Nutrition for Endurance Training

I haven't posted on nutrition for awhile, so this post is to discuss the tweaks I have made to my eating style in that I am in the midst of cycling training season. I completed one Century (100 mile) ride on Sunday, June 7th and have two more Century rides planned this summer.

My program involves between 200-250 miles per week of training. The energy expenditure is estimated to be between 9,000 and 12,000 calories per week. My training is not all that intense. Although I cover the miles, I train really hard only sparingly and usually when I ride with others who want to go faster.

My daily routine, which I occasionally vary, is to wake around 7-8 am and start the day with a little fruit. My hunger begins to pick up around 10:30 am. My typical breakfast is a large bowl of oatmeal/fruit and a green smoothie. Here are typical recipes:

High Energy Oatmeal:

1 cup of oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 medium banana sliced
1/2 cup of raisins or 5-6 chopped dates
1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup water

Put the banana, raisins/dates in the bottom of a large cereal bowl
Add the oats and sprinkle on the cinnamon
Add the mixed berries
pour on the almond milk and water and mix

Put in microwave for 3-4 minutes until the oats are moist and 'fluffy'.
Let stand for 5 minutes before eating.
Sprinkle on 1-2 tbsp of ground flax seeds
Pour on a little more almond milk, if desired.

Green Smoothie:

Two medium oranges peeled
3-4 dates
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 banana
5-8 ounces of frozen spinach and/or kale
1 ml DHA Purity

Blend in a VitaMix or high powered blender until smooth and creamy

I eat the oatmeal with 1/2 glass of the green smoothie and daily supplements (Plus cranberry gel caps)

I put the remainder of the green smoothie in a thermos and take it in my cooler for drinking after the bike ride.

Nutrition on the bike:

Water bottles with 50% water and 50% organic apple juice
Bananas and oranges
Trail mix (oats, dates, raw nuts/seeds)
After the ride I finish the green smoothie, eat some more trail mix and an orange and/or banana.

I have stuck with this bike nutrition for several weeks and it works great. The green smoothie is a good recovery drink after the ride.

For dinner I usually have a salad and a starch based dish (sweet potatoes, white potatoes, brown rice, or whole wheat pasta. The starch dish always has lots of fresh vegetables.

This regimen has worked well and my energy level is consistently high. My diet overall is very low in salt. I take no electrolytes and even though it has been very hot, so far no cramping problems.