Your cycling weight...? (help and advice required)....
Comments
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No offence taken - as a somewhat tubby oldy I just wanted to have my say! Happy New Year!0
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I'm 6ft 2" and weigh 12 St 11lbs. In April 2009 I was 14 St 6lbs. Dropping the weight wasn't too hard for me, but I was motiviated and a job conditions change helped (I started working from home but doing the same job). Even though I've doubled my annual mileage in 2009 compared to 2008 (hence weightloss), I still struggle up hills. It's only when I examine the data in Sporttracks that I realise I'm faster up hills now. So it's true what they say, it doesn't get easier - but it does get faster.
Work out what you want from cycling and tailor your lifestyle to it.0 -
bristolpete wrote:The biggest disappointment this year was the cover of Cycling Weekly asking 'is it ok to be fat'. I feel that they could have worded it so much better....
surely its no different from 'is it ok to smoke' everyone knows that excess weight causes health problems and that it is causing more deaths year on year.
Just playing devils advocate comments are appreciated..0 -
You need to eat a maximum of 10x your lean weight in pounds in calories to lose weight
Someone who is 5ft 9 and muscular will have a lean weight ( muscle bone and minimum bodyfat ) of about 11 stone, or 160pounds max. So try to stick to 1600 calories per day and you WILL lose weight gradually
Try to eat about 140 grams of protein per day, and don't eat carbs after 6pm ( unless you're training in the evening )
And alcohol makes you overeat, stops your body burning fat, and is full of calories, so no more than a bottle of wine per week, or 4 pints of beer
That's it
Easy to type- less easy to do- but worth it.0 -
Eat 10x your weight in pounds in calories? What a crock of rubbish.
If you weigh 160 lbs, 1600 calories will barely be enough to keep you alive, let alone allow you to get out on your bike. Sure, you'll lose weight for the first couple of weeks, but after that you'll be tired all the time and get ill very easily, and you'll struggle to sustainably lose much more weight.
Far better to be sensible, and try and calculate calories in vs calories out, and just keep your food to ~500 kcal less than you're burning to get a sustainable weight loss. I would agree with the comments to try and keep your protein high (~1.6-1.7g/kg weight) when you're trying to lose weight, but to try and eat as little as the previous poster said is lunacy.FTT
Specialized Allez
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49364032@N03/4820302085/
Steel bike http://www.flickr.com/photos/49364032@N03/46563181470 -
Update....
Funny one this, but I felt very upset at my weight after the weigh in at my Mums house and decided to see the doctor as I was shocked. The bloody good news is that I am actually a stone lighter than my mums scales registered, which leaves me massively relieved.
Obviously, something was wrong with her scales, but thats a big difference and one I knew I my head was wrong, somehow - hence the check up. I just knew I could not be shy of 16 stone based on how I felt.....
Mad.0 -
pbt150 wrote:Eat 10x your weight in pounds in calories? What a crock of rubbish.
If you weigh 160 lbs, 1600 calories will barely be enough to keep you alive, let alone allow you to get out on your bike. Sure, you'll lose weight for the first couple of weeks, but after that you'll be tired all the time and get ill very easily, and you'll struggle to sustainably lose much more weight.
Far better to be sensible, and try and calculate calories in vs calories out, and just keep your food to ~500 kcal less than you're burning to get a sustainable weight loss. I would agree with the comments to try and keep your protein high (~1.6-1.7g/kg weight) when you're trying to lose weight, but to try and eat as little as the previous poster said is lunacy.
The 1600 calorie calculation is actually pretty good - if you were doing NO exercise.
I'm currently training on 1000 calories a day - PLUS whatever I burn off cycling. So if I do 1000 cals cycling, I take in 2000 cals total. It's really only saving 7000 cals a week - or two pounds of body weight. (Based on 2000 cals a day basic requirement)
Some might say 'drastic', but it actually works.0 -
actually, far from being a crock of rubbish, it's an established equation- the principle of basal metabolic rate -sorry if its confusing
My basal metabolic rate is around 2000 calories- thats the amount of calories I expend normally without exercise
add an average of 500 calories per day burnt through exercise- sometimes more sometimes less- that's 2500/day needed to stay the same.
I weigh 220ish pounds- therefore 10 x that is 2200 calories per day - will give me a deficit of 300 calories per day. To burn a pound of fat needs a deficit of 3500 so following this guideline will result in weight loss of a single pound in 12 days, or about half a stone in 3 months. Seems eminently sensible to me....
