Cycling/Bodybuilding/Diet

[novemberdelta]

Hi,

My background is in strength sports, but I am currently doing bodybuilding training. As part of that I am eating below maintenance to lose some of the weight I gained while powerlifting.

I have recently started cycling 2 hours a day (30 mins round trip) twice a week and am wondering about balancing calories to keep losing weight and fuelling my rides and gym.

I eat 2200 cals a day, which is what I was losing a lb a week on before adding cycling into the mix.

I weight 210lb and am about 187cm.

I would be interested in what people think I should do calorie wise. I am not looking to be fast on the bike, just to commute and complement my bodybuilding.

Thanks in advance.

 

[speccy1]

I have tried and failed to mix the two, many times...........

I hope you manage it and get the results that you want, if you do you are a better man than me!

 

[raleighnut]

You don't need 'extra' calories to ride that distance.

 

[midlife]

You don't need 'extra' calories to ride that distance.

Maybe a mini Melton Mowbray pork pie or flapjack if peckish

Shaun

 

[raleighnut]

Maybe a mini Melton Mowbray pork pie or flapjack if peckish

Shaun

 

[steve50]

If you are only doing 2hrs a day (30mins round trip ????) twice a week (if I have read that right) it is not going to have much effect on your calorie intake whereas if you were cycling the same amount everyday I would say up your calorie intake to around 3,000 per day. http://www.livestrong.com/article/311097-how-many-calories-should-an-athlete-have-a-day/

I would add that if you push your limits on the bike you will lack the energy and strength required in the gym, cycling is a very different discipline to strength training but it does fatigue the body much the same as weight lifting.

 

[novemberdelta]

I have tried and failed to mix the two, many times...........

I hope you manage it and get the results that you want, if you do you are a better man than me!

Thanks. I am only talking about 2-3 commutes a week, I don't care about being "good" at cycling. But I know it is a hard thing to balance lots of CV with demands of weights.

We will see, I will try to report back!

 

[novemberdelta]

If you are only doing 2hrs a day (30mins round trip ????) twice a week (if I have read that right) it is not going to have much effect on your calorie intake whereas if you were cycling the same amount everyday I would say up your calorie intake to around 3,000 per day. http://www.livestrong.com/article/311097-how-many-calories-should-an-athlete-have-a-day/

Thanks. Typo - 30 mile round trip. I will do it 2, maybe 3 times a week.

 

[ColinJ]

30 miles of cycling could well be burning 1,200+ calories. (I need about an extra 45 cals/mile not to lose weight if I am otherwise eating enough to maintain my weight.)

 

[raleighnut]

Thanks. Typo - 30 mile round trip. I will do it 2, maybe 3 times a week.

Ah, with a 30 mile round trip you may need a bit of extra food.

 

[Tin Pot]

Hi,

My background is in strength sports, but I am currently doing bodybuilding training. As part of that I am eating below maintenance to lose some of the weight I gained while powerlifting.

I have recently started cycling 2 hours a day (30 mins round trip) twice a week and am wondering about balancing calories to keep losing weight and fuelling my rides and gym.

I eat 2200 cals a day, which is what I was losing a lb a week on before adding cycling into the mix.

I weight 210lb and am about 187cm.

I would be interested in what people think I should do calorie wise. I am not looking to be fast on the bike, just to commute and complement my bodybuilding.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Novemberdelra,

I'd recommend you look to trainerroad for advice, they do regular podcasts and recently advised a guy coming from just your background - you might want to look at crit racing as you may have a significant head start on the rest of us here.
http://blog.trainerroad.com

I do endurance training - 12-17hrs a week, which I'm sure you'll agree is very different to strength training(!)

Good luck

 

[novemberdelta]

Hi Novemberdelra,

I'd recommend you look to trainerroad for advice, they do regular podcasts and recently advised a guy coming from just your background - you might want to look at crit racing as you may have a significant head start on the rest of us here.
http://blog.trainerroad.com

I do endurance training - 12-17hrs a week, which I'm sure you'll agree is very different to strength training(!)

Good luck

Very different - more or less the opposite!

Thanks for that, I will check out trainerroad. I love cycling to work, so I am determined to make it work for my training programme! I was thinking it might be a good idea to get a HRM and train in the lower zones to help conserve energy.

 

[WelshJon]

I've tried to mix both disciplines but it's very difficult. I suppose high protein and low intensity cycling is the key to keep the lean muscle on and lose body fat.

My downfall was club rides and harder cycling, consuming energy bars, gels, flapjacks and what not meant sticking to my planned macro's was near impossible and would always over do the carbs not to burn out.

My workout was usually based around full body compound lifts but always found myself holding back on the squats and dead lifts as I knew I had cycling and didnt want killer doms.

So yeh, its hard.

 

[Blue Hills]

Yes, the problem with tougher longer rides is there is a fair chance there will be no calorie defecit at all - energy food on the ride (as you say it is important to avoid the bonk) followed by reward food and drink when you stagger back home Moderate and often is best I think.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, the problem with tougher longer rides is there is a fair chance there will be no calorie defecit at all - energy food on the ride (as you say it is important to avoid the bonk) followed by reward food and drink when you stagger back home Moderate and often is best I think.

On a day where I was doing a 100 mile ride (or maybe even a 200 km one) I used to have a large bowl of porridge first thing, drink 3-4 litres of carbo drink on the bike, plus a coffee or two with sugar, plus one or two 500 mL Cokes, plus chocolate/cake as fancied, then eat whatever I wanted/had the energy to eat when I got home. Result ...? Usually ~1 pound weight loss on the 100 mile rides and 1.25 pounds on the 200 km rides! (That is actual weight loss AFTER fluid losses were made up over the next day or two. I'd get home 5 or 6 pounds down on the day, but most of that was due to fluid loss.)