Motocross Diet For Motocross Racers

By Carl Bastedo 

“YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT” Keep that in mind the next time you feel you just have to have that extra Big Burger or piece of cake. What you eat each day is very important to your ability to race at a high level for a full moto. Following a healthy diet and developing an “EAT TO WIN LIFESTYLE” will also eliminate the need to watch your weight in future years. Once you hit 19, if you only gain 2 pounds a year you’ll be 60 lbs heavier at 49, say 180 to 240, it does creep up on you. 

A few things to remember. 1) Don’t binge eat! That is, don’t go for a day eating very little and then gourge yourself, especially in the evening. 2) Too much of anything is not good for you. Eat food from the 4 food groups (which we will outline) each day, do not eat the same thing every day. 3) Don’t miss breakfast. 4) Eat 3 meals a day (none to heavy) plus snacks. 5) Sleep 7 to 9 hours per day, every day. Don’t get by on 6 hours or less on a regular basis and don’t stay in bed any longer than 9 hours.

The motocrossers diet consists mainly of complex carbohydrates. While it is important to eat foods from all food groups, complex carbohydrates should take up a minimum of 60% of the motocrossers diet. Protein a maximum of 25% and fat a maximum of 15%. So, if you want to do 70% carbs then you would eat 20% protein and 10% fat. That would be the maximum carbs and minimum protein and fat you should eat.

Most riders need to change their “lifestyle” of eating, even if its gradual and a bit at a time. Sure you should eat a couple pieces of fruit a day, but one a day or even one every two days is better than none at all. Just keep trying to eat a little better each week and you will change your “eating lifestyle” for good. This is especially hard for young people who are generally “fussy” eaters. Change a little at a time, try some new things, and eventually you will “EAT TO WIN”.

DRINKS 

Drink lots of water, 4 to 6 glasses per day, more on heavy practice or race days. Juices are great, recommended ones are 1. V8 2. Grape 3. Orange 4. Apple 5. Tomato. Make sure the container says “Orange Juice” not “Orange Drink”. Milk is not considered as important as it used to be, younger riders should drink more than those over 18. Mikey and Nick have it in their cereal and some pasta and they will drink Chocolate Milk, which is fine. Drinks like SoBe, Poweraid etc. are good to use on race day. If you drink coffee or tea just try something. Instead of putting sugar and cream in, try going for 10 days drinking it black. At first you might gag a bit but after 10 days you won’t like it with cream & sugar anymore, you know what they say, “Once you go with your coffee black, you’ll never go back”. 

BREAKFAST

A very important meal. You don’t need anything heavy. Some fruit or juice and Cereal is just fine, a good cereal, Raisin Bran, Oatmeal, Total, Vector. Use milk on the cereal and it would be great if you sliced a little Banana or Strawberry and put on top. Toast is easy to do, we won’t bother with instructions, try to wean yourself off white bread, go with whole wheat, raisin, multi grain etc. Use margarine, 100% Soya Oil, you’ll see it listed that way on the container. Check out the cookbook for some special treats, like making your own motomuffins, you do have to change up your meals so you don’t get bored.

LUNCH

A lot of riders have most of their lunches at school or in fast food outlets while at work. Limit your visits to the Burger joints. A Tim Hortons Tuna Sandwich is great, they can put it on brown or multigrain bread for you but do white if you must. Nothing wrong with the pizza place, try going for some kind of veggy or fruit topping, but if not, settle for the old cheese and pepperoni. Do a fruit juice instead of the pop. Taco Bell or the Ultimate Pita have great things to eat for lunch. Nicks favourite is the Chicken Ceasar Salad at Ultimate Pita, to make it perfect he could have it in the whole wheat Pita pocket, but we aren’t quite there yet. You could always do a sub, just don’t hold the veggies and try chicken instead of the mixed meats. Mix it up so you don’t get tired of one thing all the time. If your at home doing your own lunch try to include some veggy sticks or a salad or a piece of fruit as part of the meal. Tuna sandwich is the #1 choice. Randy and most of the Bermudians like theirs toasted. Tuna or Salmon should be a staple for you, check out the cookbook to see how to make your own.

DINNER

Don’t eat a huge dinner, don’t eat it too late at night. Between 5 and 7 p.m. is best. Don’t just eat and go to bed. Forget desserts at any meal unless your dessert is salad or fruit (a salad tastes great after a meal). Tip, a little grapefruit juice or a ½ grapefruit is great as an appetizer before dinner. Salad! please, Ceasar or Garden (see cookbook) at least four times a week, twice? If not make sure you’ve got those raw carrot or celery sticks as a replacement. Plain old Pasta is the favourite at the schools. Gauldie doesn’t even put the sauce on and just uses a little margarine. Of course we have the Ceasar salad and that Garlic bread (its good for you), to go with it. See the Cookbook for Main Course menu’s.

SNACKS

Fruit is best, 1. Banana’s, 2. Apples 3. Oranges, 4. Grapefruit 5. Musk Melon, (Mikey’s favourite) 6. Watermelon (Shaki’s favourite) 7. Pears 8. Peaches 9. Grapes 10. All berries. Having some raw carrot & celery sticks in a tall glass of water in the fridge is great, they will last a few days. Peanuts, especially unsalted mixed nuts are good for you. Popcorn and those granola or energy bars are also just fine as a snack. Many of you will still go for the Potato Chips and Chocolate, just try to limit your intake and eat the good snacks more often, every little step helps.

FOODS HIGH IN COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Make these 60 to 70% of everything you eat. These foods are also high in fibre to keep you regular. Cereals, Pasta, Fruits, Vegetables including potatoes (not fried) and legumes like peas and beans. 

FOODS HIGH IN PROTEIN

Make these foods 20 to 25% of everything you eat. #1 Fish, then Meats such as steak or beef (lean), poultry (no skin), pork, eggs (especially the whites), nuts and seeds.

FATS

Make these foods 10 to 15% of everything you eat. Some fat is important because it is stored in your muscles as glycogen and is released after the glycogen stored in your muscles from Carbohydrates is depleted. Foods such as oil, butter, margarine, salad dressing, gravy & sauces. Fried foods, including those Belgian Fries & French Poutine, all are high in fat.

RACE DAY EATING

Start by having some cereal, toast, fruit for breakfast approx. 3 hours before you ride. Set it on the table and eat as soon as you get up on race day. Do not eat food within 1 ½ hrs. of your riding time. You need plenty of liquid-- water, sports drinks etc. IT’S IMPORTANT TO DRINK LIQUIDS EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT THIRSTY, always drink fluids shortly before riding. Have a chocolate bar after practice, wow, a chocolate bar? Yes, chocolate contains caffeine and caffeine will help your body use fats for fuel, which will conserve your limited glycogen stores and give you added endurance, coffee will help instead if your counting calories. Bring a lunch, here is what to pack on race day. 1) Water and sports drinks, 2) that chocolate bar 3) One or two pieces of fruit (banana’s are best). 4) One sandwich tuna (mixed with celery or onion and less than usual mayo) is best, followed by chicken, peanut butter, or peanut butter & jam, or banana). Consider having a slice of lettuce, tomato and onion on your sandwich if you go for the Tuna or Chicken. 5) Snacks, celery & carrot sticks or mixed nuts. Leave the soda at home. On the way home is when Nick and Mikey have one of their two Burger and Fries meals of the week to get some fat in them for the next race or practice day