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Teaching Our Bodies to Burn Fat More
Efficiently
It is important for us to teach our bodies to
burn a higher proportion of fat (than carbohydrates and protein) while riding.
This is because our muscles and liver only carry enough carbohydrates in reserve
to fuel us for about 2 hours. It is not possible to replenish carbohydrates as
quickly as we burn them. Additionally, the harder we ride, the more
carbohydrates we burn. See chart at right. When we run out of carbohydrates or
"bonk" it is very difficult to make our muscles move. In slightly more severe
cases carbohydrate depletion affects our thinking (remember the woman on the
video 10' from the marathon finish line?). In order to teach your body to burn
fat more efficiently we need to ride for 2 hours or continuously several times
per week. This also helps our neurons adapt to prolonged repetitions.
There are other things we can do to help
forestall bonking. Drinking water, as we talk about frequently, is critical.
Even better is a sports drink containing the electrolytes Sodium, Potassium,
Magnesium, Calcium, and Chloride. These are lost in sweat and are necessary for
cell chemistry to allow muscles to contract and relax properly (not cramp). Most
sports drinks, such as Gatorade, should be diluted 2:1 during exercise for
optimum digestion and palatability. Gels and water and energy bars and water are
also good substitutes, but the sports drinks are better because they contain
Sodium which makes you thirsty sooner. You are therefore more likely to drink
more.
Arnie Baker says that
maltodextrin (MD) provides the highest rate of gastric
emptying without intestinal distress. That is, you maximize the amount of food
you can turn into energy without getting diarrhea. The really good news is it's
cheap and easy to get a couple teammates together to purchase a #50 year supply and
mix your own favorite flavors for less than the cost of a couple canisters of sports drink.
I like to add 1/4 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt to 1 cup of MD per water bottle to
get my energy and electrolytes. You can get Celtic sea salt in bulk from PCC. It
looks like rock salt. Read about its 80 trace minerals and elements
here
(scroll to bottom of page). MD can also be used as a recovery drink. Read
below to understand why the 4:1 carb:protein recovery
drink is not as good as 5:0. See the link above for details on where to order MD.
Remember to always try new things in training
before a big event. Always have a contingency plan in case something goes
wrong. Top
Drinking water before, during, and after your
ride is the most important thing you can do for completing and recovering from a
ride. The negative effects of dehydration of an exercising athlete are well
documented. Drink lots of water or non-diuretic (non-caffeinated) fluids so you
have to pass the "bush test." If you have to run to the bushes just before the
start of your exercise, you're probably hydrated. Many industry pundits believe
that Americans are generally hypohydrated (less than fully hydrated), especially
with the current coffee craze. Most coffee and pop have caffeine, which tends to
make you urinate more often than normal. You're better off drinking water, fruit
juices, and sports drinks. Assuming an athlete is well hydrated at the start of
a ride, it can take just one hour to lose enough water 2% of body weight - #3 if
you weigh #150 - to affect energy metabolism, thermal regulation, oxygen
transport, blood plasma volume, muscular contraction, and mental alertness, even
in cool conditions. Plan to drink two water bottles (2 pints) per hour to keep
hydrated in any condition. Double it when it's hot. Drinking a 50% diluted
sports drink provides the additional benefits of energy and electrolyte
replacement. Electrolytes are necessary for proper cell chemistry and muscular
contraction. If you become thirsty while riding, you are likely already
dehydrated. Dark yellow and odiferous urine is indicative of severe dehydration.
Stop and drink. Clear, odorless urine is indicative of hyponatremia, water
toxicity caused by drinking too much water and not enough electrolytes and fuel.
Drink a sports drink. Rehydration after exercise is important for muscle
recovery and returning bodily functions to normal. Keep drinking after exercise
until your urine becomes almost clear.
More info. Top
When and What to Eat. Eating the right
things at the right times will make your ride much more enjoyable. Generally
speaking, you should eat a relatively high carbohydrate meal 4 hours before
riding  and a lighter meal again 1 hour before riding to top off muscle and liver
glycogen stores. A large dinner the night before a morning ride is adequate if a
hearty breakfast is eaten. Our bodies use fat, protein, and carbohydrates for
energy production at all times. The higher the intensity of exercise (heart
rate), the higher
the percentage of readily available carbohydrates consumed. See the chart at the
top of the page. Assuming full
glycogen stores at the beginning of exercise, a trained athlete can go about 2
hours at a brisk pace before relying almost solely on fat and protein for fuel.
This is known as "bonking" or "hitting the wall." Metabolizing fatty and amino
acids is very inefficient so muscular contraction is severely hampered and brain
function is diminished. For exercise over an hour athletes should drink a sports
drink or start nibbling on food, primarily carbohydrates, energy bars (1/hr), or
gels (2/hr) at the beginning of the ride and continue for the duration. For
about 30 minutes following exercise, a.k.a. the "glycogen window," the muscles
are very receptive to replenishment. What macronutrients to consume in what
ratio for optimal replenishment and subsequent synthesis is not well understood.
One popular product cited a
study that demonstrated consumption of carbohydrate to protein in a 4:1
ratio increased time to exhaustion cyclists. Others claim, however, that the
rest of the study showed that a 5:0 ratio increased performance even more. See
graph at right.
Caffeine. Caffeine is present in many
foods - coffee, tea, pop, chocolate, and some energy bars and gels - to name the
major ones. There are numerous conflicting studies about use of caffeine. Most
agree that consumption before exercise is not advised due to its diuretic
effects, although some say that it increases the efficiency of fat metabolism
and thus reduces use of carbohydrates during exercise. I would recommend trying
to stay away from caffeine as the body compensates for it over time, diminishing
the energizing effects it had at first. Also, many people have allergic or
asthmatic reactions to caffeine in high concentrations or dehydrated or
exhausted states. If you're addicted, keep it at normal levels. If you want to
experiment with it during exercise, as with anything new, do it on a training
ride with help close by. Top
Information in this article is drawn from a
number of references, primarily
Optimal Muscle Recovery, and all of which are found in the Nutrition
section of the Library.
To learn more about how to fuel for and recover
from exercise, contact
Coach Mike.
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