hydration

Hydration isn’t just for race day. The latest science shows that it not only makes you feel better and stronger today, but is key to a long and healthy life.

Great tasting and long-lasting fuel in fun flavors like rhubarb custard and raspberry ripple.

A more elegant, delicious sports drink is here.

Gatorade ships new product to members, then leads 'Zwift and Zoom' private ride to discuss the technology.

What to eat and drink—and when—while riding.

Here are nine common body signals you should pay attention to and what they mean when you experience them.

The first few days in the heat will be the hardest, but it will get better.

Check out Alan McCubbin's author page.

Check out Anne-Marije Rook's author page.

Check out Dr. Stacy Sims's author page.

Check out Jessi Braverman's author page.

Check out CyclingTips's author page.

Experiment beforehand, not on race day. Sip steadily instead of chugging occasionally. Drink at least one bottle (or the equivalent thereof) per hour. And make sure your drink of choice is fortified with electrolytes and carbohydrates, not just plain water.

The Showers Pass VelEau 42 is a specially shaped 1.25L container that fits inside a formed, under-the-saddle bag.

How cold weather affects training and nutrition.

What to look for in a sports drink for cycling

Don't sweat it: Deuter's Race EXP Air is engineered to not only carry agua and gear, but to keep you from getting too sweaty.

Check out CyclingTips's author page.

Do bodies absorb warm or cold water faster?

The brain behind CamelBak's latest offering — the VeloBak — talks to Singletrack.com about developing the idea of wearable hydration for cyclists.

Optimal recovery nutrition is essential.

Proper dietary preparation is essential to your best efforts.

Dear Monique,I have read your interesting and informative article posted on VeloNews.com on 28th march 2007 about EatingRight for Those Long Rides. I have one question relating to the amount of carbohydrate you should consume per hour during your long ride if you have had a pre-ride meal 3-4 hours, 2 hours, or 1 hour before the start of your ride. Do you consume different amounts of carbohydrate per hour during your ride depending on the size and timing of your pre-ride meal> For example, would you consume more per hour of the ride if you have only had a small pre-ride meal 1 hour before you

Solve the issue of cramping by trying out these tips.

With the arrival of spring and warmer weather for many North American cyclists, longer weekend rides are an enhanced and improved part of the training plan. While you may be wisely planning on carrying plenty of sports drinks and gels for the ride itself, what you eat in the hours before and the day before the ride can also provide an important nutritional boost. Ideally, any long ride begins with adequate fuel stores, namely muscle glycogen, liver glycogen, and even adequate muscle fat or triglyceride levels. Chances are most all of us are beginning this phase of training with more than

Dear Monique,I had heard recently that sports drinks are bad for our teeth and cancause dental erosion. Obviously we need to use sports drinks when we trainand race. Is this a valid concern and what can we do about it?JBDear JB,Thanks very much for your question. Obviously it is best for your dentalhealth to limit sugar in your daily diet. However, when it comes to trainingand racing, easily digested and readily absorbed sports drinks with severalcarbohydrate sources are essential to replace fluid and fuel during longerworkouts.The link between consumption of sports drinks and dental health

Dear Monique,I have a very distended stomach after cycling for more than an hour. I used to think that it only happens on very long rides like the Leadville 100, but have noticed that it occurs on much shorter rides too. It doesn’t seem to matter if I only drink water or any combo of energy drinks and gel or bars. I am a bit concerned that the nutrition I take in isn’t getting past my stomach until I am done riding. I have experienced severe cramping in my legs about three-fourths of the way through a race and have wondered if the bloating is related and what to do about it. Thanks for your

Your race day nutritional preparation should be specific and well thought out so that when you arrive to the start line you are both optimally fueled and confident that your food and fluid choices are tolerated through the intensity of racing. Depending on the distance of your race, what you eat in the 24 to 48 hours before race day can allow you to maximize the muscle glycogen content of your trained muscles- an important fuel source at any racing intensity. Often referred to as “carbo-loading” this strategy is simply tapering or resting for the race as your training programs dictates and

Many cyclists are currently building their aerobic endurance, muscularstrength, and flexibility in anticipation of more specific training inthe coming weeks and months. Just as this training cycle requires you followa specific mix of volume and intensity, your nutritional intake must matchup so that you have the required energy and fluids at the most optimaltimes for your training and recovery.As you continue to build your volume, your energy and carbohydrate requirementsincrease. During this base cycle, you may also be interested in losingweight. This is a good time of year to adopt

In early 2004 the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Food and Nutrition Boardreleased Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for water and sodium (potassium,chloride, and sulfate recommendations were also included in this report).You may have heard about these dietary guidelines for Americans and Canadians,which are designed for the average adult who may be sedentary or mildlyactive, not for triathletes and cyclist who training regularly, often formore than two hours per session. In establishing the guidelines, the expertpanel reviewed the scientific literature for quality of the research andthe

Since we started the Feed Zone Q&A, there have been several questions regarding the management of Type-2 diabetes as it relates to cycling. Nutrition advice to a person with diabetes must always be personalized based on that individual’s body composition, weight goals, medication regimen, and blood glucose control. Therefore, the answers to the questions below can only be interpreted as educational and not specific prescriptive advice. It may also be very beneficial for anyone with Type-2 diabetes to work with their own sports nutritionist/dietitian to determine their own optimal strategies

Monique Ryan is the nutrition columnist for VeloNews and InsideTriathlon magazines and is founder of Personal Nutrition Designs, a consulting company based in the Chicago area. Ryan will try to answer selected questions each week in her regular on-line question-and-answer column.Readers are welcome to send questions to Ryan at WebLetters@7dogs.com.How often can I raise a glass?Dear Monique:In terms of athletic performance, how does alcohol affect the body? I like one or two glasses of beer or wine a night. I am concerned it may inhibit the liver from clearing toxins. -- AFDear AF:Alcohol can