Post-Ride Refueling...

I often compare carbohydrate in our bodies like gasoline in a car. Both carbohydrate and gasoline serve as fuel. But there is a big difference between the human body and a car….unlike the large gas tank in a car, our bodies do not have a big carbohydrate tank. We can only store a small amount of carbohydrate (in our liver in the form of glycogen). While you may be able to fill your car’s gas tank once a week and have enough gas to commute to work every day, our bodies need a fill-up multiple times each day.

Some of the carbohydrate we eat is converted to glycogen, which is stored primarily in the liver, and when we are exercising and need more blood glucose to fuel our muscles, that glycogen gets converted back to glucose.
Although the amount of glycogen we can store in our livers is small, there are some things we can do to maximize how much we can store. One of those things is pre-event “carbo-loading,” which involves focusing on high-carb meals for a few days before an event. Another way to maximize how our glycogen stores is to be sure to eat a snack with carb and protein right after finishing a long ride.

It is during that 30-minute window after completing a long bout of exercise that our body is sort of like a sponge in terms of utilizing carbohydrate. You don’t have to eat a huge meal right after riding, but do try to eat or drink something. Within that 30-minute window, the recommended goal is to eat a snack that has about ½ gram of carbohydrate per pound of your body weight. So, for example, a person who weighs 150 pounds should try to eat a snack with approximately 75 grams of carbohydrate.

Research suggests that including protein in that post-ride snack will help your body maximize its glycogen storage. Protein is also important for re-building muscle tissue that you’ve been taxing during exercise. Good sources of protein are lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and nut butters, dairy foods, beans/lentils.

Often at the end of a ride, my appetite is nonexistent, but I still try to eat a snack. A banana (carb) with peanut butter (protein), some graham crackers (carb) and a glass of chocolate milk (carb and protein) is a favorite post-ride snack for me. But as I’ve said before, you need to test out different foods to find what works for you. If eating right after riding is just not possible, at least try to drink a sports drink and perhaps also some juice and be sure to eat a nutritious meal within about 2 hours.

Ride on!
Shelley