Kazu wrote:

I wanted to ask this newsgroup a question about Weight Loss, and Heart Rate.

What is more beneficial, to ride long rides of say 50 to 80 kms, and keep
between my recommended training zone of 65% to 85% of my maximum heart rate,
or go faster and stay above 85% for a while, sometimes peaking to 95%.

You want to go as hard as you can, while not going too hard that you burn
yourself out too early thus not spend a sufficient amount of time working.

I used to spend about 35min (going hard) on the road almost daily. Nowadays,
(since I'm commuting to work on the bicycle as well) I wouldn't bother getting
out of bed for a recreational ride of any less than several hours.


If you want to loose the most fat for the least amount of effort, my advice,
if you want to take it, would be any one of the variety of weight-loss clinics
around. Check the phone book.
There is some relationship between the body's "efficiency" regarding heart
rate the the percentage of fat lost verses muscle, but this becomes a "most fat
for least effort" issue, where the above suggestion would better serve (with
likely better results) instead.

Is this more beneficial if I work harder,

Generally speaking, going slower over a longer period of time is better, but
that doesn't mean a casual sunday stroll, you need to work. You might start
aiming for about an hour, and go as hard as you can while still being able to
do it for that long. If you're just starting out, it may very well be just a
casual sunday stroll, that's fine, you'll get faster as you progress.

Don't let anyone tell you 15min a day is enough. It's not. It takes me that
long just to warm up.

or is it dangerous,

I wouldn't say it's dangerous, your heart and muscles are somewhat
self-regulating, in that they simply won't *let* you go harder if you've
reached your capability limit.
However, if you insist on going too hard too fast, the several-day recovery
time (along with the associated muscle pain) will most certainly NOT help with
self-encouragement. Nor will it help with results, since you've burnt yourself
out too quickly, thus not spending enough time working out.

what should I do to acheive good weight loss ?
Thanks for any feedback.

Depends on if you want it done quickly, permanently, or both. You would
probably be best off with professional advice, since they can taylor a workout
schedule that suits you, as well as possibly initiate a lifestyle change that
can prevent the reason you're eating in excess in the first place.

A bicycle is just one way of doing it. I picked it on several criteria:

-Good aerobic activity.
-It had to be interesting (I get bored easily).
-It had to be reasonably priced (don't spend lots on your first bike, you'll
apprecieate the better bikes you buy later, and you won't be wasting money if
you find out bikes don't suit you)
-It had to be convenient to get to (can't beat leaving the house WITH the bike)
-I had to be able to do it at any time of day (I had a variable availability
schedule)
-Low impact. (My joints weren't the best when I was born, so I have to take
care of them).

A bike suited that purpose best. I've gone through three bikes in 15 years
(progressively lighter and higher quality), my current fourth is a recumbent.
My body didn't appear to agree with the upright bike geometry (stupid amounts
of back muscle pain).

Now that I'm commuting, it turns out that a bike is faster than trains (owing
to the "wonderful" rail system we have here in sydney).

Can't beat the motorcycle for longer distances, but it hasn't proved to be a
problem so far.
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