My weight and fitness

[cliffyboy1962]

I used the MyFitnessPal app. to calculate my calorific intake and output, to lose 7 1/2 stone From Summer 2014 to Spring 2015 and I found the apps exercise calorie values to be pretty damn accurate and it uses a factor for weight in the calculation. As you would expect, the higher your weight, the higher the calorie burn for any given exercise.

i.e. 1 hour of bicycling 14-16 mph weight 10 stone = 650 approx
1 hour of bicycling 14-16 mph weight 13.5 stone = 850 approx

These values are a lot higher than mentioned earlier in this thread but, as I said, it worked fine for me. Never found myself surprised by the weight not falling off due to app inaccuracy.

However I will concede, as a self-professed expert at weight loss, keeping your food input low is far more important, than how much exercise you do.Exercise can form a huge part of the process, if you want results to be that much quicker. Plus the obvious added benefits of a healthier, fitter body due to increased exercise.

[PH]

The sitting and walking stats from Livestrong.com A very reliable source.

I look forward to that being available, it'll be interesting to see how they arrived at such different figures to everyone else who has researched it.
In the meantime, what we do have is the source you consider to be very reliable. They claim that cycling 10 - 12 mph will burn 47 calories per mile if you weigh 190lb*, that's roughly 470 - 565. which is where I came in...
It jumps right down to 32 per mile if you weigh 130lb, they don't give the figure but I imagine it also jumps up if you weigh more than the 190.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/13543 ... -one-mile/

To put the figures into perspective, it takes a 3500 cal deficit to lose 1lb of fat, so at that rate = 14 hours of leisurely cycling..

Even on your figures, someone commuting 45 min each way, will lose a kg a month, that isn't insignificant.

And that's if you don't eat that extra half mars bar.

Well yeah, as I think I've said in every post keeping all other things equal is for many the hard part. I rode 160km today, had coffee, cake and a sandwich on the way round, two pints and a pizza when I got in

[mjr]

To the OP I say that cycling more will not remove the need for willpower to stop snacking but it will help.

Haven't read the whole thread, but: look at any group of non-competitive cyclists. Most of them are overweight, just like the general population. Look at a group of non-competitive runners. Most of them are slim. I do not run...

This does not seem true to me. Many non competitive cycling groups seem slimmer than the average.

[SpannerGeek]

I go out with a group of a weekend who almost uniformly do 20-30 mile rides twice a week over mostly the same flat route. With the exception of the two leaders (who take other groups out) they are all overweight. There's definitely a correlation between intensity/duration and diet. Ime 'leisure' cycling alone will not help you lose weight.

The only thing that was a success for me was the 3x 3-4hr rides a week over hilly route with a cal restricted diet of 1500 cal per day. Its SO easy to kid yourself on when it comes to weight loss.

I can't say it oiften enough 'No pain, no gain!!'

[SpannerGeek]

Even on the Livestrong site estimates of calories burned vary widely. I saw at least eight 'expert' references , to pick one which fits your wishful thinking does no one trying to lose weight any favours. The trouble with ANY low intensity exercise is that it's going to be on a par with walking. I recent ly invested in a power meter and tried myself today at 10mph on a flat road. I averaged just 115Watts to keep the bike at a steady speed. Which is roughly the same as moderate paced walking.

[mjr]

I go out with a group of a weekend who almost uniformly do 20-30 mile rides twice a week over mostly the same flat route. With the exception of the two leaders (who take other groups out) they are all overweight. There's definitely a correlation between intensity/duration and diet. Ime 'leisure' cycling alone will not help you lose weight.

Nonsense. Nothing says leisure groups have to do only medium-length flat rides. The local weekly rides I go on are sometimes 20 flat miles, but as often 40-60 and lumpy (the monthly rides are the short introductions of 6ish miles and flat) and does 100s a few times a year, but we take our time over it. I've had to deliberately eat more to avoid losing weight (sorry). A couple of riders look overweight but most don't. Same is true of another local non-competition CTC affiliate group, which I think usually rides 50 lumpy miles in under 4 hours including coffee stop.

The only thing that was a success for me was the 3x 3-4hr rides a week over hilly route with a cal restricted diet of 1500 cal per day.

I see... and what was that competing for then?

[PH]

One hour walking around on level ground 190lb man = 173 cals per hr

I recent ly invested in a power meter and tried myself today at 10mph on a flat road. I averaged just 115Watts to keep the bike at a steady speed. Which is roughly the same as moderate paced walking.

