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#21
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How to cycle for weight loss
Well gaining muscle weight is a good thing... the more muscles you have
higher you BMR is and easier it is to loose fat weight. "psycholist" wrote in message ... "Gooserider" wrote in message om... "psycholist" wrote in message ... Daniel, I see lots of folks who take up cycling for weight loss and never lose weight. Frankly, it's not exactly the best choice for weight loss because it's a non-weight-bearing activity and most folks who have real jobs can't do enough of it, or won't work hard enough at it, to get much benefit. I agree that most people can't devote racer-like hours to training, and that many people do not possess the intensity to burn lots of calories cycling. However, weight-bearing has little effect, I think. The reason people don't lose weight when they cycle is because they are consuming more calories than they burn. Didn't we have a 100+ thread about this very subject not long ago? What I've read and what I believe based on years of observing various riders, reading tons of stuff, etc. is that you absolutely will not lose weight if you don't ride with some intensity ... at least a couple of times a week. There was a long time when the popular theory was that, if you spent all your time training in a certain, relatively easy, heart rate zone, you were using fat as your fuel source instead of sugar. Therefore, staying in that range all the time would make you lose fat. Great theory, but I never EVER saw that work for anyone. Because they ate too much. It's easy to do---Powerbars, Gatorade, pre-ride pasta gorge, post-ride beers and pizza. If they ate at maintenance level calories and rode like you say, they will lose weight. If you want to lose weight on the bike, you have to work HARD on the bike. Lots of mile, lots of intervals of intensity, etc. Long slow distance seems to be the rule. Of course, some Poliquin-type interval training helps, too. But calories are the key. As bodybuilders say, "great abs are made in the kitchen". I don't have a "real" job. I'm self-employed and have a farm. I have a flexible schedule and can ride alot. I get in 250 to 300 miles per week pretty much all year round. I don't race, but I do centuries with the racer folks and turn in sub-5 hour rides regularly. That's intensity for this 48 year old body. I say all that to say this ... even with all those miles and near-race intensity, if I don't eat right, I gain weight. Carbs like pasta can be great fuel before a big ride, but most of the time, if you want to lose, you've gotta discipline your diet. I recommend you look at the Zone diet and learn its principles. It's not really one of the fad diets. I'm not a dietician, but the Zone principles seem to make sense ... balancing your fat, protein and carbohydrate intake to keep your blood sugar at optimum levels. It's really worked for me. Good for you. But tricks aside, you cannot escape The Law of Thermodynamics. If anyone consumes fewer calories than burned, weight loss will occur. The key is burning fat and not excessive amounts of muscle. One last thing. Crosstraining. Bicycling is great, but I find it really helps to add a second activity when I want to lose weight. For me, it's just walking. As I said, I live on a farm and I simply walk the property each morning. It takes about 20 minutes and gets the motor going. For some reason, the addition of a second activity like this really pushes things into higher gear for me and I lose weight quickly. Weight lifting would be ideal. Growing muscle helps to burn fat. Everybody should strength train, if for no other reason than to maintain bone density. I don't want to end up a stick-armed old man with great cardio ability. I want to end up a strong old man with great cardio ability! :-) I do core strength work. I believe that's important. Weight training, per se, can actually result in gaining weight. If the goal is strictly weight loss, I'd opt for some core strength exercises that don't involve much in the way of weights. You can do a lot with crunches, pushups, chair dips, etc. Bob C. |
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#22
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How to cycle for weight loss
"Marlene Blanshay" wrote in message ... I put on some weight a couple of years ago from a thyroid condition. About 15 lbs, which doesn't sound like much but it was on me! I have a 100 pounds to loose 15 would be a dream I hate having a desk job, I do no exercise at work at all. My hobby is computer games... so 5 years later 100 pounds... As for intensity, like hills etc, I think once you build endurance, that comes easier. Also as you lose weight, climbing is easier. So get those miles and go for a couple of really long rides a week and you'll not only lose the weight, you'll keep it off. And when your metabolism is working faster, you won't gain too much during the winter, unless you totally stuff your face and do nothing but watch tv for four months. Right now hills kill me. So I try to avoid them... After a few hills my legs are too tired to continue. Once I get over that it will become easier. Also I am trying to spin faster, that has reduced leg fatigue. I should also stand when I climb but for some reasons I am not comfortable doing that on my new bike. |
#23
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How to cycle for weight loss
How about free? And probably less biased than most, because it's not
selling anything: http://www.hackersdiet.org Thanks I will have a look As long as the pressure on your knees is low, I don't think it really matters how fast you spin. Well from what I have read spinning faster prevents you from getting tired, thus allowing you to ride longer. Also since you are actually doing aerobic cycling instead of strenght cycling, your muscles will not be as sore after the ride. How about something less manufactured and more grown? Bananas are good. So are apples. So are fig bars, for that matter. (I have mixed feelings about the current low-carb fad.) Good idea. Bananas are great. fig bars... never seen those, will try to see if they are sold at my supermarket. I agree that the low carb thing is not a good way to go. Optimally I would eat 50% carbs, 20% fat, 30% proteins. |