The reason most of the western world is overweight is because we eat too much....0 -
Out of interest, if you say someone 5'9" will only have 160 lbs of lean body mass (giving a basal calorie intake of 1600 calories), how tall are you so that you have 220 lbs of lean body mass to give you a basal intake of 2200 calories?
Your intake also assumes you are already at your lean weight if you are allowing 10 times your body weight with no deductions.0 -
BMR varies from person to person, my BMR is about 2600 calories, I am 5ft 7in, and weigh just over 11 1/2 stone. It is recommended to have a calorie deficet of 500 calories per day, so I ideally would be taking on over 2000 calories per day. This is without any exercise at all.
Now not everyone will know their lean body mass, only the total body mass, so how do those that have no idea what there lean body mass is decide on calories. If you want to lose weight use an online program to find out your BMR and then aim for about 500 calories less. If you train hard, add these calories on. There have been days where I have eaten 1800 calories on a non training day to over 3000 when training twice a day. I am still losing weight, just very slowly.0 -
Firstly Hi bristolpete, been a fan of your photography for a couple of years must be, on flickr.
Well I am 5' 9" also. In April last year I tipped the scales at 21st 1llb. I had tight fitting 40" jeans which should have been 42" but I refused to buy them. My wife gave me a gift of a Rockhopper mountain bike at the start of that month as I used to ride a lot as a child and I always used to say to her "If I had a bike I could lose weight no problem"
To start with I kept the same hi calorie diet and did about 60-90 miles per week on the bike, about 2hrs being my max at any one time. Come summer I decided to see a sports scientist to get my diet sorted, to give me low calorie diet but with enough fuel to be able to go out and ride. So I am still on his plan, which is 1400 calories per day + whatever I burn during exercise minus 20% so for a 1000 calorie which is about 80 mins ride for me, I can eat 2200 calories for my day. I also consume 240 calories (not counted in my daily calories at all) in the form of carb drink/bars to keep my energy levels up. I only do this on rides that I know I am going to be more than 3 hours on now though.
So after 8 months I am now riding about 300 miles per week on average, plus doing rowing and light weights in the gym. Have a healthy diet and am now 15st 3llb and fit into 34” jeans no problem, so 82 pounds so far with another 30ish to go this year.
My wife treated me to a road bike for Christmas for all my hard work, so the miles are going to be quicker to reach and if I get to my 13st goal I am getting a set of wheels of my choice bless her.0 -
Well done Thunderflash. Similar to what I did.
You're lucky you can fit into a 34 in waist at over 15 stone! Especially if you're just 5-9.
I'm 6 foot and almost 12 stone now and still can't quite make a 34 inch trouser! You must be really top-heavy then.
Anyway - keep up the good work. It's totally worth it. I have lost an extra 20 pounds since last summer - with only 10 more to go!0 -
Nice one pokerface and thanks!
I am top heavy yes, I used to be a bodybuilder in my early 20's and I now seem to be returning to that shape rather than my pre-bodybuilding cyclist shape. I have 26" thighs at the widest point and 44" chest but luckily I have a small rear and waist hence the jeans size.
I am not exactly going to be an ideal cyclist shape but as I am just on my own my body shape and speed etc doesn't really matter. I ride for fitness and weight loss only so unless my new road bike changes things and makes me want to join a club or something I will just keep plodding along.
How is your weight loss now that your reaching your goal weight pokerface? Easier to loose now that your lighter and can go further/faster? Or slower just because your in a good weight zone as it is? Because I am aiming for 13st just I am hoping I won't reach the slow tail off. Losing 3-4 pounds a week just now and hope to at worst be losing 2 pounds0 -
thunderflash55 wrote:How is your weight loss now that your reaching your goal weight pokerface? Easier to loose now that your lighter and can go further/faster? Or slower just because your in a good weight zone as it is? Because I am aiming for 13st just I am hoping I won't reach the slow tail off. Losing 3-4 pounds a week just now and hope to at worst be losing 2 pounds
I dropped about 6 stone in 3 months initially, then put half a stone back on.
For the past 2 years I have stayed between 13 and 14 stone. My biggest problem - I LOVE to eat. I wasn't trying to lose weight during that time. And even when I tried, it seems I couldn't drop below 13 stone.
But that was mainly due to my eating habits.
