Poll: Who eats steak before a BIG race?

[thorny59]

lets take a poll on who has loaded up day before a huge race with steak? i cann see the protein side of it but...?

 

[Irish2009]

these teams bring thier own cooks and then eat steak a passerby give them.............yeah right

 

[Cloxxki]

I love good meat and would eat it every meal if I could. Just nog before race race. I'll have half a kilo of chicken with some veggies, please.

 

[thehog]

98% of the professional peloton is a lower cab diet. Steak & chicken are the meals du jour. You only see pasta for breakfast and in small amounts.


http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/


A Few Thoughts on Exercise and Weight Loss

The Wall Street Journal posted an editorial on the correlation between exercise and weight loss that has drawn quite a bit of attention:

The idea that exercise produces weight loss is seldom questioned in workout-mad America, but Gary Taubes says evidence for this belief is, well, thin. Mr. Taubes writes in New York magazine that most studies on the link between swimming laps and losing weight demonstrate little beyond one widely accepted fact: “exercising makes us hungry.” In fact, he says, exercise may even lead to a weight gain, though he doesn’t deny its many health benefits.

Just working out frequently, alone, won't necessarily help you drop pounds.* As*many triathletes will attest, as your training volume increases, so does your appetite and it takes a focused nutrition plan to help you*reach and maintain*your desired optimal performance weight.

Weight loss in both cases of sedentary individuals and endurance athletes seeking peak performance are common in terms that both will require the individual to run a calorie*intake deficit.* Meaning that if you are sedentary and burn 2,000 calories per day, you need to consume less then 2,000 calories per day to run a deficit and use the body's stores of calories for energy (to loose weight).**Also, in the case of the endurance athlete, if he/she burns 4,500 calories in a day but consumes 4,700 calories, the athlete shouldn't expect to see any significant weight loss trends and possibly may start to see weight gain over time.

Macronutrient composition of one's diet will also have an impact on the prospects for the type of weight gain or loss but by no means does limiting calorie intake to some magic equation of protein, fat and carbohydrates result in weight loss in and of itself.* Much of the success that people have with fad macronutrient diets is generally a result of the individual becoming more aware and exercising more discretion over their eating habits...in most cases resulting in a restriction of excess calorie intake.
As endurance athletes, this is insight that we are all probably*well*aware of!*

 

[luckyboy]

Great poll. great thread.

 

[zapata]

I've never done a grand tour, or nothing anything like it, but why wouldn't I want to eat a big steak on the rest day? Lots of protein, lot's of calories, after two weeks of expending more calories that I can take in? Might not want to fill up on beef directly before the race, but the day before, why not?

 

[Elagabalus]

98% of the professional peloton is a lower cab diet. Steak & chicken are the meals du jour. You only see pasta for breakfast and in small amounts.


http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/


A Few Thoughts on Exercise and Weight Loss

The Wall Street Journal posted an editorial on the correlation between exercise and weight loss that has drawn quite a bit of attention:

The idea that exercise produces weight loss is seldom questioned in workout-mad America, but Gary Taubes says evidence for this belief is, well, thin. Mr. Taubes writes in New York magazine that most studies on the link between swimming laps and losing weight demonstrate little beyond one widely accepted fact: “exercising makes us hungry.” In fact, he says, exercise may even lead to a weight gain, though he doesn’t deny its many health benefits.

Just working out frequently, alone, won't necessarily help you drop pounds.* As*many triathletes will attest, as your training volume increases, so does your appetite and it takes a focused nutrition plan to help you*reach and maintain*your desired optimal performance weight.

Weight loss in both cases of sedentary individuals and endurance athletes seeking peak performance are common in terms that both will require the individual to run a calorie*intake deficit.* Meaning that if you are sedentary and burn 2,000 calories per day, you need to consume less then 2,000 calories per day to run a deficit and use the body's stores of calories for energy (to loose weight).**Also, in the case of the endurance athlete, if he/she burns 4,500 calories in a day but consumes 4,700 calories, the athlete shouldn't expect to see any significant weight loss trends and possibly may start to see weight gain over time.

Macronutrient composition of one's diet will also have an impact on the prospects for the type of weight gain or loss but by no means does limiting calorie intake to some magic equation of protein, fat and carbohydrates result in weight loss in and of itself.* Much of the success that people have with fad macronutrient diets is generally a result of the individual becoming more aware and exercising more discretion over their eating habits...in most cases resulting in a restriction of excess calorie intake.
As endurance athletes, this is insight that we are all probably*well*aware of!*

Whoa! Wait a minute! Hold the phone! According to your quote above weight loss results when there is a "restriction of excess calorie intake"? huh?! JK!

