[Closed] Commuting - Energy...

nuts. Gert big handful of almonds and hazelnuts sorts me out a treat.

When I was a regular commuter, I didn't eat anything different from what I would have had if I'd been in the car. But that was only 17 miles/1 hour each way.

Now, I'm an irregular commuter (and much less fit), and my journey is longer (25 miles/1:30 each way) and I do tend to get hungry towards the end of the ride (esp in the morning, as I set off on an empty stomach).

Just apply normal riding principles - if it's less than 90 mins, you don't need any extra fuel. If it's over that, you might.

Well it is regular but it's short... only 5.5 miles each way. I have no problem doing it without eating, i just find that i feel much better if i do provide my body with some quick energy reserves!

At 5.5 miles each way (20 mins-ish?), all eating will do is make you fat..!

Think of it less as "commuting" (i.e. a special activity) and more as just riding a bike. If someone said "ride a bike for 20 mins", I bet you wouldn't eat a kit-kat in order to do it..!

Enjoy the commute - I used to love mine. 😀

When I did 15miles each way, 5days a week I used to eat the following.........

4weetabix
Ride
Cereal
Bag of harribo
lunch
packet of jammy dodgers
packet of 3 magnums
more harribo
ride
dinner + side bowl of pasta

And still lost weight! I did used to ride it hell for leather though.

You're asking about fuel for the return trip. People are right you don't need much for that distance but you'll be tired from work as well and a little something will help. Do the energy drink thing but just don't over fuel yourself - you might put weight on! And remember to drink water through the day, that will help and is calorie free!

I do 15/25 miles each way depending on how I feel and what the weathers like and I have energy drink and a recovery drink post ride, if I don't then by the time about day 3 I definitely have less energy or inclination to do it yet another day.

5 miles? nowt, abstain from snacking for a few days and you'll get used to it. If you really can't do without have a piece of fruit.

Blimey Spoony! 3 magnum ice creams and a packet of jammie dodgers... everyday?????

That's got to be the best part of 2000 calories right there!

Just extra water for me, before & after each commute

TINAS - bloody hell..! That's some eating for that commute.

I have to say that I probably ought to have had more by the way of recovery stuff when I was riding regularly, as by Friday the old legs would be tired.

I shall be riding in tomorrow (but not home), the only extra food will be some toast when I get to work. Gotta get thin somehow..!

Thanks for the tips guys,

I know it's a short commute but it's uphill the entire 5 miles so it's enough to work up a small sweat. That said, i rarely eat much on weekend rides. It might just be a habit thing i've gotten used to. I'll have plenty of water over the next few weeks and see how i get on!

If you must... have a banana.

Spoony - I'm guessing you imagined you were a TdF cyclist to be getting through all that without getting fat.

Just say the secret magic word before leaving?

@Aidy that would be cheating 😉

I ride just over 12 miles each way (45-50 minutes) on my shortest route, this can go upto 20 miles on the return leg in the lighter months.

I don't eat anything unusual other than a normal breakfast - bowl of cereal with semi-skimmed milk, lunch - typically a baguette with cheese or ham with some crisps, an apple and a cookie, and then dinner.

It's not exactly a long time to spend on the bike.

I find a piece of bread with peanut butter & jam once I get home stops me from being a useless cabbage in the evening (16ish miles each way)

otherwise just eat good sized meals and (for me) lots of carbs

Spoony - I'm guessing you imagined you were a TdF cyclist to be getting through all that without getting fat.

I was going through a thrash metal phase and MP3 players had just come out.

Looking back I've no idea how I did it. Lunch quite often came from the chip shop as well!

I'm sure my metabolism slowed right down when I hit 21 as I eat a fraction of what I used to and never seem to lose weight.

Do the energy drink thing but just don't over fuel yourself - you might put weight on!

You certainly don't need energy drink, that will just make you fat if you're not burning the energy off.

It's 20 minutes. You really really don't need anything. You'll just get fat.

What you eat afterwards is more important to not feeling dead than before/during.

mine is a similar distance and i struggle. it's not extra food i eat but i eat some of my lunch, half a sarnie, a bannana or a couple of biscuits say, about 5. so that it hasn't been 6 hours since food.

[i]I did used to ride it hell for leather though. [/i]

[url] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol [/url]

have more protein and fat at breakfast and lunch, you don't need extra carbs for a 5 mile ride.

where is this 5 mile climb or do you mean that your house is at a higher altitude than your office?

I'm sure my metabolism slowed right down when I hit 21 as I eat a fraction of what I used to and never seem to lose weight.

