Nutrition

[Gerrym]

I have increased my mileage recently as I am in training for a couple of sportive's.
Along with that, i have been trying to shed a few pounds so have cut back on the carb intake and mainly been taking protein.
The problem that i have been having is increased pain in my quads and calf's post cycle and huge increase in fatigue.
I am sleeping at least 8 hours per night but it is still taking me all my time to get up in the morning and do my commute cycle.
In the ever changing world of dietary advice, what should i be doing for the next 10 days before my first sportive? Should i take on-board more carbs as in carb loading of old or stick to my current regimen?
Any and all advice gratefully received.

[david7591]

I doubt the 'ailments' you report are due to diet, more probably a sudden increase in mileage without adequate recovery time.

[Paulatic]

You are going on a bike ride, eat what you fancy and try to keep it healthy. I really don't understand why you feel you have to eat differently because the bike ride is entitled "sportive".

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Age?
Training mileage / day / time?

I would not diet at all on a sportive ride eat what you want.

Very important - you run out of energy at sportive level of exertion at about 2 - 3 hrs, depending on fitness.
Try to start eating solids after an hour on the bike and top up for the duration of ride, bananas, cereal bars, nuts, buttered buns etc, something else what you fancy.

I really dont like fad diets at all.

Concentrate on cutting down on high fat when you are not training etc, and don't try to over compensate for any training, so no extra eating, but remember to rehydrate and eat something when you get home after training, you will continue to sweat even when you stop exercise.

IF you try to over hydrate leading up to sportive a few days before this will lead to Hyponatremia -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia

"Signs and symptoms[edit]
Signs and symptoms of hyponatremia include nausea and vomiting, headache, short-term memory loss, confusion, lethargy, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps, seizures, and decreased consciousness or coma.[7] The presence and severity of signs and symptoms are related to the level of salt in the blood, with lower levels of plasma sodium associated with more severe symptoms. However, emerging data suggest that mild hyponatremia (plasma sodium levels at 131-135 mEq/L) is associated with numerous complications or subtle, presently unrecognized symptoms[8] (for example, increased falls, altered posture and gait, reduced attention).[9]"

I had a mate who did this, and felt lethargic, sick etc, then had no appetite.

A tip is to eat and drink normal stuff you can carry, and don't fall foul of any fashionable fad.
Eating as well as drinking means your salt level will be maintained.
Drink no less than 700 cc an hour when riding for a 12 stone guy.

Are you training every day? Don't ride in the last two days before a sportive.

Good luck.

[eileithyia]

You have to look at the whole picture...... what miles are you doing, what recovery, what nutrients, in reducing some items have you missed out on essential ones, vitamins and minerals?

Sign up to myfitnesspal and record what you eat and your exercise, you can then see just how under (or over) you are eating. Eat what you like on the ride and in the day or so before...

[531colin]

You are doing this for fun, right?
I think you need to relax a bit.
When i started (long before the days of heart rate monitors) the rule was if you didn't have the breath to have a conversation, slow down you are trying too hard. On a "training" ride its OK to attack the odd hill, but then slow down and get your breath back. These days they call that "interval training".
Forget the fad diets, your body needs carbs for quickly available energy.....particularly if you have got used to the modern western diet of too much of everything. If on a "normal" day you used to have a sugary drink every couple of hours, then your body will use that sugar as energy source. Suddenly increase your exercise and remove the sugar, and your body is struggling for quickly available energy. In the week or 10 days before your event, go back to your "old" diet....it probably took years to get you overweight, another week won't hurt, with your new exercise. After your event, cut back/cut out the sugar and fat. you can train your body to use complex carbs as energy source, but it will take weeks/months, not days. I wouldn't recommend Atkins type super-low-carb diets, but somebody will be along saying the opposite.
So, train gently, so you can have a conversation. stretch when you get home. If you are knackered the next day, you are trying much, much too hard.
If you have a long commute that makes you tired the next day, just commute twice a week by bike.

And enjoy it. Cycling is a joy, not a punishment.
I'm not fast, but I'm still out there, and I still love it.