Cycle slower to loose weight.

[sddg7tfl]

Just thought i'd post about my current training regime as it may be of interest?
(Skip to the end section if i'm boring you).

First some background history of the first 3 years / 5130 miles.
Back in March 2010 weighing 17 stones 1 pound my doctor advised i take up exercise as my asthma
was getting worse.
So i dug out my 1988 Raleigh mountain bike, overhauled it completely and started riding to/from work.
Those 1.3 mile rides after not being on a bike since 1988 were painful on the legs ... and i'd be amazed how blokes wearing trench coats would whizz past me on bikes over 40 years old.
Anyway, i had a lockup garage 6 miles away, so took a packed lunch and drink and set off one saturday to see if i could cycle this distance. I did, then i popped the bike in the garage and phoned for a taxi to take me home. I had three days of aching legs after that six miles!
The following weekend (after driving all week) i taxied back to get the bike & 3 days of legs pains!

By July 2010 i was cycling 30 miles at weekends on the heavy 1988 mountain bike.

During August 2010 i bought a Garmin Forerunner 305 watch to record/upload rides to Garmin Connect.

By September 2010 i was cycling 60 miles at weekends after changing components on the bike to make it easier to ride (slick tyres/seat/etc).
My weight was now 16 stones 4 pounds (Even though i was eating all the normal junk food and still not making any attempts at dieting).

March 2011 i bought a mountain bike to start exploring some of the fenland waterway tracks (and started throwing in evening cycle rides after work of around 22 miles to supplement my weekend 40-60 milers).

November 2011 i bought a mid-range road bike for dry weather use.

December 2011 i bought i cheap and nasty lower range road bike for wet weather/night use.
My weight was now 15 stones 11 pounds but still eating Mcdonalds/Kfc/Kebabs/Etc.

June 2012 i bought a Garmin Edge 800 + o/s mapping.

August 2012 i started migrating all my records from Garmin Connect to Strava. (Which probably upset a few people as suddenly they'd loose a KOM to this new kid on the block who'd ridden a segment 12 months earlier ).
All through 2012 i continued riding the three bikes, often racing myself, often being lazy, but always
finding time amongst my busy work/home life to get out there.
At the end of 2012 (and having successfully completed the Strava/Rapha Festive 500kms in 8 days) my weight was 13 stones 10 pounds!

So that's 47 pounds cycled off *without* even considering dieting.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time to diet down to my ideal weight (11 stones).
Now all this time i've been building fitness and speed whilst carrying excessive weight.

I can average 17mph over a 30 mile circular course.
I can thrash a two mile segment at 90% of my heart rate to win a KOM ... i have a few now.
I can bonk after 60 miles, but keep going at 10mph for another 20 miles. (Horrible, plus the lack
of concentration from a dulled brain makes pot-holes harder to avoid).

My diet while cycling plan.

• Limit daily calories to 1500 (allowing for cycling calories).
• Do not believe the calories shown on Strava! (It showed 1350 for a 30 miler yesterday when my Garmin Edge 800 said a more realistic 560 for a 30 miler at 53% of my MHR!).
• ****Cut the cycling speed right down****

Energetic rides cannot be fuelled by fat alone, so muscle glycogen is used instead.
When muscle glycogen is used, the massive 1-pack strikes up at the end of a 1000 calorie ride demanding 1500 calories of food by sending out hunger signals!

Also by cycling slower and burning less calories per ride, i'll be able to go out and repeat every day,
so ride calories burnt will be less per day, but more overall per week.

Any other tips?

Edit: I will still throw in a single high-effort ride every week. Either 16 climbs up the local flyovers, or a flat-out 30 miler, but will do these a few hours after the sunday roast.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Time to diet down to my ideal weight (11 stones).

My diet while cycling plan.

• Limit daily calories to 1500 (allowing for cycling calories).
• Do not believe the calories shown on Strava! (It showed 1350 for a 30 miler yesterday when my Garmin Edge 800 said a more realistic 560 for a 30 miler at 53% of my MHR!).
• ****Cut the cycling speed right down****

Energetic rides cannot be fuelled by fat alone, so muscle glycogen is used instead.
When muscle glycogen is used, the massive 1-pack strikes up at the end of a 1000 calorie ride demanding 1500 calories of food by sending out hunger signals!

Also by cycling slower and burning less calories per ride, i'll be able to go out and repeat every day,
so ride calories burnt will be less per day, but more overall per week.

Any other tips?

Edit: I will still throw in a single high-effort ride every week. Either 16 climbs up the local flyovers, or a flat-out 30 miler, but will do these a few hours after the sunday roast.

Yes ditch your flawed science and do it properly. 1500 cals per day for a grown man is VERY LOW. Barely more than the UK average intake for a woman.

Muscle glycogen being used is serving it's purpose. It isn't used instead, it is used in proportion with fat.

