Product Description

Clark and Hegmann write this book from their passion for teaching both novice and seasoned cyclists how to fuel their bodies to enhance performance. They combine their cycling experience and professional expertise to teach you what, when, and how to eat for good health, high energy, strength, and stamina. Whatever your cycling endeavors—recreational riding, touring, racing, or randonneuring—you'll learn what you need to know for optimal fueling so you can improve your riding, enhance your enjoyment on the bike, and reach your goals.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48208 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling Association
You'll find no better advice on optimal nutrition for cycling than The Cyclist's Food Guide.

John Hughes, UltraMarathon Cycling Association
The authors combine professional training in nutrition with years of cycling experience. I highly recommend The Cyclist's Food Guide!

About the Author
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, author of the best-selling Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook is internationally known registered dietitian, a bike commuter and former trans-America touring cyclist. She has been referred to as one of America's leading sports nutritionists. Jenny Hegmann, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition, wellness, and weight management. A serious cyclist for over 20 years, Hegmann has participated in races, randonnées, century rides, triathlons, and weekend tours.

Customer Reviews

Really quite not very good
I had only just opened the package and was browsing the book (it's okay to do that with nonfiction) when I came across an interesting anomaly on page 117: There was no page 117. In fact, the book skipped right from 116 to 133. I took a very close look at the binding of the book, and the pages were all there, wedged closely together in the normal fashion; no pages had been torn out. The pages must have been misnumbered then, right? No, 116 definitely cut off mid-sentence. I searched the book, perhaps 117-132 had been simple misplaced, and not altogether lost? .. Alas, no. I can only assume that this was an error in publishing, and that the book you order would have this too. I imagine that no one else mentioned it before because they hadn't gotten that far in the book before they made their review.

As for the actual content of the book that was there, that can basically be summarized as this: make sure you get a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat -- bike slow for a long time if you want to burn fat, bike HARD and FAST if you want to build muscle. Eat vegetables, the brighter the color, the better. Just read the food pyramid, then increase portions if you are biking a lot and are still hungry. Nothing you don't already know, or couldn't figure out yourself. Oh, and this book is for endurance riders, century riders, and old people, not svelte, strapping, and handsome young 20-something year-old racers.

Go elsewhere for your nutritional advice
As a doctor who specializes in nutrition, I bought this book in the hopes of having a good resource for my cycling patients. Unfortunately, this book is not evidence or research-based, and for the most part regurgitates tired, debunked dietary myths.

The problems are too numerous to enumerate here. But a couple of examples are the authors' recommendation of fast-food joints as a source of nutritious meals, and their argument that organic food sources be avoided because they lack the nutritional content of processed foods.

If you are looking for a source of sound sports/cycling nutrition advice, I highly recommend you look elsewhere.

The Cyclist's Food Guide
The book is comprehensive, thorough and very readable. The information is applicable to every day activities - not strictly cycling. It's worth every penny!