Do you think you can produce 115 Watts for an hour from 173 cals?
All the google results suggest it's around 3.6 cal per watt, and that someone weighing 110 kg would need to average 140 Watts for 12 mph which is back to where we started. Yes I know, more wishful thinking...
I quoted the Livestrong site because it's one you seemed to put great faith in, I didn't pick a result, I only read the first one that came up in their search. It's all estimated, it seems the calculation giving a lower calorie use are based on a lower wattage, 12.5 mph for 75 Watts on one page, you've demonstrated that to not be the case.

[SpannerGeek]

So, calories and weight loss..

Let me give you a real world, scientific scenario:

Weight yesterday morning: 84.2kg

Cycled 55 miles yesterday (3hrs 55min activity) over really rolling on terrain, culminating in a 3.8 mile long tough hill climb (31mins)

I had a normal breakfast, scone and coffee for lunch and plate of chicken and cauliflower mash for dinner. Total cals: 2100

Weight this morning: 84.2kg

From you figures I should have lost over a pound of fat... Metabolic rate was measured twice a week on the GU study, and it's this and various other biological factors (testosterone production also) which influence weight loss that make the whole thing very much more complex than online calculators would suggest. Obese people (+30bmi) can have a metabolic rate which is depressed by as much as 60% of the norm. The GU research will show that metabolism and genetic predisposition are the governing factors in weight loss with exercise. Fortunately there is something can be done about both!!

[Phileas]

Obese people (+30bmi) can have a metabolic rate which is depressed by as much as 60% of the norm.

I think this is only true for some people. Until recently, the received wisdom was that fat increases metabolism.

[AJ101]

So much impractical advice on here for anyone looking to get their weight down in a healthy way.
It's about the food you eat and the effect it has on your hunger response, and its got to be SIMPLE and FUN or it becomes a chore.
Calorie restriction + heavy exercise = misery for most.
Just going through a phenomenal article submitted to Bikesy on this, will link to it here when it's uploaded fully.

[SpannerGeek]

Calorie reductions and increasing intensity and duration of activity is THE most effective way to lose weight.

Anyone who promises you an alternative 'quick fix' is a snake oil salesman and absolutely NOT to be trusted.

Many have been taken in by diet 'scams' since advertising was invented.. The GU study conclusively found that you can eat whatever you want within the food groups as long as you stick to the daily cal deficit.

[jamesoneil]

When I lost weight over the summer, I went from 15 1/2 stone to 12 1/2 in 12 weeks. I saw a photo of myself, and decided I was not happy with what I had become. I had fallen into the trap of believing I could eat what I wanted, as I was doing 250 miles a week, training water-polo for 3 hours a week.

So, I cut back on beer + fizzy pop ( I found it was the fizzy sensation I craved, not the flavour, so swapped to fizzy water), cut back on white potato, and those extra mars bars. I realised I had become addicted to sugar. Headaches when I didn't have a hit.

I also reduced my portion sizes, and counted calories.
Dinners consisted of chicken(baked/stirfried/spiced) or beef (slowcooked/steaks) or tuna steaks that I got reduced. With sweet potato (baked/sliced/mashed) or rice. With masses of steamed broccoli or runner beans or cauliflower or spinach.
Lunches were pasta and chicken, in chopped tomatoes and seasoning or creme fraiche and a bit of cheese. With broccoli.
Puddings went back to being a treat, rather than regular occurances.

I substituted in a chocolate protein powder milkshake for post ride / training craving, and to fill that peckish feeling.
Peanut butter, crunchy, replaced sugary jams.

Lets not kid ourselves, BMI 29 is Overweight. BMI 30 is Obese. I had let myself creep up to that region too. Don't diet, change your lifestyle.

There is no secret to weight loss, and its not going to be 'fun'. Other than you can't out exercise a bad diet.

On a side note, low carb diets once you have reached a goal weight are crap for cyclists. Barring diabetics of course.

[SpannerGeek]

++1 'You can't out-exercise a bad diet...'

[Ben@Forest]

Haven't read the whole thread, but: look at any group of non-competitive cyclists. Most of them are overweight, just like the general population. Look at a group of non-competitive runners. Most of them are slim. I do not run...

Don't agree with this but I suppose it depends what constitutes a group. I see plenty of overweight runners, especially when two women running together, and often looking much the worse for it. If you mean members of a running club vs members of a cycling club I'm still not sure. I've belonged to a running club and several cycle clubs; I think there is a greater proportion of fatter people in the cycling clubs but also that a greater number of people in the running club did take part in competitive events, even if only interested in their PBs at 10k events. Many cyclists go out on club runs only - PBs are immaterial - plus I'd say there are a greater proportion of older people in cycling clubs, so they're less likely to be whippets.

[Vorpal]

I recently read a couple of articles that indicate that 'overweight' isn't necessarily bad.

http://qz.com/#550527/obesity-paradox-s ... ur-health/

is one of them.