I refer my honourable (ahem) friend to... (first 30 secs - N(particularly)SFW)

mine is a similar distance and i struggle. it's not extra food i eat but i eat some of my lunch, half a sarnie, a bannana or a couple of biscuits say, about 5. so that it hasn't been 6 hours since food.

Good advice this, I do around 16 miles each way and a fair chunk of uphill - didn't want to eat anymore as I'm trying to lose weight but I was flagging on the way home. Taking a slightly larger lunch and spacing it out through the day really helped. On 5 miles you should be able to get away without adding to the lunch.

For my not every day 19 mile commute (38 round) I usually have breakfast before I leave for work (3 weetabix and a load of sugar), then have the same when I get into work.

I eat a normal lunch, but then in the evening about 30-60 mins before setting off I have a cereal bar and a banana. Not necessarily because I need the fuel, but mainly so I don't feel really hungry when riding home.

Normal size bowl of cereal, 23 mile ride (3 days a week), hot chocolate at work, normal lunch with a bottle of Coke, maybe a cookie in the afternoon, 23 miles home. Sorted! Admittedly I'm pretty knackered if I do it 3 days on the bounce, but I think that's the 130 sets of traffic lights each way and the 600w+ sprint from each one!

[img] [/img]

My commute is 13 miles each way, and if I'm going to bez it, I neck half a soreen.

If I go slow I don't need any extra food

I leave work at 5 and find on days that I'm riding (sadly not every day) that a coffee about 3:30 ish helps to keep me feeling peppy for the ride home ( I finish at 5:00). Mind you, if you drink lots of coffee during the day you probably wouldn't notice it.

Edit FYI: my commute home is 12 miles or so, and slightly uphill, but hardly tough.

My commute is only 5-6 miles depending upon route but by say 6 or 6:30 I am starving and so often eat a sarnie or flapjack before riding home. As for putting on weight that surely comes down to your overall daily calorie intake rather than one extra snackette. If i finished luch at 1:15 ! think I need a snack about 6PM whatever I am doing.

Its more about grazing than pigging out.

Solo - Member
I did used to ride it hell for leather though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol

Is that saying that going hell for leather was a good thing or a bad thing?

I did suffer from realy painfull joints for about a year after I stopped though!

When I read it yesterday Spoony I assumed it meant you were pregnant?

13 miles each way, no extra food.

You told me you used protection!

Yes, I'm 'pro' helmet... no matter what TeeJ says.

And I still feel bad for making you wear a full face.

25 miles in this morning. Nothing before leaving, and water with electrolyte during. 3 slices of toast with butter + jam 45 mins after getting in.

Getting a lift home tonight..! 😉

My commute is 10 miles each way, but mainly uphill on the way to work.
I`ve not done it for a couple of weeks due to not feeling great /Cold/manflu.
I really struggle with the morning commute though, with really heavy legs. I normally just get up and go, no breakfast until I get into work so could that be causing it ?
What would be a quick and suitable breakfast for a 10m commute ?
cheers
Dom

Either the healthy option of nothing unusual and lose ~1kg a week.

Or the 'spoon option of abag of harribo and 4 weetabix 🙂

Both appear to be equaly effective.

[img] [/img]

Porridge FTW

Then have a good* lunch,then you are sorted for the return.

* not junk 😉

that's either a tiny bowl of porridge or some huge fruit

I really struggle with the morning commute though

(but yes everyone is different)

Heavy legs = get out of bed a bit earlier and make sure you wander round the house. Helps get the blood flowing. Oh, and then don't batter out of the door.

Hmm. All this talk of commuting, I might pull my finger out and do more again. I kinda miss it.

Usually sneak a banana in before the return journey, though it's only 5 miles each way on the flat.

Normally eat Tea about 7pm

ourmaninthenorth - Member
Heavy legs = get out of bed a bit earlier and make sure you wander round the house. Helps get the blood flowing. Oh, and then don't batter out of the door.

Yeah the getting up earlier is a struggle, its bad enough as it is !!

Just didnt know if something to eat before leaving would help or would it actually make the situation worse as Id be trying to digest food and ride at the same time then ?

Last time I tried Haribo + water instead of a weak energy drink I got a massive head rush and had to sit down for a while.

Just Say No.

nuts. Gert big handful of almonds and hazelnuts sorts me out a treat.

Almonds and hazelnuts are more fat & protein than carbs, and any carbs that are there are slow release so not much use for a 5.5 miles commute. 😕