It does contain 5 fruits lots of carbs etc etc l just modify it in the spring to reduce weight by kg for the summer.

Sorry but this article clearly shows a lack of understanding. Very dilute sugar and salt osmolarity are essential requirements of hydration. You have not cited any scientific sources, or even mentioned coffee or alcohol. I would never ever start using a gel prior to a race start. away from hard working muscles???

Sounds like a recipe for gastrointestinal disaster. The article may contain errors, but posting a link to a well-known super quack is not exactly the correct way to show that.

And you talk about scientific sources? More info on the drink part of this plan would be important for salty sweaters like me. Carrying water is fine if you want to have it for cleaning glasses or to decide on the fly what you want to mix to drink, but plan to consume electrolytes unless you never get a salt crust or chalky feeling to your skin after you ride.

Pingback: Alimentazione per il ciclismo: Cosa mangiare e bere durante le uscite in bicicletta di qualsiasi durata - Estate Correndo. Pingback: Endurance Ride Checklist: What Smart Cyclists Take on Everyday Rides and Epic Adventures - CTS. Pre-bedtime snack is better than my 2 AM snack following a ride over 4 hours.

Well written advice that I wished I knew the first time I attempted the Tour of CA Alps aka Deathride…. If you ignore the calories that accompany hydration, you will take in far too much. Thanks for the article. Fueling is one of my main problems. It may sound counter intuitive but my best performance on the bike has been on rides where I have a sit down lunch halfway through.

It does cut a chunk of daylight out of my ride though. Is there a magic food out there my gut will tolerate and keep me fueled all day?