Get Stuffed

Putting in big miles on the saddle? Follow these pointers to avoid the pitfalls of coming up short on your energy needs.

If you’re going to be taking part in long, hard rides frequently, spend more time in the kitchen preparing extra calories. Remember that an extra helping of spaghetti may do the body good.

Avoid energy deficiencies during the day that can delay recovery and increase the risk of overtraining. Spread out your calorie intake throughout the day. Don’t save most of your calories for dinner.

Train, then feast. “Remember that a recovery meal is likely contributing significantly to your daily energy intake,” says Guzman. “Under-eating on rides can also backfire by leaving you ravenous later in the day, resulting in poor nutrition choices that can exacerbate red-s symptoms.”

When in the throes of high volumes of training, such as a training camp, consider going easy on foods with low energy densities: raw salads can fill you up on too few calories.