Any Type 2's out there? What do you do for ride food?

[GordonB]

I've been following the Jamaica Cake thread with moderate envy because as a type 2 diabetic I avoid anything with added sugar and JC used to be one of my favourites. The benefits are very clear to me, if I was tested now the doctor reckons I wouldn't show up as diabetic unless they did a glucose tolerance test. The downsides are that I sometimes miss really heavy, sticky fruit cake (although my wife does a fairly good one with no added sugar) and malt loaf, and it makes choice of ride food tricky. I usually pack a couple of bananas or apples and a few dates, the main scoff being a fajita wrap with cheese and salad. Works ok but I do sometimes lose energy, which might be due to the distance, might be down to the food.

What do other type 2's pack on a longish ride? Might help us all to share tips!

Gordon

 

[Sankey46]

Hi, I am type one but only diagnosed approx 3 yrs ago at 38.
I tend to make sure my sugars are above 12 prior to any ride and top up on energy drinks on the way, regular testing is a must.
I do admit to the odd jelly baby or jelly bean to keep going.
I also carry glucogel for emergencies.
I have also learnt to avoid hot baths / showers after exercise as this rapidly lowers my sugars.
If anyone has any other suggestions (ideally healthy) I would be keen to know as i learning as I go!

 

[Speedywheelsjeans]

Sorry my jamaica cake upsets you. I think that sugary, syrupy things like jamaica cake are not the best for rides anyway, I just scoff it because the taste. I think that bananas, whole foods like brown bread is better. My housemate does a lot of climbing and he eats dried fruit of some kind.. i think its papaya, he swears by that, not sure how it would affect your blood sugar levels though. What type of diabetes is type 2? Do you tend to suffer from hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia?

 

[GordonB]

Sorry my jamaica cake upsets you. I think that sugary, syrupy things like jamaica cake are not the best for rides anyway, I just scoff it because the taste. I think that bananas, whole foods like brown bread is better. My housemate does a lot of climbing and he eats dried fruit of some kind.. i think its papaya, he swears by that, not sure how it would affect your blood sugar levels though. What type of diabetes is type 2? Do you tend to suffer from hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia?

Your Jamaica Cake doesn't upset me, I'm just envious that others can scoff it with impunity! I don't actually suffer from any symptoms at all, which is probably due to careful control of sugar intake and I don't do blood sugar testing either as the doc reckons I don't need to. He wasn't much help about ride food mainly because type 2 is - to put it crudely - often a fat, lazy bastids disease. He was surprised that I was actually type 2 but it runs in the family and I was overweight for a few years, which may have triggered the tendency into reality. The other surprise he had was when he saw me again a few months after diagnosis, 3 1/2 stone lighter, fit as hell, bp down to 110 over 70 and resting hr about 55. Not bad for a 58 year old!

My question about ride food was met with bemusement because he doesn't usually see anyone actually doing something about the problem, he reckons the main thrust of type 2 management was trying to stop the patients from eating quite so much ice cream coated bars of lard dipped in sugar. My brother is a classic example, type 2 for several years, three major coronary infarcts, has had bypass surgery and still eats the diet from hell washed down with copious quantities of lager followed by a packet of fags. And then complains he lacks energy, must mean he needs a packet of sweets...........

Papaya? I quite like that but hadn't thought of it as a ride food, might make a change from dates, but I seem to recall that every time I've looked at papaya the dried chunks are dipped in sugar. Same with dried bananas and pineapple. Trouble is sugar is so darned cheap it's the favourite bulking agent of food manufacturers. Dried apricots are usually ok but that's about it.

If anyone knows of a source or brand of dried fruits such as papaya, bananas or pineapple that aren't soaked in syrup or dipped in sugar I'd like to know.

