@Ian Beta-alanine is pro secret sauce... I would expect they are popping it for that tingly feeling too — that tingly "I can ride all day" feeling.
It's not listed in Orica's supplement list, but likely contained in the Amino extra turbo 3000 XLi III pill.

I'm doing some background reading and came across this relevant tidbit (N.B. triacylglycerol means fat).

Animals can synthesize and store large quantities of triacylglycerols,
to be used later as fuel (see Box 17–1).
Humans can store only a few hundred grams of glycogen
in liver and muscle, barely enough to supply the
body’s energy needs for 12 hours. In contrast, the total
amount of stored triacylglycerol in a 70-kg man of
average build is about 15 kg, enough to support basal
energy needs for as long as 12 weeks (see Table 23–5).
Triacylglycerols have the highest energy content of all
stored nutrients—more than 38 kJ/g.

And you already knew this:

Whenever carbohydrate
is ingested in excess of the organism’s capacity
to store glycogen, the excess is converted to triacylglycerols
and stored in adipose tissue.

Gwynna,

TrainingPeaks just posted an article that probably should be entitled: enjoy what you eat while keeping weight down and avoiding eating disorders

PSA:  Caramel Macchiato GU tastes pretty dang good

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M0FLN86/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Another Peaks article, this time on a carbohydrate mouthwash for faster performance

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/training-fitness/mouth-rise-and-faster-time-trial.html

mugwump said:

Another Peaks article, this time on a carbohydrate mouthwash for faster performance

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/training-fitness/mouth-rise-and-faster-time-trial.html

I've read about similar studies, though they used "normal" carb drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc) where it was thought that the taste of the sweet liquid triggered the receptors which allowed the body to consume its energy stores more quickly. This study would seem to indicate that taste has nothing to do with it.

I don't know how many folks have had a chance to watch the crit masterclass video that John M posted over on the Racing Strategy thread but there is some great insight on there regarding race day nutrition that is applicable to a bunch of the racing we do around here.

Thinking lately about cutting processed sugars out of my diet - hoping that it leads to more even energy throughout the day and perhaps a little weight loss.

Anyone had success cutting processed sugar down / out? Is this a ridiculous endeavor given almost everything you'd eat on a long ride has copious amounts of sugar in it to replace much needed glucose and carbs?

Riley, I try to keep the sugar intake down while doing the whole desk jockey routine. The full pint of Ben and Jerrys comes to haunt every so often, but in general it seems to work fairly well.

Yes, you need sugar/glucose/carbs when riding, but during the day I like to eat what what my body needs to recover.

my few keys to keeping the weight down
-no soda
-eat something for breakfast
-eat a lot of lean protein
-and the thing i think most overlooked is to get as much quality sleep as possible.

that's about it

Riley, I used to be ruled by carbs (of which processed sugar is the simplest). I couldn't go more than a couple hours without eating something or I would get light headed and need to stuff my face immediately. I was showing as pre-diabetic on the glucose scales. So about 4-5 years ago I started doing a lot of experimentation and I settled on some strategies that work best for me:

• Almost zero carbs other than those from green vegetables before late afternoon. Even to the point of no milk in my coffee, only heavy cream or black.
• Eating some carbs at night but limiting my total daily intake to less than 75 grams. Some of those come from a beer or glass of wine with dinner and the rest from something not so simple like sweet potato or good corn tortillas for tacos.
• Nearly zero processed sugar. A bit of birthday cake when those happen. Maybe some ice cream once a month. Quite a bit of chocolate but minimum of 85% and often I just eat a few hunks of 100%.
• Some fruit in the appropriate season but mainly berries (though a juicy peach at a road side stand during a long ride is heaven). No juice.
• My typical daily macronutrient calorie intake is 65-70% from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 10% from carbs.

Now I can go all day without really feeling hungry and my glucose is down into the normal range. Of course these are not hard rules but the guidelines I set for myself. I'll eat a post race muffin or drink two beers on some days. But in general this works for me and my taste for sugar has pretty much disappeared. I don't crave it.

Of course this also ties into the discussion over in the weight loss thread. I could certainly afford to lose a few pounds and none of this helps with weight loss in my case (except that if I really want to drop some weight it makes it easier to not feel hungry). 

you may be in luck @RileyHoonan, FDA is cracking down on food product labeling in 2018 (added sugar specifically):  http://about.bgov.com/blog/the-end-of-added-sugar/ 

Sun-dried apricots work like doping on a long ride!

http://www.wsj.com/articles/caffeine-the-performance-enhancer-in-your-kitchen-1469457168

yes now everybody has caught on that caffeine is performance enhancing. Now we have to up our game

Speaking of caffeine

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/will-caffeine-make-you-a-better-athlete-that-depends-on-your-dna/article31467904/

David Stokes and I had an interesting conversation one weekend about how caffeine delivery methods (coffee, tea, green tea, cola, etc.) also affect people differently. Like green and black teas will mess me up something fierce, but I can have a pretty good amount of drip coffee before I turn into a jittery mess.

I actually spike my Osmo mix (RIP) with a little matcha powder for a little caffeine jolt.

