Weight loss and cycling

Ringo 68

I have been on a diet for a couple of months now and gone from 14 stone to 13 just cutting down on my calorific intake. I am 5' 11".

Recently I have started cycling a lot more to get fitter and help with the weight loss. Since I have upped my cycling I have noticed that my weight is not coming off as quick and I have just weighed myself today and I have actually put on a couple of pounds.

I feel in better shape and fitter (I was VERY unfit before I started) but I can't understand why I have put weight back on.

Any ideas?

Wooliferkins

1. Muscle is heavier than fat.
2. Your upped exercise may have taken your body past the "Oh I'll consume fat now the calories are restricted" to the "Uh Oh famine! Store everything" mode.

If the latter then tweaking your calorie intake may do it.

ut_och_cykla

Adaptations to exercise include increased blood volume and glycogen storage. The latter involves a fair amount of water too. it could be your slight increase is a result of this perhaps combined with what Wooliferkins suggests. stick to your calorie intake but look at timing your food intake so as to trick the body into thinking its getting enough despite exercis e.g. eat some of your daily carbs & protein directly after your exercise.
Don't make the common mistake of eating more because you've had a spin round the park or whatever - its easy to overestimate what you burn!

Warwickshire Whizzer

I'd echo what Wooliferkins has said. I posted a similar topic to you early last week after noticing weight loss had stopped for three weeks.

General feedback was that calorie intake (or lack of), was probably holiding me back. I added a few more calories into the diet (homemade peanut butter and chocolate flapjacks for me) to convince my body I wasn't actually starving, and found on my next weekly weigh in, the pounds were coming off again. A mid-week peek at the scales has confirmed the reading.

Just up the intake a little, if like me at 13 stone you're eating as little as required to drop weight by diet alone, you'll probably find it's not enough and 'starvation/famine' mode will kick in.

Ringo 68

Thanks all.

I just did a 25 mile ride and according to my computer that has burned up 1400+ calories. My total intake for the day is not much more than that so it does sound as though I have to up my intake a bit.

Warwickshire Whizzer

I'd take that 1400 figure with a hefty pinch of salt.

nferrar

Yeah I'd go with 50-75% of what your computer told you is what you're actually burning.

amaferanga

Ringo 68 wrote:

Thanks all.

I just did a 25 mile ride and according to my computer that has burned up 1400+ calories. My total intake for the day is not much more than that so it does sound as though I have to up my intake a bit.

If you've been using the calorie figure from your computer to judge how much you can or need to eat then that's probably where your problem lies.

cyco2

Put the scales away, they are not the way to go. Losing weight and exercising should be about muscle tone, strength and body shape. You should cycle to increase fitness, skills and enjoyment. A good diet to lose weight eventually. The net result is your weight may go up but you will most definitely get smaller in some regions. A smaller trouser size for instance. So, stop weighing yourself, instead get the measuring tape out or dig out some of your smaller clothes that you put away years ago.
I have done thousands of miles since Christmas and didn't lose an oz. But since dieting have lost 2" from my waist.
Read what it says on the packaging....

" loss of size on this bicycle can only be attained with the use of a calorie controlled diet".

I have changed it a bit so it fitted in with our problem.

thegreatdivide

cyco2 wrote:

Put the scales away, they are not the way to go. Losing weight and exercising should be about muscle tone, strength and body shape. You should cycle to increase fitness, skills and enjoyment. A good diet to lose weight eventually. The net result is your weight may go up but you will most definitely get smaller in some regions. A smaller trouser size for instance. So, stop weighing yourself, instead get the measuring tape out or dig out some of your smaller clothes that you put away years ago.
I have done thousands of miles since Christmas and didn't lose an oz. But since dieting have lost 2" from my waist.
Read what it says on the packaging....

" loss of size on this bicycle can only be attained with the use of a calorie controlled diet".

I have changed it a bit so it fitted in with our problem.

+1

Ringo 68

amaferanga wrote:

Ringo 68 wrote:

Thanks all.

I just did a 25 mile ride and according to my computer that has burned up 1400+ calories. My total intake for the day is not much more than that so it does sound as though I have to up my intake a bit.

If you've been using the calorie figure from your computer to judge how much you can or need to eat then that's probably where your problem lies.

Thanks for the replies.

I haven't really used the computer to work out my diet as I didn't really trust the thing in the first place. I have just been trying to eat heathily, reduce portion size and elliminate snacking, which I am very prone to. All this coupled with a lot more excercise on my bike should do the trick.

As mentioned above, I am going to forget about the scales because I know I feel fitter and lighter. I have already gone in one notch on my belt and am heading for a second.


My next problem is going to be a 2 week holiday in Orlando coming up. That really will test my willpower.

ravoire

nferrar wrote:

Yeah I'd go with 50-75% of what your computer told you is what you're actually burning.

25 mile bike ride and my computer reckons I burn 800 - 850 calories. After a ride your guard is down as your mind is saying you've been a good boy burning off those cals and tells you it's ok to put a few back in. For me it's always been down to will power
If you're normal then no matter what mileage you do if you gorge yourself you won't lose weight.

ollyridesfirst

cyco2 wrote:

Put the scales away, they are not the way to go. .

+1

Get your body fat measured - doesn't matter if it's not accurate, but make sure you get a measurement. Then in a month, do it again and see if it's come down (make sure you use the same method of measurement eg. the same set of scales).

Also take a picture of yourself just with shorts on, and then do it again in a month....seeing the difference is normally all you need!

CakeLovinBeast

Much as I love Endomondo for the motivation that it gives you to go out and better yourself, I can't help but chuckle at the arbitrary numbers it dishes out for calorie consumption. Since getting my road bike:

Total distance: 297.69 km
Calories burned: 14159 kcal

I push myself, but I'd practically have to poop calories to lose that many!

RedRyd3R

i was 16 stone 5ft 11, i joined cycle scheme and rode 1800 miles in one year commuting to work.
i still eat exactly the same amout of food. now i am just under 14stone, and i feel great.
tbh most of my fat came off in the last six months, i got myself a cadence computer and started increase my cadence just to be faster on the bike and go longer distances without so much muscle strain. i now seem to have hit a lull in weight loss, but talking to weight training fanatik apprently old fat is the hardest lose. ride with high cadence, never give your body time to get comfortable, keep pushing. these things do take time.

i also did the photo thing, it works!
i dont look at my scales very often anymore, i just keep on hammering tarmac.
good luck with the weight loss.

JRooke

Cycling doesnt just = weight loss, its to easy to do 100 miles then just eat for the next 2 hours straight, still comes down to diet at the end of the day.

Ringo 68

The thing is at the moment is that I am loving the bike rides so much that any weight loss will just be a bonus. I tried running and hated every minute of it but cycling is just so different.

As soon as I am home from my hols I will buy a shiny new road bike and there will be no stopping me.

RedRyd3R

JRooke wrote:

Cycling doesnt just = weight loss, its to easy to do 100 miles then just eat for the next 2 hours straight, still comes down to diet at the end of the day.

yes you could do a 100 miles session and have no weight loss, but ride everyday 365 days a year and the pounds will fly off.

the reason i was fat is becuase ive got a sit down job, and i didnt exercise.
i havent increased my food intake and havent gone on a diet. the only changes to my food i eat a hell of alot of porrige oats.
i know many people that have joined cycle scheme have not only felt fitter, from commuting daily and havent changed there diet and they have still lossed weight.

But i will say, if i want to perform better on my bike i will have to change my diet sooner.