Training Questions

BruunLoss · February 2012

Hey guys, as you know I'm still new to the forum and the new wonderful world of cycling rather then bike commuting, but I have a few questions which I hope to get helpful info on. Again, to help answer my body size is big, 6ft 4, large frame and currently 290.8lbs.

So in the last week, I only lost 1.4lbs but week 1 of my training/challenge I lost 5.4lbs. At first I was disheartened, but people reminded me, the cycling will also add muscle mass, so that might explain it! So here are my questions, honest and open answers would be great...

At the moment, I train 5 days a week,maverage cycle is 13-15 miles a day. I am not into racing more gradually building up to distance and increased stamina along the way. My main goal is to lose weight, so rather then 5 days of a steady pace on a commuter route as such, domyoubthink it would help to do say, Mon & Wednesday, commuter cycling, coastal route approx 15 miles and Tues & Thur cycle track (7 miles each way) at speed to burn more calories and build stamina?

Also, how often do people change their cycle routes and routines so as to not let the body become accustomed to them so as to keep loss and stamina improving?

Finally, anyone recommend good online sites to buy cycling jerseys/clothes etc as Amazon usually only have L or XL and I'm a 2XL hoping to get down to an XL.

Thanks for your time everyone, have a great weekend.

SBezza · February 2012

I train for racing, but I have also trained to lose weight. Now if you are only doing a few miles then it is a good idea to do them as hard as possible for the majority of the time, but obviously if you are tired take them easier. I would target on time in the saddle rather than miles.

I would try and aim for at least 1-2 hours daily, but you may need to build up to this. To be honest there is very little point in doing an hour at an easy effort, if you can do that hour at a harder effort. It will burn more calories and help more with fitness.

My training is never the same each week, and it contains a mixture of intensities. My riding routes are very similar most of the time, but that is not an issue with regards to progressing, though you could get bored of doing the same route all the time.

As for the weight loss, the first week would have included a fair amount of fluid loss as well as weight, losing 1-2 lbs a week might be slightly depressing, but it about the right amount for sustained weight loss.

danlikesbikes · February 2012

On clothes there are loads of online companies I know that http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ get quite a bit of stick on this forum but I've bought some good stuff from them and they do larger sizes too.

Training you are as Sbezza says better to mix it up with some shorter hard efforts but also need to build in the slower steady miles as a way of recovery and also to get your body used to the milage. As for changing your routes its up to you and I guess that lots of people will have their own opinions on that one, but for what its worth I have several "regular" rides that I do but they are all in the same sort of area and I can link them into one another for longer rides. Plus have parts that act as rolling hills or shorter steeper hills. I just love going out and finding new routes and to be honest I don't mind dinging it with no maps just find a road that looks good and pretty safe and see where it gets me.

As for the weight loss don't worry you will soon start dropping it as you do longer harder rides & if in this weather you can't be bothered you could always try a spinning class at your local gym.

BruunLoss · February 2012

Thanks guys, it makes more sense listening to guys who know this then me working it out in my head. I pretty much cycle in all weather except snow and ice due to a metal plate in my left arm. As my friend says 'there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes!'

Also I will check wiggle out also. Thanks.

BruunLoss · February 2012

Thanks Cadseen, I am going to get up at 5am tomorrow and try a 3 hour one, only did 2 hr ones so far due to being unfit and with my anxiety issues. (hence why I go out so early, don't like being like being in crowds. Something I'm working on)

cyco2 · February 2012

Well done on your effort so far. However, from experience I have found that exercise to lose weight can be a long slow affair unless combined with a diet change. You may find that walking is just as beneficial and does mean that a hilly route is more manageable. Good to see you're on an ATB and not a road bike. Sometimes I go on a bus to get to a good walk and on a train to get to a good ride. So, look at those possibilities to increase your range or vista. Be aware that you will still need energy drinks or food as you increase time/mileage otherwise you'll get 'bonking' problems. Have you been able to ride long enough to bonk yet?

BruunLoss · February 2012

Cyco2, year went for the Giant Rapid 6 but had the mountain bike tires changed to slimmer road tires. Don't like racer handle bars but the bikes themselves are good. This morning only managed 21.5 miles in 1hr50 due to winds which exhausted me. 'Bonking'? I remember that was slang for sex back in the 80's, not sure if the term changed or if it's a particular cycling term now. I tend to drink 500ml before I go out, water, and about 750ml whilst out and then a can of Lucozade original when home. But I know I need to drink maybe at least another 1ltr a day as that's usually all the fluid intake I have daily.

SBezza · February 2012

You should be able to do a 2 hour ride without bonking, unless you are doing it extremely hard, if you eat a decent diet. This can increase as well as you get fitter. I regularly do 2.5 hours rides on water without bonking, I just eat a decent meal a couple of hours before heading out, or if going out early in the morning, having a proper breakfast before leaving home.

As for burning calories, the shorter the ride, the harder you need to do it to use the calories, a 2 hour very easy ride will not burn alot at all, probably about 1200 (maybe even less), whereas a harder 2 hour ride (tempo effort) might get you nearer the 2,000 mark. Obviously the longer you can ride the more you will burn overall, a 4 hour will burn more than a similar effort ride for 2 hours, but if you ride it hard enough you can burn almost the same within 2 hours (obviously you need to be fit to manage a very hard 2 hour ride, and it isn't for the faint hearted)

Whatever you do, just build up to it, losing weight in a sustainable way is a slow process, and I wouldn't suggest rushing it. Try and eat a diet that is a free as possible of processed foods, and make sure you don't try and compensate totally for the calories used in exercise, try and keep the deficet to a reasonable but sustainable rate.

cyco2 · February 2012

BruunLoss wrote:

Cyco2, year went for the Giant Rapid 6 but had the mountain bike tires changed to slimmer road tires. Don't like racer handle bars but the bikes themselves are good. This morning only managed 21.5 miles in 1hr50 due to winds which exhausted me. 'Bonking'? I remember that was slang for sex back in the 80's, not sure if the term changed or if it's a particular cycling term now. I tend to drink 500ml before I go out, water, and about 750ml whilst out and then a can of Lucozade original when home. But I know I need to drink maybe at least another 1ltr a day as that's usually all the fluid intake I have daily.

