{"id":736,"date":"2019-04-10T15:31:57","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T15:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/?p=736"},"modified":"2019-04-11T15:10:03","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T15:10:03","slug":"the-humble-carbohydrate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/2019\/04\/10\/the-humble-carbohydrate\/","title":{"rendered":"Had your fill of nutrition and diet guidelines online? There\u2019s a ton of information about there \u2013 from the macros to the micros \u2013 but we\u2019re going to focus in on one particular area; the humble carbohydrate."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Had your fill of nutrition and diet guidelines online? There\u2019s a ton of information about there \u2013 from the macros to the micros \u2013 but we\u2019re going to focus in on one particular area; the humble carbohydrate.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It goes without saying that cycling \u2013 especially over lengthy distances \u2013 burns and utilizes a lot of energy and calories. Getting the most from your cycling requires taking a closer look at your pre-ride nutrition \u2013 and that\u2019s especially true when it comes to carbohydrates.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Carbohydrates are your friend<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If you look at your body as a car, then consider carbohydrates as the fuel in your tank. There\u2019s no two ways about it; they are essential to you if you&#8217;re looking to maximise your athletic performance.\u00a0Taking the form of glycogen, they are your direct energy source \u2013 and whether you\u2019re embarking on endurance rides or taking on time trials, they\u2019re the secret to optimising your output in the saddle.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Normal glycogen stores will last in a body for 12-14 hours, but two hours of sustained exercise will deplete the stores rapidly \u2013 which is why it\u2019s not just important to eat before and during your cycling, but also afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>So how can you get the most out of your carbs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s two main approaches you can utilise when it comes to carbs\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> Carb cycling: <\/strong>A commonly used tool by athletes in almost every endurance sport, carb cycling involves staggering your carbohydrate intake across a week; eating more on days when you\u2019re active and less on days when you\u2019re not.\u00a0It won\u2019t result in your overall intake going up \u2013 instead, it ensures you\u2019ll have the extra supply when you really need it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> Carb-ing up:\u00a0<\/strong>The thought of constantly changing your plans can be quite daunting, especially if you love routine. Another option, then, is to drop your carbohydrates across the board until you really need the boost \u2013 say, the night before a day-long ride. It might require a bit of thought in the kitchen and the supermarket, but you\u2019d be surprised how easy lowering your average carb intake can be; alternatives to staples like rice are now widely available (cauliflower rice, to use one simple example), and using vegetables to bulk up meals in general can help too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>REMEMBER: There\u2019s no silver bullet, so don\u2019t be afraid to try both options and which one suits you best.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>But what carbs will work best? Are all carbohydrates created equal?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A common question &#8211; for athletes and non-athletes alike \u2013 is what type of carbs are best for energy release. The truth is that different carbs are good at different times, so the most important thing is finding your perfect balance.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> Slow release carbs \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>Foods like oats, porridge, rice and potatoes are brilliant for providing a steady supply of energy over a long period of time. Be warned, though; they also make you feel very full, so things might be uncomfortable if you go overboard!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> Quick release carbs<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 These are your friends when immediate help is needed. Sweets and jellies are great for a quick sugar fix, while bananas, flapjacks and even sandwiches lathered in jam or honey are brilliant on-the-go options if a quick fix is required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> But I keep hearing about energy gels?<\/strong>\u00a0There\u2019s a massive amount of energy gels on the market, all of which are easy to consume and provide a huge surge of carbohydrates. But while pros might wolf them down, these gels can take some getting used to; on an empty stomach they can leave you feeling sluggish, so take it easy when starting out!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The perfect combination for you, though, will depend on your body, your activity levels, your taste, and a whole lot more besides \u2013 so don\u2019t be afraid to experiment to find the balance that suits you best!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Had your fill of nutrition and diet guidelines online? There\u2019s a ton of information about there \u2013 from the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":821,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"global-categories":[],"class_list":["post-736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition-training"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Had your fill of nutrition and diet guidelines online? There\u2019s a ton of information about there \u2013 from the macros to the micros \u2013 but we\u2019re going to focus in on one particular area; the humble carbohydrate. - \u0160koda We Love Cycling - Ireland<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/2019\/04\/10\/the-humble-carbohydrate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Had your fill of nutrition and diet guidelines online? There\u2019s a ton of information about there \u2013 from the macros to the micros \u2013 but we\u2019re going to focus in on one particular area; the humble carbohydrate.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&nbsp; Had your fill of nutrition and diet guidelines online? 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