I watch my calories and macros pretty closely, but that leads me to eat the same foods pretty much all the time. I have about seven or eight go tos that I don’t deviate from too often.
I’m sure many others fall into the same rut, so I thought a thread where we can discuss our favorite healthy foods and meal ideas might be good. It would surely help me expand my options.
I can start. One of my favorite meals is burrito bowls. It’s simple—just rice, beans, some sort of meat, and cheese. I go back and forth between ground turkey and shredded chicken for the meat, seasoned with whatever I’m in the mood for (taco seasoning, etc.). I’ll also switch between white and brown rice. Throw in some salsa or other hot sauce for extra flavor.
This is a great balance for me, high carbs and moderate protein, low fat (depending on what kind of cheese you use). I probably eat this a couple of times a week.
I find that a slow cooker is great for varying this up. Loads of good recipes, try a new one every sunday for a weeks worth of lunches. Saves money and time.
I swear by several of the recipes in a cook book called Velo Chef.
Can’t remember the name of the dish but I absolutely swear by one of the pasta dishes in this book. On the plus side, all of the dishes are super easy to make and you don’t need super fancy kitchen aids to get them done.
So, basically the dish I love comprises of:
Pasta
Torn chicken (seasoned if preferred)
Cucumber (small chunks)
Red onion (diced)
Cherry or plumb tomatoes (halved)
Lemon juice (half lemon)
Lemon olive oil
Basil (optional)
Grill your chicken and get the pasta underway. Chop the tomatoes, cucumber and red onion. Juice the half lemon and pour over the tomato/cumber/onion mixture. Set to the side.
Chop the chicken, drain the pasta and combine the two. Drizzle with the lemon olive oil. Mix together. Then add the chopped the tomato/cucumber/onion. Mix well and add black pepper and basil to taste.
Feels really light, tastes great and it works hot or cold so great if you’re travelling to race and know you’ll need to eat.
The Velo Chef books are all great - I particularly like his rice bars/ cakes as a way of eating something that feels like real food on a long ride. I make mine savoury with soy sauce, scrambled egg and seaweed. Taste great.
Chanko Nabe! It can be anything really and there’s plenty of recipes online. Combine that with some broiled salmon and you have a meal for the family. The 10,000 Calorie Sumo Wrestler Diet - YouTube
I’m not a big fan of sweet potatoes on their own but with tuna they are delicious. Porridge is essential daily for me, as is Greek yoghurt with strawberries and honey. Scrambled eggs on bagel after a ride, with avocado and salmon if I have some.
Sushi is expensive but I feel like it’s cycling superfood. Starting to make more of my own with cucumber, salmon, tuna, avocado.
On the bike, Clif bars. I buy them cheap off eBay (usually ones that have a month left on best by date, but they’re okay for a few months after that). Otherwise I make GCN energy bars. For drink I either use Torq or instant ice tea for the deliciousness gains.
Trying to incorporate more vegan recipes into my diet, but it’s hard to find ones with a high amount of protein while avoiding soy.
I’m still trying to find a way down to lower body fat levels, but have made some nice progress over the years.
I started around 200lb+ and just cycling got me down to 190. No changes to food or drink. I then stalled.
Reducing alcohol got me around another 10lbs down to 180, best I hit was 175 (2017). Stalled again.
Then quit Alcohol and went from 175 to 185! I think a lot of this was better hydration. It wasn’t fat. Power didn’t improve, who said hydration was important! Actually cutting beer/booze has never improved performance for me.
Started calorie counting and watching my food, this got me back down to 175. Made an effort to cut out rubbish carbs and aimed for 300-500 deficit. Stalled around 175 and decided to remove calorie deficit and focus on power improvements.
I stopped this around 3 months ago and decided to go back to weight loss and body composition improvement. Cut out sugar and really improved my veggies and ‘good’ carbs. This gave me a nice bump down to 170. No major reduction in calories but not eating over the top either.
Next steps:
I got Nokia scales and they show me at 22% bodyfat @ 168lbs - heigh is 175cm. So I feel like there are still some easy gains before power drops!!
Diet Plan:
Insulin - For the next few months I’m working on Insulin rather than calories. Reducing my meals (so no snacks) and increasing the time between last and first meal. So eating at 7pm but then not till 9am. Plus keeping refined foods/sugar to a minimum. Eating nice large meals to make up for the lack of snacks.
Calories - Not worrying if I got over or under. Not letting myself get hungry (unless it’s in the evening) and eating as much quality as I can. However if I’m not hungry, and have no training, I won’t eat in the morning. Just aiming to increase that ‘fasting’ period. I would like to try one 24h fast in a recovery week - just curious.
Gym - Back in the gym in order to try and get some more muscle mass back. I don’t care if I get some upper body mass. It’s flat where I live.
Carbs - As long as they are decent I don’t care too much. Macros are about 50c, 30f, 20p.
Example foods:
Oats, Yogurt (with fat), almonds, blueberries, potatoes, lean meat and good fish, oils, veggies (varied and lots)
Have removed (not all the time)
Pizza, Pasta, pastries, sweets, bread
I have an electric egg-mc muffin maker. I start by throwing sliced turkey on the hot plate on the bottom. After that browns I put in a double protein oatmeal English muffin, then turkey then two egg whites. Easy breakfast. If you use the lite English muffins you are under 300 calories.
My neighbor gives me eggs from the chickens in their backyard so I feel pretty good about it. Adding fresh tomatoes or spinach would probably help but I am taking baby steps toward eating like an adult (I’m almost 40 )
My post-ride go to: A huge bowl with 200g brown rice, chopped kalamata olives, chopped red pepper, a can of tuna, an avocado, salt, pepper, and a liberal amount of extra virgin olive oil.
+1 for the slow cooker recommended by @Simo429 . Put everything in the pot and switch it on in the morning and come home to a great smelling nutritious meal.
This lamb & sweet potato recipe is great and you can switch out the lamb for other meats:
The Yummly app is also highly recommended for finding new recipes - slow cooker or otherwise
Breastfast and lunch pretty much the same everyday.
Breakfast - 3 egg omelette with mushroom, chicken & cheese
Snack - Grapefuit or some other fruit
Lunch - 150g chicken breast with pepper, beetroot & mayo then a piece of fruit
Dinner - this is what varies day to day.
Salmon (350g) and sweet potato jacket
Chilli with white rice
Chicken breast wrapped in bacon with sweet potato mash
Roast chicken, roast sweet potato and veg
Spaghetti Bol
Chicken risotto.
Can seem quite repetitive to some people but I like it and at helps me stay fairly lean and I don’t ever feel hungry. I know it would work for everyone one but it makes good prep easy and stops me eating rubbish.
Not really a recipe because I stick to rice and beans. But I do buy the Amy’s soups to help myself mix up the foods. The lentil, tomato, golden lentil, and black bean are my go to.
Other foods.
Rice, chickpeas, and a curry.
Rice, beans, eggs, avocado. (Add tortillas for more carbs)
Sweet potato, eggs, and avocado.
Belgian waffles, cinnamon, honey, and banana.
I think a lot of this was better hydration. It wasn’t fat. Power didn’t improve, who said hydration was important! Actually cutting beer/booze has never improved performance for me. 
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