Advice on weight

peanut1978

looking to drop a little weight.

Currently returning to cycling (training/racing).
Been on single speed for last 6 months, and gym for 3 months (strength sessions)

Building a bike (53/39 11/25)

6'2/13st 4lb

looking to shed weight, and advice on good weight, lookin to improve climbing that bit more by losing excess.

badly_dubbed

weight loss really is a case of eat less move more - its not a science

peanut1978

was just loking for a realistic target

should i be looking a t pros weights?

unixnerd

My wife is losing weight at our local gym. One thing she was told today is that she's building too much muscle, she needs to do more cardio work outs and less strength.

From a cyclist's point of view you don't want to spend too much time developing the upper body. It all depends what your aims are. At that weight and height you're not doing that badly after all. Just eating well and more cycling should do it :-)

badly_dubbed

unless your starving yourself then no

" I’ve just seen too many professional athletes – and especially cyclists – balloon up once they stop competing. Pro cyclists literally starve themselves. If you want to be the best, that’s what you do.

That’s what I did. I cannot tell you how many nights you just go to bed hungry."

Lances quote.....

though i wouldn't recommend starving your body to drop weight.

eat right and balance it and it'll drop naturally

Big Hairy Wallapers

Hi there,
I'm of a similar height to you 6'1" ish and last spring I dragged my portly butt off the sofa at 14st7lbs.
I managed to drop to 12st5lbs by autumn by simply riding for the pure enjoyment - no science or personal trainer!
I'm currently back on the Stella n Cakes plan for a couple of weeks but am hovering just under 13st.
I'll get back 'on it' in a week or so.
I wouldn't stress too much, if you enjoy the riding the weight will take care of itself.
Oh and the only thing I have in common with the pros is my favourite colour!!!

peanut1978

current strength programme is

Warm up

Clean Pulls from Thigh
Hang Cleans
Deadlift
Stiff Leg Dead Lift
Roll outs
Back Extensions
Russian Twists

Dead lift 1RM is 180 at the mo

this help?

unixnerd

I'm currently back on the Stella n Cakes plan for a couple of weeks

Love it :-) Must remember that one (currently half way through a Peroni).

Pokerface

At 6'2 - a really good racing weight would be around 75kg. (or less if you can go that low!)


But there's also nothing to say you can't race at the weight you're currently at. Just depends on how fit you are and how strong, etc.

peanut1978

strong but just a little to heavy for hill

75 sounds good.
will hopefully get there in a few months

anto164

TBF, i'd just eat the amount you are now, but ride more.

You'll lose weight, and get fitter in one fell swoop!

That's what i do. Eat the same amount whether i'm riding or not, and put my all into my ride. I burned approx 2000 cals on my last ride (according to my HRM), if i keep doing that, weight is sure to fall off.

John Stevenson

Moved to 'Training' where someone with a clue will no doubt shortly be along to tell you to drop the wasted time with the weights and ride your bike instead, followed by someone with no manners whose ideas about bike training were set in jelly in 1963 loudly saying that person is just trying to sell you a coaching program/heart rate monitor/power meter/brideg in Brooklyn/Florida beachfront plot.

Alex_Simmons/RST

John Stevenson wrote:

Moved to 'Training' where someone with a clue will no doubt shortly be along to tell you to drop the wasted time with the weights and ride your bike instead, followed by someone with no manners whose ideas about bike training were set in jelly in 1963 loudly saying that person is just trying to sell you a coaching program/heart rate monitor/power meter/brideg in Brooklyn/Florida beachfront plot.

tlw1

John Stevenson wrote:

Moved to 'Training' where someone with a clue will no doubt shortly be along to tell you to drop the wasted time with the weights and ride your bike instead, followed by someone with no manners whose ideas about bike training were set in jelly in 1963 loudly saying that person is just trying to sell you a coaching program/heart rate monitor/power meter/brideg in Brooklyn/Florida beachfront plot.

You need to drop the wasted time with the weights and ride your bike instead

ut_och_cykla

unixnerd wrote:

My wife is losing weight at our local gym. One thing she was told today is that she's building too much muscle, she needs to do more cardio work outs and less strength.

SNIP

Most women have a great struggle putting on muscel(as opposed to fat) as they lack the hormone amounts (testosterone) required for lean muscle growth so I find this a bit surprising. A lean but slightly heavier body should be a healthier one than a lighter but less muscled body. Amateur cyslist requirements are not the same as pro riders - they have a life/work etc outside cycling. Perhaps your wife is doing the wrong kind of weight training - more body building than strength. Most women (inc. myself) don't go the strength route (with high weights /ow reps) until they realise it will NOT make them bigger, heavier - just stronger

SteveR_100Milers

Pokerface wrote:

At 6'2 - a really good racing weight would be around 75kg. (or less if you can go that low!)


But there's also nothing to say you can't race at the weight you're currently at. Just depends on how fit you are and how strong, etc.

