W
Warren
Guest
In article <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]> wrote:
> warren <[email protected]> wrote:
> : Pro roadies can utilize fat for fuel more efficiently than most cyclists who are not pros,
> : Ironman elite, marathon elite, etc. The % of total calories as fat could be higher for them and
> : not cause the problems it might for people who aren't as well adapted to fat for fuel.
>
> Sounds plausible, but does the fat you burn on the ride come as fat in the diet? ... The fat
> storage in human body - any body short of famished one to my understanding - is huge when compared
> to the vast majority of cycling needs. If you can burn fat off that storage while riding, you are
> going to have a huge advantage.
Most pros don't have enough extra fat on their body to make available as fuel. During the latter
stages of races the team cars can't always get carbs to the riders and fat sources will provide more
(longlasting) calories.
> Does protein have any significance as an energy source? I think a few odd percentages of your
> energy requirement is satisfied by protein in long road races.
Yes, and rather than let that protein come from your muscles (very bad) it should come from dietary
protein. If you don't provide enough carbs too and you're not great at burning fat you're likely to
cannibalize muscle tissue for fuel.
-WG
<[email protected]> wrote:
> warren <[email protected]> wrote:
> : Pro roadies can utilize fat for fuel more efficiently than most cyclists who are not pros,
> : Ironman elite, marathon elite, etc. The % of total calories as fat could be higher for them and
> : not cause the problems it might for people who aren't as well adapted to fat for fuel.
>
> Sounds plausible, but does the fat you burn on the ride come as fat in the diet? ... The fat
> storage in human body - any body short of famished one to my understanding - is huge when compared
> to the vast majority of cycling needs. If you can burn fat off that storage while riding, you are
> going to have a huge advantage.
Most pros don't have enough extra fat on their body to make available as fuel. During the latter
stages of races the team cars can't always get carbs to the riders and fat sources will provide more
(longlasting) calories.
> Does protein have any significance as an energy source? I think a few odd percentages of your
> energy requirement is satisfied by protein in long road races.
Yes, and rather than let that protein come from your muscles (very bad) it should come from dietary
protein. If you don't provide enough carbs too and you're not great at burning fat you're likely to
cannibalize muscle tissue for fuel.
-WG