Thought for Food

Over the course of the past six years, I’ve made cumulative changes to my diet, in the interest of improving its quality. Cycling has, of course, been a primary driver, but it’s been reinforced by an overall interest in healthier living and some efforts at broadening the dishes that I cook for myself.

I’ve had a list of “things to avoid” on my fridge for a while, and I thought it might be worth sharing.

Some of the items on this list I avoid almost entirely. Some I abstain from only during the cycling season. And some I simply keep an eye on. However, in most cases, I try to stick with the healthier alternatives listed in the right-hand column.

Foods to Avoid or Eliminate Possible Replacements Eggs Fake eggs Sausage and bacon   Donuts   Whole milk Skim milk Cheese   Nuts   Ice cream, Klondike bars Sherbet, sorbet, ice pops, frozen yogurt Butter and margarine Olive oil, expeller-pressed oil spreads Soda, cola, and coffee Water, skim milk, calcium-fortified orange juice Potato chips and corn chips Whole grain breads Chocolate   Salt   Alfredo and other cream sauces Marinara

There are many other choices one can make that will lead to a healthier diet, but I can’t list them all here. Choosing frozen vegetables in a low-fat sauce rather than butter, or buying a fat-free pound cake can dramatically change how much bad stuff you ingest. And for me, “bad stuff” equates to fats and sodium and caffeine, and nutrients to maximize are calcium, dietary fiber, and complex carbs. But when it comes to nutrition, you have to find what’s right for you. Remember that an endurance athlete’s metabolic needs are very different from a sedentary office worker’s needs.

There’s a ton of great information available about endurance sports nutrition, and cycling nutrition in particular, and I have no intention of attempting to summarize it all here; however, interested cyclists can definitely find ample material on topics including why you don’t need to eat a lot of meat, how to stay hydrated, whether and how to carbo-load, what and how to eat on the bike, and much, much more.

Though having said that, I guess I will mention what I might carry for food on my bike: dried berry mix, granola bars, Rice Krispy Treats, strips of fruit leather, a banana, maybe some Twizzlers, and the inevitable liter bottle of Gatorade. But again, everyone’s metabolism is different, and you definitely need to figure out what works best for you.