I was doing my usual evening check-in with one of my clients the other night.

Nothing dramatic. Just one of those routine calls where we look at training data, talk through how the last block felt, and make sure everything is still moving in the right direction.

We’ve been working together online for a little over three months now, and on paper, things were going well.

Really well, actually.

His FTP was up around 15 watts since we started.

Power numbers were trending up. Consistency was solid. Sessions were being completed.

But as we talked, there was this quiet frustration underneath it all.

He wants to lose some weight and improve his cycling performance at the same time.

And while the fitness side was clearly moving forward, the weight side felt… stubborn.

Not going backwards.

Just not really changing.

So I asked him a simple question:

“How are you feeling on the bike lately?”

He paused for a second and said something along the lines of:

“I feel a bit heavy. Sometimes flat. And honestly, some of the fueling just feels sickly.”

That’s when the conversation shifted.

He’d recently started experimenting with more on-bike fuel, energy bars, gels, the usual stuff you see recommended everywhere. On paper, he was doing “the right thing.”

But in practice?

The bars felt dense.

The gels were too sweet.

And halfway through the ride, everything just sat in his stomach.

So instead of feeling energised, he felt weighed down.

That’s when I explained something that catches a lot of cyclists out, especially those trying to manage body composition at the same time.

I told him to stop thinking of on-bike fueling as “food first.”

Instead, start with carbohydrate drinks as the foundation.

Liquids digest faster.

They’re easier on the gut.

They deliver energy without that heavy, bloated feeling.

Then, and only then, you top up with solids like a bar or gel to hit your hourly carbohydrate target.

Not all at once.

Not randomly.

But deliberately.

Hour by hour.

The goal isn’t just to survive the ride.

It’s to:

• feel stronger later in the session
• ride harder for longer
• finish the ride without feeling completely drained
• 
  

And here’s the part most people don’t expect…

When you fuel properly on the bike, you’re far less likely to:

• Overeat later in the day
• Binge because your energy tank is empty
• feel out of control around food post-ride

Better fueling on the bike actually makes weight management off the bike easier.

That’s the irony.

So many cyclists over 40 are putting in the work with training — intervals, long rides, consistency — but without the right fueling strategy, they’re quietly limiting their potential.

Not because they’re lazy.

Not because they lack discipline.

But because the engine isn’t getting what it needs, when it needs it.

If you’re serious about becoming a stronger cyclist — and managing your weight without constantly fighting your appetite — fueling isn’t optional. It’s foundational.

That’s exactly why I put together my Eat To Ride Nutrition Masterclass

It’s a deep dive into:

• how to fuel before, during, and after your rides
• how to match fuel to training demands
• and how to support performance without sabotaging body composition

If you want to ride stronger and feel more in control off the bike, you can learn more by clicking the link above.

Neil