winter training and diet to get ready for next spring

bobo696

hi there,

So I got really hooked into cycling in the past year. Did a few sportives, went for a 3 week cycling trip with the girlfriend, commuting... I love my bike !!!

I think my fitness improved, but nowhere near what I would like it to be... So now I would like to get a bit more serious with training. I just bought a turbo and I am motivated to train on it this winter.

My general aim is to get the fittest possible, no competition or whatever but really enjoying myself on the bike. For next year I highlighted the tour of wessex or something similar as aims.

But I also have another goal, I am 5ft4, 70 kilos, approx 25% BF. So I need to shift a lot of fat weight. Best would be to get down to 10% BF.

So to achieve both these goals, what do you reckon I should do ? Generally, my diet is not good but is not extremely bad either, I just need to get rid of the once or twice a week trip to fried chicken or burgers... Should I get a more strict diet ? Or should I just train as hard as I can and the weight will follow ?

How about weight training? is it useful? Or should I just get on the bike/turbo as much as I can? To be honest I dont really like a cyclist body ...

If you have any other advices, please tell me !
Thanks !

diamonddog

Cut down on the portions, eat healthier foods, cut out the booze if you drink, cycle and/or turbo as much as possible forget about the weights no value IMO. You need to really want to do it and have the willpower as well.

markp80

In a similar vein, cut out the takeaways/junk food and alcohol (how many nights do you drink - make it fewer). Just eat healthier and you shouldn't need a strict diet as such.
Try myfitnesspal.com to log what you eat - be truthful and it'll open your eyes.
Use the turbo regularly for an hour at a time, follow a plan if you can.

You'll soon see results, IMHO.

MarkP

LegendLust

bobo696 wrote:

hi there,

So I got really hooked into cycling in the past year. Did a few sportives, went for a 3 week cycling trip with the girlfriend, commuting... I love my bike !!!

I think my fitness improved, but nowhere near what I would like it to be... So now I would like to get a bit more serious with training. I just bought a turbo and I am motivated to train on it this winter.

My general aim is to get the fittest possible, no competition or whatever but really enjoying myself on the bike. For next year I highlighted the tour of wessex or something similar as aims.

But I also have another goal, I am 5ft4, 70 kilos, approx 25% BF. So I need to shift a lot of fat weight. Best would be to get down to 10% BF.

So to achieve both these goals, what do you reckon I should do ? Generally, my diet is not good but is not extremely bad either, I just need to get rid of the once or twice a week trip to fried chicken or burgers... Should I get a more strict diet ? Or should I just train as hard as I can and the weight will follow ?

How about weight training? is it useful? Or should I just get on the bike/turbo as much as I can? To be honest I dont really like a cyclist body ...

If you have any other advices, please tell me !
Thanks !

Well I'm afraid if you ride your bike more, don't do any other forms of exercise and are healthy in what you eat, then you will get a cyclists body!

bobo696

Thanks for the answers, it's just common sense!

I don't drink alcohol so this part is easy. The not so easy part is the junk food. I can't help the cravings sometimes and about once or twice a week I give up and get a binge of these, be it KFC or stuff like that. It's horrible because just afterwards I feel guilty and disgusted about the amount of fat I ate, stomach cramps all night, bad feeling and telling myself this is the last time, only to have the same cravings a few days after...

Sometimes I think I am addicted to junk food, is that possible? Although thanks to the girlfriend, most of the meals are generally healthy. It's just these recurrent bad cravings that I need to get rid of but it is easier said than done... Do any of you reckon what I am describing?

Apart from that, I can train very hard! Actually I am reading a lot of positive things about trainer road, is it worth getting as a beginner?
Maybe by seeing improvements with a proper training I will be more motivated at eating healthy stuff? LOL I hope so...

bobo696

LegendLust wrote:

Well I'm afraid if you ride your bike more, don't do any other forms of exercise and are healthy in what you eat, then you will get a cyclists body!

Yeah that's why I was thinking coupling that with weight training? Especially for the upper body?
Aesthetically speaking my ideal would be triathlete body. But I hate swimming and I can only run while playing football but running just for running is a nightmare.

markp80

bobo696 wrote:

Thanks for the answers, it's just common sense!

I don't drink alcohol so this part is easy. The not so easy part is the junk food. I can't help the cravings sometimes and about once or twice a week I give up and get a binge of these, be it KFC or stuff like that. It's horrible because just afterwards I feel guilty and disgusted about the amount of fat I ate, stomach cramps all night, bad feeling and telling myself this is the last time, only to have the same cravings a few days after...

Sometimes I think I am addicted to junk food, is that possible? Although thanks to the girlfriend, most of the meals are generally healthy. It's just these recurrent bad cravings that I need to get rid of but it is easier said than done... Do any of you reckon what I am describing?

Apart from that, I can train very hard! Actually I am reading a lot of positive things about trainer road, is it worth getting as a beginner?
Maybe by seeing improvements with a proper training I will be more motivated at eating healthy stuff? LOL I hope so...

