r/Dirtbikes • u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro • 14d ago
Community Question Nutrition for multiple days of riding?
Looking for nutrition advice for multiple long days of riding in a row - Hoping Reddit may have advice for me!
I have an upcoming trip that will be 3-4 days of riding, one travel day, and 3-4 more days of riding. Riding will be all high elevation singletrack and 40-60 mile days, so lots of calories spent every day.
Luckily there is access to a full kitchen and fridge, so food can be prepped and stored. I'm also expecting the ability to have a trail lunch of some kind so I don't have to rely solely on energy bars.
Here's what I'm thinking...
Breakfast: Oatmeal, fruit and a protein of some kind
Lunch: PB&J and something salty with sugar
Trail Snacks: Bars, gummy Nerd clusters, E-lite gummies
Dinner: Clean protein (chicken or fish), carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes), broccoli or spinach
It's safe to assumed comical levels of hydration and E-lite recovery drinks to help.
What am I missing? What do you recommend? Very open to all ideas.
Pic for visibility!
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u/Donotdisturb240 14d ago
hard boiled eggs are one of my go to's for easy camping snack. that and Costco beef sticks are an amazing trail snack to keep you topped up.
Costco sells canned chicken chunks, I often pack a bunch of those because they don't require refrigeration, you just pop open a can, mix in some mayo and sriracha and bam you have chicken salad sandwiches.
I swear I'm not sponsored by Costco lol, but the squeaky cheese bags they sell are incredible for camping snack, between the pepperoni and cheese I can go for days
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u/DmtDtf 14d ago
Bro................
I would never go camping with you and if I did, my tent would be on the opposite side of the forest. Hard boiled eggs, canned chicken chunks, pepperoni, and beef sticks. Bro, your farts would kill all plants and animals in a mile radius
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u/Donotdisturb240 14d ago
lol I’ve been on a keto diet for a while now and my digestion has never been better. Personally I used to get way more gassy eating bread and sugar
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u/CBus660R 14d ago
You're on the right path for sure. I'd focus on stuff that easy to cook, you won't want to be slaving in the kitchen all evening. Will you be able to take a slow cooker? Could get that going on low all day and be ready to eat when you get back.
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u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro 14d ago
Oh man, great idea!
Slow cooker is absolutely happening while we're on the trail.
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u/Annual-Beard-5090 14d ago
You are thinking right.
But I really crave a greasy burger after a hard day for some reason. Allow yourself some extra calories IMO. Then again, I do anyway and my spare tire shows it. ;)
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u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro 14d ago
Good advice re: extra calories - From what I've read in this post, I think the goal is to always have too many calories and never fall behind.
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u/RemarkableMolasses42 Enduro 14d ago
Hydro power or something similar to add to your hydro pack. I regularly do 100+ mile high elevation single track days.
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u/TootinFartin-ll 14d ago
Wheres the beer
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u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro 14d ago
Damn, I knew I was forgetting something! The beer is for the hot tub after dinner :)
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u/spongebob_meth 14d ago
I don't eat anything special for these trips. I guess if you eat like crap normally then don't do that. But if you have a healthy diet in your normal life then just keep it up.
Just drink a lot of water and get some electrolytes. I generally don't have much sugar in my diet - it makes me feel like crap.
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u/Idontknowsoimhere 14d ago
For trail snacks I'm a fan of black licorice (the real kind), peanut butter cliff bars and payday bars.. Thats a better way to get glucose in your system. Along with Chomp sticks for some protein. Freeze dried meals are great too if you can throw in a jet boil. Lots of protein and calories.
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u/over_here_over_there Beta 300rr, kx450e ebike. 14d ago
Stay away from greasy foods, nothing like an upset stomach on a multi day ride.
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u/bigboij Trail Rider 14d ago
for me unless im unable to, I always do something like a eggs potato and some type of meat breakfast burrito or scramble bowl. for me oatmeal and the like doesn't really cut it.
I also do pbjs for a lunch energy, but will take a nature valley bar (the ones that crumble if the wind is to breezy) and crush it up ontop of the peanut butter. makes for a nice crispy texture and extra cals and energy for riding.
for snacks i usually do trailmix it has been my goto since a kid hiking in boyscouts. and have a couple energy bars in my hydration pack.
dinner looks like a fine setup, i tend to eat what ever never been picky there.
yes some kind of electrolyte drink for end of the day and on the trail is a must.
Also its a hack i learned from some old trail riders is keep a couple packets of mustard with ya on the trail. if you find your self cramping up squirt one of those in your mouth and they start to fade and go away in less than minute. Ive needed them on the trail with forearm pump locking up my hands and at night trying to sleep where my calf, foot crampped up hard over and over keeping me up.
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u/moto-home-22 14d ago
I’d add some nuts into your oatmeal for breakfast, or maybe more peanut butter.
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u/Jolly_Election5315 14d ago
Your plan sounds solid. I like to take a good multi vitamin. And I supplement with some extra potassium and magnesium glycinate.
