10 Indoor Cycling Nutrition and Hydration Tips
With the rise of technologies like Zwift, Rouvy and TrainerRoad, many of us have been churning out our miles on the indoor trainer. But are you getting the best out of each session with your nutrition and hydration?
Regardless of why you ride indoors, solid nutrition and hydration practices are key, yet sometimes overlooked, riding from the comfort of our homes or gyms.
Focusing on your hydration and nutrition will not only bolster performance during a virtual ride but can also facilitate long-lasting training adaptations that will serve you well once you're back riding in the great outdoors. Keeping your body well-fueled will allow you to gain a competitive edge by working at your body’s full potential.
This blog features 10 indoor cycling tips to help dial in your nutrition, hydration, and recovery to make the most of your indoor training.
1. Warm Up and Allow Enough Time Between Meals For Ample Digestion
Give yourself enough time to warm up on the bike before going full send. Also, allow enough time between eating a substantial meal (about 2 hours) and hopping on the saddle for ample digestion. Drinking a small glass of Ginger Maple Lemonade before a meal can also help with digestion and soothe your stomach before a ride.
Ginger, like what you’ll find in this Ginger Maple Lemonade, has been used for centuries to soothe an upset stomach and aid digestive health.
2. Have A Small Snack 30 Minutes Before Your Ride
This tip is especially helpful for those who like to hop on their trainer in the early hours of the morning. Have a small snack roughly 30 minutes before your ride so you’re mentally alert and not lagging behind once your ride kicks off. I always opt for sourdough toast with a little nut butter and banana. This helps top off my glycogen stores, ensuring I have a bit of fuel for the later part of the workout. Foods like Date Take 5 "Candy" Bars, Mini Muesli Banana Bread Bites or Chocolate and Sweet Potato Date Spread with toast make excellent quick pre-ride snack options.
This alternative spread uses sweet potato, peanut butter, dates and cocoa powder for an almost pudding-like morning delicacy to fuel you up before for a ride.
3. Fuel With Enough Calories Depending on Ride Length
Consume at least 100 to 150 calories before a ride you plan to be about one hour in length. If you plan on riding for around two hours, aim for at least 200 to 300 calories before. During rides lasting longer than 1 hour, consume between 30 and 60 grams of carbohydrates (120 to 240 calories) for each hour of activity. A majority of your calories should come from carbs, just make sure they aren’t too high in harder-to-digest fiber.
4. Experiment with Food Combinations Indoors That You Can Use Outside
If you’re using your Zwift, Rouvy, or TrainerRoad as a way to prepare for your upcoming spring and summer races, start experimenting with food combinations indoors that you can use outside on race days. Practice unwrapping, slurping, and eating your foods just as you would outdoors - and be sure to take note of which foods worked best for you in a food log. Taste, ease of eating, and performance are all things to be aware of regarding your food intake during a ride.
I add homemade energy gels or smoothies to these reusable baby food pouches from WeeSprout. I practice eating from them indoors and pack them with me for rides and events once the outdoor season comes around.
These Chewy Cherry and Pistsaschio Bars make excellent ride fuel for low to moderate intense rides - indoors and out.
5. Go Into Your Indoor Training Rides Well Hydrated
Going into a ride well hydrated will help with digestion before a workout. Sipping 12 - 16 ounces of fluids four hours before riding, and doing so again 90 minutes before your ride, is a simple way to ensure you're well hydrated. Try sipping on water or a homemade sports drink leading up to your rides.
This Cherry Limeade sports drink is an all-around great option to hydrate during and after your rides. The water, lime juice and salt provide essential electrolytes we lose in sweat. The honey gives you a little extra hit of carbs while the tart cherry juice helps with inflammation and boosts recovery.
6. Make Sure You Are Drinking Enough (Or Not Too Much)
One simple way you can determine if you’re meeting your current hydration needs indoors is to weigh yourself before and after your rides. If you weigh less after your ride, you may need to increase how much fluid you’re taking in. If you weigh more, you’ll need to dial it back.
7. Don't Overfuel During Short Rides
Any workout lasting less than 60 minutes shouldn't require anything beyond a water bottle or a sports drink (as long as you fueled properly beforehand). Carb rinsing, the practice of swishing a sports drink for five to ten seconds during exertion, but then spitting it out instead of swallowing, is another popular practice during short training sessions that can provide a short energy boost.
8. Recover Within An Hour of Your Ride
If the workout was low intensity and/or of short duration, consuming a regular meal within an hour or so will be just fine to promote recovery. Find recovery snacks and meal ideas on the Biked Goods blog.
9. Get In Carbs and High-Quality Protein to Help Replenish Glycogen Stores and Rebuild Muscle
Post-ride recovery should combine carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores and high-quality protein to rebuild muscle. A bar with both carbs and protein like a homemade Chewy Cherry Pistachio Energy Bar with yogurt or a Recovery Rice Smoothie can help get the job done.
This recovery rice smoothie is made with beet juice and frozen tart cherries - both powerhouses in helping you recover after a ride.
10. Consume A Recovery Drink After Intense Or Long Indoor Rides Before Eating A Meal
If you really pushed the pace or were pounding out virtual miles for 2+ hours, your appetite may be low. Although, it's a good idea to get in some recovery nutrition shortly after your ride before you get a proper meal in your system. Give homemade options like a Chocolate Cashew Recovery Shake, Easy Horchata Recovery Drink or Golden Almond Milk Latte a try. All are great and easy ways to get in some quick recovery fuel before your next meal, plus they taste delicious!
The cashews in this recovery shake give it a creamy, chocolatey and irresistible taste that most cyclists crave after a hard ride.
