Lowering body weight equals more food needed during the ride?

I do a lot better when I load up on carbs the day before a long ride. Using a high cadence with a lite pedal pressure will allow you to use fat as a fuel and you can go for a very long time. Pedaling slow and mashing on the pedals uses your fast twitch muscles that use glycogen as a fuel. Eat a good breakfast and get some caffeine. Glycogen is limited in supply and is stored in the muscles and liver, when you run out that's it, it takes a while to replenish it, caffeine helps to speed that up. I found that a bunch of Good & Plenty works well. It contains only sugar and carbs and its easy to eat a few every few miles. A protein shake after a hard ride helps to build muscles. You need a balance of protein and carbs in your diet.

http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/nutrition_pr...

Burning fat for energy is a relatively slow process, way slower than is needed to sustain you averaging 17 mph. You've got to ingest enough carbs during the ride to deliver the quick energy you need. About 450 cals/hour I suspect. That's the equivalent of a large candy bar every hour.

The less you weigh, the fewer cals you'll be burning, but not so much fewer that it'll make a big difference in the amount you'll need to eat during the ride. Wind resistance is more of a drag than weight.

I'm not a nutritionist - but last year I took off about 30 - 35 lbs. You didn't state how long these rides will be. All I ever took with me on a 25 - 30 mile trip was extra water & maybe an energy drink. That's about as far as this old man can go in a day.

Just fuel up as you normally would, even the leanest athletes have enough fat for real long rides. Make sure you take on enough fluids as this is the most important thing you can do. Dehydration is the #1 cause of poor performance or bonking.

Anyone should eat small snack-like meals many times each day. Similarly, you should fuel your body with as much steadiness in energy flow as possible. Part of the secret of not slamming your bloodstream with elevated sugar levels, then crashing, is to consume foods that are whole grain, fibrous bean, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Due to high fiber content, energy is more slowly released into your body compared to sugary candy, fruit juice, or fake energy drinks. You will probably not need to count calories if you stick with basic foods and avoid junk foods.

As far as weight loss is concerned, you need to use a BMI calculator and judge for yourself whether you need to lose pounds. There are several BMI calculators on the internet.

http://www.aarp.org/health/healthyliving/bmi_calcu...

Protein Protein Protein- eat meat, nuts, soy, fish, etc. because protein is what builds muscle. Also try creatine. Creatine is an amino acid that you can buy in a flavored powder from GNC, Walmart, or many gyms. It acts as a muscle hydrator. Its primary purpose is to cause muscles to fatigue slower, but the extra water in your muscles helps you look bigger.

i don;t think that matters

though if you are losing weight you may be hungrier in general

wle