Nutritional Information

Being Diabetic keeping a constant, if plentiful blood sugar level is important to me and should be to all bikers out there. It is to easy to indulge at the beginning with a few high sugar level treats, eat more on the ride and then blame the reason for you being slow on being tired when the real reason is not enough Carbohydrate in the blood.

FOOD TIPS

1. The main thing to remember is to keep the Carbohydrate going into the body as you ride, in small amounts by either eating or taking energy drinks in small amounts, constantly as you ride.

2. The candy bar is not the best source of Carbohydrate for the athlete, sugar straight into the blood stream equals sugar straight out again.

3. Eat before you are hungry and eat little and often

4. The perfect diet should be mostly carbo-about 60-70 percent. Fat should be about 20-30 percent, and protein 10-15 percent. There is no need to count it every day but working it out on an average day can be interesting

5. Remember that you need to have the energy when you start and your body keeps on using it after you have finished.

• Banana's highly recommended because of their carbohydrate contents, bad news because of their indigestion causing abilities and the way they are easily damaged (average 10 Carbohydrates per banana)

• Bagels, highly recommended because of their high carbohydrate, slow release. Virtually fat free (Mind the toppings) and available in flavour's to suit all.

LIQUID TIPS

1. Every hour to hour and half you should drink about one water bottle of liquid.

2. If you use energy drinks use one with at least 40 carbohydrate per bottle, 70 is better, this stops your drowning you body in order to get energy. Taking a second bottle of water stops you over energising.

3. Mainly in winter, look at the top of your bottle and think of the bugs in that mud, water bottles with flip lids or caps are good for off roadie's... crud catchers help as well.

4. Sip your drink every 15 minutes, if your pee is yellow drink more (you're dehydrated and that kills)

• Water and Fruit Juice, Makes a effective and cheap energy drink, 100ml of fruit juice has 10 carbohydrates so half fill a water bottle, the water helps dehydration and absorption

General

Eating is always an individual thing, there is little point making the perfect Athlete meal if you aren't going to eat it. My favourite is to use the energy drink (High 5 is my favourite, as it doesn't taste to bad) along with something like a  bagel with complex carbohydrate to slow down absorption into the blood.

One interesting thing that Diabetics carry about is the blood test meter, it displays how much Carbohydrate is in your blood at any one point, can be interesting for none diabetics as well, I didn't say that thought.