How Many Calories Are Enough?

chopnatshow

I weigh 189, am 6' 1.5", and I consider myself big-boned.   During a 3 hour ride yesterday with my peloton I pushed hard and covered 60 miles.  For me it was a race pace effort.  I consumed 970 calories as follows:

 2 Carb Boom gels (110 * 2 = 220 calories)

1 PowerBar Energy Blast pack (190 calories)

2 Bottles (24 oz) of Infinit: Go Far (280 * 2 = 560 calories)

For breakfast before this early ride I had 2 packs of raisin and spice oatmeal (150 * 2 = 300 calories), a cup of grapefruit (60 calories) and around 40 almonds (250 calories).

I was sipping my Infinit periodically during the first hour and a half.  I took my first gel about 1.25 hours into the ride.  About 2 hours in I felt cranky and little light headed.  At several points I felt like I was moving backwards.  This had not really happened before.  It was around 75 to 79 degrees, so it was not that hot.

At the 60 mile point we rolled into Starbucks.  I consumed around 500 - 600 calories.  We left after 20 minutes.  Finished the ride with another 16 miles, during which I felt fine.  So, I know this is a matter of managing calories.

When I race HIM I generally take this amount of calories in on the bike, plus a banana and a two to four more gel packs if my stomach will tolerate.  I also take in 24 - 36 oz of plain water.  Any ideas on what might be causing to feel light headed?

Peter Greagg

Frank — I race around 145 and take in over 350 cals per hour on the bike (based on the CoreDiet webinar http://www.screencast.com/t/eAiPfNuIabyb).
So based on that, you could have more (say, 450 per hour).
I never use water (CoreDiet suggestion) and use Infinit plus Power Bars, and gels.

cgres123

Frank, You and I are are about the same weight but you have a 3 inches in height on me however I'm probably older that you. Which doesn't really mean anything about addressing the light headedness. But here goes my two cent, I'd have eaten the same thing for breakfast actually sounds good. Since you were hitting it pretty hard with the roadies pushing like you did not have to run afterwards. I suggest perhaps the huffing and puffing high end of the ride just bit you a tab and your body responded that way.
I would not worry about it unless moving forward that becomes an issue.
You nutrition seem ok to me with the exception I would be hitting the gels about 30 min apart and would not be drinking plain water as that will just flush out the electrolytes you have in your body causing a sooner bonk.

Nate Parady

From the wiki: http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=Course+Nutrition+(Baseline)+-+2013+Edition

1,000 milligrams of sodium per hour across all sources of fluids and food.
Target Bike Calories = (Your Body Weight in Pounds) times .625 times 4. For example, Coach P weighs 185 pounds. He multiplies 185 x .625 to get 115.6 grams of carbs per hour. He multiplies that number by 4 (a gram of carbs has 4 calories), to get a baseline target of 462 calories per hour.

There is much more on this page and I suggest you read it all. Really good stuff.

Not sure exactly why you felt light headed but the above is a good baseline to start with. If I were to guess you fell behind your nutritional needs by waiting 1.25 hours before taking a gel even though you were sipping on your infinit and you had a good breakfast. Your body wanted more.

new2703

I'm 6'1" 175lbs. Not sure how many calories but this is my IM meal plan.
1-2 bottles of perform with s cap in each bottle/ hour
1/2 power bar or full gel every thirty minutes. Usually alternate. Start with powerbar and after 2-3 hours change