And I never said it wasn't complicated. As for the DeVlaeminck reference as per the other thread-just trying to point out ideas have been tried before, then discarded as heresy, only to be opted again. Wheels within wheels ...

 

[shawnrohrbach]

I do, before every BIG race, then I sit down and watch.

 

[Polyarmour]

98% of the professional peloton is a lower cab diet. Steak & chicken are the meals du jour. You only see pasta for breakfast and in small amounts.


http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/

What nonsense. When you burn 10,000 calories a day you need carbs. Muscles don't burn protein for fuel they burn carbs. You don't seem to understand this basic fact. The reference you provided doesn't even back up your nonsense statement.

When you jump off the bike at the end of the day you need carbs to replenish your glycogen stores. A bit of protein is required too but there is NO WAY a professional cyclist would restrict their carbs during the Tour de France. That would be the quickest way to run out of fuel and disappear out the back end of the peloton.

http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/sports/road_cycling

 

[craig1985]

Never, because I'm paranoid about it not digesting properly.

durianrider to respond in 5..4..3

 

[Escarabajo]

I have never raced. But I ride every weekend. My digestion in particular is not good with red meat. I try to avoid it if I am going on long rides. After I finish the rides and start the week I might eat the steak.

But to be on an atkins type diet for an athlete sounds crazy.

 

[Vegan Dave]

What nonsense. When you burn 10,000 calories a day you need carbs. Muscles don't burn protein for fuel they burn carbs. You don't seem to understand this basic fact. The reference you provided doesn't even back up your nonsense statement.

I can't believe this is one of the only accurate statements posted here...are this many cyclists actually this ignorant on what macronutrient (fat, protein or carb) we burn when we ride/race???

Answer: carbs.

Very little fat can be burned at higher intensities, and generally if you're burning a significant amount of protein (more than ~5%) you're having a serious metabolic meltdown...let alone are you going to be unable to perform anywhere near your potential.

I think the OP is a rather silly post tho; really, none of us (as cyclists) need much more protein than what's recommended: 0.4-0.8g/kg (World Health Organization, ADA, Health Canada, etc, etc, etc..) A 'large steak' contains upwards of two days worth of protein for many of us. (Why eat that in one meal?? There are limits to how much protein one can absorb from a meal as well.)

My own experience has been that reducing protein, from over 1.2g/kg to down under 0.7g/kg has resulted in faster recovery and more energy on the bike.

Protein is actually very hard for the body to break down(to amino acids), and requires a *lot* of energy, which gets directed away from recovery and performance. This is why high-protein diets are 'successful', digesting protein has a much higher metabolic cost - so those calories are used up just digesting the food.

Want or need energy? Eat carbs. Simple as that. However, i'm not going to mention it to my competitors eating their 'protein bars' at the start line.

 

[richwagmn]

Carbs...

A big bowl full of a sugary breakfast cereal works great for me (think cocoa-puffs or fruit loops). Throw in some energy gels on the bike and I'm good.

Steak or fatty foods before a ride? If I want to puke.

 

[durianrider]

I ran a 10km pb this morning. 38:13 on 831km ran so far this year.http://connect.garmin.com/activity/51438877 My healthy diet helps make up for a lack of running training.

A big steak before a big race? Yeah maybe back in merckx's day like in the movie 'hell of the north'. But today with the advance in sports nutrition we know that an athlete NEVER runs out of fat or protein and the main limiting factor in nutritional related performance is water and glycogen. Just look at when Lance, Cadel and Contador bonked in various races. Did Liggett say 'Oh no they ran out of steak!' or did they say 'glucose exhaustion doesnt care who you are if you dont keep the carbohydrate stores topped up'..

Anyone ever bonked or hit the wall? Was it from not enough fat, protein or carbs? Exactly.

What 2 foods do are cyclists mainly connected with? Meat and milk or pasta feasts and bananas in the back of the jersey?

I used to race in Belgium and still to this day race Cat 1. Its carbs, carbs, carbs and even more carbs for the pro's that must keep their weight really light for 10months of the year. You must perform and you cant afford to run out of glycogen by following some fad Dr Atkins low carb diet like the weight watcher crew prescribe.

Ive been out training/racing with all the household names (watch my youtubes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5HjL7yMc_U and eaten meals with most of them. . Lance, Periero, Ogrady, Sanchez, Galdeano, Valverde, Guiterrez, Camenzind, Contador etc and they all eat a high carb, low fat diet with the mindset 'the fat you eat is the fat you wear and the carbs you eat are the carbs you get to train hard with..'

