Fall and Winter Nutrition

With the first signs of autumn showing their beautiful colors, it is time to think about the upcoming fall and winter cycling season. When cooler temperatures hit, many things change, but one thing that most people don’t think about changing is their nutrition plan. Cycling in the cold changes your nutrition requirements in unique ways from riding in the summer heat. There are many different opinions on how to best fuel through the winter months, but we wanted to put together how we like to fight through our cold Utah winter. 

Eat Early and Often

In the winter, eating before you ride might just be more important than in the summer. Due to the cold, your body burns more energy trying to keep you warm. You want to eat a good breakfast, with a mixture of easily digestible carbohydrates. Oatmeal, toast, pancakes and waffles are all good options to get your day going. As tasty as it is, you may want to avoid bacon and sausage before a ride as they can be harder on your body to digest. 

During the ride, carbohydrates are just as important as in the summer. Using gels is a great way to get valuable nutrients, but you want to pick gels that you can get open while wearing gloves. Many people also prefer chewable snacks in the cold, something like a Skratch Energy Bar, or Honey Stinger Waffles would be great options. 

The key during winter rides is to keep eating throughout. Fueling your body will help you stay warm, ride far, and stay healthy. For rides over two hours, you should aim for 60-90 carbs an hour, using a mixture of gels, bars, and liquid carbohydrates. Winter provides a good time to figure out your favorite nutrition products, so that when you hit your spring rides and races, you already have a good idea of what is best for you. 

What to Drink

In winter, hydrating is important, and often times hard to get right. While you may not be sweating as much as you are in the summer, your body will still use a similar amount of water as your summer rides. Colder air is drier air. This means the losses of water through respiration are accentuated however these losses are offset by a decrease in perspiration because of the lower temperatures.

Water is the go to but you can spice it up in a variety of ways. Carrying a hot drink can make a world of difference if you have a Thermos, or insulated water bottle, like our Contender Insulated Bivo Bottle. Skratch Labs has released a seasonal Apple Cider Drink mix that would be a perfect warm beverage on a cold ride. Coffee is another good option, especially those looking for something with caffeine. Keeping your body warm will limit the amount of energy expended while working out, so hot drinks and proper apparel are paramount to your nutrition. 

Nutrition in the summer and winter is similar at the surface, but you should focus on using different products in each season. Summer emphasizes colder products, such as cold water, ice gels, and anything to reduce body temperature as you ride. Plus additional sodium replacement might be needed in the heat of the summer. In winter while the content of your nutrition may stay the same, focusing on products that help keep you warm, products that don’t freeze, and nutrition that you can open without removing gloves.

Come visit us in-store to see our cold-weather favorites. We are happy to answer any questions you have and help get your cold setup dialed.