Nutrition

nqtfarmer

Started racing this year in a4 and am hooked. I can’t afford a fancy new bike or €1000 wheels so looking for ways to get more competitive whilst training away. I’m 74kg but feel I could be a healthy 68kg for race day but have been finding it a struggle to keep the scales ticking down. Has anybody here gone to a nutritionist and was it worthwhile? Is the age old “cycle more eat less” mantra basically what I’ll be paying someone to tell me?

Macy0161

Having fallen into the trap, I'm not sure there's many races decided on watts per kg. In my experience, there's more races where total watts matters more.

A good nutritionist should be telling you what macro's when, how to fuel your workouts/ training, sustainable deficits (if applicable) in my view. Cycle more, eat less is a bit simplistic in my view.

My own experience of doing it myself, and dropping significant weight, is I left watts behind me by aiming for too high a deficit, not fueling workouts Fueling workouts is something I still struggle with, as I'd rather have something nice in an evening, than have a carb bottle in the morning on the turn, despite knowing it does make a difference both to me and the evidence is there to support it!

nqtfarmer

Thanks for the reply Macy, I think I understand what you’re saying - fuel your efforts and cycles rather than your appetite off the bike. At this stage I’d do anything to make the hills faster.

I might see how I go till after Xmas and if the scales are still reading the wrong side to then go about it

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118144019#Comment_118144019

Smaller plates, planning your weeks meals in advance (zero fun) helps a lot, plus having healthier snacks available for when you crave something

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118144019#Comment_118144019

Yes, essentially don't diet on the bike. It's not the old school way, but even on club spins, if I eat more I'm less likely to binge when I get home. The elite ultra endurance athletes have a different view, but I'm certainly not an elite ultra endurance athlete.

Regarding general weight loss, it is as simple as calories in v calories out, so it's finding a sustainable method for you. For me it was calorie counting, and making sure I hit my protein intake.

dahat

⬆️⬆️⬆️

You won’t get much better & simple advice than that.

If you can get an accurate BMR value & work out your calorie goals from that it should help. I will say though 74kgs in A4 should be fine so maybe work on your power profile as well.

Macy0161

https://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ if you do go down calorie counting. All depends on the accuracy of the inputs though.

I'd still think total power would trump w/ kg, certainly in the context of a 6kg swing, in most Irish races. Albeit as a relatively inexperienced racer (diet and training I can talk to with some experience!).

Large bottle small glass

Depending on age, height, background, training history etc etc 74kg to 68kgs isn't going to be easy. If you have been at a set weight for a long time(particularly if pretty lean) your body is going to be really resistant to moving from that to any big degree. Your body being resistant isn't going to translate into good performance I would think

Rather than focusing on weight I'd be inclined to focus on being healthy and full of vigour; diet, sleep, training load, recovery etc. Don't forget a bit of balance and to enjoy the fcuking thing!

https://ss.fitness/

That's a pretty good one stop shop, which i would explore before paying a nutrionist. I'm a nutrionist myself along with my cat and Gillian McKeith😉

Macy0161

The Fitness Chef and Ben Carpenter are well worth looking up, if you're on social media. Fitness Chef has great infographics busting myths/ false advertising! Scott Baptie/ food for fitness and his high protein hand books are great for recipes as well.

magicbastarder

surprised there's been no mention of porridge yet.

ARX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118150496#Comment_118150496

Porridge goes without saying.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118150895#Comment_118150895

And plenty of Coffee. The decaf is healthy😀

nqtfarmer

Thanks for the resources, ideas and recipes are mighty. Discipline seems to be the main ingredient

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118153515#Comment_118153515

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fat bloke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118153515#Comment_118153515

You said it.

That, and getting used to being a little bit hungry pretty much all the time.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155006#Comment_118155006

Agree on the discipline, as a lot of stuff that is calorific/ not healthy is actually tasty as feck! And also waiting long enough for the stomach to tell the brain it's full.

I don't necessarily agree on the being hungry - pile on the less calorie dense stuff like veg, and be stuffed - the aforementioned Fitness Chef is very good at showing this. Also keeping up the protein intake helps too in my experience.