So now I am tracking EVERY calorie to see what goes in, and have a powermeter which gives me an fairly accurate idea of how many calories I'm burning.
I have ditched the junk food and chocolate and for the past few weeks the weight has started dropping off again. Rapidly.
Cycling is improved, although endurance wasn't a problem (I have ridden 100 miles in a day and done things like London to Paris and a little bit of racing). But I struggle with hills, so I am dropping more excess fat. And it IS excess fat!
It really just takes focus and determination.
2 more weeks - and then I stop dieting and focus on power production - so my daily calories will closely match what I expend. As long as I don't gain it back - I'll be happy!0 -
Slightly off at a tangent, but I'm 5'11 and 78kgs at the moment which is only 1kg over my racing weight last season. My question is when should I start to reduce my weight down to my "peak" target of 76kg? At the moment, when it's freezing cold, carrying a few extra pounds helps to keep me warm! I also don't want to be too light for the early season warm up races.
Cheers0 -
Surely if you only want to lose 2 kgs, you can start anytime, easier to lose it now, rather than try in the racing season IMO. Last year I didn't lose any weight during the racing season, as I made sure that recovery was the priority, and that meant eating the right amount of food. I am losing my weight currently, so that when my first race happens, I am at my ideal race weight.
If the extra 2 kgs keeps you that much warmer, then keep it on, but losing 2kgs would take about 4 weeks on a 500 calorie a day deficit. I think I would want to be at the lowest weight possible at the first race.0 -
Pokerface wrote:I'm 6 foot and almost 12 stone now and still can't quite make a 34 inch trouser! You must be really top-heavy then.
Is it the waist or the upper leg that causes this, as at 5' 7" at 12 st I can get into 30in trousers, in fact my 32in trousers keep falling down
, must get some new ones. The only thing I would struggle on is my legs. 0 -
SBezza wrote:Pokerface wrote:I'm 6 foot and almost 12 stone now and still can't quite make a 34 inch trouser! You must be really top-heavy then.
Is it the waist or the upper leg that causes this, as at 5' 7" at 12 st I can get into 30in trousers, in fact my 32in trousers keep falling down , must get some new ones. The only thing I would struggle on is my legs.
I suspect I probably COULD get into a 34 inch waist now, as my 36 inch ones are falling off me and require the last belt hole to keep them up! I just like 'loose' trousers - for the massive Quads so usually go a size bigger.
I am also top-heavy with a lot of muscle from my weight lifting days in the past. Still have a broad chest and big arms, even though I haven't lifted a weight in over 2 years!0 -
Yet another 5'9"er here.. I'm really lucky to have a skinny metabolism, I've never found it too hard to keep the weight down (currently about 64kg, gets down to 61-62 in the summer), although I do put a little fat on around the kidneys and love-handle areas if I don't watch what I eat. I'm a bit reluctant to give advice to people who may have different metabolisms and naturally find it much more difficult to keep the weight down, but there are two things I have noticed when I look at how I eat and how other people eat. The first is that my metabolism seems to have a good inbuilt connection between energy demands and hunger response. If I don't do anything all day, I don't feel very hungry and I don't eat very much. If I have been on an 90mile ride I am ravenous and can't stop eating for hours.. I have noticed when spending time with other people 24/7 that many people don't have this to the same extent, they will eat about the same amount when they have been idle and when they have been active. I think it's possible to learn to tune in better to what your body is actually telling you about how much you need to eat. I know that if I am not hungry and I force the food down for some reason (e.g. I am out for a meal but I don't feel very hungry) I can start to have more of an appetite just because I am eating... I think this is something you really need to avoid.
The second thing I have noticed is just how much rubbish most people eat & drink! E.g. imho, if you are serious about losing weight, you should NEVER drink fizzy drinks like coke etc. (unless maybe on the bike). That stuff is basically just sugar solution, yet most people I see around me seem to drink these things all of the time instead of water... I always just drink water with a meal. If I am eating out I will have fizzy water. Once you get into the habit of doing this the idea of drinking something like coke is pretty revolting, it is just too sweet. Anyone who moans about a weight problem and then regularly downs the best part of a litre of free-refill coke or 7up every lunch time needs to seriously think about their diet.. Another thing I think is important is good quality carbs. Always eat wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta if you can find it, jacket potatoes instead of chips. I have a theory about unsliced bread. Sliced bread is always sliced really thinly (even the supposedly thick sliced stuff). You might think this is good, because you are eating less with each slice, but of course you just end up eating more slices, and what's worse, every slice has butter/marge/jam or whatever on it, so you end up eating far more of these things. Don't mess about, get good quality unsliced bread (wholemeal, the denser the better) + a decent bread knife and cut yourself a proper 2cm slice. It will fill you up and stop you nibbling on unhealthy snacks for the rest of the morning...0 -
That's a good amount of weight to have lost pokerface!
