Weight loss from high speed workouts?



JTE83

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Jan 28, 2004
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Have any of you experienced weight loss from a high speed workout? Like if you go a certain distance at a speed of 20 mph (32.18 kph) or faster and your HR is 90% or higher? Tell us your avg speed, avg HR, distance traveled, and amount of weight lost.

I'm wondering because all I care to be is less than 145 lbs. Now that I'm 142.4 lbs I don't care about biking in the fat burning HR range and I bike for high speed. But I haven't done this often. A week ago I biked for 15.22 miles for transportation, and the 1st half of the ride was high speed in traffic going at least 20 mph and often in the 24 to 26 mph range. I then took my time going home - maybe 18 - 20 mph. The surprising thing was that the next day I weighed 1 lb less. I did not diet.

I'm sure many of you do high speed workouts over long distances. Do you lose weight?
 
JTE83 said:
I'm sure many of you do high speed workouts over long distances. Do you lose weight?


I lose weight on every ride. other day i went out for an hour, temp was about 103 very hot. in that hour i lost 4 lbs. this was body fluid lost (sweating).
weight fluctuates everyday, its nothing unusual to lose or gain a few pounds everyday due to hydration etc.
 
JTE83 said:
A week ago I biked for 15.22 miles for transportation, and the 1st half of the ride was high speed in traffic going at least 20 mph and often in the 24 to 26 mph range. I then took my time going home - maybe 18 - 20 mph. The surprising thing was that the next day I weighed 1 lb less. I did not diet.

To store glycogen takes, I think, 3 grams of water for each gram of carbohydrate. Burn up a bunch of glycogen (as you would expect to do in that sort of riding) and you have less water in your muscles.

One pound of bodyfat is something around 3400 calories. Do you think you burned up that many fat calories during your day that were not replenished?
 
I usually have to bike 30 - 35 miles to lose 1 lb I guess. So I was surprised at the unexpected weight loss from my high speed run. When I bike to lose weight my HR is in the 81 -87% MHR range, and I usually go 35 to 56 miles.

I weigh myself the next morning after a ride.
 
WarrenG said:
To store glycogen takes, I think, 3 grams of water for each gram of carbohydrate. Burn up a bunch of glycogen (as you would expect to do in that sort of riding) and you have less water in your muscles.
Ah ha, this explains the weight variance I see since I knew it wasn't fat or water and seemed too much to be just unprocessed food in my stomach. The difference between pre ride well hydrated/full stomach/glycogen topped off etc. and the morning after when only well hydrated (based on clear color urine with frequent bathroom visits) is almost 15 lbs(220 to 205 so about 7%). How much glycogen can the average person store? I seem to remember it being like 3000 Cal? That would be 750 grams of carb so a full 3KG with needed water for same hydration state... And I am bigger at 6'6" and 215lbs so my body can probably store 900+ grams of glycogen. Does anyone know of a link or info to show estimated glycogen storing capacities?