Awful headaches after wearing a helmet

[fossyant]

SIS Go, High 5 or personally I perfer Isostar Long Energy - been using the stuff for years and my stomach is OK with it.

Some folk like the Nunn tablets for salt replacement, but tthere isn't much in the way of carbs in there - to be used with a carb drink I think.

Some drinks can take getting used to. I've found High 5 OK too.

Decathlon is a good place to go and check out the the huge selection.

I only ever use Gels as a quick boost on a long Sportive, but that's as well as plenty of energy drinks and food.

If you just had the 3 gels and water, I'd say you certainly didn't have enough carbs for that effort.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If I am buying off the shelf I will get SIS or High5. Otherwise I will make my own. Squash, water, a few spoonfuls of sugar and a pinch or two of salt. Works very well indeed. I have also mixed in whey protein if I know I will be pushing myself hard.

 

[gb155]

SIS Go, High 5 or personally I perfer Isostar Long Energy - been using the stuff for years and my stomach is OK with it.

Some folk like the Nunn tablets for salt replacement, but tthere isn't much in the way of carbs in there - to be used with a carb drink I think.

Some drinks can take getting used to. I've found High 5 OK too.

Decathlon is a good place to go and check out the the huge selection.

I only ever use Gels as a quick boost on a long Sportive, but that's as well as plenty of energy drinks and food.

If you just had the 3 gels and water, I'd say you certainly didn't have enough carbs for that effort.

Thanks mate

I dont intend to shy away from these events but I do need to get much smarter until my eating issues are sorted, just think how quick I'd be if I was eating right

 

[Red Light]

[QUOTE 1549399"]
Gaz

You're missing the point. If you continue riding at this level while living off crisps and Haribo, you'll be in hospital very soon. You just don't have the reserves there any more.

Being smart isn't about what gels and drinks will get you through a ride. Being smart is to ride to your current physical and health limitations. And that means backing off.

You shouldn't continue with these events until you're making progress with your eating issues.
[/quote]

I tend to agree. Supplements in your drinks and bars are not cheap and IMO should not be used for normal riding, just for those occasional events or races where you need a performance boost. Normal riding should be able to be sustained by drinking (flavoured) water and eating suitable normal foods - malt loaf is good. Save the gels and sports drinks for competition.

 

[ttcycle]

Gaz, I know these are things that you don't want to hear but you have to start taking it on board. I've been refraining from posting so far but actually I have to ask you the question of how far are you going to push yourself as it's verging on the case of being self destructive. You have to be honest with yourself and sometimes that is the most painful and hard thing to do.

I have a friend who suffers from SED - his safe foods are bread, butter and pasta. He is a high profile musician and is very successful but he does not have the complications you do with the weight loss and the now exteremely high levels of physical exercise. He's been seeing a psychiatrist for a number of years- he understand the causes but has struggled to broaden out what he eats. This is a long term thing to work on Gaz as it won't just go away like that. I know you've referred to food on your blog as the mortal enemy and social eating is difficult but these to me indicate that you're still in the grips of a very complex eating disorder and those things that are associated with it. Are you still getting help from a specialist?

Even commuting 7 miles each way for work is a lot of cycling when you compare it to the recommendations of 3 hours of exercise a week for an hour each. A lot of the population are much more sedentary. 7 miles of cycling may not be seen as a lot on CC but you have to take into account your lack of calories and full range of eating when compared to others on the forum.

You don't have enough nutrition, vitamins, proteins and carbs on a daily level and by pushing yourself and cycling a lot at high speeds, intensities and speeds you're building up to health problems that are really going to become irreparable.

This is serious, if you continue as you are without proper nutrition and food you're putting your body under serious strain and this can cause heart attacks, kidney issues and liver problems amongst other problems. Food is what gets the internal organs working and you're putting your heart and organs under a lot of strain without repairing them at the end with decent food. High intensity exercising on limited and not enough food on a simple level is potentially messing up your insulin production or the ability for your body to recognise insulin or the sensitivity to it. Keep pushing at it and the problems that come up will not disappear as the damage that you do may become irreparable.

