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.

"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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

"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!!!

"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!