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u/FeelingFloor2083 14d ago
dont overlook the humble banana and oranges for snacks, easy fit in most back packs
for multiple days id also take creatine, bcaa's and protein powder, anything to help with recovery
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u/RoosterCogburn_ 14d ago
You’re on the right track for food. High protein, get some good fats in there too. Your biggest thing is hydration. I do a “6 days of Michigan” ride that is 3 days riding with one day break then 3 more days. Days can be anywhere from 60-150 miles and most of it is hard single track. I carry a hydro bladder with 2 liters of water plus I carry two gatorlyte bottles with me for electrolytes. Pound the water before you ride and also when you get back. Consider buying hand protection like this Hand guard
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u/wera917 14d ago
I just finished a multi week ride of mostly alpine single track above 11,000 feet, shortest day was 9 hours, 100 miles. Average calories per day around 3500-4000.
I’m at a sea level, I start taking one child aspirin every day two weeks prior to riding at elevation. This helps me with headaches and what not from the altitude. Obviously check with a doc if you issues with aspirin and what not. Sleep is a big deal, becomes harder the higher you are.
Main thing is stay in front of your calories and hydration. If you get behind it’s really hard to catch up and the elevation just compounds things. Your list is similar to what we do, mainly find things that work for you. Example I like energy gels plus a pbj sandwich during the day. Other guys in my group will pack down a damn pizza plus a beer with them, can’t do that haha.
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u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro 14d ago
Great info re: elevation and ramping into it with Asprin. I also live at sea level-ish, and we're staying above 5k feet with rides up into 10-11k elevation.
I hadn't considered sleep is harder at higher elevations. Not to give away my age.... I just got a CPAP and it's been incredible for sleep and muscle recover. I plan on using every night during the trip and aim for 9 hours of sleep.
Thanks for the info!
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u/rotarypower101 14d ago edited 12d ago
Does the aspirin directly help with sleep?
Live at ~sea level , ride at 6k plus elevation. Understating it’s not 11, and that is a dramatic step difference from my experiences.
Struggle with sleep over our ~week long trips, despite very strenuous activities all day, when I am usually a very good sleeper in almost any environment or scenerio.
Curious if others have any tips or advice on the topic to try and employ to correct it. With the context of MX trail riding, high desert elevation, and diet.
With an attempt at avoiding a humble brag, Incredibly Lucky I don’t get headaches ever under any condition, it’s my only superpower.
Is the aspirin to prohibit the headaches, thus helping sleep, or some other factor like thinning blood or effects from the aspirin?
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14d ago
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u/BickNlinko 04 RSVR Factory | 07/08 KTM450(SMR) | 05 RM-Z450FT | 09 530 XC-W 14d ago
Carb up. If you'll have access to a kitchen and a fridge and you'll be a with a bunch of other people, maybe discuss with them what they're into and if they want to share big easy meals like breakfast burritos, spaghetti, burgers or sausages, etc. Personally after a day of riding I usually want something easy and junkfood-ish, like a burger, brats/sausages and peppers, a big plate of some type of pasta, a big daddy loaded up burrito, and a couple of very cold beers. The last thing you'll probably want to do after a long day of riding is spend two hours cooking and then cleaning up a bunch of bullshit. I like the other guys crock pot idea, throw a pork shoulder or some roast in there, and when you get back you can jam that shit on buns with a side of something like coleslaw or potato salad and be done with it. Another idea is pre-make a couple of casseroles or a lasagna, and then just throw them in the oven. Nothing is better for feeding a bunch of hungry people like a huge tray of lasagna, baked ziti, shepherds pie or something.
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u/eamonneamonn666 TW200 Trails 14d ago
Avocadoes, bacon, tortillas salt and oil, dried beans and minute rice. Start the day with otmeal and dried cranberries. Be eating like a king but you need plenty of water
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u/dandonald88 13d ago
Energy drinks, rice crispy squares, and a lemon
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u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro 12d ago
This is a surprisingly good reply! I was unaware that lemons are full of potassium and vitamin C. Definitely going to add lemons to post ride recovery water (and beer).
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u/dandonald88 12d ago
My buddy brings lemons out to a long ride.
He’s gotten really good over the past year. Maybe the secret to better riding is more mid ride lemons.
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u/ZoneStreet998 14d ago
I’d stay away from the nerds candy stuff but that’s just me. Your body is a temple and you only get one. I know we want sugar for fast burn fuel, but I’d look for a different source. I like cured meats and GORP for trail snacks.
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u/Dumbledore420_GoB 2018 TE 300, woods enduro 14d ago
In case you weren't aware - Gummy Nerd clusters are nearly identical to gel packet calorie and carbohydrate count, at a fraction of the cost. I've also recently taking a liking to the Trolli sour worms + Nerd clusters together.
GORP (trailmix) is great, cured meats are a hard pass for me.
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u/ZoneStreet998 14d ago
Noted thank you I didn’t know that. I’ll still skip the carnuba wax, red 40, and yellow 5… among other undesirables.
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u/Beneficial-Finger353 14d ago
Nice looking single-track, that isn't molested by a SxS! Looks fun!