All...I am about 8 weeks out. I am doing the normal low carb diet with the 2 carb up meals. Since it is summer, I was hoping to attempt one last "intense" mountain bike ride this Saturday at a nearby mountain bike course. While I know this will provide some good calorie burning, my overall energy level sucks.

What's everyone's opinion on these carb gel paks that cyclists and other athletes use? Will I burn this off? Should I just deal with my energy and do the ride? Or would it be OK to have a couple of these if I feel terrible?

http://www.gusports.com/html/gu_product_info.htm
http://www.clifbar.com/eat/eat.cfm?location=shot
http://www.powerbar.com/Products/PowerGel/

If its not on the diet I would not have it. Use this as a way to burn extra cals. To be honest...I probably wouldnt go on the ride. A 20 minute high intense bike ride around the neighborhood would replace cardio...but an all day bike ride will undoubtedly lead to catabolism especially if you are already feeling the effects of the diet.

IF, you are ahead of schedule then youd probably be okay. But, I never add anything when on precontest diet. ****, I play soccer in the summers and I asked Jeremiah if hed add an extra mass maker shake or something and he told me to just stick to my usual diet irregardless of this expenditure, and Im not precontest. Next one isnt till March. But this is just me others may have a different opinion.

JT--

Yeah, that's pretty much what I have been thinking, but I thought I would throw it out there.

The ride will probably be a little over an hour, one lap around the course. It's so much fun, I just have to be careful and stay on the bike!!

Dwayne

I would stick to the diet. Maybe had some extra fat (cashews, larger cut of red meat) the evening before hand.

I motocross on the weekends recreationally. We usually ride for 6-8 hours, though not continuously. I had some of my best rides this year precontest when i ate my normal diet but added more red meat the evening before as well as more fat.

In contrast I am not precontest now and have a Mass Maker shake or higher carbs the evening before and morning of a ride and find I have less energy.

Best of luck!

Ray

Thanks for the input Ray. Steak is on the diet, which is cool. So I don't mind throwin' that down the hatch!!

maybe add some muscle mass and extra glutamine

I know this is late.

I used to work at a mountain bike shop for 4 years selling that stuff. Gu was the brand. Let me tell you it works! That stuff is like lighting a fire under your butt. Really gives you some fuel to burn..... however, i do not think that it is a great idea when preparing for a contest. Many other athletes use that stuff. Hockey, football, and endurance sports, mt. biking, road biking, swimming. In these cases they either don't care about burning it off or they will for sure and they are not for the muscularity, rather a more slim figure and endurance.

It is simpily made for fuel for the body. I guess if it was proper for body builders trainers would just say, go grab a few packets of Gu, you'll burn it off. No body builders are having everything but. Just my knowledge with opinion.