You'll probably not burn less per ride. If anything by riding slowly enough that fat is easily metabolised you'd be burning more. Carbs 4cals per g | fat 9cals per g. Either way, 1500cals per day simply isn't enough.


I can't say what I really want to,because I will ultimately get banned for it. You evidently need to do a bit more research before you begin this "thing"

 

[Radchenister]

Why would being factual get you banned? Being abusive and insulting does that IMO?

I am interested in this thread so why not have a civilised debate whilst aiming to educate people like me?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Why would being factual get you banned? Being abusive and insulting does that IMO?

I am interested in this thread so why not have a civilised debate whilst aiming to educate people like me?

Re-read the sentence. The fact I would be banned for saying what I really thought of the idea should be clue enough as to how stupid I think it is,and believe it is.

 

[numbnuts]

That's the trouble with the internet, every ones an expert

 

[Radchenister]

T.M.H.N.E.T. , my query is does the reference to 1500 calories mean separate to the cycling requirement or including the requirement - is that where the confusion is?

'Limit daily calories to 1500 (allowing for cycling calories).'

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

T.M.H.N.E.T. , did he not reference 1500 as separate to the cycling requirement?

No

 

[ayceejay]

"My weight was now 15 stones 11 pounds but still eating Mcdonalds/Kfc/Kebabs/Etc."
Using this statement as a guide can I suggest that rather than count calories (and 1500 per day is way too low anyway) you concentrate on the quality of your food intake.

 

[Radchenister]

Clear as mud, I'll leave you to it.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Bad science aside (an argument for others to take up), may I say well done!.......I hope you manage to keep it off.

 

[ayceejay]

Putting diet aside, does the question boil down to: which is best for weight loss, short high intensity exercise or long low intensity exercise?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Putting diet aside, does the question boil down to: which is best for weight loss, short high intensity exercise or long low intensity exercise?

It should come down to the ability,fitness,experience and time constraint of the person. The method you use, should be applicable. You could say there is a "best" way for one person, but probably not "best" all of the time.

30stone Mary probably wouldn't do well in a 30min HIIT session - but would be better suited to low impact cardio (swimming,walking,cycling) perhaps even light weights.

8 stone dripping wet Catherine who wants to lose a few % BF in order for her abs to show but only has 30mins per day, would be better suited to HIIT within her time constraints.

I'm not entirely sure what supposed benefit there is to the OP's strange idea

 

[ayceejay]

The aim is to reach " my ideal weight (11 stones".
Given that this is the "supposed benefit" and assuming that we want to guide the OP, how is his plan flawed and what else might he consider.
The daily intake of 1500 calories is too low (many interweb sites address this issue)
When deciding on slow versus fast you must consider where you are now and time constraints (see TMHNET above)
With the determination already demonstrated, the OP has that part of the equation covered.
But loosing a lot of weight quickly may not be good for ones health - set realistic goals.

 

[Kies]

As a complete beginner into sports science and weight loss,what have i gained from this thread?

The OP has lost a lot of weight by cycling a lot,limiting his calorie intake AND eating lots of junk food?

1500 calories is too low for an adult male.

No clearer on slow long distance cycling is better for weight loss than fast short distance riding.



Pulls up chair and dives into popcorn .....

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

The aim is to reach " my ideal weight (11 stones".
(1)Given that this is the "supposed benefit" and assuming that we want to guide the OP, how is his plan flawed and what else might he consider.
(2)The daily intake of 1500 calories is too low (many interweb sites address this issue)
(3)When deciding on slow versus fast you must consider where you are now and time constraints (see TMHNET above)
(4)With the determination already demonstrated, the OP has that part of the equation covered.
(5)But loosing a lot of weight quickly may not be good for ones health - set realistic goals.

(1) Being 11stone isn't a supposed benefit, it's a goal. The benefit of exercise+diet done right is CV fitness + weight -, but only when done right.
(2) It's not only too low but creates a huge deficit which will ultimately in the end, also consume muscle tissue along with it. Muscle loss = less calories used at rest which generally leads to weight gain when calories increase, it only compounds starvation responses.
(3)I think you've missed the important bit. The OP wants to eat a lot less, cycle slower and cycle more which is still going to create a massive deficit, likely in the range of unsustainable. Nobody at this point knows what if any benefit there is to it,especially it seems the OP - it seems to stem from wanting to eat less - meaning performance would be limited(based on the relative speed at which fat is metabolized)
(4) Yes.
(5) There is no reason we know of that the OP would need to lose quickly. It's already been 2 1/2yrs odd,another 6 months sustainable loss isn't going to be a bad thing. Hell I'm tempted to post my collection of sustainable loss/rapid loss pics gleamed off the 'net. Just to show the reality of the differences.

With that said. I'd love more info. INC - height/age/current diet/current activity level/diagnosed limitations and where the OP got this 1500cal per day slow ride idea from.