Competing and sport in general is about becoming aware of and listening to the needs of your body. On a psychological level if you become at this early stage in your cycling used to riding and your body feeling the way it is it with limited food it will be very lard to learn how it would feel when you have properly fed yourself with a wide range of foods. If you want to be fast and to do well in the future don't set yourself up for this as it will be very hard to unlearn it. Gels are for quick bursts of energy, they're not a proper way to fuel yourself on a ride of any distance. I would only use gels if I needed a boost but to be frank with your lack of food sometimes a lot of riding for you may be on the edge of bonking as you're using up calories you don't have in you and there is now no fat on your body to buffer your riding. Gels are designed to be a quick energy supply but is not the type of carb that will give you sustained release of energy for riding.

It's hard to diagnose the simple issue of headaches on rides. None of us can answer without taking into account your nutritional issues. Yes it could be about helmet fit but the SED complicates the answer significantly and to not mention it in responses to your question would be irresponsible.

Gaz, you're not superhuman, you have achieved some amazing weight loss but this is about something else now and as you say, it's about getting your life back.

 

[gb155]

Gaz, I know these are things that you don't want to hear but you have to start taking it on board. I've been refraining from posting so far but actually I have to ask you the question of how far are you going to push yourself as it's verging on the case of being self destructive. You have to be honest with yourself and sometimes that is the most painful and hard thing to do.

I have a friend who suffers from SED - his safe foods are bread, butter and pasta. He is a high profile musician and is very successful but he does not have the complications you do with the weight loss and the now exteremely high levels of physical exercise. He's been seeing a psychiatrist for a number of years- he understand the causes but has struggled to broaden out what he eats. This is a long term thing to work on Gaz as it won't just go away like that. I know you've referred to food on your blog as the mortal enemy and social eating is difficult but these to me indicate that you're still in the grips of a very complex eating disorder and those things that are associated with it. Are you still getting help from a specialist?

Even commuting 7 miles each way for work is a lot of cycling when you compare it to the recommendations of 3 hours of exercise a week for an hour each. A lot of the population are much more sedentary. 7 miles of cycling may not be seen as a lot on CC but you have to take into account your lack of calories and full range of eating when compared to others on the forum.

You don't have enough nutrition, vitamins, proteins and carbs on a daily level and by pushing yourself and cycling a lot at high speeds, intensities and speeds you're building up to health problems that are really going to become irreparable.

This is serious, if you continue as you are without proper nutrition and food you're putting your body under serious strain and this can cause heart attacks, kidney issues and liver problems amongst other problems. Food is what gets the internal organs working and you're putting your heart and organs under a lot of strain without repairing them at the end with decent food. High intensity exercising on limited and not enough food on a simple level is potentially messing up your insulin production or the ability for your body to recognise insulin or the sensitivity to it. Keep pushing at it and the problems that come up will not disappear as the damage that you do may become irreparable.

Competing and sport in general is about becoming aware of and listening to the needs of your body. On a psychological level if you become at this early stage in your cycling used to riding and your body feeling the way it is it with limited food it will be very lard to learn how it would feel when you have properly fed yourself with a wide range of foods. If you want to be fast and to do well in the future don't set yourself up for this as it will be very hard to unlearn it. Gels are for quick bursts of energy, they're not a proper way to fuel yourself on a ride of any distance. I would only use gels if I needed a boost but to be frank with your lack of food sometimes a lot of riding for you may be on the edge of bonking as you're using up calories you don't have in you and there is now no fat on your body to buffer your riding. Gels are designed to be a quick energy supply but is not the type of carb that will give you sustained release of energy for riding.

It's hard to diagnose the simple issue of headaches on rides. None of us can answer without taking into account your nutritional issues. Yes it could be about helmet fit but the SED complicates the answer significantly and to not mention it in responses to your question would be irresponsible.

Gaz, you're not superhuman, you have achieved some amazing weight loss but this is about something else now and as you say, it's about getting your life back.

Fully respect this - I'm learning all the time, with bars I'm now on 50 odd grams of protein a day , sure it should come from food and one day it will but 3 months ago I was on zero grams a day !

I'll get there , with help, think of me right now as a 3 years old baby, I started on protein drinks 3 years ago to replace food , now the weight is lost, I need to learn , like a baby does, how to move forwards

Ps , whos not superman

 

[ttcycle]

moving forwards Gaz is about learning to care about yourself and not to continue to punish yourself through extreme physical deprivation.

It takes time to resolve the food issues and can only be done with professional help and people who understand the condition and there are elements of you that don't fit a typical SED profile so there are challenges.