As you can see my bike has two sets of bar ends on it. The outside ones are used for climbing and the inside ones are for a head wind or a fast decent. They're quite cheap on Ebay. I see somebody else has settle the bonking problem. You are doing the right thing about fluids. If you need to 'recover' then a spoon full of glucose in a cuppa will do it and a lot cheaper than drinks. Because I ride a lot and seen just about everything I have a pocket radio on the front because I got fed up with earphones.

BruunLoss · February 2012

Ok, still not exactly sure what 'Bonking' is.....

cyco2 · February 2012

It's when your blood sugar level falls to low for you to exercise. You will feel very weak and have to sit or lie down. The runners call it 'hitting the wall'.

See here....http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... onk-17082/

Lightning · February 2012

It's when you didn't eat/drink enough for the effort you're doing and completely explode, almost passing out. One moment you're fine, the next moment you lose all your strength and can't even push your easiest gear on a flat.

Happened to me once in the middle of nowhere because I increased a ride's distance on the fly without having enough food and it was one of my worst moments ever.

It shouldn't happen on your current rides though, just something to keep in mind for when you start doing long rides.

SBezza · February 2012

Bonking in the truest sense is when you run very low of glycogen, glycogen is what fuels the muscles for exercise, you use it along with fat, depending on the intensity of the exercise, you will burn differening percentages of glycogen and fat. At the higher intensities, you will burn mostly glycogen. The body can store about 2,000 calories worth when fully stocked up, hence at high intensities there is around a 2 hour limit, but you will always be burning fast as well, just not that much.

Blood sugar levels are controlled by the glycogen stored in the liver, and muscles are generally fuelled by that stored in the muscles. If your muscles run out, you will just have to slow down in other words bonk, hit the wall etc. Obviously if you eat and drink (energy drink) whilst on the move, and are doing longer rides at a lower intensity, you prolong how long the body can exercise for, well until fatigue sets in. Lots of people can confuse bonking with fatigue, generally if you bonk, you will not feel well at all, and maybe dizzy, very weak, and as mentioned above have to lie down whilst you try and get some food inside you.

Must admit I have never suffered from it, but I have seen a few riders that keeping in a straight line on a flat road was too much of an effort and had to stop, it can't be a nice experience.

mattshrops · February 2012

hi Bruunloss are you tracking your calorie intake? A site like www.livestrong.com (whatever you think of Lance) is a fantastic free resource allowing you to log your food along with your calorie goals etc. Helped me a lot to lose a couple of stone.
I think your riding/time on the bike will increase as you lose weight/get fitter and you will lose more weight/get fitter as you spend more time on the bike- Opposite of a vicious circle i suppose.
TBH at the moment i'd just gradually try to increase your time and speed little by little every few rides, i dont think its too good for you to go absolutely hell for leather when you're not in the best shape YET.
Keep at it- obviously you've got some long term goals, try also setting some short term achievable goals as well -theres not much better for motivation than a bit of success. good luck and keep posting

BruunLoss · February 2012

Thanks for the explanation SBezza, haven't bonked yet, purely mostly due to stopping for water breaks when my body tells me and most rides less then 2 hours, but when I get to a 3-4 goal, then it might be a problem.

Matthew, I'll check the site out, at the moment I'm only checking calories on drinks, I get confused in the sense, I'm trying to reduce calorie in take for weight loss, but reading here, I should increase it to match the energy levels required.... Something I need to study more.

ut_och_cykla · February 2012

Yes - you do need to make sure you eat properly but from personal experience its very easy to overcompensate and end up eating too much! Keeping a moderate weightloss of ½-1 kg a week may be rather slow but it should allow you to eat enough to train pretty hard at least once or twice a week and a longer steadier ride tooo!

spinndrift · February 2012

http://www.prendas.co.uk have a clothing in sizes for the fuller figure. If you email them your measurements they'll advise on what sizes to go for - they are really helpful.

Bordersroadie · February 2012

Bruunloss, just a few words of encouragement, really.

Well done mate, I have tremendous respect for you getting off your backside and out onto the bike, I bet it wasn't easy at the very start. Cycling is addictive. It gets you fit in a non-impact way (swimming is the only comparable "safe for your body" exercise) but has a whole host of benefits compared to other exercise methods, particularly that you actually go places and see things at the same time - it's like good exercise with a free day out thrown in! Oh, and you get to buy new toys every now and then. . .

You have a healthy attitude (re: your clothing comment) to the weather and this will stand you in good stead to keep motivated - no excuses. It will definitely get easier as you shed weight and build your confidence and fitness. By then the cycling addiction will have taken hold and you'll be sailing. Well, riding, but you get my drift. . .

All the best.

BruunLoss · February 2012

Thanks for the website tip Spindrift. Even at my local bike store the 2XL sizes look like a large. I might just end up buying rugby jerseys for my summer cycling tops.

Borders, thanks again for the words of encouragement.

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