Original Article Is Found Here: http://www.btwincycle.com/EN/what-is-a-suitable-diet-for-a-cyclist-107422811/
I do a regular activity without worrying about performance, so I need a balanced diet!
But is there a difference?
The main differences between someone who goes for a few bike rides occasionally and a top cycling or MTB champion relate to quantities and needs.
The more serious your discipline is, the more resources your body will need.
A suitable diet for cyclists
Different nutrients have specific characteristics which athletes are looking for. Athletes can therefore adjust nutrient quantities for optimum energy, vitamin and mineral intake.
• Hydration allows you to compensate for minerals lost during activity. Whatever the weather and outside temperature, your body becomes dehydrated.
You are recommended to drink regularly on a bike ride, with little mouthfuls of water or energy drink. Take drinks with you in sufficient quantity – you can take them with you in your bag or, even more practically, in water bottles which can be slotted directly on to the frame (bottle holder).
• Complex carbohydrates gradually make energy available to your body. They are slow-release sugars which provide your body with energy throughout your ride or competition, whatever type of bike you are riding.
• Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins which are useful for good nutrient assimilation. A cyclist, especially a very athletic one, must not overlook fruit and vegetables.
• Proteins play a role in muscle construction and recovery.
• Fats provide very slow-release energy. They allow you to store energy and are therefore essential for all cyclists.
• Simple carbohydrates quickly make energy available to your body. They are fast-release sugars, which are very useful if you feel drained or lack energy from time to time on the roads or trails.
Your diet will therefore depend on your discipline (road cycling, MTB, city biking, etc.), your level (leisure, competition, etc.), the season, the climate and your objectives. You diet must also be appropriate for you as an individual – you shouldn’t eat too much or too little.
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Whatever my activity, people advise me to eat a balanced diet.
I ride in competitions, so I need a balanced diet!
I ride in competitions, so I need a balanced diet!
I do a regular activity without worrying about performance, so I need a balanced diet!
But is there a difference?
What is a balanced diet?
Whether you ride a bike or not, for recreation or with the aim of improving your performance in competitions, you should always eat a balanced diet.
Whether you ride a bike or not, for recreation or with the aim of improving your performance in competitions, you should always eat a balanced diet.
The main differences between someone who goes for a few bike rides occasionally and a top cycling or MTB champion relate to quantities and needs.
The more serious your discipline is, the more resources your body will need.
A suitable diet for cyclists
Different nutrients have specific characteristics which athletes are looking for. Athletes can therefore adjust nutrient quantities for optimum energy, vitamin and mineral intake.
Below is a list so that you can get to grips with all these nutrients and set your priorities:
• Hydration allows you to compensate for minerals lost during activity. Whatever the weather and outside temperature, your body becomes dehydrated.
You are recommended to drink regularly on a bike ride, with little mouthfuls of water or energy drink. Take drinks with you in sufficient quantity – you can take them with you in your bag or, even more practically, in water bottles which can be slotted directly on to the frame (bottle holder).
• Complex carbohydrates gradually make energy available to your body. They are slow-release sugars which provide your body with energy throughout your ride or competition, whatever type of bike you are riding.
• Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins which are useful for good nutrient assimilation. A cyclist, especially a very athletic one, must not overlook fruit and vegetables.
• Proteins play a role in muscle construction and recovery.
• Fats provide very slow-release energy. They allow you to store energy and are therefore essential for all cyclists.
• Simple carbohydrates quickly make energy available to your body. They are fast-release sugars, which are very useful if you feel drained or lack energy from time to time on the roads or trails.
Thus, a cyclist's diet is constructed on the basis of dietary balance in the same way as a sedentary person's diet, but it will be subject to variations in the way it is organised, and increases in consumption.
Your diet will therefore depend on your discipline (road cycling, MTB, city biking, etc.), your level (leisure, competition, etc.), the season, the climate and your objectives. You diet must also be appropriate for you as an individual – you shouldn’t eat too much or too little.
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