# Cycling for weight loss



## Will81 (24 Apr 2014)

Hi, this is my first ever post so hopefully it makes sense! 

I'm new to cycling and have been cycling to and from work for 3 weeks (4 days per week. 9 mile round trip) and trying to add in around 20 - 30 miles at the weekend. I am 33, 6ft tall and weigh 202lbs but I'm hoping to lose around 7lbs - 10lbs and to hopefully lose my little belly. But since starting I've only lost around 2lbs and my belly is as big as ever. I have altered my diet to cut down on things like chocolate and junk food, although I still treat myself sometimes, but I haven't noticed as big a change as I expected. I know it's early days and it's not going to happen overnight but surely I should have noticed a bigger change than 2lbs after 3 weeks and around 80 miles!? Am I doing anything wrong? Can any of you guys give any advice on this? Thank you in advance.


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## vickster (24 Apr 2014)

I don't think cycling will tone your belly, need to do crunches and other such tedious stuff for that

80 miles - you've probably only burnt off around 2500-3000 calories in 3 weeks, which isn't anything. 2lbs is probably reasonable

Cycling will improve your CV fitness and tone up your legs a bit but you don't have that much to lose so it won't fall off


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## Will81 (24 Apr 2014)

Thanks for the reply. I'm not looking for a toned stomach with a 6 pack, just some weight off my mid riff. I know 80 miles in 3 weeks is not much but, as I said, I've only started and having a young family limits my cycling time at weekends. What sort of miles would I need to be doing on a weekly basis to try to reach my target weight in say 3 months?


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## MrGrumpy (24 Apr 2014)

been doing circa 150 miles a week on average for the last 3yrs at least and I`ve not got any lighter . Legs are certainly a lot more tone and some of the upper body but I still weigh in at approx 95-96 kg . Still have a paunch but feel vastly fitter . I`m same height as you but 10yrs older sp not so easy to shift. However I think if I was to abstain from the vino it would go a long way to reducing the extra. I do think 90 kg is a realistic target for me and that is my main aim. Hate to say it but diet is what I`m going to have to do


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## MikeG (24 Apr 2014)

You're just not riding far enough, and you haven't been doing it long enough, to expect radical weight loss. If that is the amount of riding you can do in the time available, then you are going to have to do your weight-loss by controlling your intake. Intermittent fasting works really well, but there are plenty of other ways. If you regularly "treat yourself", and if cycling makes you hungry (it does happen), then you could easily end up losing no weight at all on your current regime. I am afraid you are just going to have to work harder and longer, and be more disciplined with you food intake, if you want to start seeing some results.


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## MrGrumpy (24 Apr 2014)

yep cycling fools you into thinking you can eat more  not so, by all means fuel up but not on junk. Oh and drink more fluids ( not lager )  ramp up the mileage on the bike. Hard work will pay off


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## KneesUp (24 Apr 2014)

I agree that you haven't done enough yet to see huge changes I'm afraid. In my last bout of cycling (when I was a student - I've just come back to it) I used to get to work at a reasonable pace so I didn't get too hot, but on the way home I'd nail it the whole way: a good run was one where I couldn't pedal in the last few hundred yards and then had to lean against the side of my parents house, still on the saddle and clipped in for a few minutes before I had the strength to get off. After a summer of that my resting heart rate was 24 (as checked by my mum, who was/is a nurse) and I was definitely thinner. Then I went back to Uni and drank it all back on


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## Venod (24 Apr 2014)

Keep at it, I have been running & cycling most of my life, in my opinion cycling is good for loosing weight, you have to use a high cadence between 90-100 revs per minute, pushing big gears will give you bigger leg muscles, muscle weighs more than fat so big gears wont help, you will feel hungry after riding but resist the temptation to binge & eat sensibly, your weight will eventually drop.


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## nappadang (24 Apr 2014)

Hello mate, you will definitely lose weight through cycling, I've lost a lot since I got a bike in August last year. I work on the basis of about 40 calories per mile (maybe a little less) and if you burn more than you consume you'll lose weight. It's also worth considering what you eat and when.
If you pm me an email address, I'll send you a break down of my less than scientific (but very effective) approach to weight loss.
Good luck mate!


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## Will81 (24 Apr 2014)

[E="nappadang, post: 3045146, member: 31784"]Hello mate, you will definitely lose weight through cycling, I've lost a lot since I got a bike in August last year. I work on the basis of about 40 calories per mile (maybe a little less) and if you burn more than you consume you'll lose weight. It's also worth considering what you eat and when.
If you pm me an email address, I'll send you a break down of my less than scientific (but very effective) approach to weight loss.
Good luck mate![/QUOTE]

Cheers mate. How do I PM you?

