What to Eat Before Cycling In The Morning [The Champions’…]

Your food intake right before (and during) a ride is the key to having your body be happiest while riding. You will recover better, and your performance will be much higher. We have all had those rides where we felt sluggish, sloppy and simply not up to snuff. One of the main reasons is that we did not pay attention to what to eat before cycling in the morning.

In general, it is important to focus on foods that are high in protein, fiber and carbs.

• Protein: Foods high in Proteins will give you energy that is sustained throughout the day after your ride, and help your muscles recover for the next day.
• Fiber: Foods High in fiber aid the digestive system to keep all foods that were not converted into energy moving through the body in a timely manner so they do not convert to body fat as quickly.
• Carbs: When a car runs low on fuel, the car will stop. When a cyclist runs out of carbs, the cyclist will stop. Carbs are the fuel which the body converts to energy while riding in the morning.

In this post we will discuss what foods are great for the body to eat right before a ride. We will discuss why they are great and also tell you which foods are high in proteins, fibers and carbs. We will also briefly discuss coffee’s role in cycling. Finally we will discuss fasted riding.

Invest in your Knowledge:

Press these articles here to learn more about what you may be interested in:

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What to eat before cycling in the morning?

It is important to eat foods that are high in protein, fiber and carbs. Here are your best suggestions:

• Omelet, Eggs with Vegetables and Meat
• Oatmeal
• Cereal that is high in fiber and carbs
• Fresh (Whole) Fruit such as bananas

Why are these foods the best choices?

Here are some details on these breakfasts to eat before cycling:

Omelet

An omelet is great because you receive a high amount of protein in the meal. Along with that, an omelet will not move around or upset the stomach at all while providing you with a high amount of energy. You also can put in other foods that will move you along the way such as diced ham, small pieces of broccoli, spinach (sauteed or fresh). It is generally a good choice to avoid too much cheese right before a cycling run because of the bloating effects and time to digest.

Oatmeal

If looking to know what to eat before cycling in the morning, you will notice that after eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning that you will have more energy throughout your day and ride. This is because of the large amounts of simple (easily digestible and natural) sugars in natural oats.

I tend to prefer rolled oats because this is better for making homemade oat milk, but steel cut has the same amount of carbs as well and cooks slightly faster.

Oatmeal is also a great source of fiber to help keep your digestion system flowing correctly.

Breakfast Tip: If you do not have time in the morning to make hot oatmeal, place your oats in a bowl with oat milk, cashew milk, almond milk or whole milk in a ratio of 1:1. Leave it overnight, and dress it with dates, cinnamon, peanut butter and berries of your choice. This gives you natural sugars, carbs, and protein needed for your ride.

Coffee

Coffee is an excellent way to increase your endurance, and there are studies that show your hill climb will increase as well when riding with caffeine. There are different options of caffeine for cyclists.

Espresso shots tend to be the top choice for those to keep their stomach settled and at top performance. Cold brew [not to be confused with iced coffee] is another excellent choice because the brewing process strips out the acidity which would affect the stomach.

Cereal

Almost all natural cereals are high in fiber. Take a look at your ingredients section and you will also see the amount of carbs in the cereal as well. Some have high amounts of protein. You can add dates to the cereal, or peanut butter to increase the amount of protein in a cereal when it is lacking. Berries or a chopped banana is a great source of natural sugars as well.

My favorite choices right now are the:

• 3 Wishes Cereals
• Cascadian Farm Cereals

Fruit

Whole fruit is an excellent source of natural sugars to get your body awake and moving. A banana has a large amount of potassium for recovery and to aid in muscle rebuilding.

Note: Whole fruits are preferred to fruit smoothies for right before a cycling ride. Shakes and smoothies taste great, though your body will not send a signal to your brain that you are full and you will still feel hungry after drinking it and during your morning ride.

What should you not eat before cycling?

Cheese is not great to eat before a ride if it causes your stomach to bloat. For many, it will cause an upset stomach and bloating. If eaten after a ride in a good amount it will help replenish the body with nutrients and help with recovery.

Everybody’s body is different, though so outside of this, if you are aware of any other foods that could increase bloating in your stomach due to acidity, gluten, lactose, then that should be avoided as well. Though this is only if your body specifically reacts poorly to these types of foods and is not a broad statement for everyone to avoid it.

Should I eat before biking in the morning?

Yes, you should eat before biking in the morning. If you want to read more about Fasted Cycling which is a different approach to cycling, press here. When you eat correctly before you ride, your performance will increase, you will be able to burn more calories and you will be able to recover faster to workout for the next ride easier. If you do not eat before biking in the morning, typically you will feel sluggish and if you are an endurance cyclist, you will bonk.

Conclusion

What to eat before cycling in the morning? It is good to eat any and all foods that are high in proteins, carbs and fibers. This will help the body with a well balanced allotment of energy to move through the day. Coffee or any source of caffeine is a great way to provide a boost to your bodily output while riding and also with hill climbing. Items like cereals, omelets, oats, and nuts will help propel you forward and feeling good. Any foods that upset your stomach like possibly cheese should be avoided before but enjoyed after your ride.