Fuel for cycling
In addition to muscular and cardiovascular training, a healthy balanced diet is an essential ingredient in your preparation for the London to Paris bike ride. The following recommendations will greatly aid your performance and improve your recovery time.
1. Eat plenty of complex carbohydrates
Whole grain or starchy foods:
100% whole grain pasta
100% whole grain bread
100% whole gain cereals
Beans Lentils
Brown rice Oatmeal
Legumes (root veg) Sweet potatoes
2. Lean Proteins
Protein is essential for recovery.
Chicken & turkey breast
Eggs / Egg whites (One yolk for every three whites)
Fish (Tuna, salmon, cod, haddock, shark!
Lean Red meats (sirloin or fillet steak)
Low or non fat dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, ect.)
3. Fibrous carbohydrate
Fibrous carbohydrates regulate your metabolism.
Apples Broccoli Cucumber Peaches
Bananas Brussel sprouts Grapes Peas
Blue berries Carrots Green beans Oranges
Asparagus Cauliflower Lettuce Mushrooms
Pears Peppers Plums Raspberries
Salads Spinach Tomatoes Pasta source Salsa
4. Healthy fats
These healthy fats will help you burn bad fats.
Fish oils Natural peanut butter Olive oil
Flaxseed oil Nuts and seeds Olives
The trick to a healthy diet and life style is to COMBINE at least ONE of these 4 foods with every meal.
ie Brown rice + mixed green salad + salmon.
Often it is hard to get enough good fat into your diet so a essential fat or fish oil supplement is advised.
Try to eat within 20 minutes of completing a training session.
Remember you will need to eat more than the recommended daily intake of calories (2000 woman & 2500 men) depending on how fit you are, your training schedule, your job and your body weight.
Eating a combination of these food will allow you to train harder and for longer. Eating too many junk foods you’ll run out of energy within an hour or so.
Also if you have put a few pound on over the Christmas period then this nutrition plan will help you get back into shape. Remember cycling is much easier when your not carrying too much excess weight.
So focus on your nutrition plan and be in great shape. Not only will you fly up the hills but you’ll be ready for the next one.
It’s that easy.
If you need any help or advice, please email Mike on mn@greatbritishbikeride.com and we will put you on the right road to having a wonderful experience completing the London to Paris Bike Ride.
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