Big Lies - Nutrition

[misterhorsey]

Great concise article busting a few myths on nutrition:

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutri ... s?page=0,0

It actually does a good job in summarising key points shared by this (very very dense) book, that I've struggled to get through:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Eating-Thir ... 0736066985

[Meditator]

Well i'm not convinced by the argument that pasta is bad. I"ve experienced it and find it to be a great night before meal that keeps me going through a long day, providing i have breakfast as well.

Rice cakes for dinner - no thanks. The thing is i like a big plate of pasta because it makes me feel full and therefore i won't be hungry too soon either. I couldn't eat enough rice cakes to fill me up as they taste like cardboard.

[TheEnd]

"so you bonk more easily"

I have changed my diet this past 12 months from high carb, to levels more in line with this document and have found much more stable and sustained energy levels, totally agreeing with the above statement. Even though I was high carb before, I found energy levels would drop off quickly unless I ate continually through a ride. Now with a higher % of good fats and increase in protein (I eat very little meat and dairy but still get about 1.8g per kg) in my daily diet, I've found I can get through rides with far less eating, and it takes me much longer to get to a point of bonking.

High carb I was always hungry even aiming for lower gi foods, but now get through to the next meal far easier with out raiding my lunchbox early.There has also been a noticed improvement in my general mood.

I love pasta though so won't stop eating that, will just be carefull to keep carbs around the 50% which I feel far much better at.

[misterhorsey]

Well i'm not convinced by the argument that pasta is bad. I"ve experienced it and find it to be a great night before meal that keeps me going through a long day, providing i have breakfast as well.

Rice cakes for dinner - no thanks. The thing is i like a big plate of pasta because it makes me feel full and therefore i won't be hungry too soon either. I couldn't eat enough rice cakes to fill me up as they taste like cardboard.

Er, rice cakes for dinner. I think the only reference to rice cakes is by the Team Garmin nutritionist, who talks about "rice cakes made with eggs, olive oil, prosciutto and liquid amino acids" prior to races - which sound like an arancini ball to me. But without the delicious fried breadcrumby crust!

Not sure if you turned off after the first page, but it goes a bit beyond a simple argument like 'pasta = bad'.

I actually find the rest of the article illuminating in its discussion of balancing the right amount of good fats, protein and complex carbs. I personally think that pasta is one of the most delicious things on this planet - as well as convenient. A bowl of pasta with salt, pepper, chilli and a few anchovies, olives and parmesan is one of my favourite bachelor chows - but nutritionally it doesn't have a huge amount going for it.

[ZepinAtor]

Thanks for the link MH it's an interesting read

I'm agreeable to a point with most of the article & have been stumbling along that path now for about 18 months with some good results.

Like you I'm struggling to get into a new (maybe controversial ?) book I've discovered lately called The Starch Solution by John A McDougall, MD.

Here's a bit of an insight/introduction to the book & it's beliefs >>>>>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XVf36nwraw

It's a fairly long youtube clip, but you can skip along & filter out the informative bits.

I'll probably take 6 months to read it & then realise how far off track I really am

[misterhorsey]

I'm pretty far away from being an elite athlete trying to maximum performance, recovery etc etc. But adopting some of these principles has taken away the anchor of poor diet that used to make me weigh me down

That book I was reading (http://www.amazon.com/Power-Eating-Thir ... ative=9325 ) was great, but way too much detail. Too much measuring of exact quantities of food! Near enough is good enough for me.

I just need to figure out how to stop getting the post exercise food coma. I tend to overeat after and then am useless for anywhere from 4- 8 hours. But i know that's also from being out of shape.

[warthog1]

That is a fantastic article .Concise and easy to read. Thanks for linking it.

[Meditator]

Its a bit late now but i wanted to make the comment that nutritionally pasta is good for energy. I've experienced this often enough on tour to know when i eat only 3 meals a day, no snacks and often eat pasta for dinner and lunch.

[MarkG]

I used to do diets for myself and others when I was doing competitive bodybuilding. If anyone wants a sample diet, just pm me and I'll give you a sample one to try for yourself.