Weight Loss First ?

I have a general question about conditioning and weight loss. I have just started road biking and am looking to drop weight. I've mountain biked for years, but this is a new gig for me (2-1/2 hours rides !!!).

Is it better to run my rides w/ my H.R. in the aerobic range the whole time to attempt to be as efficient as possible in dropping the weight first, and then move into strength conditioning (intervals, etc.) after the weight is gone. Or, is it better simply to mix it up right from the start.

I'm riding about 80 to 100 miles per week and am pretty much keeping my heart rate between 140 and 160 on 20 to 50 mile rides. I'm 37 years old and about 199 lbs. My thinking was to get my weight down as fast as possible to take the pressure off my knees and back. I'm already fighting some quad. tendonitis due to some tough head wind rides. I got into road riding to supplement my off road stuff, and I find that I really enjoy it.

Thoughts ?

 

Rob:

You can do hard workouts, but I don't think they will do much for you now except get you hurt. Enjoy riding your new bike and get used to the postion.

You are already experiencing tendontitis, which is your body's way of telling you to back off. Cut back your miles and cut back on your pace. Gradually, after the pain subsides, increase both.

You really need to lay down a "base." This is the preparatory period done before the racing season and prepares the body for more intese work. The base is your "foundation." A house without a foundation will eventually collapse, and so will your body. Base miles are normally ridden at a slow pace, ususally only 13-17 mph or so. Everyone is different, and will ride at different speeds, but the idea is to ride at a percieved "slow" pace. You shouldn't be out of breath or feel a lot of resistance on the pedals when logging base miles. Avoid hills in the beginning.

After you have a decent base, increase the intensity. Try to log at least 2,000 easy miles over 2-3 months before going hard.

Good luck!!!

 

Thanks, I suspect that is indeed great advice and I will heed it. Us poor people in the great white north have a tendency to "over do it" come spring time. How I envy people with year round outdoor riding such as you have in CA.

Rob

 

Rob:

We do have it good in So Cal as far as the weather goes. I'm about 100 miles from the Mexican border. I love the heat!!!

You need to ride a trainer indoors if you live where there is inclement weather. Even when weather is good, a good trainer is still a very important piece of training equipment.

As far as weight loss goes, just ride. You will burn off fat the more you ride. Just take it easy on your knees until they "get with the program." Your muscles will always be ready for more work before your tendons and ligaments. Pamper your tendons and ligaments. Also, wear knee warmers if riding below 70 degrees, especially if you have sore knees.

Holding back is one of the most difficult things for a rider to do. It's often what distingushes a solid professional from an ordinary one. It takes a lot of dicipline not to ride or to take easy days/weeks. Just take it easy until your knees tell you they "have a need for speed"

Good luck!!!

 

RB, taking it easy doesn't mean that you're not training. In the beginning of this year when I started training again after a long time off the bike (I won't go into the reasons), I dropped 3.5kg, about 7lbs, within a week of easy riding. I did 3 rides off ± 50km a week @ about 23 - 26 Km/h.

 

Hey Rob,

I have been dealing with that issue too. I read the other night that Lance Armstrong didn't become a great racer until after his battle with cancer. He went from 170lbs to 158lbs and suddenly he's the man. I am trying to get down from 196 to 180. I have another 8lbs to go but I feel better with each pound lost. Carrying that weight around, especially uphill, is a real drag.

 

Rob, I am working at losing lbs also, so I ride lots. Mostly easy spinning. It seems to work, have dropped 20 lbs, but still have 20 to go. Hopefully by the end of summer.

Good Luck and I am in the North too!

 

Well, it's great to know I'm not alone. I'm 6'-1" and about 199 lbs, which isn't obese, but I'd like to be at 180. I've decided I am going to slow it down until my knee recovers fully and do this in conjunction with a more restrictive diet (enough to fuel my training - but lay off on the goodies ). Hopefully that will pay dividends sooner than if I just backed off on the intensity and maintained by current diet.

Thanks for the input.

Rob

 

Hi Rob...don't lose hope. I'm still 100kg's, and I had a BMI done about a week ago, and they found that I'm 16.8% bodyfat, so some of us are just bound to be big. Just keep riding!

 

Given that to lose weight you need to use more calories than you take in the best form of exercise for losing weight is to exercise as hard as you can for the time you have available.

This form of exercise maximises the amount of calories you use and therefore helps weight loss. Although research suggests that there is an intensity at which fat oxidation is at its greatest, there is no evidence to suggest that this is a best intensity at which to lose weight - it does not maximise calorie expendature.

You could do 2 hours at 60% VO2 max or 4 hours at 30% VO2 max - both have the same level of energy expendature and therefore effect on weight loss.

The key is exercise as hard as you can for the time you have available. Obviously, advice for gains in performance is somewhat different.