Mindful Eating For Biking

I just read a great article written by Kelly Bastone in the Jan/Feb 2009 edition of Bicycling on "Eat Smarter - 6 Bad Habits You Didn't Know You Had - And How to Change Them". I am not a fan of the phrase "bad habits" which implies a negative judgment on one self. I rather use the terms "unskillful" or "unaware" which is a more positive Mindfulness word and avoids self judgment. The article is based on the work of Suzanne Girard Eberle, a sports dietitian and author of Endurance Sports Nutrition and identifies the following "unskillful" ways which can impact the benefits of riding:

• SKIPPING BREAKFAST - Under-eating in the morning usually leads to increased calorie consumption later. Eating breakfast replenishes your liver glycogen levels which drop overnight. If time is a problem, stock up on healthy instant oatmeal or whip up a quick smoothie (see my smoothie recipe on my web site: www.mindfoodfitness.com
• EXPERIMENTING AT THE WRONG TIME - Don't try new foods and drinks prior to a race. Try them during short training rides or designate one day a week as a "new foods day".
• UNDERFUELING DURING LONG RIDES: Eberle says cyclists fail to take in enough energy to realize their potential during long rides or intensive workouts. Fill one of your water bottles with a healthy sports beverage and sip every 15 minutes. She suggests making a game out of eating all your snacks you've stashed in your jersey. End the ride with uneaten food, and you lose.
• MISSING THE RECOVERY WINDOW: This is one area that I found is so important to be aware of. Eat within 30 to 60 minutes of ending your workout, since your body fast-tracks those nutrients to muscle repair and glycogen replacement. I typically pack in a small cooler bag a turkey sandwich with mustard (protein, fat and carbohydrates) and some carrots and celery which I eat within 15 minutes of completing a +2 hour weekend ride. It has made a huge difference in my recovery - much less soreness and fatigue later on in the day and the next day.
• NOT DRINKING AFTER RIDES: Too often, cyclists stop drining after a ride. Typically cyclists lose more fluids during a ride than what they take in. Refill your bottle after your ride and down the contents within an hour.
• IGNORING SEASON CHANGES: Winter usually curtails our time on the bike, even in Northern California where I live. Trim calories accordingly and eat according to your activity level. For example, on an "off day" where I might only walk a 1/2 hour, I probably reduce my caloric intake by 10% and try to avoid an evening snack after dinner.

Hope this helps and keep up the riding.