Why no weight loss?

[amaferanga]

I am curious as to why so many people say that the calories I am using are inaccurate though? Surely calories burned are a mathematical equation? My HR monitor takes into account my gender, weight, height, resting HR and vo2 max so how can people say this is widly inaccurate? Surely this has got to be more accurate than trying to say so many calories per mile which does not take into account the weight, gender, exhertion or fitness level of the cyclist?

Calories burned on a bike relates to your power output. As has probably been covered on this thread already, the energy used to propel the bike (in kiloJoules) can be equated almost 1:1 to the kCal burnt (assuming human efficiency of 25%). So if you ride at say 200 Watts for 60 minutes you'd 'use' 720kJ of energy and burn approximately 720 kCal. Environmental conditions can influence the 1:1 relationship, but in the real world you'll probably not get a closer calorie estimate than you'd get from a powermeter on your bike.

Unfortunately power output doesn't really correlate with heart rate in a way that allows a simple mathematical equation. If it did then no-one would waste several hundred or even thousands of pounds on power meters - they'd just get a £10 heart rate monitor instead. Manufacturers such as Polar and Garmin use various algorithms to estimate calories burnt, but they simply cannot be accurate due to the fact that there's no direct correlation between HR and power.

Unfortunately again, most websites and HR monitors seem to overestimate kCal burnt, which is why many people are recommending taking a conservative ballpark figure instead of the ludicrous figures thrown around on this and other threads.

 

[VamP]

Thanks for the advice - I weighed myself last night and the weight is starting to shift - not massive amounts but 2 kg gone so that's a start and I have noticed that my trousers are def getting looser.

I am curious as to why so many people say that the calories I am using are inaccurate though? Surely calories burned are a mathematical equation? My HR monitor takes into account my gender, weight, height, resting HR and vo2 max so how can people say this is widly inaccurate? Surely this has got to be more accurate than trying to say so many calories per mile which does not take into account the weight, gender, exhertion or fitness level of the cyclist?

With regards to saying I am eating too much - I put the thread up as I have successfully lost weight in the past (over 6 stone). I then re-gained some and lost that by burning 6000 cals a week through exercise (according to my HR monitor) and eating between 1600 - 2000 calories a day (1600 in the week, 2000 at the weekend). I was disheartened at first as I thought I would lose weight as before immediately but guess I had just forgotten how much muscle I would be building initially.

The caveman diet is interesting but to be honest far too expensive for me to try so I am happy to keep doing what I am doing for now - my mileage is building nicely (I managed 500 miles in the first 4 weeks of having the bike and this should increase as I know that I can now do 70 mile rides comfortably and my average speed is increasing too).

Congratulations on the weight now shifting. That obviously means that you are now getting the balance between calories burned versus calories eaten right.

The reason why we were suggesting that you *might* be eating too much was because your weight was not responding at all. Now that it is, just carry on doing what you are doing, and stick with it.

Amaferanga is correct about the HR monitor. It is misleading you. Your gender, weight, heart rate, VO2max and fitness levels are largely irrelevant to the additional calories you are burning due to cycling. The duration and the power output of the exercise are the only things that really matter. You've told us the duration and the approximate intensity (ave. speed), therefore we can see you are not burning more than about 3000 calories as an absolute maximum due to cycling. Probably less.

Obviously if your mileage goes up (has gone up already?) then so will your calorie burn. As you get fitter you will be able to sustain a higher power output, and that will increase your calorie burn also.

If you get a chance to play with a calibrated power meter, then that's a great tool for establishing your power levels at different speeds - you can then use this to work out more accurately your energy consumption.

 

[MacB]

Totally unsupported anecdote alert!!!!!


Was chatting with my wife earlier and one of her colleagues, science teacher, was involved in a long term study of diets. Something to do with a TV programme and Eamon Holmes...no idea of detail neither of us had ever heard of it. But they tested loads of different ones, I think it was over 18 months to 2 years. The Atkins, and variations, came out top, Weightwatchers was ok and all the rest weren't even on the same songsheet...apparently. I think they assessed weight lost, health, energy while on diet and speed, if any, of weight regain. Particularly bad were things like Slimfast which came as no real surprise to us.

 

[Becs]

I lost 2.5 stone on weightwatchers (it came back when I went on a bit of an eating and drinking out bender while not cycling much but that wasn't unexpected!). I reckon any of the diets that make you pay attention to your portion sizes and the calories in booze/carbs/cheese will do the job. Atkins works very well but it puts your body into a state of ketosis which is very bad for you in the long term, I think low carb but not no carbs has got to be the way to go. My collegue (super slim gorgeous rower turned marathon runner) refers to it as "earning your food" no exercise = no carbs, active 40 miles + on the bike = a nice amount of the carb of your choice. Seems to be working, I've dropped 9 pounds in 2 weeks (I always lose loads initially then plateau to 1 to 2lbs a week) with 1 naughty day a week (big meal out at a persian restaurant on Thurs - yum!).