Chee


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## Broadside (24 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> I agree that you haven't done enough yet to see huge changes I'm afraid. In my last bout of cycling (when I was a student - I've just come back to it) I used to get to work at a reasonable pace so I didn't get too hot, but on the way home I'd nail it the whole way: a good run was one where I couldn't pedal in the last few hundred yards and then had to lean against the side of my parents house, still on the saddle and clipped in for a few minutes before I had the strength to get off. After a summer of that my resting heart rate was 24 (as checked by my mum, who was/is a nurse) and I was definitely thinner. Then I went back to Uni and drank it all back on



Your resting heart rate was quite low, you should give the Guinness Book of Records a call 

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/2000/lowest-heart-rate


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## Ern1e (24 Apr 2014)

Hi @Will81 I don't want to dampen your spirtits but I have lost 8st 10lbs and still have a little belly because I need to do some crunches etc (no way hate gym type stuff lol) to get shut of that,but the cycling sure helps me maintain my weight and also lose it if I put some on so keep going and you will get results.


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## KneesUp (24 Apr 2014)

Broadside said:


> Your resting heart rate was quite low, you should give the Guinness Book of Records a call
> 
> http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/2000/lowest-heart-rate



Not quite a record though. My mum did say she thought I was dead  Perhaps 21 years and all the beer has made my memory fail - maybe it was 34 - point it I was quite fit from a combination of gentle-ish riding and 'as hard as you can' riding - about 5-6 miles each way for six weeks.


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## Broadside (24 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> Not quite a record though. My mum did say she thought I was dead  Perhaps 21 years and all the beer has made my memory fail - maybe it was 34 - point it I was quite fit from a combination of gentle-ish riding and 'as hard as you can' riding - about 5-6 miles each way for six weeks.



Even 34 seems low! Anything in the 50's and I would be thinking superfit, lower than that I would be thinking you need to be a professional sportsperson, but who am I to say! :-) it doesn't really matter but your statement of sub 30bpm caught my attention that was all.


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## MrGrumpy (24 Apr 2014)

i used to be 42 in my twenties, now its 50s.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (24 Apr 2014)

Weightloss is a product of diet much moreso than a product of doing a sport.


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## doog (24 Apr 2014)

Will81 said:


> Thanks for the reply. I'm not looking for a toned stomach with a 6 pack, just some weight off my mid riff. I know 80 miles in 3 weeks is not much but, as I said, I've only started and having a young family limits my cycling time at weekends. What sort of miles would I need to be doing on a weekly basis to try to reach my target weight in say 3 months?



Serious mileage that would probably infringe on your family life (with a young family). You might get less grief and a bigger weight loss through diet and running.


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## 4F (24 Apr 2014)

The harsh facts are that cutting out fat in your diet (or little treats) is the only way you will loose weight. I speak as someone who cycles 120 miles a week and having lost 5 stone.


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## Big Nick (25 Apr 2014)

Slow steady weight loss is far better than rapid weight loss as it tends to suggest you've changed you lifestyle long term and not purely to lose weight which no doubt will go back on when you get complacent!

How often do you treat yourself? once a week in moderation is fine but any more than that and you're probably fooling yourself


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## Venod (25 Apr 2014)

A short video for you to contemplate.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8OhUJywiSUE


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## tudor_77 (25 Apr 2014)

Hi,

Its great that you are cycling, getting fitter and losing weight. However, the fat around the abdomen and love handles is quite stubborn as it is the first place we store fat and the last place we lose it. The fact that you have already started to lose weight shows the changes in your metabolism are taking effect so all you need to do is just persevere and be patient. Sit ups and crunches will absolutely 100% do nothing at all to shift fat from the stomach, it will just tone the abs you already have under the layers of abdominal fat. I am 5.11 and start to see my abs appear around the 12 stone mark. Exercise is a great way to burn fat and boost the metabolism, however as the saying goes 'abs are made in the kitchen'. You don't necassarily need to eat less, just eat cleaner. Cut out bad carbs such as bread and pasta (possibly the worst thing in the world for your waistline!) and replace them with Oats and Brown rice. Also, eat fruit instead of chocolate and crisps etc and eat more lean protein with vegetables such as tuna salad or fried lean chicken breasts with fried veg (peppers, onions, garlic, chillies, corgettes etc) in extra virgin olive oil (full of antioxidants and healthy omega fats). Make sure you increase healthy fats too like fish oil supplements and (again) extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the tuna salads etc. If you clean up your diet like this along with your cycling the fat will start melting off you in no time at all and those abs will start appearing. A good diet will also help your energy levels and improve your cycling too so its a win/win situation. 

Just my '2 cents' anyway... Good luck mate!


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## Blue Hills (17 Apr 2016)

tudor_77 said:


> Cut out bad carbs such as bread and pasta (possibly the worst thing in the world for your waistline!) and replace them with Oats and Brown rice. !