I have such a long way to go then. If I am at 92Kgs now, and managed to get to under 80Kg without any loss (or gain) in power, how would that translate in a perceived effort / outcome from your experience..in oither words I'm not interested in the data of what my power/weight ratio would be, more what would I experience in that condition?

I am guessing that I would be able to climb faster obviously, but I would imagine that there would be significant gains in time trialling even on a flat course because I would present a smaller frontal x-sectional area, and be able to get lower and flatter. I would expect to see benefits on the track - less weight to spool up in a sprint for example which would probably help, even if small in the constant kicking to hold a wheel in a long paceline.

bexley5200

im curently 94kg about 14 3/4 stone im out on the bike most days or on the trainer i have lost 4 1/2 stone since mid september i think the best way of losing weight is to count callories and cut the fat were possible and just enjoy your cycling

a_n_t

I'm 6'3" and 72KG, probably get to 70 for the new season.

Pokerface

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

I have such a long way to go then. If I am at 92Kgs now, and managed to get to under 80Kg without any loss (or gain) in power, how would that translate in a perceived effort / outcome from your experience..in oither words I'm not interested in the data of what my power/weight ratio would be, more what would I experience in that condition?

I can confirm that you will feel the benefits in all aspects of your riding if you lose weight without losing power.

As you say - climbing is the obvious one, but this will make your entire ride easier. Because there is no such thing as a truly 'flat' ride, even the smallest of undulations requires extra energy to get over when you are carrying extra weight.

The effect of the energy savings from carrying less weight will make the entire ride feel easier - or you'll be able to complete it faster.

In flat races - lower weight means less energy required to get moving (in acceleration efforts).

On the track, it isn't as important, but it still helps to be lighter as it's easier to get that body mass moving and up to speed.

The lighter I get, the easier it all feels. Even a few kilos can be felt (by me)

darren H

My weight for years was 11 stone which wasnt to bad because I did lots of long distance fell running. I figured a bit of fat was okay . You need it when your running over 50 miles.

I'm 5 ft 6 and started to lose weight back end of last year. I'm now 9 st 12 or 62 kilos which has increased my cycling speed no end. My climbing has returned once again and I would like to get down to 60 kilos.

I'm at that your looking way too thin stage from my family and friends but to be good you have to dedicate yourself.
I was getting top ten places most weeks in short fell races last year and I'm toying with trying bike racing.

The last few kilos really do take some shifting and yes you do have to go to bed hungry some nights. It's hard

SteveR_100Milers

Pokerface wrote:

I can confirm that you will feel the benefits in all aspects of your riding if you lose weight without losing power.

As you say - climbing is the obvious one, but this will make your entire ride easier. Because there is no such thing as a truly 'flat' ride, even the smallest of undulations requires extra energy to get over when you are carrying extra weight.

The effect of the energy savings from carrying less weight will make the entire ride feel easier - or you'll be able to complete it faster.

In flat races - lower weight means less energy required to get moving (in acceleration efforts).

On the track, it isn't as important, but it still helps to be lighter as it's easier to get that body mass moving and up to speed.

The lighter I get, the easier it all feels. Even a few kilos can be felt (by me)

I think in a paceline this will be a big difference, as you constantly have to kick to close the wheel gaps. Its these constant increases of 2-3 mph (especially when at 30 or so mph) that sap your energy. OK, I'm signed up...how do I do it? I am considering cutting down dramatically my alcohol intake, I am pretty good at measuring food intake, not so good at discipline....

Pokerface

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

OK, I'm signed up...how do I do it? I am considering cutting down dramatically my alcohol intake, I am pretty good at measuring food intake, not so good at discipline....

I gave up drinking. Helped me a LOT. But drastic measures aren't needed.

Cut out the fat. Cut out the garbage. Reduce portion sizes. Eat healthy. Drink lots of water. Exercise a bit more. Learn to make rice cakes and low-fat yogurt your friend

FransJacques

peanut1978 wrote:

looking to drop a little weight.

Currently returning to cycling (training/racing). Been on single speed for last 6 months, and gym for 3 months (strength sessions)

Building a bike (53/39 11/25). 6'2/13st 4lb.

looking to shed weight, and advice on good weight, lookin to improve climbing that bit more by losing excess.

You're about the same weight as me, I'm 84.5 this AM after a night of food and beer. Strength training is a double edged sword in terms of *weight* loss as opposed to *fat* loss as muscle does tend to weight more than fat. With the strength training and the SS riding you're probably gaining muscle so not losing weight, but you probably are losing fat. Best thing you can do is use the trouser waistband test to determine if you're getting any skinnier around the middle. I'd use that as a baseline for the winter months when it's hard to do the 4-5 hour rides that for me anyway, really enable me to shift weight. Current conventional wisdom is training is quality over quantity but that's only if you can already manage your weight. To me, nothing beats at 6 hour/160km ride. Sucks but 25 years of the sport has taught me that's what I need to do.

Best advice was already given above re: eat less and ride more. Just go easy on teh protein powder - OVer 1mg/kg and you might be doing more thatn yu need to.