Nutrition Rules for the Road

pdf print email

Have you caught the cycling bug? Do you itch to fit in with all the hard-core roadies spinning like maniacs every weekend? Has Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor turned six-time Tour de France champion, inspired you? Regardless of your will to ride, cycling can be an excellent way to build your overall fitness as well as to see miles and miles of beautiful landscape. This article provides some basic nutritional road rules to help you achieve success in the sport of cycling.

#1- Be aware of your bone health.

Osteoporosis, or "brittle bone disease," is a debilitating condition generally associated with the elderly population. But there is increasing evidence suggesting that cyclists are also vulnerable to such extreme bone loss due to the low impact cycling has on the bone. A study published in the August 2003 of Osteoporosis International reported severe bone loss in 27 male bike racers ages 40 to 60 who trained an average of 12.2 hours a week over 20 years. In fact, 2/3 of the cyclists showed signs of at least osteopenia (moderate bone loss) and four were diagnosed with osteoporosis. Perhaps the worst case was that of a 48-year-old, four-time Race Across America competitor, whose hip and lower-spine bone densities were equal to that of a man twice his age.

To make matters worse, calcium is lost via sweat during training. According to Dr. Christine Snow, director of the Oregon State University Bone Research Laboratory, an average man engaged in intense training loses 200 milligrams of calcium in sweat per hour. This means cyclists require more of this mineral than the recommended daily intake of 1,000 milligrams to offset these losses. Inadequate calcium intake by cyclists will speed the rate of bone turnover and bone loss, thereby elevating risk for stress fracture and osteoporosis. Cyclists are encouraged to boost their intake of calcium-rich foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, soy and milk as well as supplement some of their cycling training with such weight-bearing activities as running and weight lifting to help protect against osteoporosis.

#2 - Let fluids rather than wind maintain your core body temperature.

The rapid evaporation of sweat during cycling activity can generate a false sense of hydration. Nevertheless, the average cyclist will lose a liter of fluid per hour, making intake of fluids essential to offset the cramping, nausea, malabsorption of calories, headache and performance declines associated with dehydration. Fluids should be taken in an incremental fashion to ensure optimal absorption. For example, a cyclist may choose to sip on 4-8 ounces of fluid every 10 minutes of activity. Beyond an hour of cycling, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium should be added to aid absorption of the fluid and prevent a potentially deadly condition known as hyponatremia (low blood sodium). Endurance cyclists should aim at consuming 150-250 milligrams of sodium for every eight ounces of fluid ingested, which means those ingesting a liter of fluid per hour should aim at consuming 600-1,000 milligrams of sodium per hour.

#3 - Trim body fat as a means to enhance your power-to-weight ratio.

While cycling burns calories, rewarding a nice long ride with large portions of calorie and fat-laden food can easily sabotage a cyclist’s quest to trim down or maintain weight. The average active female requires 2,200 calories per day and the average active male requires 2,700 calories per day for optimal cycling performance. (Energy needs may be higher on intense training days such as long rides, time trials or criterium racing.) These calories should also include a balance of macronutrients: 55-70 percent carbohydrates (fruits, whole grains, legumes, vegetables), 15-20 percent protein (dairy, fish, poultry, beef) and 20-25 percent fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, oil). To aid fat loss, the cyclist should reduce intake by 250-500 calories for 1/2 to one pound of fat loss each week.