What does everyone think about the new 5-hr energy shots *w/21g of protein

Never been a '5HE user,' curious if anyone has ever had any thoughts on their products

I randomly had a lot of samples of 5-hour energy shots a few years ago and used them once in blue moon before races.  I don't remember them giving me any more of a boost than a coffee (which is to say, I'm not "normal" until I have a cup of drip coffee in the morning).  Red Bull definitely affects me more.  Green or black tea will jack me up into a jittery freakout.

Stick with cheaper vehicles for caffeine, because that's all this stuff really is.  You probably don't need the extra protein they add.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk said:

In general, if food comes in a bright container with big promises, you generally shouldn't put it into your body.

This

With some exceptions!

As training on the road picks up so must my in-the-saddle eating. I'd like to make my own portable ride snacks (and recovery snacks, too). So here's an invitation to share your best recipes. 

I found this recipe below from a 2014 post. Looks delicious. 

EmilyAtwater said:

DIY bonk breaker for you:

(brevity is not my strong suit)

First step: go to Sahadi’s.  Their bulk food section is a magical place, and one of the reasons I may never leave Brooklyn.

Ingredients:

1 cup packed dates, pitted and no sugar added (I sub 1/2 for all natural tart dried cherries, for more of a PB&J effect)

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup or agave, or combination

1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter (add ¼ tsp salt if unsalted)

1 cup raw unsalted almonds, loosely chopped

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I use quick-cooking)

Optional add-ins:  1 scoop protein powder of choice (I use vanilla whey protein and it’s tolerable but somewhat overpowering), other nuts, vanilla, sunflower seeds, chia seeds (I add 2-3 tbsp), raw cacao nibs (I add 2 tbsp, for crunch), flaked coconut, toasted oats, etc.  The recipe is very forgiving so you can adjust ingredients pretty freely if you stick to similar proportions of wet/dry.

These are no-bake bars, but you’ll need a food processor.*

Instructions:

1. Soak dates in warm water for 10 minutes and drain (will process a lot easier this way).

2. Meanwhile, process your oats and almonds together to grind them more finely, which should take less than a minute (this part is optional, but the finer grain helps keep the bars from being crumbly and really closely matches the softer dough-like consistency of a bonk breaker). Add to a mixing bowl.

3. Add your drained dates (and other dried fruits, if using) to the processor, and process until only small bits remain (a minute or so). Should be very sticky and doughy.  Add to the oat/almond mixture, along with the PB, honey (or other natural sweetener), and any other optional ingredients.

4. Mix either by hand (have fun with that), or with a stand mixture and paddle attachment.

5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8 dish.

6. Press down very firmly until densely packed and level.  Set in ‘fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up.

7. Cut into 6 even bars or serving size of choice**.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week (room temp is probably fine if just for a few days).

*If you don’t have a food processor and are very determined, you can try chopping the dates/fruit as finely as possible.  Your end result will be less doughy and potentially crumbly, so make sure to press into the pan firmly, or add a bit more PB/honey for hold.

**I’ve been increasing this recipe by 50% and it’s my breakfast for a week.  At that serving size, it’s a lot of calories, but it’s a whole meal, and keeps me full all morning.

Nutrition breakdown for the recipe and generous serving size given above (approximated):

325 calories
7 g fiber
13 g fat
9 g protein (even without protein powder)
48 g carbohydrate
28 g sugars

How it stacks up against a Bonk Breaker:

Very similar texture.  Main difference is the protein source.  This recipe gets most of it’s protein from nuts, which makes it higher in total fat (but still low in saturated fat).  Bonk Breakers use rice protein isolate, brown rice flour, etc, which I don't have yet. This recipe is also high in fiber, so depending on what you’re used to, you may want to limit your intake during exercise. They also have a decent amount of sugar, although as natural sweeteners they come with a few nutrients and are lower on the glycemic index, compared to table sugar.  It’s still less than what’s in a bottle of Gatorade, and not much more than a large apple.  I love these.

Relatedly, what have been your experiences with cycling cookbooks like Hannah Grant's The Grand Tour Cookbook, The Feed Zone (by Bijou Thomas and Allen Lim), or Team Sky's Velochef ? 

^ that sounds amazingly elaborate.

I prefer the goddamn Rice Cakes:

1) sushi rice
2) fried egg
3) bacon (or veg alternative - something salty)
4) parmesean (grated
5) sugar
6) liquid aminos
7) brown sugar

Mix that shit up, squeeze it into whatever fucking shape you damn well please and get your motherfucking ride on. 

Yeah, but can you be a little more specific about how you make them? Like, I'm good in the kitchen but once failed to improvise a pan of solid, portable rice cakes. Thus my asking for recipes. 

of note is this week's Fast Talk podcast. 

Interviews Dr. Philip Goglia, nutrionist to many stars and athletes, and Phil Gaimon, who is used as an example throughout.

Starts a little lame (lose weight in base, duh) but then it gets into some great tips, super specific recipes and products, for pre, ride, post, when caffeine works, breakfast vs. dinner vs. lunch, etc...

in fact, wanna find a transcript, so I can actually track and check out the stuff mentioned...

http://www.velonews.com/2017/01/podcast/fast-talk-ep-10-hit-race-weight-right-way_427913


(also available in itunes and other podcasts dists)

MaxThorn said:

Yeah, but can you be a little more specific about how you make them? Like, I'm good in the kitchen but once failed to improvise a pan of solid, portable rice cakes. Thus my asking for recipes. 

See below. Note, it's ONE cup of uncooked rice, not two.