Yes I know it's an old thread but an on topic question and maybe you or someone else can answer it.
So - why is bread so bad if you eat it in moderation? After all you have to eat something and you do need daily carbs. I have toast for breakfast most days (so damn easy and I like it) and have lost a fair bit of weight since christmas.


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## clockworksimon (18 Apr 2016)

Thinks it's to do with bread, pasta etc having a high glycaemic index. After eating this causes a rapid spine in blood sugar levels and a corresponding spike in insulin secretion. Insulin promotes storage leading to increased fat stores if in excess.

High carbs and low fat diet may paradoxically be worse for weight gain than high fat/low carb for the same calorific content.

Of course it is all about degrees of moderation and sustainability. 

Other things like sleep, stress, vitamin D, intensity of exercise now thought to have impact on weight too.

Well done on the weight loss!


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## Blue Hills (18 Apr 2016)

Thanks for the reply clockwork.

I should also have maybe said that I eat pasta maybe about 5 times a week at the moment, though I should stress in smaller servings than of old - like many Brits I tended to pile the pasta on. I think moderation and portion control is maybe key - Italians DO eat a lot of pasta frequently but are generally far trimmer than Brits.

Have actually lost 2 stone since the beginning of the New Year though this was after a particularly binging Christmas.


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## Travs (21 Apr 2016)

Its a combination of things of which you're getting the balance right, whereas some others can misjudge it causing a lack of success:

Italians, along with anywhere warm/sunny, have the climate to be a more active population overall. I knew someone from South Africa that said she put on loads of weight just coming to UK _part_ of which was the fact that she was always out in SA and just didn't feel like it so much here.

Bread is a good, generally healthy, energy source which has copped a bad name as carbs did in the big "dietary mis-conclusion" of the past 10 years. White Bread has a lower GI than Brown and will spike a little but its all better than any monosaccharide carb like sucrose/fructose/glucose. On a side note, bread _shouldn't_ have any fat in. It is added to help the production process as it aids in trapping air in the dough helping it to rise. Proper kneading and proving will allow this to happen naturally but takes much more time.

Fairly common diet these days is to limit the carbs on days where you don't train - although don't be afraid of them after a session. It does depend on how much you do and what you do though.

Portion control is definitely something that I think is an easy win too.

Healthy fats should be included to assist in various bodily functions - but at 9 calories per gram, they are calorie dense and can only be used at a certain HR so must fit the regime too. Easy to mis-calculate.

Seems like you're having success - although a recent gain will be lost easily so keep up the good work.


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## 2IT (22 Apr 2016)

Will81 said:


> I'm new to cycling and have been cycling to and from work for 3 weeks (4 days per week. 9 mile round trip)



It seems like you are riding about 20 minutes one way at a time. A person only burns sugars in the blood stream in the first 40 minutes of training. You will never directly burn body fat until you go past 40 minutes. While you are seeing some progress, you have to ride longer.

Either be happy with your progress, continue to watch your diet (eat the best foods available), or up your mileage to an hour or two (especially on the weekends). Good luck.


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## Blue Hills (22 Apr 2016)

Travs said:


> . On a side note, bread _shouldn't_ have any fat in. It is added to help the production process as it aids in trapping air in the dough helping it to rise. Proper kneading and proving will allow this to happen naturally but takes much more time.
> k.



Interesting post, all of it, thanks. Also the stuff on bread - on bread and fat, the italians aren't perfect. I found one bread from the giant Mulino Bianco (white mill, cos no way does it come from a factory of course) company which had, i swear, 10 or 11 per cent fat somehow squashed into it.


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## Travs (22 Apr 2016)

Blue Hills said:


> Interesting post, all of it, thanks. Also the stuff on bread - on bread and fat, the italians aren't perfect. I found one bread from the giant Mulino Bianco (white bill, cos no way does it come from a factory of course) company which had, i swear, 10 or 11 per cent fat somehow squashed into it.



You're right, they're not at all - and I'm sure the bread tastes pretty damn good. Just lucky that they have a bit more opportunity to burn it off. They say you cannot out-train a bad diet, and that will be much truer of real junk, but a more marginal indulgence can be dealt with where you have an increased metabolism - especially if you're just maintaining rather than trying to lose weight etc.


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## Blue Hills (22 Apr 2016)

Corrrected my post above - typo - that you quoted - "white bill" should have course have read "white mill". 

As in this pastoral delight.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIqnmqd4wTQ


Am sorry to disillusion you Travs, but no, that 11 per cent fat isn't delicious. Mulino Bianco makes a right load of old junk. It's prime product could be said to be advertising.

I do know good places in Italy for good bread, but I reckon German bread is generally superior.

I put Italian's generally trim shape down to fearsome self discipline.

God knows what would happen to Brits if the Italians introduced their junk breakfast biscuits (I can eat a large back of them and only just feel remotely full) to the UK.


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