I ate 4000 calories today! Holy crap, what a piggy. Actually, I NEEDED the food because I rode my bike 71 miles this morning. Then I went out for a 3.5 mile brick run. Total workout time of almost 5 hours.
Here’s my BT calorie log for today:
Nutrition: 3000 burned + 1300 rmr = 4300 allowed. I don’t think i can eat that much! (wrong!)
Calories: 4048 From fat: 1234.33 (137.87g, 30.49%)
Carbs: 2188.58 (550.03g, 54.07%) Protein: 625.09 (157.1g, 15.44%)
It’s now 8 pm, and I’m not the least bit tired. Last year, I was pretty much useless the rest of the day after long workouts! I was so wiped out and needed a long nap in the middle of the day to recover.
I think the difference is fueling. Last year, when I did long training rides, I skimped on the Gu during the ride, and skimped on calories afterward. The idea was to take advantage of that calorie deficit so I would lose fat and get lean.
This year I am not skimping on the fuel during the training rides, and I am eating ALOT of food to make up that huge calorie deficit. Case in point, today’s 4000 calories!
And I’m not tired one little bit!
Here are some pictures that I tweeted from today’s ride (click to enlarge):
| You know you’re in the Boonies, when… | Time to Turn Around: |
| GTF Outa My Way: | Flatted 1/2 mile from home: |
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People always think just because we exercise more we eat more, but the trick is eating the right calories, after a 3 hour ride, eating McD is different then some chicken with rixe/pasta, and veggies. Yes we eat more, but we also eat smart.
Bill,
Thanks for sharing your own experience. I do track my calories eaten, religiously, every day! I do that on the BT website. I think anyone can see my nutrition logs by going to this link. (PS: I did not choose healthy foods today, but I usually do!!)
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/index-weekly.asp?type=week&year=2009&month=8&memberid=25051&setstrength=0&setplanned=0&setnutrition=1
Carol,
I agree "I think the difference is fueling." This year I have 'discovered' [aka finally listened to and followed good advice] the wisdom of Ironmen (and Ironwomen), specifically EVERY time you go for a bike ride of more than 1.5 hours, go in long triathlon bike leg mode. Ie. "the bike leg should be a rolling buffet". Which means fueling. Eat calories, drink calories, hydrate as needed, but eat, eat, eat.
My ususal Saturday morning ride is about 50 miles. Last year I was doing it with only one large bottle of Gatorade and one of water and coming home famished, starving, hungry and then trying to eat 2000 calories for lunch. Now I eat 2 gels, 4 fig newtons, 1 powerbar, and two large bottles of "endurance" Gatorade (or Powerbar drink mix), for about 300 calories per hour. And I recover faster, with less soreness, and I'm not wasted for the rest of the day. Your mileage may vary.
Everyone needs to determine how many calories, and what combination (liquids, gels, solids) they can handle. But considering that brisk cycling burns between 600 and 1000 clories per hour, and most people can only digest between 200 and 400 calories per hour while cycling, then DUH! eat, eat, eat as much as you can handle.
Carol, I admire your precision in tracking and reporting calories burned. How about reporting your calories eaten? If not regular reporting, perhaps blog on what you usually eat.
Thanks for your inspriration! Good luck!
Bill in Atlanta