Yes, you can fuel your “power plant” with plant power! I’m not vegan myself; and don’t plan to become vegan. I have, however, experimented with vegetarianism of the lacto-ovo variety for much of my adult life.

My main reason for this is that I never enjoyed handling raw meat or poultry. They felt weird; they smelled funny; and it drove me crazy that I couldn’t seem to wash that smell off of my hands. Legumes and whole grains are good alternate sources of protein; and they cost less than meat.

From what I’ve read, an elite cyclist is constantly watching his or her diet; and we even read of some riders who weigh every single morsel that they eat. I’m glad I don’t have to go to that extreme to fuel my own power plant; but I need to get my diet back on track — again!

I try to save the FitCrunch and Gatorade Whey Protein bars for long rides; but lately I’ve too often been eating them off the bike. I need to get back to carrots and hummus!

Incidentally, I sometimes wish for more variety when it comes to fueling my power plant during long rides; but I don’t know what to use. Sandwiches are too bulky; and foods like Combos don’t have any “oomph” to them.

Jerked meats are rather tough to chew; and they also make me too thirsty. That’s bad news in hot weather! For me, nuts aren’t a very good choice for on-bike eating; they’re too likely to stick in my throat. Looks like I’m stuck with those bars.