#24
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How to cycle for weight loss
If you push on the bike, rather than just cruising, you might burn 500
calories / hr. But it would still take about seven hours of pedaling to burn off one pound of fat, assuming no change in diet. This is why you have to watch it in the kitchen, too, since it is not too difficult to add back a few hundred calories a day with the pasta, energy bars, etc., etc. It doesn't take much, unfortunately... The moral: if you want to be a bit more scientific about it, try actually adding up the calories. Then you can find out where they came from and where they went (and if you're not losing weight, why they didn't went). Cheers, and happy pedaling. At least we have fun while we struggle... Thanks I do. On a day I ride I usually loose from half a pound to a pound. If I am carefull on other days that means that in 100 days I will be back to my normal weight Of course its not as simple as that but at least I have an idea where I am at. After reading here I think I will also take up walking during my lunch breaks. If I can walk of say 200 calories per day then it's gonna be that much faster. |
#25
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How to cycle for weight loss
Well technically carbs are the lowers calories per gram you know. 4
calories per gram compared to fat that is 9 calories per gram. Problem is that pasta contains lots of carbs My usual serving is about 600 calories just for the pasta, and about 400 more for sauce. I think you are right that I should eat less of it. Chicken and tuna are the way to go. I will see if I can convince my will "curt" wrote in message ... Bicycling is a great way to lose weight! I think most important is to ride long and steady to lose. I don't use a HR monitor, so I can't help you there, but there is an effective HR for weight loss, but it is different for everyone and we would need to know more information about you. If you like pasta, it will be harder to lose, unless you don't eat that much. Sorry, that is just the way it is. A high carb diet makes it harder to lose, it is just the facts. It can certainly be done and is done all the time, but you need to cut calories, unless you are going to ride very long distances 4+ days a week. I suggest lower fat if you are going high carb. If you want to lose faster, then bag the pasta and eat chicken, fish, etc. JMHO, Curt "Daniel Crispin" wrote in message ... Hello, I am wondering if there is an easy way to dose my efforts toward weight loss. I could buy a HRM but I have already spent 600$ on my bike this month and would like to stop spending for a while. Any trick that can tell me I am using the right effort for weight loss? Someone told me that if I cannot speak without feeling a little out of breath that is the right zone... is that true? Also I am been trying to pedal faster. I used to pedal slow and hard but after reading some books I now understand it's a really bad way to do it. I have no idea what my current cadence is since my computer doesn't have that feature but I think I am at around 1.25 turn per second... that is of course an approximate... it would mean 75 turns per minute which is close to what is recommanded... I cannot see myself pedaling faster, already feels like I am spinning way too fast How do you guys do 100 turns per minute? Must be a mental issue, the legs don't seems to mind but geez at a 100 I am not sure I could even keep my balance hehehe! Last thing... what should I eat before and during training? I love pasta. I know they contain a lot of calories but that is the food I like. On the other hand they give lots of carbs so that can't be bad while training right? Should I eat something different the days I train? How about during training? I normal bring a Nutribar which is an meal replacement designed for weight loss. I has a balance of carbs, fats and proteins. Should I use something with more carbs? |
#26
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How to cycle for weight loss
I have purchased those in the past... why would they be better for weight
loss? They are most likelly better for your health but I doubt they contain less calories. "Mike Schwab" wrote in message ... Look for breads and pastas made with whole grain. Check health food stores. curt wrote: Bicycling is a great way to lose weight! I think most important is to ride long and steady to lose. I don't use a HR monitor, so I can't help you there, but there is an effective HR for weight loss, but it is different for everyone and we would need to know more information about you. If you like pasta, it will be harder to lose, unless you don't eat that much. Sorry, that is just the way it is. A high carb diet makes it harder to lose, it is just the facts. It can certainly be done and is done all the time, but you need to cut calories, unless you are going to ride very long distances 4+ days a week. I suggest lower fat if you are going high carb. If you want to lose faster, then bag the pasta and eat chicken, fish, etc. JMHO, Curt snip |
#27
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How to cycle for weight loss
Thanks Arthur,
If you're looking to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, the latest diet fad may be more effective than cycling. But if you're willing to work at it, lose weight gradually, and keep it off (while improving your overall fitness and energy level) cycling may be the ticket. Diets don't work. Starving yourself lower your BMR and when you go back to a normal diet you explode. You also loose a lot of muscle mass while on a diet so it compounds to problem. I have never been a dieter and don't plan on being one. There's no magic formula, except that you must burn more calories than you consume. Daily rides of 10-15 miles are good, but long weekend rides are where you will really burn calories. Speed isn't the main thing. Yes, a faster pace will burn more calories per hour, but riding the same distance at a moderate pace (longer time in the saddle) is almost as good. Don't kill yourself, but don't loaf either. Right, I was just trying to figure out an easy way to know just that, what is a medium pace hehehe if I