Food! It’s tasty and gives us energy to move our bodies, allows us to explore into the depths of the forest and reach mountain tops. The curious question tho, what should we eat while we’re out on our adventures? What should we eat when we’re doing that really hard workout? What should I eat after I ride? How do I fuel so I can wake up tomorrow and do it again?

I fuel a little differently depending on the style and length of ride I’m going on. The general rule of thumb is to aim for 45-60g of simple carbohydrates/hour for sustained exercise (I'll aim for 45g if it’s a shorter ride less than 2 hours, 60g if it’s in the 2-4 hour range, and often times aim for more in the 3.5+ hour range because at that point you really need all the food). Carbohydrates are your bodies go to fuel for endurance exercise, so make sure you’re feeding your body the proper fuel! When fueling up make sure you aren’t “saving” up your food and eating your 60g at once, you want to give your body continuous fuel so it can keep going, it’s like putting money into your bank account so you can keep spending it. :) Your body will respond better and you’ll feel better if you take in smaller amounts of carbs throughout the hour, versus only eating on the hour, I aim for roughly every 30 minutes to take in food. If I feel hungry I will eat instead of waiting for that 30 minute mark.

SO…what exactly do I eat while on the bike? For shorter intense rides in the 2 hour range (+/- 30 minuets) I go for straight sugar. The main reason for this is I have a hard time processing/taking in more solid style foods when I do high intensity efforts. Basically my gut tells me NO and I start to feel sick.

• Clif Blocks (Strawberry is my favorite or the salted ones if it’s hot)

• Clif gels (Vanilla flavor tastes like cake)

• CANDY!!!! Candy is literally my favorite - no high fructose syrup allowed though

• Fruit strips of any sort or dried fruit (dates are high carb and delicious)

As ride time increases I try to get more solid food in. When I’m in the 3-5 hour range I’ll add the following (whatever I have on hand or have prepared the night before).

• Banana!

• White rice with a little salt and maple syrup. I’ll put into a ziplock bag and then when it’s time to eat, shove it in my face, chew, and swallow. It’s easy to chew and on hot days it’s not dry, so it goes down easy.

• Homemade cookies! Such a great time for a treat. :)

• Homemade treats (muffins are another favorite)

If I’m taking my bike out and I plan to be gone for a large chunk of the day this is when I’ll pack lunch style food like a sandwich (or two). Chris and I went out on an adventure back in May, we were gone for over 7 hours. These types of days require food food and more food. I made 2 sandwiches to eat for lunch (some combo of peanut butter, almond butter, Nutella, and honey). I have a legit fear of not having enough food to get through my adventure, so I always plan to pack more than I think I need. I would rather carry too much than bonk in the woods.

Figuring out what type of food, and how much food YOU need takes a lot of “practice”, riding, and learning about yourself. Experiment with your favorites and what type of food curbs your craving when you’re out on your bike. Also don’t be afraid to stop at a bakery. Those ar emu favorite type of stops! :)

What about hydration?

Just like food, I always try to bring more fluids than I think I’ll need. When you’re dehydrated your performance decreases, your heart rate increases, and you generally all around won’t feel that great. I know I personally probably don’t drink enough on rides, so I’m constantly trying to aim for more. I like to aim for 1 bottle an hour and if it’s a two hour ride, I fill one bottle with Clif Hydration and one with plain water. If it’s a 3 hour ride, I’ll do 2 bottles of hydration and 1 bottle of water. If it’s a ride where I have my pack, I’ll fill 2 bottles of hydration and plain water in my pack. Basically I like a nice combo of both hydration mix and water. Keep in mind your hydration is your hydration and your food is your food. I don’t count my hydration carbs as part of my food carbs while riding.

And don’t forget, when you get home, EAT EAT EAT!!!!

Questions? Leave them in the comments!