Nutrition Wallets

Cycling Training Nutrition

Ok, I’m not going to bore you with in-depth details about what ratio of carbs to fats and protein you should eat, you can read an article on that next if you find yourself wanting more details and facts about the number crunching side of good nutrition.

Now, some of you might be doing cycling training so that you can lose weight. Still, you need to remember, if you are doing almost any kind of sports training, to get in shape, lose weight, or both, you need to eat enough to support your physical activity. What I am saying is it isn’t good to under eat. If you aren’t doing any physical training, then eating less is a perfectly fine way to lose weight, however, when you are doing sports training you need to eat a surplus of calories to make it really pay off. Your body will need those extra calories to build muscle, and to give you the energy to participate in the activities involved with whatever you are doing.

The next big thing you need to do is to eat healthy. You don’t need to eat healthy all of the time, or buy 100% organic food. (It’s great if you can, but a lot of people can’t afford it). None the less, you need to pay attention to what you eat before and after any kind of training you do for cycling.

So, what’s healthy food? Generally speaking, fruits, veggies, and water do the trick pretty well. Most other stuff that isn’t widely known NOT to be a healthy food to eat works alright most of the time too. Just make sure you stay away from things like: alcohol, soda, pastries, and other junk foods before workouts. One of the main reasons to do this, other than those foods being bad for you, is that many of them, like soda or alcohol, will have a soporific effect, or other negative impact on your training, which can add up to be a severe detriment to your progress.

In general, you should avoid consuming any of the above mentioned foods entirely while on a cycling training routine, or a cycling training program. It’s very important to have a good exercise program for your sport, but you won’t be able to make the progress you want with your cycling training program unless you have good nutrition to back up your efforts.

To recap:

1) Make sure you eat enough, food is your body’s energy source, no food, no energy.

2) Make sure you drink enough water! Your body uses more water than normal while performing any kind of strenuous physical activity, and if you don’t drink enough water, you may feel tired, dizzy, and experience headaches.

3) If you really can’t live without your junk food, don’t eat it before or after exercising, and I mean several hours before or after. (Like 3-5 hours).

4) Eat healthy whenever you can. This means fruits, veggies, organic food, and water as your primary source of liquids.

Don’t forget to make a good cycling workout routine/training program. If you don’t have enough experience to create one for yourself, there are many top quality guides and programs already on the market.

Ancient wisdom says that, you are what you eat, we must then be careful about what we put into our bodies. We cannot cure all illness or stop the hands of time. We cannot protect ourselves from all diseases, but we can certainly be careful. What we can do is treat our bodies well and enjoy the health benefits that result from this conscious effort.

Senior citizens’ nutritional needs vary little from the nutritional needs of other age groups, yet there are some slight differences. Our younger bodies are able to withstand lack of nutrition more than those of the elderly, and hence it becomes more and more important to get proper nutrients as we age. These factors must be taken into consideration by elders as well as those who provide senior care services and act as their caretakers. Here are a few things essential for elderly care through proper diet for senior citizens:

1. Fiber – Fiber serves two purposes. It fills us up more quickly than empty carbohydrates (carbohydrates that lack nutrition) and it aids in digestion. Fiber forms the bulk of our waste, so encourages our intestinal tract to continue functioning properly. Sources of fiber include: Wheat, spouted pulses, green leafy vegetables etc.

2. Protein – As we get older, we need to work harder at keeping our muscle toned. Muscle wasting occurs naturally with age and getting enough protein can help slow this process. Protein is also very important for transporting necessities, such as hormones, to the cells. The belief that vegetarians will have a hard time consuming enough protein is unfounded. Vegetarians can easily meet their protein needs by eating a varied diet. Sources of protein include: Kidney beans, Lentils, apples, almonds etc.

3. Calcium – Calcium helps strengthen bones and teeth. Osteoporosis happens when calcium levels have reached a low level that results in bone cell losses. Because these levels fall more frequently, it is quite important to consumer more calcium to keep bones strong. Sources of calcium include: Dairy products, cabbage etc.

4. Vitamins – From assisting our bodies in sending out nervous signals to keeping our immunity strong, from warding off potential chronic illnesses to helping our hair and nail grow. Vitamins are the cornerstone of the proper functioning of our body. Some essential Vitamins that need to be consumed are Vitamin B, C, D, E and F

5. Omega 3’s – These nutrients have just -come into fashion- and are now being proven in scientific studies to enhance and improve joint health. They contribute significantly to the immunity system are somewhat considered to be the mechanic of the body, helping keeping it in shape.

6. Water – The need for water cannot be overstated. When not enough water has been consumed, dehydration will set in quickly. Dehydration is a frequent cause for hospitalizing in the elderly and can result in mental confusion and exhaustion among other symptoms.

Staying hydrated is as simple as drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day. Getting the rest of the aforementioned nutrients can be as simple as eating a meal full of vegetables, some fruits, nuts (if you are not allergic), seeds, lean meats, eggs, and beans.