While carbohydrate may be the body’s dominant fuel source in providing energy for high intensity exercise, protein is also a key part of any cyclist’s diet.

Most people only eat a small amount of protein (easy protein sources are chicken, turkey, salmon and eggs) at breakfast and lunch, but then have a large serving at dinnertime.

Protein is key to the recovery process but back-loading your protein intake doesn’t support the constant breakdown and rebuilding process that’s going on within your muscles. On top of that, as far as weight control is concerned, protein has a greater satiety effect than carbohydrate or fat, leaving you feeling fuller for longer. It also requires more calories just to digest it, adding to your metabolic calorie expenditure.

Current sports nutrition research has concluded that eating protein in 20-25g portions every three to four hours is the optimal way to spread out your intake over a day. If you take in more than 25g, you tend to excrete it before you can use it, as excess protein cannot be stored in the body. A 20-25g serving is the equivalent to three large eggs, a chicken breast or a fillet of salmon.