We often talk about the carbohydrates needed by the cyclist, proteins have never been questioned, but instead What should you know about fats? Let's find out together, to get to know it better this last macronutrient, the protagonist of the current diets.
Before going into the specifics of the diet for the cyclist, let's clarify that with the generic term "fats", here we mainly refer to triglycerides, i.e. lipids with an energy reserve functionTriglycerides are made up of fatty acids and glycerol. Depending on the structure of the former, fats are differentiated into saturated fats (which we find mostly in dairy products and meat), unsaturated (in fish, oil and dried fruit) and trans ones.
We always try to simplify, but In nutrition, it is difficult and often incorrect to categorize complex and structured nutrients as good or bad.In other words, we need both saturated and unsaturated fats, and there is no single, pure food from which we can obtain a given nutrient.
The fats that actually need to be limited are the trans fats., which we find mainly in industrial baked goods and in some margarines. They are the result of the hydrogenation process in which unsaturated fats, liquid at room temperature, are converted into saturated fats, and due to their denaturation their atherosclerotic and inflammatory potential increases.
Are fats useful for cyclists?
Fats are necessary in the cyclist's diet in the right proportion and timing, because they perform various functions for the body. They have a thermoregulatory function, support the organs, they are precursors of hormones such as testosterone, carry fat-soluble vitamins, positively or negatively influence the functionality of the cardiovascular system depending on the type of fat and play an important energetic role.
Gasoline like carbohydrates?
To perform a physical activity, the body uses both carbohydrates and fats, in different proportions depending on the individual, gender, intensity of effort, training, and nutrient availability. Fat oxidation is a complex process that occurs only under several specific conditions. These include the presence of oxygen, therefore during aerobic exercise, but also fatty acids, enzymes, and transport proteins.
The production of energy from fats is therefore more expensive and longer than the oxidation of carbohydrates.. Consequently, it is not the ideal source for short, high-intensity efforts, where carbohydrates or at most phosphocreatine are better for very short efforts.
What is fatmax?
The fatmax is the intensity of physical activity at which the maximum amount of fat is consumed for energyBut be careful: this does not mean that during training at an intensity higher than your fatmax you will consume only carbohydrates, or at a lower intensity only fats. The proportions between the energy produced by the two metabolisms change.
Training to improve your fatmax can help preserve glycogen stores longer, as the body will be able to rely on the energy produced by efficient fat oxidation, thus becoming a sort of hybrid machine. In this case, however, Nutrition alone is not enough and training on an empty stomach is not enough to take advantage of lipid oxidation., but training sessions also need to be optimized.
Saturated and unsaturated
Generally speaking, we try to have a ratio of at least 3:1 between unsaturated and saturated fatty acidsBut everyone has their own needs, also in relation to the period. There is then a further classification of omega 3, which are essential unsaturated fats, meaning that our body cannot produce them on its own, but must obtain them through our diet. We find them especially in flax seeds, oily dried fruit, blue fish and seaweed., but within these foods we also find other types of fats so we need to know how to balance them.
Omega 3 supplementation is not intended to improve performance., of strength, nor of lung function, but it can result particularly useful for promoting recovery and reducing inflammation of the intestine, having a prebiotic action, which therefore improves the well-being of the intestinal microbiota.
Where are?
In a balanced diet fats are consumed at practically every mealDepending on the stage of the season, the training schedule, and the type of athlete, there are different needs.
A cyclocross rider needs a different diet than a road racer, just as a sprinter is different from a climber. Generally speaking, Their intake should be limited before the race and used instead to balance carbohydrate-rich mealsThis is to prevent the development of insulin resistance: a condition in which the muscles are no longer able to optimally absorb glucose and which can be perceived as a constant lack of energy, despite a diet rich in carbohydrates.
Between the best sources of fat There's olive oil, fish, flaxseed, dried fruit in the right quantities and timing, and then meat, dairy products, dark chocolate, and even egg yolk, which is often discarded regardless.
