[beefy]

So it turns out 4 hours of hard riding for 106km (66 miles or so) means I can eat almost anything =)

During the ride I ate one small serving of home-made trail mix (mostly nuts, some dried fruit and reeses pieces), one sandwich (made with 2 pieces of sprouted grain bread, meat, cheese, etc..), 2 oatmeal cookies, a big piece of cheese, and some strawberries.

Post-ride I ate a no-sugar protein bar immediately.

I got home and my wife was making spaghetti (normal everyday pasta, even) for the family. So I ate it. Didn't even think about being diabetic ... it was more like...

"Spaghetti! Nom Nom Nom!"

... and then I saw the garlic cheese toast ... (made with white-bread...)

"Garlic Cheese Toast!!! Nom Nom Nom!"

... and then I ate a bowl of ice cream ... full-fat, full-sugar ice cream...

I tested my blood sugar for about 4 hours after that. Highest I got to was a 6.6 (119) ...

Of course, I can't do that every day... But it's nice to know that I can treat myself after that kind of workout.

 

[jwags]

I've done that sometimes after a 10 mile hike. On the trail I eat something every hour or so and when I finish and get home I usually am starving so eat whatever I can find. I usually get low bgs at 2 and 4 hours but sometimes the next day I pay for it.

 

[diabetes86]

On long rides I too "EAT IT ALL" fun aint it this weekend I am riding from Woburn MA to Kennybunk ME to raise $ for the ADA 150 miles in 2 days

 

[onlymep]

it's probably coz you have a fired up metabolism after all that hard work... you would be burning energy at a faster rate for quite some time after your exercise.

 

[HardBackStrider]

Great guys. I need more time in the day to be a good diabetic. Exercise is definitely the way to get things under control.

 

[beefy]

One of the great things about exercise, especially endurance-type exercises, is that it causes you to burn blood glucose, and causes you to both deplete glycogen stores (your body converts it to blood glucose and it's released by the liver repeatedly during exercise) and burn excess body fat.

Depleting glycogen stores means that post-exercise, much of the carbohydrate you eat will go to replenish those stores, rather than hang-around as excess blood glucose. So you will spike much less than you regularly would. It's important to test though to see still how sensitive you are to certain meals. Exercise doesn't mean it's a complete free-for-all.

It's also important to consume protein as soon as possible after an event of this type, (or with weight training, also) to begin the process of repairing muscle tissue. Modern research indicates you have a <1hr window post-training to consume protein to start that process to increase lean muscle tissue and reduce the length of muscle soreness. That's why I carry and eat a protein bar immediately after exercise (when out) or have a protein shake if my ride ends at home.

The day after this long ride I went back to eating as I normally do, much lower-carb than most cyclists (still around 100-150g per day, as opposed to the 300-500g most larger cyclists would eat). I wish I could eat anything whenever I want, but I do know that's not the case, and am as smart as possible with my food choices.

 

[Shalynne]

I've had one day allllmooost like that. Must get less sedentary! (Sit-down day job plus commute is not helpful.)

 

[HardBackStrider]

I've had one day allllmooost like that. Must get less sedentary! (Sit-down day job plus commute is not helpful.)

I am with you on the sit down job. I used to have more an outdoor job but the last 2 years it's been all at s desk and I think is one of the reasons I am where I am today. Gratz on the hard work boys it is inspiring.

 

[beefy]

I've had one day allllmooost like that. Must get less sedentary! (Sit-down day job plus commute is not helpful.)

Cycle-commute? Or is it too far? I know some folks up here that are cycling 30km+ (19miles+) EACH WAY for their commute... of course, they worked up to that mileage... Never just jump on a bike and try riding 20 miles or so without working up to it

 

[Shalynne]

Cycle-commute? Or is it too far? I know some folks up here that are cycling 30km+ (19miles+) EACH WAY for their commute... of course, they worked up to that mileage... Never just jump on a bike and try riding 20 miles or so without working up to it

More like 30 miles one way, with no route that completely avoids the freeway (bikes aren't allowed on most stretches). Workplace is also in a bad neighborhood, but only when it gets dark ... mostly.

In California, that's a reasonable commute length. Not great, but not bad.

I have to work my way back up to 10 miles.

 

[beefy]

More like 30 miles one way, with no route that completely avoids the freeway (bikes aren't allowed on most stretches). Workplace is also in a bad neighborhood, but only when it gets dark ... mostly.

In California, that's a reasonable commute length. Not great, but not bad.

I have to work my way back up to 10 miles.

The joy of busy metropolitan areas, I guess... That's one nice thing about western Canada ... We do have a few reasonable size cities (Calgary area is about 1 million now) but they're quite far apart. No need for a huge freeway system like in California.

 

[Rascal1]

I do a lot of fast (17+ mph average) bike riding and I have to eat relatively large amounts of carbs (75+ g/hr) on long rides or I will bonk.

I can eat food I would otherwise never eat, big chocolate chip cookies, macaroni/potato salad, sub sandwiches. I don't need to even take any Prandin on those long ride days and my BG can go as low as 80.

On rest days I may eat a total of 75g carb all day.

I wish bike season lasted longer here in Seattle, I'm a weather wimp and don't go out in the rain.