[HAMR] Steve's nutrition and hydration

[zigzag]

we all agree that keeping ourselves well fed and watered is very important in endurance events (and in life in general). high-calorie fast foods are so convenient on challenges like Steve is doing, but to keep the body healthful on such a diet can be tough as it lacks so many important nutrients, minerals etc. no problem if it's only an odd 600k or pbp - ime 1l of chocolate milk followed by 0.5l tub of ice-cream will give you wings, but in a long term diet of high energy-dense processed foods can lead to serious health issues.
i always have a fruit/veg/water detox after long events to flush out my system - i feel so much better after. i wonder how is it possible to organise better nutrition for Steve, so it's not only calorie but nutrient rich as well. any ideas?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Steve relies on cravings to correct any nutritional imbalances. That system has worked very well during previous high-mileage years.

[simonp]

We're hosting Steve later in the year. I wonder what random foods we need to have available for these cravings. 

[jackt]

I asked Steve about his diet and he said the principal food groups he would be relying upon are cheese and sausages.

I had a friend who spend several seasons in the Antarctic towing sledges across the ice for the scientists. They ate a hell of lot of butter and suffered no harm.

A daily multivitamin tablet won't hurt Steve and isn't much trouble. At least it'll prevent him developing scurvy, which might dent the healthy image of the long-distance cycling community.

[Chris S]

I'd be very surprised if he doesn't end up having to take supplements. What he's doing is so far from "normal" (and, a lot more than he himself has ever done), his ability to recover each day and maintain immune health will be hugely stretched.

I would strongly suggest getting some outside advice.

[Chris S]

I had a friend who spend several seasons in the Antarctic towing sledges across the ice for the scientists. They ate a hell of lot of butter and suffered no harm.

 

See the "Ketogenic diet - fad or phenom" thread for info on how long it takes to adapt to that kind of diet!

[Exit Stage Left]

Jill Wilkinson, Andy's wife, is a nutritionist, Andy credits her with improvements in performance. I'll ask Gethin Butler what he thinks, the next time I'm in Hewitt's, he's a sports scientist.
I'm assuming there's equivalent expertise in Steve's team.

[The Seldom Killer]

Cravings aren't brilliantly reliable. While they're OK at correcting short term deficiencies, they aren't good for long term slow declines in other areas. Cravings may have worked for him in the past but he hasn't done this in the past. There's a chance of an accumulating impact on performance.

[Euan Uzami]

we all agree that keeping ourselves well fed and watered is very important in endurance events (and in life in general). high-calorie fast foods are so convenient on challenges like Steve is doing, but to keep the body healthful on such a diet can be tough as it lacks so many important nutrients, minerals etc. no problem if it's only an odd 600k or pbp - ime 1l of chocolate milk followed by 0.5l tub of ice-cream will give you wings, but in a long term diet of high energy-dense processed foods can lead to serious health issues.
i always have a fruit/veg/water detox after long events to flush out my system - i feel so much better after. i wonder how is it possible to organise better nutrition for Steve, so it's not only calorie but nutrient rich as well. any ideas?

agree about eating healthily but the concept of "detox" is a myth. http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/05/detox-myth-health-diet-science-ignorance

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Please keep in mind that Steve has ridden well in excess of a third of his targeted mileage in a year while holding down a fulltime job and with zero support. He has given some thought towards his nutrition needs and vitamin supplementation may occur. Nonetheless, perhaps Steve's approach could be improved.

[Wobbly]

Surely a multi-vit/iron/mineral tablet each day wouldn't do any harm and a garlic capsule would help keep him safe from vampires.

In the same way most breakfast cereals come with added vitamins I wonder if Steve can buy vitamin-enriched sausages?

[zigzag]

agree about eating healthily but the concept of "detox" is a myth. http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/05/detox-myth-health-diet-science-ignorance

i also don't buy into those types of detox fads that the article mentions. but giving your body plenty of water from fruits, berries and veggies can certainly aid the recovery as you help your body to get nutrients it needs. i remember after tcr13 constantly eating watermellons, figs, peaches and rich mediterranean salads - invigorating after two weeks on sandwiches, pizzas, cakes, pastries, yoghurt drinks, milk shakes etc.

