What did I eat Saturday?

Breakfast 8:45 Nature's Path Organic Sunrise Crunchy Maple.

Kind Grains/Granola

Coconut Juice

3x Expresso

Brief Analysis: I wanted to start off by saying that I know first handed that this is a complete breakfast for a day on the bike. The Cereal and Granola I eat is Gluten Free, which means that it will digest very quickly, and my body won't waste energy trying to break down the food. It is also USDA Organic and Non-GMO Verified. Generally speaking, when it comes to maximizing performance, it is really important to inspect what you eat, I personally notice that my body feels a lot better when I eat Gluten free foods. As for the Coconut Juice, It is loaded with potassium and electrolytes, which prevents cramps and keeps me energized, this stuff works wonders! I thought This was a very healthy breakfast because it makes my workouts much easier.(Page 126-129) Lunch(while on bike) Bonk Breaker Banana and Peanut butter

After the 3 hour group ride(at a race pace) that I usually break out a little snack because saturdays are usually when I get my extra miles in. Many riders make a mistake by not eating anything because they want to burn as much fat as possible. It is important to keep the energy levels high that way the training is more effective. This little bar is great because it basically replaces a lot of the nutrients I have lost over the morning ride, and can keep me going for another 3 hours. Page 126-128 Coconut Juice (75%) mixed with Gatorade (25%)

I really want to say that this coconut juice is amazing. It is like drinking a Red Bull that lasts for 3 hours, accept it is really good for you and your Hydrating 100% naturally. And I put Gatorade in it to add some flavor and also to prevent my drink from Freezing and turning into a slush. (yes it was very cold this weekend!) Dinner Spagetti and Meatballs

Pretty basic meal for dinner, Carbs and Protein. I need carbs for sundays ride and protein to repair my muscles. This is the most important meal of the day because it prepares me for the following day. The Pasta was gluten free, doesn't taste as good but I'd take that tradeoff for the performance benefit. page 119, 126-128

KIND snacks

KIND snacks make some of the best snack bars and granola I have had. I really like these bars because they are made of "Real-food." KIND is a brand of all natural whole nut and fruit bars made from ingredients you can see and pronounce. Lately I have been bringing them on my longer rides as a more substantial snack which is great because one bar will get me through a 6 hour training ride. This may sound funny, but, since KIND bars are composed of actual food(you can see the individual ingredients!) it makes for a much happier stomach after the ride and days following (they are KIND on your stomach). So as of now, you will now find a kind bar in my jersey pocket on almost all of my training rides. Try replacing it with your current "SHOT-BLOCKS", GU or other "pure energy" gel or bar and you will see that your energy levels will remain higher, for a lot longer. Now I would like to talk about KIND granola (KIND calls it "Grains"). So far I have tried the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters and the Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia & Quinoa. BOTH ARE ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!-and I was never really a granola person. I have been putting both in my cereal and I absolutely Love the products. I would definitely check out the Granola. Both retail for $5.99(Im not too familiar with granola prices but, bottom line is that it is really tasty and healthy. Whether you are on the bike or in your office/home/classroom, I would definitely give their product a try.

Intro

Hi, I am David Connolly. This is ME!

I just got these awesome glasses from my new sponsors! This is my Food and Activity Blog for my Nutrition Class this Semester. I will be documenting much of the food and drinks that I consume throughout the next couple of weeks/days. THE BEST PART IS THAT YOU GET TO TRACK MY CYCLING ACTIVITY FROM STRAVA!(on the right side of the page) More importantly you get to see how crazy (some) of us cyclists are when it comes to what/when we eat and drink! Any competitive cyclist knows that your body is basically like a Formula-1 race car, in which, performance on the bike is directly tied to what we eat. Thanks for reading and come back soon!-i will be updating daily! Sincerely, David Connolly