Periodized Nutrition in Cycling: How to Cut Sugar?

We know from the previous article that sugar is necessary for high-intensity riding. We also know that not every ride should be intense. You might be able to use less sugar on those more relaxed, low-intensity rides. In fact, research shows that such workouts without sugar and carbs improve training adaptations. For this reason, pro cyclists strategically choose to “train low” as part of their preparation.

Train low to reduce sugar

Training low means you start your training with low levels of glycogen, the sugar stored in your muscles. In our previous article, we discussed research showing that low-glycogen training leads to increased production of mitochondria, your cells’ powerhouses, improved fat burning, and even improved performance.

For example, if you limit your pre-workout carbs to about 0.5g per 1kg of body mass, you could experience aerobic benefits similar to a much longer session with many more carbs. You should always choose a relatively low-intensity ride of 1-2 hours duration. You can get a similar effect by taking a sober ride first thing in the morning if you had a low-carb meal the night before. All train-low approaches allow you to improve your endurance performance very effectively without any sugar.

Match sugar intake to intensity

It’s important to note that too much “low training” has significant downsides, such as: B. a higher risk of developing respiratory diseases, inability to maintain the same training load and loss of peak performance. That’s why train low is only used strategically, maybe 1-2 times a week. The rest of your sessions should involve some intensity. Intense rides longer than an hour require some extra carbs. You can still make good choices to minimize added sugar. Check out our previous article for some meal examples. In general, this is how you manage your intake before, during and after a hard ride.

before – If you plan a high carbohydrate meal 2-3 hours before training, you will have full glycogen stores when you start driving. Instead of quick sugar, use sources of starch, a complex carbohydrate like rice, pasta, or potatoes. A small sugary snack about 20 minutes before the ride may be necessary if it has been more than 4 hours since your last meal.

While – On the bike, if the intensity is not too high, you can use real food sources that contain complex carbohydrates, such as rice cakes or sandwiches. For more intensive sections of the journey, you have to resort to easily digestible forms of sugar such as energy drinks or gels.

To – Except for a stage race or a training camp, you do not need to consume sugar after the ride. You can wait for a normal meal. If you need to speed up your recovery to be fully ready to ride hard the next day, then a small serving of sugar right after your workout can help.

Make changes during the season

There are four general phases in a cycling season – off-season, base training, build-up phase and competition. Each of these requires a different type of workout and requires a different intensity. This means that when moving from one phase to the next, the fuel required should also change. You can also use it when trying to limit sugar intake.

Off-season – During this time of year, cyclists typically do more cross training, strength development, and overall less bike volume. Almost all training sessions can be fueled by regular meals. It doesn’t require a lot of added sugar at all. This is when you can keep your sugar intake very low without negatively affecting your workout.

basic training – This phase requires a lot more volume, but the intensity of the workouts is relatively low for the most part. You probably only need a little extra sugar for a few intervals once a week.

construction phase – Sugar becomes more important and more difficult to reduce during this phase as the intensity increases. You need energy gels and drinks to complete all workouts at the required intensity and volume.

contest – Racing is some of the highest intensity cycling you will do all year round so sugar will be very important at this stage. You can still regulate your intake based on your microcycles, but don’t hold back during races if you want to perform at your absolute best.

You can read more about periodized nutrition in our previous series. The key takeaway is that the better you adjust your diet to the demands of your training and racing, the more sugar you can cut without losing performance.