Gordon

 

[Speedywheelsjeans]

Your Jamaica Cake doesn't upset me, I'm just envious that others can scoff it with impunity! I don't actually suffer from any symptoms at all, which is probably due to careful control of sugar intake and I don't do blood sugar testing either as the doc reckons I don't need to. He wasn't much help about ride food mainly because type 2 is - to put it crudely - often a fat, lazy bastids disease. He was surprised that I was actually type 2 but it runs in the family and I was overweight for a few years, which may have triggered the tendency into reality. The other surprise he had was when he saw me again a few months after diagnosis, 3 1/2 stone lighter, fit as hell, bp down to 110 over 70 and resting hr about 55. Not bad for a 58 year old!

My question about ride food was met with bemusement because he doesn't usually see anyone actually doing something about the problem, he reckons the main thrust of type 2 management was trying to stop the patients from eating quite so much ice cream coated bars of lard dipped in sugar. My brother is a classic example, type 2 for several years, three major coronary infarcts, has had bypass surgery and still eats the diet from hell washed down with copious quantities of lager followed by a packet of fags. And then complains he lacks energy, must mean he needs a packet of sweets...........

Papaya? I quite like that but hadn't thought of it as a ride food, might make a change from dates, but I seem to recall that every time I've looked at papaya the dried chunks are dipped in sugar. Same with dried bananas and pineapple. Trouble is sugar is so darned cheap it's the favourite bulking agent of food manufacturers. Dried apricots are usually ok but that's about it.

If anyone knows of a source or brand of dried fruits such as papaya, bananas or pineapple that aren't soaked in syrup or dipped in sugar I'd like to know.

Gordon

Go into your health food store for them rather than from tesco, they might be able to help a bit better. The thing with riding is that your blood sugar is depleting over time, Im no expert on diabetes in fact I just about know how to treat someone having a hypo or hyper for first aid purposes, but surely if you eat things with some sugar content will you body not use this as energy anyway throughout your ride of your intake is controlled to the extent that you take only what you need? Avoiding sugar is the best thing you can do anyway, for me its just a cheap way of keeping my body going, in an ideal situation I would be eating sweet potato, brown rice or wholemeal sandwiches while riding, Im also interested to fin out what kind of sugarless alternatives are around too

 

[Paul J]

I'm a type 2 and was advised to avoid all dried fruits due to their high sugar content. Pinapple should be a no no fresh or dried same as grapes. Why not just eat fresh fruit and get all the benefits? I have a good bowl of porridge before I go out, a small packet of jelly babies or Haribo for when my sugars are low, a banana and a bottle of squash. My max is about 15 miles at the moment but gradually going further and have felt much better since getting on a bike.

Everyone is going to have a different opinion but you only know with a blood test what state your blood sugars are in.

 

[GordonB]

I already take a banana and an apple, the dates/apricots are for when I feel knackered, and I suspect they contain less % sugar than jelly babies or Haribo. I haven't eaten anything with added sugar in since I was diagnosed about 2 years ago, which explains my HbA1C level of sub 6% indicating I have the blood glucose issue under control in general. The problem for me starts at about 60 to 70 miles or so and I'm reluctant to scoff sugars. I love bananas but too many make me feel slightly nauseous. On the last long ride Rezillo and I did, the Suffolk Sunrise 100 miler, after the fourth banana I couldn't face another, the oranges at 80 miles were hard to choke down and although no part of me was actually hurting I was finding my energy levels taking a nose dive. Got to the end without real problems but it did make me think about nutritional needs on the longer rides. Just looking for alternatives for when the obvious banana/apple/dates become unpalatable!

There's no doubt the cycling does me a huge amount of good and I'm sure it'll do the same for any other type 2s if they take the trouble to get out there and do it. Keep spinning those cranks!

Gordon

 

[Paul J]

I already take a banana and an apple, the dates/apricots are for when I feel knackered, and I suspect they contain less % sugar than jelly babies or Haribo.

I have had type 2 for about 8 years. Theres a difference between feeling knackered and needing sugar. I use jelly babies when my blood sugar is low to raise it not to feed my body with energy. You may have no choice on a long ride but to do a blood prick test to see what you actually need.

It may sound weird but have you tried carrots (they are sweet), or nuts.