Cycling Nutrition Tips To Maximise Performance

Improving your performance as a cyclist isn’t just about road time. Nutrition has a key role to play, as well… yet this is an oft-overlooked aspect of training, which could be proving detrimental to your overall progress on the bike.

Understanding macronutrients

Macronutrients break down nutrition into three distinct groups: carbs, proteins and fats. These aren’t just important for cycling nutrition, but for your general health, as well.

Firstly, you need to know how many calories you need to get per day, taking into account your resting metabolic rate (which is the baseline of your energy expenditure). You also need to consider your daily activities and cycling training, so you can estimate just how many calories you burn. This will then ensure that you’re getting the right level of nutrition.

From there, work out how much protein you need per day – which is typically between 1.2 and 1.4g per kg of body weight for endurance athletes. Once you’ve got this figure, work out your daily carb intake, which should be between six and 10kg per kg of body weight. The remaining calories are your fat content.

Depending on your goals, you can play around with your macros to help you achieve your targets. With weight loss, for example, you’ll likely want to increase your protein intake, as this can help preserve muscle mass, drive calorie burn during digestion and make you feel fuller for longer.

Quality matters

Once you understand your macros a bit better, you can hit the shops – but it’s advisable to go for nutrient-dense quality produce, such as potatoes, broccoli, bananas, blueberries, apples, pasta, rice, oats, quinoa, chicken, turkey, eggs, tofu, chickpeas, avocado, salmon, tuna, olive oil and seeds.

It can be difficult to get started with cycling nutrition if it’s not something you’ve prioritised before. If you need guidance or advice relating to meal prep and planning, get in touch with the Rowe & King team today.