For endurance cycling, your body requires a perfect combination of macro and micronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats, and minerals. These nutrients will fuel up your body and sustain your energy to enable you to complete the distance and recover quickly.

Fortunately, it’s easy to fuel your body with these nutrients for long-distance cycling because they’re readily available in the ordinary foods you enjoy every day. If you suspect that your meals don’t give you enough nutrients to power your body for endurance cycling, it’s a great idea to boost your stamina with plant-based supplements for cycling.

 

Why Is Proper Nutrition Necessary for Cycling?

Whether you’re preparing for a long winter ride or a major sporting event, loading up your body with the right endurance nutrients is a must. The longer the ride, the more important it is to fuel your body.

As a cyclist, it’s important to understand that fueling your body doesn’t just start when you hop on your bike; you should consider your pre-cycling diet and how it’s likely to impact your performance. This starts with your meals a few days before the ride.

Proper nutrition for endurance cycling is essential because it keeps all the crucial muscles of your body fully energized to help you peddle for long distances. It also supports faster muscle recovery when you’re going downhill, ensuring that you don’t slow down because of fatigued muscles.   

Cycling is high-intensity exercise that requires extra energy, so you should ensure that your pre-cycling diet is loaded with glycogen to fuel your ride. The diet should help you maintain a reasonable level of energy throughout the ride and keep you hydrated.

Your muscles will become damaged during the ride, making the race even harder for you. But with proper nutrition, these damaged muscle tissues can repair quickly, allowing you to continue the ride without any injuries. 

With a plant-based supplement like Joint Support from Sur Nutrition, you can easily get rid of joint pain and speed up your muscle recovery. It’s packed with boron for improved bone health!

 

Essential Nutrients for Endurance Cycling

As noted above, your pre-cycling diet should be loaded with the right macro and micronutrients to boost your resilience. Here are the main nutrients to include in your pre-cycling diet:

 

Macronutrients

Proteins

Protein is an important nutrient because it helps your muscle tissues grow bigger and stronger for powerful cycling and endurance. It also helps repair damaged muscles during cycling for faster recovery.

Perhaps you’re now thinking about cyclist supplements versus natural foods and wondering which one will give you enough proteins for endurance cycling. While lean meat, eggs, beans, and dairy products have plenty of protein, it may be difficult to include all of them in your meals.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are a main source of energy. Your pre-ride meals should have sufficient carbs that will store in your body as glycogen to fuel your ride from start to finish. Some of the best sources of pre-ride carbohydrates include oats, whole grains, pasta, potatoes, bananas, and rice.

You should consume up to sixty grams of carbs an hour before the ride. Thankfully, you can take carb supplements before the ride because they’re quickly absorbed by the body to supply you with energy. For instance, try Organic Beet Root supplements from Sur Nutrition to improve blood circulation and boost your energy levels!

Fats

Fats are also great for sustained energy, especially for high-intensity activities like cycling. The best sources of healthy fats include nuts, avocados, fish, seeds, and olive oil. However, consume fats moderately to avoid stomach issues.

 

Micronutrients

Vitamins

Your body needs various vitamins, including D, B6, and B12 to maintain high muscle performance and bone health. Vitamin B6 and B12 help with metabolism and energy production.

The best source of vitamin D is sunlight and fortified foods. You can get vitamins B6 and B12 from whole grains, legumes, eggs, and leafy greens. If these sources aren’t enough, try taking plant-based vitamin supplements.

For example, you can take Immunity–a popular organic supplement from Sur Nutrition that’s loaded with highly absorbable vitamin C to boost your immunity and accelerate recovery.

Minerals

The best minerals for endurance cycling include calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. They help with fluid retention to avoid dehydration. These minerals also prevent muscle cramps.

You can get these minerals from coconut water, leafy greens, bananas, and electrolyte drinks. Many plant-based supplements have these electrolytes.

 

In Conclusion

These nutrients can give you enough energy to fuel your long-distance ride if you consume them properly. If you’re looking for plant-based supplements for endurance cycling, try Sur Nutrition today!