I find that tracking all my calorie intake makes me a lot stricter with what goes in. I use livestrongs Daily Plate as it is cheaper than the likes of Nutracheck which I used to use. What do You use a website or just the old fashioned notebook?
Never thought of using a powermeter and can't really afford one now with all the stuff I am going to need for the MTB to road bike transition. I had my calorie and co2 usage mapped when I first started back in April though and it turns out that my Garmin 705 was only slightly out calorie wise, I need to remove 7% of the total after each ride. I am supposed to go back to get re-tested as things change as you get fitter but at 135 pounds a test I will leave it to guess work just now.
If all is well tomorrow weather wise I will be doing my 1st ever 100 miler, bit worried about riding a road bike though, skinny tyres and flimsy looking wheels has me nervous kind0 -
All builds all sizes I'm 6ft bang on and 13st10lbs on a bad day, but fit in "32" waist jeans. Came back to biking a couple off years back from a weight lifting back ground for the last 10 years.
Don't and I mean don't, want to get any lighter but the lads I ride with are lighter so climbing is tough. So might bite the bullet and get under 13st and see if it any easier this climbing lark? :?0 -
Don't think weight's everything when climbing.
I'm 171, and 54kg ( think that's around 5ft6-7, bit over 8 stone), and people a fair bit heavier still rinsed me in the Pyrenees.
I just don't have much talent, so the power just isn't there!Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.0 -
thunderflash55 wrote:Firstly Hi bristolpete, been a fan of your photography for a couple of years must be, on flickr.
Well I am 5' 9" also. In April last year I tipped the scales at 21st 1llb. I had tight fitting 40" jeans which should have been 42" but I refused to buy them. My wife gave me a gift of a Rockhopper mountain bike at the start of that month as I used to ride a lot as a child and I always used to say to her "If I had a bike I could lose weight no problem"
To start with I kept the same hi calorie diet and did about 60-90 miles per week on the bike, about 2hrs being my max at any one time. Come summer I decided to see a sports scientist to get my diet sorted, to give me low calorie diet but with enough fuel to be able to go out and ride. So I am still on his plan, which is 1400 calories per day + whatever I burn during exercise minus 20% so for a 1000 calorie which is about 80 mins ride for me, I can eat 2200 calories for my day. I also consume 240 calories (not counted in my daily calories at all) in the form of carb drink/bars to keep my energy levels up. I only do this on rides that I know I am going to be more than 3 hours on now though.
So after 8 months I am now riding about 300 miles per week on average, plus doing rowing and light weights in the gym. Have a healthy diet and am now 15st 3llb and fit into 34” jeans no problem, so 82 pounds so far with another 30ish to go this year.
My wife treated me to a road bike for Christmas for all my hard work, so the miles are going to be quicker to reach and if I get to my 13st goal I am getting a set of wheels of my choice bless her.
Small world, I appreciate the compliment. My flickr is down at the moment, but will be putting more up over the coming year and of course covering events for various people.
Your situation is incredible and credit to you for that. Goes to show that with commitment and the right advice it is all possible. Good for you.
Pete.0 -
I have trained my regime now. I am currently hitting the light weights three times per week 400 reps upper and lower body, plus riding tues/thurs/sat road and friday off road.
It is coming off, I am starting the food diary as well. My GF says she sees the difference and I rode my training hill as a PB on Tuesday night. Early days however and nothing happens overnight.
I have however shifted my thoughts from distance to TT now as whilst I love distance, my legs have some power. I did a sportive TT on Tuesday, 10 miles in 28 mins. I will therefore be entering all my club TT's this year and if I can get sub 24 mins which I think I can then great. Early days but I feel excited and electric on my bike.
I may start a blog about it too, dunno.0 -
I know it sounds really silly, but have you tried WeightWatchers online? They have a really good tool for monitoring what you eat and your exercise - and if you sign up through one of the QuidCo cashback sites then you can get £30 back, which covers 3 months of payments (so, effectively, you're getting it for free, after which point you can cancel).