Rip Esselstyn was Lances nutritional advisor during his comeback from cancer. Lance has his recommendation on the back of Rip's high carb, low fat vegan book. Lance aint a vegan but he sure doesnt each much animal products thesedays as it helps with keeping your weight down and power output up. Sumo wrestlers eat lots of animal products, endurance athletes cant afford to as you risk food poisoning, it takes more digestive energy that could go to power output/recovery and it just sits in your gut as it has no fiber to help it push through. Last thing any athlete needs is a brick in your gut as you try and smash it in the big ring during a sprint, breakaway or long climb.

Anyone can go check out the saxobank youtube vids where the chef says 'we dont cook steak as its too much energy for the riders to digest'.

Look what the schleks are eaitng in the vids: rice, pasta,tomato sauce, organic breads, fruit and tomato sauce.

Ive never met an elite athlete that eats a low carb diet. EVER!

 

[craig1985]

I just think it's common sense not to eat something so heavy the night before any race.

 

[happychappy]

What nonsense. When you burn 10,000 calories a day you need carbs. Muscles don't burn protein for fuel they burn carbs.

Don't be so hard on thehog, it's clear from the amount he posts here (and the amount of nonsense) that he's never been a competitive cyclist, he wouldn't know much about basic nutrition let alone what it takes to race/train consecutive days.

 

[sometriguy]

As an endurance athlete, I believe in the eat what you crave philosophy.

I have carbo loaded before events and restricted my fiber, avoided fats, etc and had terrible GI issues.

I've also eaten a boat load of chinese food full of fats and crap and had marvelous performances the next day.

Now that I am on the eat what I crave diet, I find that about 70 percent of my caloric intake is in the form of carbs. I have also found that I have to eat more than my daily need of calories in order to maintain weight. I believe this is due to endurance athletes burning a lot more calories at rest trying to recover etc.

As for a giant steak, if I crave it, I will eat it. Probably engage in something like this once every couple of weeks and I have never noticed a problem.

The only thing that consistently will take me down is a high fiber diet in a high heat environment.

 

[JA.Tri]

Proteins and carbs are essential BUT a steak! Puts a huge load on digestive system. I assume it wasn't just a small steak or a few pieces of steak??

 

[sometriguy]

Also, I don't think it matters what any of us eat.

If you have been in endurance sports long enough and trained enough (i'm sure contador would trump us all in that department), then you know what you can and can not do.

Contador could eat steak every day for all we know, any conclusions draw here are pure speculation.

I know a lot of superior athletes who eat pancakes, pizza, milkshakes, and hamburgers and just about nothing else

 

[MadonePro]

Reading the statement from Contador, he doesn't state he had eaten a steak, he stated 'meat' was brought from the organisers of a local spanish race.

Ever thought he might have had a stir fry, or something similar?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

But to be on an atkins type diet for an athlete sounds crazy.

And most likely leads to an increased long-term risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, etc.

There is one thing that Atkins did that was at least somewhat beneficial, and that is it got people to understand glycemic index and that avoiding refined sugars, regardless of what else you eat, is a good thing.

 

[thorny59]

Poll: Steak meat, whatever

In my experience as an amature masters racer/rider having a steak or burger, etc. night day before a hard effort i would be puking or just plain uncomfortable. last weekend I did 140 miles on saturday and 140 on sunday; 2 very long days powered by carbs and thought of a steak, meat anything. ugh. Monday steak tacos yeah

 

[thehog]

Don't be so hard on thehog, it's clear from the amount he posts here (and the amount of nonsense) that he's never been a competitive cyclist, he wouldn't know much about basic nutrition let alone what it takes to race/train consecutive days.

You don't know me at all. I was junior state champion in Victoria Australia. I've raced and coached in Europe, UK and the US. Low carb came into play around Lance's time and remains strong. I teach all my junior athletes the value of low carb meals for recovery.

This thread is redundant because Contador used the meat "not before" his big race but as a recovery aid on the rest day and after the folkowing stage.

The other problem is that Australian, UK and American poster really don't know what a good steak is. You think it's a massive Porthouse on a plate. Far from it. Go to into Spain and eat real tender meat. You'll know what I mean.

You're an uncultered lot. You really are.

 

[Fieldsprint]

And most likely leads to an increased long-term risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, etc.

Nonsense.

 

[euanli]

Haven't there been studies that have shown a high fat/low carb diet improves endurance at low intensity with no difference at higher performance?

As far actual diets for cycling as far as I understood it you want to eat a moderate glycemic/high carb food couple of hours before a ride then high glycemic/high carb gels and drink when riding. Immediately after a workout you want to replenish the carbs you've used with more high glycemic food. After that until the next race/training you eat low glycemic food with lean meat+veg to replenish the body.

But I've never raced, so I know nothing.