OK, sounds like you have identified where your problem lies, so that's a good start.
I'm sure some people might disagree, but I would suggest initially trying to simply cut down on the amount if this junk food you are eating. Why not start by saying once a week only? And when you go, try to be sensible about portion size rather than a total binge? Go for a smaller option, try to pick a healthier option if there is one. If you have sugared drinks (eg regular coke) go for the diet option, which isn't great but it's a start.
To be sustainable, I do believe you have to start realistically. It's no good cutting it out altogether if this is likely to mean you give up after a fortnight.
I also really recommend you try myfitnesspal to log your food (I mentioned this before). It has a huge database, and I just checked and it includes all your KFC stuff, so you can see what you are eating. It really does help.
Once you see some progress, you will start to take a much greater interest in your diet, and you will find it easier to start to make it healthier, at least that's my experience.
I would also definitely recommend you try TrainerRoad if you can. The turbo is a tough bit of kit to get motivated to use properly, but TrainerRoad helps with that massively. it also provides training plans for you to follow, to keep that motivation going.
I used to play rugby and I have found my body has changed shape. It hasn't bothered me, as to be honest, it's nice to be able to get a collar that fits, and the biggest difference has been the change in my waistline. I'll gladly take the new shape over the old one any day. If I were you, I wouldn't be too ambitious initially. Try to moderate your diet, cut down on the junk, log what you eat and cycle lots - and be amazed at the results.

Cheers,
MarkP

LegendLust

bobo696 wrote:

LegendLust wrote:

Well I'm afraid if you ride your bike more, don't do any other forms of exercise and are healthy in what you eat, then you will get a cyclists body!

Yeah that's why I was thinking coupling that with weight training? Especially for the upper body?
Aesthetically speaking my ideal would be triathlete body. But I hate swimming and I can only run while playing football but running just for running is a nightmare.

Weight training is good. I do core strength work throughout the year, and some upper body work in the winter, but this is low weight, high reps.

Remember that extra muscle gained in the upper body is extra weight you need to lug over hills!

diamonddog

bobo696 wrote:

Sometimes I think I am addicted to junk food, is that possible? Although thanks to the girlfriend, most of the meals are generally healthy. It's just these recurrent bad cravings that I need to get rid of but it is easier said than done...

This is where the willpower needs to be strong.

poynedexter

i'm a bit confused about your target or goal. if you are going to "train", then you need a set of short/ medium/ long term aims. if your goal is to lose fat and enjoy your cycling more, then its going to be hard to set a training plan for that. fat loss is more about your eating habits. training can be hard to stick at if you cant gauge your progress towards your goal. cycling enjoyment may not be found on a turbo.

if you can be moe specific about what you want from your winter then you are more likely to get there. ( i've been cycling as a sport for just over 2 years, but even with all my "training" i dont enjoy it any more or less than on day 1. i can just go quicker for longer)

phreak

I'm about your height, and post Maratona this summer I was around 55.5kg. The scales were saying 5% body fat (I know - probably not that accurate), so you have plenty of scope.

I go to the gym a few times a week as I used to swim so had a reasonable physique that I didn't want to lose completely, although riding any kind of mileage will inevitably slim you down. Many will say gym work is a waste of time, but I figure that may be the case if your body fat is really low already and you want to get lighter still, but if not, you can lose fat without looking too malnourished.

With regards to diet, I've found keeping a food diary is really helpful in understanding what you're putting in and burning out. Found this book - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Go-Faster-Food- ... 0091929326 - great as well (there may be others). It offers some tasty and healthy dishes. Generally cook a few up over the weekend, freeze the remaining portions and then re-heat when needed. This is particularly useful after a workout when you want something quick, yet nutritious. It helps too if your partner is similarly inclined. You say she eats healthily, but there may be a difference between regular person healthy and athlete healthy.

bobo696

poynedexter wrote:

i'm a bit confused about your target or goal. if you are going to "train", then you need a set of short/ medium/ long term aims. if your goal is to lose fat and enjoy your cycling more, then its going to be hard to set a training plan for that. fat loss is more about your eating habits. training can be hard to stick at if you cant gauge your progress towards your goal. cycling enjoyment may not be found on a turbo.

if you can be moe specific about what you want from your winter then you are more likely to get there. ( i've been cycling as a sport for just over 2 years, but even with all my "training" i dont enjoy it any more or less than on day 1. i can just go quicker for longer)

In regards to goals, I would say my medium term (2014) is to participate to some challenging sportives such as the tour of Wessex which looks awesome, or étape du tour, and not look ridiculous in them!
My long term is to lose fat and look generally healthier!

carrock

LegendLust wrote:

bobo696 wrote:

LegendLust wrote:

Well I'm afraid if you ride your bike more, don't do any other forms of exercise and are healthy in what you eat, then you will get a cyclists body!

Yeah that's why I was thinking coupling that with weight training? Especially for the upper body?
Aesthetically speaking my ideal would be triathlete body. But I hate swimming and I can only run while playing football but running just for running is a nightmare.

Weight training is good. I do core strength work throughout the year, and some upper body work in the winter, but this is low weight, high reps.

Remember that extra muscle gained in the upper body is extra weight you need to lug over hills!

Yes. Most people would rather look like Christiano Ronaldo than Chris Froome. I would rather lug an extra stone of muscle up a hill.

markp80

carrock wrote:

LegendLust wrote:

bobo696 wrote:

LegendLust wrote:

Well I'm afraid if you ride your bike more, don't do any other forms of exercise and are healthy in what you eat, then you will get a cyclists body!

Yeah that's why I was thinking coupling that with weight training? Especially for the upper body?
Aesthetically speaking my ideal would be triathlete body. But I hate swimming and I can only run while playing football but running just for running is a nightmare.

Weight training is good. I do core strength work throughout the year, and some upper body work in the winter, but this is low weight, high reps.

Remember that extra muscle gained in the upper body is extra weight you need to lug over hills!

Yes. Most people would rather look like Christiano Ronaldo than Chris Froome. I would rather lug an extra stone of muscle up a hill.

Well, if I ever get as skinny as a pro footballer, I'll start to worry if I'm going to get as skinny as a pro cyclist....