Nailing your Nutrition Plan - A Simple Trick to Fuel Properly

On the bike nutrition is overly complicated, but it doesn't need to be.

Amazon Affiliate links that help support the channel:

Stay updated with weekly NCNCA road and criterium bike racing commentary, tips, and strategy by subscribing:

My Strava:
From this ride:

Instagram:

Send your footage for analysis to:

Send Coaching and Collaboration related questions to:

Music:

[JustOneRedSoloCup]

This is an excellent 7 ½ minute discussion of a straightforward approach to carb intake to training-effect discussion. It really _is_ that simple.

Now, get ready for the deluge of folks that will insist it’s much, much more complicated than that, and how your math is off, or how you’re not accounting for this, or for that. I’ve been making this argument for years with my cycling and running club members – some get it, most have not, but hey… what the Hell do I know? The ACSM have been proponents of this simple application like mad scientists (nutritionists??) since the dawn of sticky fuel for the body. Remember, folks, he's talking specifically about carbohydrates, don't confuse this with accompanying nutrition intake. 30 to 60 grams per hour of carbs for training-effect is the golden standard. And for anyone disbelieving this, if you’re the typical athlete whose body can oxidize MORE than one gram of carb per minute, then your body is definitively _atypical._

Good stuff, Jeff. Love this channel.

[bokajgrummel]

And please, guys, don't throw your empty packaging into nature!

[cooperk]

Jeff I have watched literally every video you have ever released on both channels, and this was hands down the most helpful thing I’ve ever watched. Fueling has always seemed way too complicated to me. I don’t know why, of all the videos and reading I have ever done on the topic, but this is the first time it felt like it just clicked for me. Everest on Monday, will be applying your concepts!!

[reginald]

I don’t even bike but your race content and commentary is great and interesting for any, and as an endurance athlete, really makes me want to start. Thanks for the great videos

[evansilcox]

Thanks so much. I'm a type 1 diabetic (i.e. insulin dependent). I've struggled really hard with low blood glucose levels on rides and now I realize it's because I was seriously under fueling. With an insulin pump, you can reduce the amount of insulin you get, but that doesn't help with actually fueling your body to perform (if you're blood sugar runs high because you don't have enough insulin, your body breaks down any glycogen stores and then muscle which is inefficient and harms your speed over time; if your blood sugar runs low, your power will drop and to even maintain speed with a group, your heart rate will spike and burn even more energy dropping your blood sugars lower). Really appreciate this simple explanation and the examples. I used it for two rides this week and maintained perfect blood sugars, along with maintaining consistent speed and power rather than seeing drops due to decreasing blood sugar levels.

[tee_ef_em]

Great breakdown. This rookie now knows a thing or three about fueling for a ride. Thanks, man!

[reedaskey]

Short and sweet. Thanks for the tips, I’ll be following this and see how my body reacts. 🤙🏼

[BezzaDoc]

Thanks Jeff, simple and helpful. Love your channel.

[JM-ziin]

Thanks for the nutrition breakdown! I never bring enough on a ride, and this is such a simple way of thinking about food intake!

[valiantabello]

Not to be hyperbolic, but this is advice I've been looking for for YEARS! I can do this, it's not complicated. Thank you SO much.

[Celeritate]

super helpful and straightforward, thanks

[FragFragify]

If you can make a video for the food before and after. Like the breakfast and the right lunch or complements your take after a long ride. Thanks for this usefull video.

[OfArmadillo]

That Jerry-rigged camera setup worked well in the end huh Jeff!

[jimhansen]

This was really great Jeff. Thanks for posting this. There is so much information out there, most of it marketing fluff. It's good to know it' just as simple as getting the right amount of simple carbs at the right time.

[Hardcaslte]

Dude I saw your C2C video on nutrition and it literally changed my life. For the past 3 years (when I started cycling) I just used water, then I moved to water with electrolytes. I always though fueling was for longer rides, sometimes I'd take a cliff bar and that's it. I got heavy into indoor training and though ok it's only 1 hour, maybe 1.5 hours max that's not long enough for carbs and fueling and all of that. Every session I'd get off the bike and my legs would be blasted for the rest of the night, like I had just done heavy sets of squats or something.

Then I saw your C2C video that was like no that's not good, no matter how long the ride you need at least 60g of carbs per hour, even if it's a one hour workout. So I tried it out and the difference is insane. I can destroy my legs for 1.5 hours, get off the bike and after maybe 10 minutes I feel like I can go on another full length bike ride no problem. I'm just mad at myself for waiting 3 years to understand how important it is even on shorter rides.

I'm the same with the concentrated water formula. For me drinking the full 2 scoops concentrated supplement in one bottle actually makes me more thirsty, what works perfect for me is splitting the supplement into two bottles. So each bottle is 30g of carbs but you can still get hydrated and not feel thirsty.

A cliff bar is really good for the pre-ride setup. 250 calories, solid food, with 45g carbs.

[ericnelson]

Just remember that most products have a mix of various carbs (starches like rice in a Clif Bar, complex sugars like maltodextrin and simple sugars like fructose). The immediate boost only comes from simple sugars that can convert almost directly to glucose which is what your cells use to make ATP. And, depending on your intensity, your body can convert some fat to sugar if you are going easy, like low Zone 2.

[JohnSmith-mtok]

Great post thank you, cleared up a lot of misunderstanding, seems like I’ve not been using enough carbs

[gwhockett]

This is actually helpful! Simple, straight-forward and easy to implement. Thanks, Jeff.

[XX-isps]

There’s some slight misinformation here, the 60grams figure is a little misleading on three grounds. Firstly, It is actually typically around 90grams if you ingest fructose and glucose in the right ratio. Secondly, the number is also individual/differs per person. And thirdly, it is “trainable” in that you can increase your tolerance somewhat. Finally, both your carbohydrate needs as well as your ability to ingest carbs is dependent on your metabolic/work rate - at higher intensities your body diverts blood flow away from your gut, reducing digestive capacity

[ruben]

Just started watching your videos! They’re great and inspiring