What I do say Gaz and I've noticed is that you can be very one sided on the views you will accept until people keep pushing them at you- these views, often not what you want to hear are important and as hard and as challenging as they are you need to maybe try and take them on board.

Scale back the cycling until you've got a bit more of a handle on the food. Lets put it this way, you will have the rest of your life to cycle and train. If the food issues aren't addressed and you continue full on cycling you may do yourself damage that means you can't cycle or worse.

Maybe this is a bit blunt, but weightloss advice to people is a whole different kettle of fish mate as you need to advise people having come from a perspective of understanding your own eating and food habits as by nature of cycling full tilt with very little food you will lose weight so it's not necessarily good advice to advise that if people are over eating etc or having other issues. Get your house in order- you have great things ahead of you but don't go chasing them before you're ready as you're heading for a massive burnout.

We care about you here but you have to start helping yourself now.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

[QUOTE 1549403"]
Gaz

Babies don't do anything. You're riding a couple of hundred miles a week, and not eating anywhere near enough, or what you should be for your level of activity.

Seriously, bars and gels aren't enough. You said on this thread that you didn't want to be reckless. Riding at levels that your body can't take is far more reckless than whether or not you're wearing a helmet. You will get yourself into serious trouble. Believe me, I worked on an eating disorder unit for several years. Your behaviour might be making you feel good, but it's not doing you good. It's very dangerous.

Yes, you need to learn. And you need to match your riding to your progress. I don't know how strongly it can be said, but this is serious.

You're not superman.
[/quote]

Paul I think/hope that Gaz understands that. His reference to a baby was in learning to eat. That aside I agree with you.

Gaz - take it easy mate. I do not want to read you obituary any time soon. Yes I am serious about that.

 

[ColinJ]

I'll get there , with help, think of me right now as a 3 years old baby, I started on protein drinks 3 years ago to replace food , now the weight is lost, I need to learn , like a baby does, how to move forwards

I think you somehow need to flip your mindset from Food = Enemy to Food = Friend! We run away from our enemies and move towards our friends. As long as you think of food being an enemy or a problem, it will be.

Start thinking of food the way you would a potential partner that you have just met. You feel hesitant at first, but as time goes by, your confidence grows and eventually, hopefully ... You Got The Love!

[media]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd0zY_DYxjE[/media]

 

[gb155]

[QUOTE 1549403"]

Gaz

Babies don't do anything. You're riding a couple of hundred miles a week, and not eating anywhere near enough, or what you should be for your level of activity.

Seriously, bars and gels aren't enough. You said on this thread that you didn't want to be reckless. Riding at levels that your body can't take is far more reckless than whether or not you're wearing a helmet. You will get yourself into serious trouble. Believe me, I worked on an eating disorder unit for several years. Your behaviour might be making you feel good, but it's not doing you good. It's very dangerous.

Yes, you need to learn. And you need to match your riding to your progress. I don't know how strongly it can be said, but this is serious.

You're not superman.[/quote]


It was an analogy to explain where I'm at as opposed to how real life is

Sadly the NHS don't see it as such a serious issue as yourself , while they have said I need help ( and I do ) I'll be waiting until the new year

My diet is now 2500 cals a day of cashew nuts and protein bars

 

[ttcycle]

It was an analogy to explain where I'm at as opposed to how real life is

Sadly the NHS don't see it as such a serious issue as yourself , while they have said I need help ( and I do ) I'll be waiting until the new year

My diet is now 2500 cals a day of cashew nuts and protein bars

At a push, do you have any training psychotherapy or psychology units near you? Would you be comfortable with seeing someone who is training for now until your referral comes through as a stop gap?

ColinJ is so right- this is the way to see it, when the cycling takes off, food becomes something that is a positive thing that enables you to cycle at higher levels.

 

[ttcycle]

Just to point out re the cashews- you're getting enough calories, but there's not enough variants in that to give you nutrition and vitamins that you need.

If you were into the idea, maybe buy a book on sports nutrition (Anita Bean wrote a good one) as it will help you understand how food works in a sport context.

Maybe you can eat for fuel reasons to begin with and eventually eat food for enjoyment?

 

[gb155]

My superman comment isn't / wasn't aimed at impressing anyone , I fully appreciate im in yet another fight and it's another tricky one but as some have said, food is the fuel this ( super) man needs to ensure he can continue to enjoy his cycling as much as he does

I just need professional help to get there