LEJOG and le grub

[peetee]

The best thing IMHO Is to try to keep as close to your normal diet and eating times as possible to reduce the likelihood of tummy upsets and/or unpredictable pitstops.

[PaulaT]

And I haven’t even thought about breakfasts.

As above, but eating large high fat meals before exercise can cause discomfort. You'll find out soon enough.

Jonathan

I actually cycle well after a full English (or full Irish). What does for me when cycling is too much milk. Yet I'm fine with a milky breakfast if I'm not exercising that morning. We're all different and I think the OP urgently needs to experiment with what works for him before he sets off.

[philvantwo]

Makes me wonder what some of these people will do if they have a puncture!

[Jamesh]

I like a good cooked breakfast on a long ride.

I usually ride a few miles first stop in a cafe / supermarket cafe for a cooked breakfast, sandwiches meal deal for lunch and a cooked meal for tea.

Got me through a 8 day lejog and countless mini tours.

My rule was wet days eat in, dry days eat out.


Cheers James

[Brianjeff50]

Think about overconsumption of alcohol, I suspect that quite a few tourers decrease their consumption after the first few evenings.
Jonathan

I’ve already pretty much stopped drinking - long miles + hot weather + beer = hangover.

[Brianjeff50]

Just by the by I went through a phase of getting massive leg cramps after rides. Did a bit of googling - I was using those rehydration tabs in my water bottle and found they were reacting with my high blood pressure pills.
I was getting too much potassium in my system - the tabs have potassium in them, eating a banana gives you more and the tabs prevent the system getting rid of it so easily.
No tabs = no cramps.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Just by the by I went through a phase of getting massive leg cramps after rides. Did a bit of googling - I was using those rehydration tabs in my water bottle and found they were reacting with my high blood pressure pills.
I was getting too much potassium in my system - the tabs have potassium in them, eating a banana gives you more and the tabs prevent the system getting rid of it so easily.
No tabs = no cramps.

oh no no no no no!
Be careful with any type of supplement with medication or pineapple juice.
I ruptured my spleen in 1982 damaged my stomach lost part of my pancreas managed to escape diabetes.
A bit later had to have an operation to remove thrombosis in my artery.
Then another operation to remove adhesions on my guts due to 2 previous operations and have my gallbladder out as I had stones of course one and four corpses half stones anyway.
Suffered from hiatus hernia twisted bowel and lately I've suffered from IBS.
One long ride in the summer time I had to go four hours with no food or drink due to chronic pain just sipping water.
But since I found out that supplement tablets can interfere with medication I've dropped all that.
I normally take packed lunches bananas rolls cakes and buns nuts get a chocolate flapjacks are such et cetera.
That's basically all you need and some water.
I have PAD in my lower leg and my foot goes numb in the cold and with heavy exercise.

Best advice is to stick to standard basic foods and some water with maybe a bit of nonsugar fruit juice in it.
I suffer at home as there is a lot of food stuff I can't touch it upsets my guts.
But as soon as I start riding my bike I can basically eat anything I like it doesn't seem to affect me at all.
There is nothing wrong with buying some sandwiches en route, I do.
I never have fried breakfast at home at all.
But when I did my Devon and Cornwall coast ride I had one every day no problem, fat is a slow burn a fuel.

[Jdsk]

Just by the by I went through a phase of getting massive leg cramps after rides. Did a bit of googling - I was using those rehydration tabs in my water bottle and found they were reacting with my high blood pressure pills.
I was getting too much potassium in my system - the tabs have potassium in them, eating a banana gives you more and the tabs prevent the system getting rid of it so easily.
No tabs = no cramps.

It's complex... there are several families of antihypertensive drugs, and some tend to increase plasma potassium and some to decrease.

If anyone thinks that they have adverse effects from this I'd strongly recommend talking to your GP. (Unfortunately measuring plasma potassium in primary care isn't as easy as it sounds.)

Jonathan

PS: Google links to some health advice that's great and some that isn't.
Potassium from Lab Tests Online UK
https://labtestsonline.org.uk/tests/potassium-test

[Brianjeff50]

Mine is an ARB med and a small dose at that - I did talk to the doc (well, as near as you can these days) and first advice was cut the rehydration tabs.
I did and it worked.
Interesting though that there’s no mention of side effects on the hydration tabs.

I have to say I hate all blood pressure meds - they all have more side effects than they claim. I think I’ve been through the lot in the 6-7 years I’ve been taking them since it touched 150/90 and my blood pressure hasn’t really gone down.
On the other hand it hasn’t gone up which I suppose is a result.

[Jdsk]

Interesting though that there’s no mention of side effects on the hydration tabs.

Yes. If they contain potassium I'd expect them to carry a warning.

Jonathan

[Sid Aluminium]

The detail I liked best about the "Land's End to John o'Groats on the National Cycle Network" guidebook was the section-by-section recommendations for notable local cuisine/delicacies and regional brews.

Falling open to a random page:
Stage 19 Glasgow to Balloch
Scotch Pie- a hot water crust pastry pie, traditionally filled with mutton or steak and spiced with black pepper.
Silkie Stout - a rich stout with hints of chocolate, coffee and orange. 5.0% Loch Lomond Brewer, Alexandria

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Mine is an ARB med and a small dose at that - I did talk to the doc (well, as near as you can these days) and first advice was cut the rehydration tabs.
I did and it worked.
Interesting though that there’s no mention of side effects on the hydration tabs.

I have to say I hate all blood pressure meds - they all have more side effects than they claim. I think I’ve been through the lot in the 6-7 years I’ve been taking them since it touched 150/90 and my blood pressure hasn’t really gone down.
On the other hand it hasn’t gone up which I suppose is a result.

If your bp is still at 150/90 that's not bad if you are getting on retired age say, but I would expect better than that, if my bp goes to 145 /95 I start to feel sick and headaches.
Mostly my exercise drives my bp down, the candesartan I take is just a top up, apparently has least side effect but some bp meds don't suit age and ethnic people?
My bp started at 175/125 and I felt fine, its only when you been on meds for years that you feel headache and tight head when it shoots up.
No reason for high bp at late twenties and been on every thing..............I think, common to be on three types at once

[Mick F]

What do you normally eat before a 60 mile ride?

Bacon and egg, and buttered toast, or just bread and butter without toasting it.
Always two or three cups of tea as well.

Did this for my 20mile ride today, and do that generally whether I'm cycling or not, as I leave an active life.
Generally skip lunch .............. even when riding 100miles+ and eat well in the evening after getting back.

[philvantwo]

When was the last time you rode 100+ miles Mick F?

[nickyboy]

We are scheduled to do between 80 and 105 miles a day on our LEJOG next May. Taking it steady, that means leaving the B&B about 9am and arriving at the next one about 5-6pm

Our plan of attack is to have a decent but not humungous breakfast but probably not "full english" type...too much salt. Probably porridge and poached eggs on toast sort of thing. A couple of cups of tea, plenty of water

Lunch stop around 12.30 and have sandwich and a piece of cake

Afternoon stop around 3.30 for a sandwich or a piece of cake

Dinner in the local pub or restaurant. Eat as much as you like of whatever you like. Couple of pints

Just take water to drink