<p>^I knew about the b-vitamins in beer from back in my young motherhood days, when lactation folks would recommend beer (moderate beer, that is) to aid in the production of breast milk ;)</p>
<p>Clearly they should be prescribing beer for all these middle-years bone density issues plaguing women ;)</p>
<p>Craft beer in my town has become something of a phenom of late (we were dubbed Beer City in 2013) so perhaps we should conduct some longitudinal studies ;)</p>
<p>But what I really wana know is which has more calories…a Reese’s peanut butter cup, or peanut butter cup stout?</p>
<p>For Halloween, since I’ve decided I can’t be trusted with candy in the house and since we’re too remote to get kids anyway, I’m thinking I’ll treat myself to the latter :)</p>
<p>Okay, this is very helpful, especially the content with regard to timing. I just told my husband yesterday that I notice a big difference in my perceived difficulty between an hour ride and a hour plus even 15 minutes. What I was attributing to lack of fitness may be lack of energy due to not eating anything prior to. I usually have a cup of coffee and maybe a few gulps of an atkins shake on the drive to the trails.</p>
<p>At any rate, I will try to do better with the post workout stuff. It takes me 30 minutes to get home from my trails, so I’ll be sure to eat pronto rather than getting cleaned up first. I really don’t like energy bars, but I do like eggs/egg whites any way you can fix them.</p>
<p>kmc, I’m coming trick or treating at your house. My recent “treat” purchase is Founders Breakfast Stout. </p>
<p>Nrdsb4, I always eat before any sustained exercise - anything longer than one hour counts for me. Even if it’s just a piece of toast with peanut butter. Think of a few things you can enjoy in the car on the way to the trails! Thinking back to my last long run, I had a very bad late dinner on Friday - a bacon cheeseburger and fries! Pre-run at 4 am, a cup of coffee and a piece of cinnamon bread toasted. Shot bloks and water during the run - that was it. </p>
<p>Edited to add: This is a neat site that came up in my facebook feed yesterday courtesy of Michael Pollan: </p>
<p>Nrdsb4, lest my previous post be misconstrued, I was not suggesting that pre-exercise nutrition is not important, only that one does not need to indulge in an overpriced special “magic ingredient energy shake” to optimize performance. Instead, just eat a good nutritious meal consistent with your normal meal schedules. So for example, if I’m going out for a ride at 8:00 a.m., I will have my normal breakfast before leaving. If it’s a 10:00 ride, I still have breakfast at my normal time and then plan to stop somewhere for a nutritionally sound light lunch if the ride is going to go beyond 12 or 1p.m. You always want to give your body good fuel to start your day, particularly if you will be engaging in demanding physical activity. Where I really take issue is with the gizzilion dollar supplement industry that promotes performance out of a jar or can. It just ain’t so. And the 30 minute post ride concept is not gospel, the world won’t end nor will your recovery go down the toilet if you eat your post exercise meal an hour later. It’s just that some studies have suggested that the uptake is much more efficient within 30 minutes but in the relative scheme of things, you will be just as fine with a nutritious meal an hour after exercise as with one within 30 minutes.</p>
<p>Nrdsb4, if you are only have some coffee and a little Adkins shake you may also be starting off your ride a little dehydrated - coffee will do that. Sub in some water at the very least in the morning. Maybe an egg on an english muffin or some PB spread on a whole wheat one. </p>
<p>I’m not an energy bar fan either. However, I love KIND bars. They vary nutritionally depending on flavor but for me are a filling and satisfying snack - I usually choose a variety with lots of almonds for some protein too. </p>
<p>If anyone hasn’t tried Picky Bars, I would recommend them. They are SO good! Plus- Jessie Thomas and Lauren Fleshman developed the business and Jessie is the president. He’s a top pro triathlete and a popular writer on triathlon. Lauren is a top US runner and sponsored by Oiselle and Sketchers. </p>
<p>Picky Bars are available online (<a href=“http://www.pickybars.com”>www.pickybars.com</a>) or at many retail outlets. Our REI has them. The flavors are really good and I like the lack of additives. They are great for pre-run, snacks and travel. They are big in the triathlon world.</p>
<p>Too funny. We used to be in the same building they started out at, before the expansion. Made for interesting lunch meetings. We’re still members of the mug club and McH and his geek pal are Sunday regulars. I usually only go when one of kiddos musician friends is playing there…because I get enough geek to last me a lifetime all day ;)</p>
<p>Thanks, MOfWC! Will check my REI to see if there are any. I trust triathlon folks! </p>
<p>Teri - your comment made me smile! Alas, there was no beer offered, so my recovery was not that speedy. I have to say that you are one amazingly tough lady - going on those hikes after barely coming out of a major surgery deserves major kudos.</p>
<p>My husband just had a bike wreck. I HATE bikes! A car turned right in front of him and he had to veer and he hit an uneven place in the road and went over. He’s badly scraped and at the walk-in clinic, but he’s pretty much OK. He was able to ride home- and, most importantly to him, his bike is OK.</p>
<p>MOWC… UGH!!! I am so glad he is OK. Been there, done that with H, and it’s such a scary experience. Things can happen so quickly, even to the most seasoned riders. Did the driver even stop?</p>
<p>Well, I was trying to be discreet for BB’s sake, but since she let the cat out of the bag, I will share that BB and MrBB were my and H’s tour guide for Mt. Rainier in August, 6 1/2 weeks after I was discharged from the hospital for sepsis. H and I had the trip to Oregon tentatively planned before the hospitalization, and after some discussion, decided to not cancel. H and I spent the first part of the trip on the Oregon coast, and did some hiking there as I was able, then spent a day at Mt. St. Helens, and the following day at Mt. Rainier before coming home. On every trail we took in Oregon, then Mt. St. Helen’s, the elevation would go up and down, so I’d get a break between the ups. But at Rainier, it was all uphill (well, until we came down). I think our elevation change was about 900’ (I took pictures of the markers so I could prove I did the trail), over about 1 3/4 mile going up, then another 1 3/4 mile coming down. Even if I’d been in shape, it would have been difficult! BB, MrBB and H were, oh so very patient with me, allowing me to stop and catch my breath when needed (which was often). I think the hiking H and I did in Oregon, did help my quads get conditioned, so it was never the legs that were tiring out, it was always getting winded. The views were just beyond incredible and as we kept going up, I knew I could call uncle at any moment, and they’d all understand, but every time we’d get up higher, I’d look ahead of where the trail kept going, and want to get to that point so I could see even more. I got some incredible photographs - the wildflowers were at their peak. It was spectacular. I got so much encouragement from the three of them, and again, they were so patient. If H and I had tried to figure out for ourselves what to do that day on Rainier, we wouldn’t have seen all the things we did. I think even until now, that hike that day was the greatest physical accomplishment I’ve had since all the medical issues started last April. </p>
<p>That is a wonderful story. How great Teri and you BB that you were able to meet (first time?) and have that amazing experience together. Priceless!</p>
<p>@basket - we met one other time almost four years ago when H and BB and MrBB were at a scientific conference… in Hawaii of all places! That trip, while the scientists were all out doing their conference stuff, I was busy hiking Diamond Head! That was a tough one, too. It’s just hard to train for that kind of stuff unless you have elevations around you where you can get some experience. We just don’t have that in our part of IL (well, most of IL doesn’t have that!)</p>
I usually only go when one of kiddos musician friends is playing there…because I get enough geek to last me a lifetime all day ;)</p>
I have to say that you are one amazingly tough lady - going on those hikes after barely coming out of a major surgery deserves major kudos.</p>