 

[MacB]

I lost 2.5 stone on weightwatchers (it came back when I went on a bit of an eating and drinking out bender while not cycling much but that wasn't unexpected!). I reckon any of the diets that make you pay attention to your portion sizes and the calories in booze/carbs/cheese will do the job. Atkins works very well but it puts your body into a state of ketosis which is very bad for you in the long term, I think low carb but not no carbs has got to be the way to go. My collegue (super slim gorgeous rower turned marathon runner) refers to it as "earning your food" no exercise = no carbs, active 40 miles + on the bike = a nice amount of the carb of your choice. Seems to be working, I've dropped 9 pounds in 2 weeks (I always lose loads initially then plateau to 1 to 2lbs a week) with 1 naughty day a week (big meal out at a persian restaurant on Thurs - yum!).

That sounds about right, the Atkins variation we're doing at the moment does allow carbs. You're meant to avoid them for 2 weeks except for in veg but after that you can relax to include fruit. I'll probably also include normal carbs on Fri/Sat and, where needed, if cycling. But the main thing is I'll avoid the crap, the crips etc.

 

[Becs]

That sounds about right, the Atkins variation we're doing at the moment does allow carbs. You're meant to avoid them for 2 weeks except for in veg but after that you can relax to include fruit. I'll probably also include normal carbs on Fri/Sat and, where needed, if cycling. But the main thing is I'll avoid the crap, the crips etc.

sadly I have discovered that cheese is the food of the devil when it comes to diets, this makes me sad!

 

[Rykard]

sadly I have discovered that cheese is the food of the devil when it comes to diets, this makes me sad!

but it taste sooooooo good, we were holidaying in Yorkshire last month and stumbled upon the wensleydale factory and restaurant.. it was good. I have never seen so much cheese on a jacket spud..

 

[Angelfishsolo]

sadly I have discovered that cheese is the food of the devil when it comes to diets, this makes me sad!

I care not Cheese is one of my biggest weaknesses. The higher fat the better, on a crunchy baguette...... feeling hungry now!!!

 

[lulubel]

You can eat anything you like, in moderation, and if you're doing enough exercise. That's the philosophy I went with when I lost nearly 6 stone a few years ago. Cheese, crisps, chocolate, ice cream .... nothing was out of bounds.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

You can eat anything you like, in moderation, and if you're doing enough exercise. That's the philosophy I went with when I lost nearly 6 stone a few years ago. Cheese, crisps, chocolate, ice cream .... nothing was out of bounds.

+1

 

[Becs]

You can eat anything you like, in moderation, and if you're doing enough exercise. That's the philosophy I went with when I lost nearly 6 stone a few years ago. Cheese, crisps, chocolate, ice cream .... nothing was out of bounds.

It's the moderation that is the problem! I could murder a massive cheese board right now! mmmmmmm cheeeeeeeese! I have a very pringle-like mentality!

However, I will be moderating my sauvingion blanc intake tonight - having attended the "Hampstead Hijinx" this morning I feel I deserve at least half a bottle!

 

[potsy]

Can you all stop talking about cheese please!! I am very aware of the large piece sitting in my fridge at the minute and don't want to be tempted into having some for an afternoon snack

First weigh-in today, 2lbs lost this week

 

[Willo]

My weight doesn't fluctuate too much but I've added 3/4 lbs this year which I can't shift despite all the exercise. I starting to accept that it's a combo of muscle density and my age. Oddly a few people have commented recently that I'm looking fit and trim when actually I've put on weight. Stick with it, if there's weight to come off it will in time.

 

[vickster]

My weight doesn't fluctuate too much but I've added 3/4 lbs this year which I can't shift despite all the exercise. I starting to accept that it's a combo of muscle density and my age. Oddly a few people have commented recently that I'm looking fit and trim when actually I've put on weight. Stick with it, if there's weight to come off it will in time.

Exactly the same here, my weight has been pretty static in a 2-3lb range all year ... feel fitter though and my knee is much better...just need to eat less crap, cheese not a bother but I d0 have a sweet tooth (indeed 30 or so sweet teeth!) I lost about 15 kg, want to shift another 8 but nothing doing

 

[barongreenback]

You can eat anything you like, in moderation, and if you're doing enough exercise. That's the philosophy I went with when I lost nearly 6 stone a few years ago. Cheese, crisps, chocolate, ice cream .... nothing was out of bounds.

So true. I lost 10 stone in a year by doing exercise 4 times a week (running - going from 5k to 10k to half marathon distance and then knackering my knees training for a marathon). Nothing was off limits and I really, really wish I'd found this out rather than spending my 20s as a lardarse. Shame the knee problem meant I put about 4.5 stone back on!!! (now losing it again, 2.5 stone to go...)