Fueling for Rides & Real Lifewith Debbie Milne of Supra Bars
Fueling your body shouldn’t feel confusing, restrictive, or intimidating, but for a lot of women, it does. In this episode, I sat down with Debbie Milne, founder of Supra Bars, for a conversation that goes well beyond cycling nutrition. We talk about real food, real life, and what it actually looks like to fuel an active body without fear or overwhelm.
Debbie’s journey into nutrition started as a deeply personal one, rooted in athletics, recovery, and rebuilding a healthier relationship with food. Today, that philosophy shows up in Supra Bars: small-batch, whole-food bars designed to support busy, active humans, not just elite athletes.
🎧 Listen to the full episode below, then keep reading for highlights and takeaways.
From the Bike to the Kitchen: How Supra Bars Started
Supra Bars didn’t start as a business idea, they started as a solution Debbie needed for herself. As a lifelong athlete balancing training, family, and work, she wanted portable nutrition made from real food, not just quick sugar hits or ultra-processed “performance” products.
She began experimenting in her own kitchen, building bars around ingredients she trusted and understood:
Oats for fiber and sustained energy
Seeds and healthy fats for balance
Fruits and spices chosen intentionally, not for trends
What began as homemade fuel for long rides quickly turned into something friends and fellow athletes wanted too — and eventually, a full-fledged (but still very hands-on) business.
Fueling Beyond Performance
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was how openly Debbie talked about under-fueling, especially among women. You don’t have to be chasing podiums — or losing weight — to be underfed.
We talked about:
Why you can “look fine” and still not be fueling enough
How performance culture can quietly push women toward restriction
The importance of eating ahead of need, not just when you feel depleted
Why fueling is an act of self-respect, not something to earn
Debbie also shared why she avoids commenting on bodies altogether — and how shifting focus from appearance to function changed her relationship with food, movement, and health.
Real Food > Fewer Ingredients
We also unpacked one of the biggest nutrition myths out there: “fewer ingredients = better.”
Supra Bars don’t chase minimal ingredient counts. Instead, they focus on recognizable, whole ingredients — foods you can pronounce, understand, and feel good about eating. Debbie shared why more real-food ingredients can actually mean more nutritional benefit, not less.
This philosophy extends into how she runs the business too — holding firm on ingredient quality even when scaling, margins, or investors might push for cheaper shortcuts.
Who Supra Bars Are For
Despite their roots in cycling, Supra Bars aren’t “just” sports nutrition. Debbie described them best as a mini meal — something you can:
Take on a ride, hike, or long workday
Pair with a protein source for balance
Keep in your bag for reliable, real-food fuel
They’re made fresh, stored carefully, and designed to support active lifestyles without pretending to be a one-size-fits-all solution.
Where to Find Supra Bars
🌐 Website: superbars.com
🛒 Try individual bars via Fuel Goods (great if you want to sample without committing to a full box)
Final Thoughts
This episode is a reminder that fueling well isn’t about perfection, restriction, or trends, it’s about supporting your body so you can live, move, and feel better. Debbie’s approach is thoughtful, grounded, and refreshingly human, and I loved how much this conversation centered on trust — in food, in your body, and in the long game of health.
If this episode resonated, I’d love to hear from you — and if you’re experimenting with your own fueling lately, you’re not alone. 💛
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