I used to mtn bike just for fun. It is still fun for me, but it is also becoming my main means of keeping and gaining fitness. The more I read about fitness I hear how important it is to re-load your body after a good work out with the right nutritional food.

Can anyone give advice on what foods to order at our favorite local stalls that replenish the right nutrients without too much added unnecessary unhealthy products?

I normally crave Roti Telur when I am done riding, but that can hardly be a healthy choice? Suggestions?

Cheers, Matt

-- Matt (mjschneller@shell.com.my), July 20, 2001

Answers

Tough one there, Matt.

Think it depends on the intensity of your riding and your body type, as well as your cycling objectives. Racer types get really anal about their food groups, and avoid fats. High carbo, and adequate protein, no spices.

Skinny, high-metabolic types like me get away with murder. I can eat just about anything without putting on weight. For me, the best is banana-leaf curry. You get instant gratification, because the food comes almost immediately. There's oodles of rice, which doesn't cost more no matter how many helpings you take.

But if you are into cycling to lose weight, try going slow on the carbos and instead load up on high-fibre stuff. The body apparently must be taught to start metabolising fat, and will only do so once the carbohydrate stores are depleted. This is the point where you feel completely enervated, the "bonk", it is sometimes known. Those who have gone through this will experience a second wind sometime after, if you persist in your efforts, which is a sign that the body has started to burn fats.

-- Joe (joeadnan@yahoo.com), July 20, 2001.

After a hard ride, I normally go for carbo rich food w/ some protein to replenish the glycogen level that I hv lost during the workout. And I eat within the 1 hr window. The best is just plain white rice w/ some fish/chicken & veggie. I m like Joe, I can eat but not gain much weight. My weight has been consistent at 56kg. I try to avoid curry ( too much coconut milk is not). If u r serious about losing weight, u should consider the amount of calories that u hv burnt during the workout and the amount of calories that u r taking in after the ride.

-- IceCube (adadli@pc.jaring.my), July 23, 2001.

About 6 pints of stout (ideally Guinness) will do wonders for the spirit, body, mind and soul. Try it out, then disagree with me!

-- creature (horkw@tm.net.my), August 08, 2001.

normally after a good ride i would prefer a hot and spicy food like curry noodles or curry fish ,follow by plenty of fruits juices. it really give you the oommp! to recover from the exhausted ride. i do agree with creature about taking guinness after ride, but 6 pints of guinness is one too many. 6 pts is eqivalent to about 6 bowls of rice (reliable sources). taking 2 to 3 pts is good enough to put back what the ride takes out.

-- simon huang siew juon (simondy@tm.net.my), August 08, 2001.

Here is my two cent's worth on eating to recover. First I have to make several assumptions which affect what I am about to say. I assume a typical MTB ride, not too fast and not too slow. For me thats sitting at about a heartrate of 145bpm to the 160s. Then assuming typical Malaysian weather (hot and humid), here is what I would do.

First of all, I eat and drink on a ride also with a view to recovery. I drink at least one bidon of water ( 750ml) an hour and aim for more like a litre an hour. If its really hot and I am sweating heaps then even 1.5 litres. This presents the practical problem of having to carry tons of water. I will only ride with two bottles if I am sure the ride is less than 2 hrs long and its not an exceptionally hot day. Or else I carry a Camelbak. Ideally, one should mix a sport drink in with the water since water alone cannot replace lost electrolytes. Granted I get lazy and just go with water but again only if I am sure that its a relatively short ride. Another tip on water. Its impossible for the body to absorb less than 250ml every 15 minutes. So sip.

Eating. I haven't had much experience with Power bars or gels. Mucho dollars that I don't have at the moment. However, I do eat one muesli- Granola bar every 30 -35 minutes. Recently have been eating the Quaker variety. I find that by eating this much I suffer minimal loss of energy at the end of the rides and also minimal cardiac drift (where your heart-rate rises for the same amount of exerted effort). On longer rides, I would mix the bars with fruit and some other real food. Maybe sandwiches and add more protein as well plus something salty (tuna sandwiches?).

Ok post ride: Eat something with carbs and protein within the 30 minute glycogen window. I find it hard to eat alot. So I resort to bananas, sandwiches once more if I can, naan if its available. However it should not be carbs that are too simple. I also drink an electrolyte drink like 100plus. No spicy stuff etc because I want my body's thermo-regulatory system to normalise.

THen I settle into a good meal with carbs and proteins. Fish, rice, bread, pasta whatever. I also drink as much as possible each hour. May even drink some Coke if you like it. Then after 2hrs have passed I indulge in some 'junk' food like chocolate but not too much. Too much will screw up your insulin levels and hinder recovery. After junk, more fruit maybe or some complex carbs.

So it all sounds rather complex but it works for me. Ofcourse if I end up in the middle of nowhere then I will see what I can find at the 'mamak'. Still these are the principles I stick by. I don't stick to them dogmatically but I try to strive for it. Its improved my riding heaps. The ride goes by pretty quickly monitoring what my body is doing and when I am meant to eat or drink.

cheers, Rueban

-- R.Rueban (rooburn@yahoo.com), August 09, 2001.

Oh, jees, U chaps r serious! This response is back up my claims: 1 stout b4 the ride (1+0=1), 1 stout for the mind (1+1=2), 1 for the soul (2+1=3), 1 4-d-body (3+1=4), 1 4-d-spirit (4+1=5); & last but not least 1 last 1 after the ride (5+1=6).

OnOn.

-- creature (horkw@tm.net.my), August 13, 2001.

Try pizza and beer, ya phat chicken-necked jizz-gobbler. Colorado is one zipcode short since your chubby ass went native.

-- Lord Chiron (god@godhammer.com), March 27, 2002.