am not out of breath it seems to me I am doing an easy ride with little effort. How do I know I am in the right zone? Make cycling a life-long habit, not just something you're going to do for a few months until you reach your target weight. The best way to do that is make it fun, not something you have to endure. It may help to join a club or ride informally with a few other people, especially on long rides. I ride with friends mostly... not sure if that is good or bad. In a way it's good because being a social thing it encourages me to do it. On the other hand I can't ride at limit of my endurance if I want to ride with friends who may not be in as good a shape or are not interested in riding hard. I think I will have to do both. Long rides with friends and shorter heavier training alone. That sounds like anaerobic threshold training, and is an effective way to achieve fitness. But for weight loss it's all about miles. Oh so that would be too high a level for long distance? Definitely don't starve yourself while you're riding, but keep the calorie equation in mind (before, during, and after the ride). Normal food is just as good (or better) than energy bars. Energy bars can be more convenient. See what works best for you. Ya. Energy bars are convenient because they don't take much room. I can put them in the small bag on my steering bar. Someone suggested bananas. That takes more room but not that much. I will probably try that next time I ride. Fig bars sounds delicious too if I can find any. |
#28
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How to cycle for weight loss
Regarding cadence, I typically ride along at about 90 to 95 rpm and that's
common among lots of the racer-type folks I train with. Learning to do that really transformed my cycling, shaving an hour off my time on some centuries (over the course of a couple of seasons as I got the hang of the spin thing). I know that 100 rpm is pretty common in cycling. I watched the women's world cup on TV yesterday and they don't seems to be spinning as fast as I tought 100 rpm would be. Maybe I am spinning faster than I think. I will have to count my rpm next time I go out. Some tips ... The spin starts from the hip. Think of the old style locomotive where there was a big drive wheel connected to the smaller wheels by beams of steel. That's a bit how you should envision your spin. Your hip is where the power is that helps drive the pedals. And you need to learn to drive the pedals in circles. Make sure you're not just mashing down on the pedals each time a foot reaches the top. You should work to develop a very smooth pedaling motion where you actually feel power to the pedal almost the entire way around the pedal revolution. Well... that is hard When I was using low rpm to pedal, I was using my feet to pull on the pedal upward while pushing on the other one do go downward. But spinning faster I feel like it's a bit out of control, as if it's comming up by itself without being able to help it up... hard to explain. Last time I rode I found a trick that seemed to help, I kick my knee upward, and I could feel the increased power. Get a set of rollers. Learn to ride them (they're like learning to ride a bike ... you'll have it down in just a few tries). The secret to staying up on rollers is speed ... kind of a gyroscopic effect. They force you to develop leg speed. Also, if your pedaling dynamics are bad, they really cure that, too. You have to pedal smoothly and evenly or you'll be all over the rollers (and maybe on the floor ... but that's not to scare you off .... they really aren't hard to learn. Just be sure to set them up in a doorway at first so you have something to grab if you do start to go down). Ouf! I have developped a strong hatred for people on roller blades. Here in Montreal they are everywhere making cycling a pain. They block the trails and we have to go in the grass to pass them. I was thinking of installing a dual compressed air horn like they have on 18 wheelers on my bike to literally push them off the train... but I think it is illegal As for determining cadence, count your pedal revolutions (each time your right foot reaches the bottom, for example) for 10 seconds and multiply by six. Or count them for six seconds and multiply by 10. Or count them for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Or count them for 20 seconds and ... Or count to 30 seconds and multiply by 2, or count to 60 seconds and multiply by 1, or count to 120 seconds and divide by 2... ok I am getting the hang of this Thanks Bob, I will try it next time out. |
#29
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How to cycle for weight loss
"Mike Schwab" wrote in message ... Marlene Blanshay wrote: snip As for intensity, like hills etc, I think once you build endurance, that comes easier. Also as you lose weight, climbing is easier. So get those miles and go for a couple of really long rides a week and you'll not only lose the weight, you'll keep it off. And when your metabolism is working faster, you won't gain too much during the winter, unless you totally stuff your face and do nothing but watch tv for four months. Winter is training time for the Iditarod Impossible. http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/Iditarod/update4.htm http://www.icebike.org http://www.bikewinter.org Or not!!! |
#30
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How to cycle for weight loss
"Daniel Crispin" wrote in message ... Right now hills kill me. So I try to avoid them... After a few hills my legs are too tired to continue. Once I get over that it will become easier. Also I am trying to spin faster, that has reduced leg fatigue. I should also stand when I climb but for some reasons I am not comfortable doing that on my new bike. Well, 100 lbs is quite different than my situation, for sure. I think for someone who is overweight and has that much to lose, and is probably not in ideal shape, you want to start with fat burning, long rides without too much strain. Don't try doing hills until you've lost some of that weight. The thing you want to do now is burn fat, get your cardiovascular system working better and eat the right foods.And put down that computer game! |
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