I am 6ft and currently weigh 13st 9lbs but I've been on WeightWatchers for 2 weeks now and have found it really good.
I used to be a lanky junior and could whip up a hill, but when I tried getting back into road racing last year I realised quite quickly that my definition of 'fit' is woefully inadequate. I was 14st 4lbs and although that's not a great deal, I found myself falling backwards whenever the road went uphill.
My aim between now and February is to get my weight down to 12st 4lbs so I'm a bit lighter on the hills - and WeightWatchers has been really helpful in that regard. I don't actually think I realised how many calories most of the food I consumed had in them, but it really helps.
So, my aim for the season is to lose weight between now and Feb whilst keeping generally fitness up, then stepping up the training until April and starting the season racing then.0 -
bristolpete wrote:I have trained my regime now. I am currently hitting the light weights three times per week 400 reps upper and lower body, plus riding tues/thurs/sat road and friday off road.
It is coming off, I am starting the food diary as well. My GF says she sees the difference and I rode my training hill as a PB on Tuesday night. Early days however and nothing happens overnight.
I have however shifted my thoughts from distance to TT now as whilst I love distance, my legs have some power. I did a sportive TT on Tuesday, 10 miles in 28 mins. I will therefore be entering all my club TT's this year and if I can get sub 24 mins which I think I can then great. Early days but I feel excited and electric on my bike.
I may start a blog about it too, dunno.
That is a lot of training, very similar to what I am doing myself. Really glad you are enjoying your cycling too.I havn't as yet joined a club, going to get my speed and distances up first, not sure how fast they go but I would like to be goodish on my first outings with them. Here is my run today, not too slow but not quick either(av speed not correct as I forgot to pause it for my half way break). There were strong winds and heavy rain in my defence though .
I am now trying to work out if in fact I am training correctly, I tend to just go out and go as fast as possible. Maybe I would be better going slower and longer? I am also looking to get rid of some muscle mass but still keep the strength in my legs. Another fortune for a sports scientist required maybe? :?0 -
thunderflash55 wrote:bristolpete wrote:I have trained my regime now. I am currently hitting the light weights three times per week 400 reps upper and lower body, plus riding tues/thurs/sat road and friday off road.
It is coming off, I am starting the food diary as well. My GF says she sees the difference and I rode my training hill as a PB on Tuesday night. Early days however and nothing happens overnight.
I have however shifted my thoughts from distance to TT now as whilst I love distance, my legs have some power. I did a sportive TT on Tuesday, 10 miles in 28 mins. I will therefore be entering all my club TT's this year and if I can get sub 24 mins which I think I can then great. Early days but I feel excited and electric on my bike.
I may start a blog about it too, dunno.
That is a lot of training, very similar to what I am doing myself. Really glad you are enjoying your cycling too.I havn't as yet joined a club, going to get my speed and distances up first, not sure how fast they go but I would like to be goodish on my first outings with them. Here is my run today, not too slow but not quick either(av speed not correct as I forgot to pause it for my half way break). There were strong winds and heavy rain in my defence though .
I am now trying to work out if in fact I am training correctly, I tend to just go out and go as fast as possible. Maybe I would be better going slower and longer? I am also looking to get rid of some muscle mass but still keep the strength in my legs. Another fortune for a sports scientist required maybe? :?
Its a balancing act for sure. Consuming enough to lift the weights and train in the week + get out on the bike too. Last year I was up for long rides 80 odd miles, but for me, shorter but better miles seems more important now. I am sure someone can advise us. I would imagine both are ideal....
I have not ridden with the club since before Xmas. I will do again, but getting my pace up and readying myself for it as whilst you can travel further in less time in a mini peleton, you need to keep the hammer down.0 -
Not sure the shorter better miles rides are for me yet, my aerobic fitness doesn't seem to be all that good. I suit the slow, longer rides with fast bursts just now. A bit like interval training but without set distances or times, just as hard as I can for as long as I can, then recover and do it again. Been looking at a website, was initially looking to see if my heart rate zones were still correct, some good reading for cyclists : Cycling Performance Tips0
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I am 6' 4" and 92kg (7% body fat) and find that it gives me an advantage on flat sections as I can put down more power.0
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I went from over 14 stone (weightlifting/gym) period to my race-weight last year 10 stone, 8 ish - currently 11 1/2 stone at the start of this season.0
