[beefy]

I'm really trying to work up to being able to do some longer rides once the weather is clear (hopefully some 60-100km rides), and am wondering about what other Type-II's eat during endurance exercise, because I'm pretty-sure I'll have to, won't I?

Typically I do my spin bike rides about an hour after a meal, and that seems to do OK for me ... until yesterday. Yesterday I stayed cycling at a moderately-heavy pace for a full hour-and-a-half, (normally I've been keeping to about an hour or less, yesterday was closer to 2 hrs including the warmup/cooldown periods) and was absolutely EXHAUSTED for the entire day after that ride, and am only now starting to feel somewhat recovered (about 30 hours later).

25 years ago when I used to ride competitively I'd have been carb-loading before an event, and then eating bananas or powerbars on long rides... but carb-loading is certainly OUT now, and high-carb snacks wouldn't seem too good for my blood sugar now...

I'm thinking I need something that will be easy-to-eat while riding, portable, and give some lasting energy (as opposed to a banana which spikes me)...

Can I get some ideas? I know there's a few here that run, cycle, etc. so I can use any insight y'all have...

Thanks!

 

[breezeonby]

I'm really trying to work up to being able to do some longer rides once the weather is clear (hopefully some 60-100km rides), and am wondering about what other Type-II's eat during endurance exercise, because I'm pretty-sure I'll have to, won't I?

Typically I do my spin bike rides about an hour after a meal, and that seems to do OK for me ... until yesterday. Yesterday I stayed cycling at a moderately-heavy pace for a full hour-and-a-half, (normally I've been keeping to about an hour or less, yesterday was closer to 2 hrs including the warmup/cooldown periods) and was absolutely EXHAUSTED for the entire day after that ride, and am only now starting to feel somewhat recovered (about 30 hours later).

25 years ago when I used to ride competitively I'd have been carb-loading before an event, and then eating bananas or powerbars on long rides... but carb-loading is certainly OUT now, and high-carb snacks wouldn't seem too good for my blood sugar now...

I'm thinking I need something that will be easy-to-eat while riding, portable, and give some lasting energy (as opposed to a banana which spikes me)...

Can I get some ideas? I know there's a few here that run, cycle, etc. so I can use any insight y'all have...

Thanks!

diabetes86 is a bike rider who can probably help you with your question.

 

[jwags]

Now I don't do anything that intense but often exercise for a couple of hours at a time. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how many carbs is enough without spiking too high and crashing. I choose carbs that have a lot of fiber and are slow to enter the blood system. I usually make a sandwich with my Eziekel toast, coconut oil, almond butter and low carb jam. Sometimes I may make a low carb smoothie with whey, frozen berries and unsweet coconut milk. I also bring snacks with me to replenish energy if needed. I would make your own trail mix with lots of nuts and just a few raisins or bits of dark chocolate. Another Low carb bar I bring with me is called the EXTEND bar. It was designed by an Endocrynologist to enter blood very slow over 5 -7 hours. I think it has resistant starch in it.

 

[beefy]

Now I don't do anything that intense but often exercise for a couple of hours at a time. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how many carbs is enough without spiking too high and crashing. I choose carbs that have a lot of fiber and are slow to enter the blood system. I usually make a sandwich with my Eziekel toast, coconut oil, almond butter and low carb jam. Sometimes I may make a low carb smoothie with whey, frozen berries and unsweet coconut milk. I also bring snacks with me to replenish energy if needed. I would make your own trail mix with lots of nuts and just a few raisins or bits of dark chocolate. Another Low carb bar I bring with me is called the EXTEND bar. It was designed by an Endocrynologist to enter blood very slow over 5 -7 hours. I think it has resistant starch in it.

Well, this morning I had a full piece of toast with my regular ham and eggs. (Sprouted Grain bread, 13g total carb with natural peanut butter and a little NSA jam). Let that sit in my system for a couple hours before the ride. I also, IMMEDIATELY before today's ride ate 1/2 a granny smith apple, one ounce of jalapeno havarti cheese and one strip of bacon.

I felt just a little crampy-in-the-gut about 1/2 hour in, probably due to eating immediately before - digestion probably isn't easy at the riding pace I normally do... So I took it a little easy for a few minutes until I felt better, then I kept riding.

I rode at a fairly heavy pace (heart-rate ~150bpm the whole time) a FULL two hours, which is a 'record' for me (since my back injury, anyway)...

I gotta admit I certainly hit a 'wall' at that two hour mark ... I had to fight to keep going for the full two hours (I refused to stop even 30 seconds short, to be honest... I'm that stubborn) but I made it...

Tested my BG immediately afterward ... whopping 4.2 (76) which is pretty low for me ... Made a fruit/protein smoothie and included 1/2 a banana in it just to get some quick-acting healthy carbs... 1 hour later I'm at a whopping 6.0 (108)...

I need to figure out what to do to get PAST this two hour mark and keep going, I'd love to work up to a century ride this year with my son... I think it would be great...

 

[beefy]

One GOOD thing about a 2 hour, glycogen-depleting workout is that apparently, replenishing the glycogen means post-exercise meals are practically freebies for carbs, lol. I ate a 1,000+ calorie burger tonight and scored a 2hr post-prandial of 4.2 (76) and yes, I double-checked it

Am tired but happy.

 

[beefy]

Today I did things a little different...

Again I ate a full piece of toast with my breakfast (13g carb, sprouted grain bread) but only planned on cycling for an hour, though very hard. FYI the rest of breakfast was two eggs scrambled with onion, gr. peppers and spice, 2 slices of ham, 1oz. cheese, and 1tbsp each natural peanut butter and NSA jam on my toast.

I decided to ride exactly one hour after finishing breakfast. FYI, was 5.4 (97) this a.m, and 6.2 (112) 1hr after breakfast... I was actually hoping to start the ride slightly higher...

Just before the ride I poured myself 4oz of O.J. and sat it beside my exercise bike, then 1/2 way through the ride, (at the 30 minute mark) I slowly drank it, in about 4 sips...

That seemed to help. I rode for a full hour HARD (~160 heart rate) without any normal 'low' feeling that I get while hard riding. I didn't feel low until near the end of the ride.

Tomorrow I plan on cycling 2hrs again ... I'm thinking of trying TWO pieces of the sprouted grain bread before the ride, then some OJ during, and see how it goes...