Commuters: what do you do about breakfast?

[Chris71]

As per the title really - what and when do you have for breakfast if you're riding to work?

I'm not really a breakfast person, but I keep hearing all this speil about the most important meal of the day and so on, which is prompting me to consider it. The thing is I reckon eating any sort of quantity immediately before hitting the morning commute is likely to be counter productive. Presumably a cereal bar or something once you're done is the answer?

[Chris71]

Mine's only 7.5 miles, but there are plenty of hills and I'm really quite unfit!

Has to be said I don't feel particularly hungry without breakfast - I don't usually eat until after 2pm. Perhaps it's not worth bothering?

[Chris71]

dubbs said:

Your body will burn much better meaning your lunch will be burned properly rather than the lazy slobbering metabolism just turning more of it to fat.

Ah, so it's not just an old wive's tale then? Hmm, might invest in abox of cornflakes for the office...

[Chris71]

Agoogy said:

Come lunchtime I was so hungry I was stuffing myself and looking for added crisps/choc in the afternoon...

I must admit I don't have a problem with that. I don't get hungry until late-lunch sort of time, but there again I eat quite a substantial lunch and usually a pretty huge dinner. That's why I need to combat the calorie intake with lots of cycling.

[Chris71]

I tried this whole breakfast lark this morning. Well sort of. In a nod to Ted I actually ate a slice of cold chicken and bacon pie from the other day - hardly green tea and a protein shake. I gave it a good 20 minutes after that before setting off (something I don't usually have time to do) and the results were less than spectacular. For whatever reason I really wasn't on it this morning - felt like I was permanently cycling into a headwind! I could swear my stomach muscles were complaining on one of the climsb too.

Now, sat at the desk, I don't feel any different to normal.

I realise this is a bit different to having a proper balanced breakfast, and for that matter eating after the ride, but my first experiment with breakfast has been a little underwhelming.

On a completely unrelated note I seem to be getting cramp a lot more at the moment. I think now some of my fitness is returning I'm able to push my leg muscles a bit too hard early on in the ride (in my defence there are a lot of hills!) and hence knacker them for later on.