Trying to lose weight and fitten up!

mattward1979

Hey guys,

Im currently just under 17st, 30 years of age, and got a road bike which I use to commute approx 50 miles per week minimum.

On top of this I use the gym at least twice a week, with the following routine..

20 mins Cross trainer, 130 bpm target
20 mins cycle, 140 bpm target
10 mins row
then various weights and core stuff for about 30 mins...

I started this week but would like some advice on whether this will achieve weight loss and fitness, or if im wasting my time on any area.

thanks!

ColinJ

Hi Matt.

It's good that you are cycling and going to the gym. Those activities will obviously improve your fitness, and will help to control your weight as long as you don't end up eating more than you used to.

The truth is, however, that it takes quite a lot of exercise to lose a relatively small amount of weight. I know from 20 years of cycling in Yorkshire that I lose about 1 pound of fat per 100 hilly miles cycled. It's much easier to lose that pound by eating 500 calories a day less than what you'd need to maintain a constant weight. That would give you a loss of about one pound per week.

Of course, if you reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories a day and do the exercise equivalent of my hilly 100 miles, in a week you'd have lost about 2 pounds of fat.

Ashley1993

Hey tbh what your doing sounds relatively good and will be effective if you stick to it. The only thing that id say is that you want to do interval training, this means that your body does not get too used to the conditions and ever time you start working hard for them few minutes your body wont be predicting the quick change in intensitivity. This means that you body digs deeper to find energy, and you are more likely to burn fat. also vary your fitness routine otherwise your body will become more aware and will get used to the level you are working at.
this is just my opinion and what ive been told, i could be talking complete rubbish :roll: but i hope this advice helps you out and GOOD LUCK!

mattward1979

Thanks for the replies

So it seems im on the right track at least.. Ill try to shake it up a bit to scare some extra lbs!
Also cutting down on the booze should help a lot as my diet is quite healthy and varied.

sagalout

Diet, diet, diet, diet - that's far more important for weight loss than exercise.

The fitness part looks fine though, assuming there isn't a rest between the machines. As said above, mix it with some interval sessions.

I struggled with my weight for years, even when I was cycling to work and going to the gym twice a day at some points. You need to discover what your own personal resting calorie intake is. Mine is lower than recommended at about 1800 cals a day. If I consume more than that without exercise the weight starts going on. I'm 6ft and 12st 4lbs but have a sedatory job. I tend to halve the calories my HRmonitor says I have used in exercise and add them to my daily intake, which is helping me lose about a pound a week.

SBezza

If you do that, and eat a healthy diet, then you will lose the weight. I was heavier than that 2 years ago, and now weight just over 12st.

I didn't cycle much to start off with, just ate a proper healthy diet, and went to the gym 4 to 5 times a week, and the pounds slowly came off. As mentioned above though the work must be done in conjunction with the diet, otherwise it would take for every and a day to achieve decent weightloss.

After a while though, you will want to change the routine and mix it up a bit, some high intensity intervals, and the occasional longer ride to work, or home will help no end. Just don't stick to steady state exercises.