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“Fwew, I just got off the trails and burned a whopping 500 calories – time for a recovery meal.  And the snack after that, and oh…beer that’s just like liquid bread.  Say now, all my mountain bike buddies are going out for mexican.  I probably need some fuel for tomorrow’s ride!  Hey! Dessert!”

Hey, so was this you this past weekend?

Yeah me too.  sometimes we fall off the wagon and it’s hard to climb back on it.  You know you like ur mom at a Denny’s all-u-can eat buffet and that scale is sitting in the corner just waiting for you to step on it.  What’s more, those blue jeans just came out of the dryer and you know you’re going to need a pair of pliers to get them on.

God, why did I stuff my mouth with all that food!?

The Bad News:

I’ve noticed that us mountain bikers (me included) are notorious for riding hard and then consuming everything in site after the ride.  After centuries I’ve watched people eat until they pop all in the name of “I’m eating recovery food.”  Well, yes, you are and your body needs the calories and carbs back in it – but shoving Pringles, Energy bars, beer, beer, beer and more beer back into your system really does more harm than good.  Also, that ride you just went on has been negated in mere seconds from all the calories and complex carbs you put back into your system.

Also, all the junk food you just ate?  Yeah it’s loaded with “all natural preservatives” and other crap your body doesn’t need.  Remember, if it says “all natural” please note that cat piss is considered “all natural.”  You just shoved a boat load of carbs that can’t be broken down, gluten and more chemicals than you know what to do with all in the name of “recovery.”

Bad mountain biker – hold out that wrist and let me slap it!

The Good News:

So back to that scale and those jeans you’re going to have to face soon enough.  Yes, it’s going to suck because you probably packed on a lot of weight and it’d be easy enough to stay off the wagon and just consume bagels and cream cheese for the Monday morning breakfast commute, right?  Yep, I agree – it is and I’m guilty of that myself.  Your body is retaining water to deal with all the sodium you took in and those nasty foods are just sitting somewhere in your G.I. Tract just having a party.  Which makes you feel heavy and “bleh.”

With a few mind and body hacks though, you can be rocking it by Wednesday and then by Friday feeling awesome and maybe dropping a few pounds.

5 Steps to dropping some weight and feeling great by Friday

• Get on the scale:
  Go ahead and do it – see how much you’ve gained and get ready for the big groan.  It’s going to suck but it’s going to motivate you to do something about it.
• Ice cold water before anything else:
  The first thing I do when I wake up is a giant ice cold cup of water.  It’s more refreshing than coffee and it revs up your metabolism almost instantly.
• Eat 30 minutes upon waking:
  This is important.  Your body is needing nutrition and if you deny it in the morning – you’re shutting down your metabolism and your body is going to go into survival mode holding on to what nutrition is in it and storing it as fat.  It’s summer time y’all…we need no fat!
• No whites for breakfast:
  This is the stinger – youch.  No cereal, milk, bread, bagels, creams or hashbrowns for breakfast.  That crap is a carb-bomb and is going to do nothing good for you.  Instead, opt for some recipes below.
• No late night eating…even if you’re hungry:
  I’m SO guilty of this one myself.  I’ll be working late at night and then the hunger pains come.  I’ll consume anything that’s laying around by that time.  The best you can do is to just put up with the hunger pains, pound water or sleep.  But don’t eat – your body is ready to go into “fasting” mode and if you put a nice delicious piece of cake in it – it’s going to be converted to fat.

Do all these steps and by Friday you’ll be bouncing around and feel great that you dropped a pound or so (which, by the way, you only want to drop a pound or maybe a pound and a half per week while biking.  Anymore than that and you’re eating into muscle.  Us mountain bikers need our muscle).

Breakfast Alternatives

This ain’t easy and it takes a bit to get into this mode.  But you’ve got a few alternatives for breakfast – if you’re late out the door as is, it’s going to be even harder but here are a few recipes to consider.

• Hard boiled eggs:
  When I’m dashing out the door to a meeting or a contract job – and are late (like I am now for writing this article), I opt for hardboiled eggs.  5 of them in fact.  I’ll start the pot, get the eggs ready and then go dash into the shower while they are finishing up.  For reference, see How to boil the perfect egg.
• Greek Yogurt (plain):
  It’s the only “white” you can have in the morning.  Plain greek yogurt packs a ton of protien and if you add walnuts (actually 9 of them.  9 = 240 calories), flax meal and blueberries – you just had a super awesome fantastic breakfast that’s going to do your system a world of good
• Egg white, black bean and spinach breakfast
  Don’t hate. I lost 50 lbs eating this continuously for breakfast for 5 months.  It works.   There is a bit of prep – but not much and it’s easy to get ready before dashing out to work.  The night before, precook your beans (don’t buy the canned ones – they are loaded with chemicals and crap).  When having your coffee in the morning and perking up – throw some spinach, a dab lof lemon juice and egg whites in a piece of tupperware – set the microwave on 5 minutes.sip your coffeeAfter five minutes, take it out and stir.  Add beans and set in there for another five minutes.  Cover it with some fresh salsa or hot salsa and you’ve got a tasty hot meal loaded with protein, fiber and superfoods!