[Hot Flatus]

We're hosting Steve later in the year. I wonder what random foods we need to have available for these cravings. 

Would you be prepared to accommodate if the cravings move outside of the context of food?

Its a small ask.

[Von Broad]

i wonder how is it possible to organise better nutrition for Steve, so it's not only calorie but nutrient rich as well. any ideas?

Problem is, although he's done loads of mammoth stuff in the past, he's never done anything just as colossal as this. Have many people have? Have many people have even attempted to? So, as well as having no real empirical evidence that can inform him that after riding 6 months every day, he'll need to pay attention to this particular need or that one, there is virtually no other anecdotal evidence from other riders to base wisdom on. That said, the whole experience can only ever be largely organic in discovery really.

He's obviously very, very conscious both in the things he's said and the way he's riding at the moment [bizarre as that sounds], of doing too much, too fast, too soon.

[Basil]

Yeahbut, bet his willie drops off.

[Bianchi Boy]

My experience is not very scientific but I always find that eating plenty of cooked veg on multi day events helps. Audax rides do not require this but on week long rides I always have one good sit down with a proper meal every day. Meat veg and potatoes, with lots of veg. I crave the green veg, cabbage, sprouts or the like are always good.

I find that fast food fills me with calories but bungs me up and I always have the dump from hell the day after a 600. God knows what Steve feels like if he eats cheese and fast food for a couple of weeks.

By the way Steve missed off the food of the Gods off his list - pork pies! Never fail to give me wings.

BB

[simonp]

I suspect comparable things have been attempted outside cycling. Solo round the world sailing for instance or indeed crew on the likes of tall ships in the first days of round the world voyages.

[zigzag]

i agree that there are no examples of what works and what not over such a monumentally long and strenous activity. however, whichever way you look at it, fast processed food is bad for health especially when it becomes dominant part of your diet and should be minimised as much as possible. that is my concern..

[hellymedic]

Steve has posted before that he like V-8 vegetable juice; it's obviously only a single component but it might address some nutritional issues.

[Karla]

I am sure that Steve will take time out of his busy schedule to read this thread, in order to gain insights he could not gain anywhere else.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

What he's doing is so far from "normal" (and, a lot more than he himself has ever done), his ability to recover each day and maintain immune health will be hugely stretched.

Steve's highest mileage year was close to 60,000km when working fulltime. 75,000 miles = 120,000km, so a factor of 2. He has already found a system that works for him.

The nearest equivalent that I can think of is Mike Hall's round the world record where he averaged 300km daily for three months unsupported, save for a few days. What do people think he ate as he rode through all those countries? The correct answer is whatever was available that he actually wanted to eat.

[Byronius Maximus]

And not forgetting that Tommy Godwin got through on a pretty basic diet, certainly by today's standards.

I think it's easy to over-think this, though there is no harm in giving it some decent thought.

I mean, all he has to do is make sure he eats lots of healthy food...

[frankly frankie]

I'm assuming there's equivalent expertise in Steve's team.

This ^^^ surely.
Did Tommy Godwin have to put up with all this advice from well-wishers?

[Frank9755]

Jill Wilkinson, Andy's wife, is a nutritionist, Andy credits her with improvements in performance. I'll ask Gethin Butler what he thinks, the next time I'm in Hewitt's, he's a sports scientist.
I'm assuming there's equivalent expertise in Steve's team.

I actually discussed this with Andy (he and Jill were guests at our club dinner in November).  His immediate reaction was that he though that Steve would need to eat a high fat diet becuase it would give him greater calorific density.  He said he was keen to help Steve, with nutrition or other aspects, so I passed that back to Steve and I believe they spoke afterwards.

I'm sure Gethin would also have well-informed views.  Didn't he do his End-to-End record ride on a diet of sausages?

[Jurek]

We're hosting Steve later in the year. I wonder what random foods we need to have available for these cravings. 

Would you be prepared to accommodate if the cravings move outside of the context of food?

Its a small ask.

Boom!