Talitha Vogt
by Talitha Vogt, Tough Girl Cycling
Generally speaking, in our society, women often have a lot of pressure on their shoulders in regards to body image and weight. This can have an impact on us in cycling
performance because we are often cutting calories in the wrong places to try to shave off those few extra pounds we always want to lose. For some of us, this is why we ride bikes in the first place. If you want to lose weight but still ride and/or train, it is imperative to eat “really well” before, during, and after your bike rides. You can, in turn, eat lighter meals at other times of the day. If you don’t give your body proper fuel surrounding your bike rides, you will end up losing lean muscle and sacrificing performance gains. Some basic guidelines are soon to follow.
When I remember back to some of my earliest bike rides, I snicker to myself and wonder how I ever had enough energy to get through any of them. Riding clothes went on, bike
went in the car, and bottle full of plain water was shoved into the bag. I might have taken a backpack with a water reservoir and sometimes even a granola bar. That being said, it is probably fine to do that occasionally, but if you’re looking for sustainable, consistent energy, especially on your longer rides, you have to plan your ride nutrition a little more carefully. Nutrition can really come into play if you are: trying to beat your previous finish time in an event, looking to hang on to the fast group in a training ride, going out for some hard intervals, and especially if you are looking to take a podium spot at a race!
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