GO FASTER GABY MEET UP WITH MARIO PRESI, THE BRAIN BEHIND CHEFONABIKE.

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Mario Presi, Italian by birth, comes from the Veneto region (from Padova, near Venice) in the North East of Italy. Having raced BMX all over Italy winning 6 Italian National Titles in both BMX 20″ and Cruiser 24″, 4th place in the 1989 World Cup, podium finishes at European Races and in 1992 a prestigious 3rd place at the European Championships.
Combined with his culinary training and nutritional knowledge he has created real food to help cyclists be at their best on and off the bike. He is a believer is real food, natural ingredients and most importantly creating everything from scratch. 
Having now eaten and trained with Mario’s products for the past 6 months coming into winter I asked him 5 questions on what he recommends nutritionally during the colder months.
  1. Winter is a stressfull time for our bodies , what steps do you recommend taking to ensure that our nutritional needs are met ?
    Some times when life is going at 100 miles an hour and adding to that over winter the days get darker and shorter it can be our food that is one of the things to suffer. Often in the winter we are more drawn to quick fixes and comfort food. We are all individual so its important that our national needs are tailored to our taste likes / dislikes and personal needs. If we skip fresh fruit, veg and good quality ingredients it can leave us feeling tired and being under-fueled when putting in the winter endurance miles making us more susceptible to illness and not getting optimal recovery after rides. 
  2. OK so when we switch into winter endurance miles compared to being in the race season is there anything significant that we should bear in mind when planning meals?
    During the winter months the predominant fuel for long rides is fat. Fat is also essential in the repair process when home from rides and during the night.
    It slows the digestive process down as it a complex chain that takes time to breakdown keeping you feeling fuller for longer. Some vitamins are only fat-soluble ( A, D, E and K ) therefore essential in the diet. Remember the longer the exercise the greater dependence on fat for metabolism and endurance training increases oxidative capacity ( The muscles maximal capacity to use oxygen ) and increases the body’s ability to burn fat.
  3.  Are there any ingredients which are a must buy on your winter shopping list ?– Flaxseeds (add them to your meals on a daily basis)– Egg pasta– Brow rice and wholemeal pasta– Oats– Eggs– Lean cuts of meat/fish– Full-fat Probiotic Yoghurt– Bananas– Coconut/almond/cows and goats milk– Seeds and nuts mix– Lentils/Beans/Pulses provide good quality proteins– Fresh, Brightly coloured seasonal vegetables (Butternut squash is a great soup to warm up with   after a winter ride)
  4. What would you recommend on the bike when putting in longer training rides?
    A ride under an hour. No need to fuel during a ride if a good meal has been consumed in the 2/3 hours before setting off. Still take a gel and a banana/energy bar though for emergencies in case your rides turns out to be longer than planned.
    A ride under two hours. An hour in have something small to eat on the ride ride. Ideally something slow release like an oaty cereal bar/flapjack or a banana.
    Longer rides lasting 2-4 hours– Rides especially reaching nearer 4 hours require a lot of energy intake because of the amount being used during and after. It’s very important to eat something within that ‘first hour’ and ideally slow release quality especially if the ride is lasting 4 hours. If the terrain allows then nibbling little an often throughout the ride (ideally every 20-30 minutes) until the end would ensure maintenance of blood sugar levels until your next meal. 
  5. Have you got any other top tips to keep your diet up to scratch and help get the best results possible from training ?
    Balance is key. Too much of anything is not good for you. That includes vegetables and fruit too. A diet needs to be a good balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
    I believe that there is no such thing as good or bad foods. However the time of day food are eaten and how they are eaten in relation to your exercise is makes a huge difference. 

Article written by Gaby Leveridge aka GoFasterGaby.
https://gofastergaby.wordpress.com/

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