What's your body fat %

That sucks! That means I have to cut down on food intake. I've been on that BF since I started riding and modesty aside, I've been riding a lot specialy when I was unemployed. I was riding 5-6 days / week and at least 30 miles per day and sometimes go on 80+ mils on a day in a week. I know I've gotten stronger since I been doing a lot of pulls on group rides and I can climb hills much better. I guess it just boils down to cutting back on fatty foods. I'm asian by culture so I tend to eat a lot of greasy stuff

 

If your cycling alot, make sure your getting alot of complex carbs and protein in your diet. Also how much base training are you doing in your rides? Alot of burning calories depends on where in your heart rate zone are you training!

 

thanks for the response. Here's my schedule but it does change once in awhile depending on family matters but I try hard to get hill repeats 2x / week (which is my weakness)

2x / week hill repeats 3miles,7% grade, 2x at least, at 150-160 bpm
1x / week 4 hrs ride at 130-140 bpm
1x / week 4 hrs ride 130 - 160 bpm (group ride with sprint and hill sections along the ride)
1x / week 1 hr ride resistance trainer 140 - 160 bpm

My MHR is 170 bpm base on a club race in a final sprint.
My Resting HR is 48 (measured after waking up in the morning).

 

i wish it was a little more but

160lbs body weight
BMI 1.8
height 66inches


its great having a 28 inch waste you now

 

Alright here's what it looks like to me, looks like you are training with some sort of HR monitor depending on your age I think your training alot more in your anerobic zone then your aerobic zone. Base training should be done alot and year round! Base training is riding at 60-65% intensity. Don't worry about milage here, focus on time. This is the foundation for building endurance and it will also keep you in your aerobic zone which in return will burn body fat. When your HR is high, your working anerobic and your body will not burn the body fat. I would try to base train at least 2-3 days out of your 5 days of riding. I hope this helps and good luck!

P.S.
One tool you can use when base training is try and stay off the big ring. This will help keep your HR down.

 

thats not bad, my hr is always 160 \ 180 thats where my Tz is set it beeps below 160 and above 180 unless i'm coming home where i set it much higher 170 \ 195. i had my heart rate taken just before an operation and it was 55bpm i ahve never done it in the morning, but i have found it when i have been just sitting about to be 34 but at the time i was running 100 miles per week plus cycling and training

 

True, it's not bad but he's still working in the anerobic zone wher he won't burn body fat.

 

38 Years
5'9"
145 Lbs
Tanita 6 - 8%
Gym Test last month 9%

All my exercise is riding, 1 day off per week. Combination of 1 - 2 long (60+ Miles) flat/rolling hill rides, 2 - 3 intense 20-30 Mile weekday rides TT style and two days of 6000'+ climbing rides of at least 50 miles.

 

it doesn't matter a jot what zone they're in for weight loss, as long as total energy expenditure is greater than energy intake.

ric

 

Sure he will. It's just that he'll burn a higher percentage of calories via glycogen.

If he does an hour in a(n) [alleged] fat burning zone, he'll burn a higher percentage of calories from fat.

If he does an hour at a high intensity, he'll burn more calories from glycogen and more calories from fat. However, he'll burn a higher percentage from glycogen than the lower intensity ride.

Also, exercising at a higher intensity will tend to boost the body's calorie burning mechanisms so that he will actually be burning more calories while at rest. The body's metabolism will get jacked up a bit and have a more thermogenic affect for a certain period of time. Depending on the intensity that can be up to 12 hours, if memory serves.

The thing about the lower intensity workouts is that they can be sustained for hours, thus burning more total calories during a day.

 

Start August
38 yo
5'7"
210 lbs
33% bodyfat (via Tanita scales)

When you've stopped laughing about my level of obecity...

Today (26th August)
196 lbs
28% bodyfat (same method)
350 miles on the bike

Another 6 months of this and I might be in good shape!

 

i ain't laughin at you, i think its great that you have noticed that it may be a problem and more to the point that you are trying to do something about it.

Good luck to you, and i wish you nothing but the best of luck in achieving whatever goals you have set for yourself.
cut down on the beer that usually helps........

 

Thanks for the encouragement! I think you've gotta see a funny side in everything. I will be in great shape in 6 months.

Funny thing about the alcohol; since starting training I have little desire to drink the way I used to. Now 1 glass of wine with evening meal. No other. (I amze myself)

I don't have it to hand, but I recently came across a list of 'problems in later life' associated with long term obesity....frightening!

Thanks Again

 

What I was trying to say, is exactly what you have gotten across here.

 

whilst i don't doubt that you can expend more energy by training for a longer compared to shorter period, there's two points to consider

1) promulgating a "fat burning zone" is, i feel a poor mistake

2) most people are time limited in the training time they have available. In these situations exercising at a low intensity in a fat burning zone (sic) is a complete waste of time. They should exercise at the highest intensity possible for the duration that they have available to them irrespective of where the "fuel" comes from for exercise

ric

 

i'd be inclined to more steady, intermittent riding, with an equal amount of time for recoveries. just enjoy the time you are out on the bike, don't worry about weather fat is dropping off just have fun. you'll get there eventually

 

There's a book written by a guy I remember called Clarence Bass. He got his bodyfat level down to 3%. Although Bass is a bodybuilder, the book Ripped may have some tips for all sportsmen and I believe Bass himself used to run marathons as a sideline.
http://www.fitwisewell.com/clarence-bass.asp

 

I couldn't agree with you more. Some people will say to go long rides in low intensity to tap into the "fat" fuel. While hard intensity will tap into glycogen. But there are also those who believe that hard intensity will burn glycogen first (due to readily available fuel) then tap into fat once glycogen runs out. So I just train hard everytime I ride (with recovery days when needed). But here's my problem, I do carbo load post ride, but I tend to have low sugar (I get light headed). So what happens is I hit (raid) the fridge and eat a lot of carbs (rice specifically). I know I'm getting strong but I just loose more fat, I will definitely be strongER.

 

try looking for a book in your local library
(steve wootton | NUTRITION FOR SPORT) the book does describe how and why you are able to work within CARTE BLANCHE and ways to improve on the length of time your able to spend there. once you understand what is happening within the mitochondria how the energy is used and why also how to maintain endurance activities.

contents:

nutrition basic concepts
from food to energy
energy into muscular activity
fluid and the athlete
nutrition and competition
losing and gaining weight
vitamins and minerals
pills powders and potions
nutritional advice for specific groups of athletes
putting the theory into practice.

very educational

 

I have heard that the Tanita scale will consistently read approx. five percent high in the normal mode (non sport mode option model) Also that one is to weigh themselves after being up for at least ten hours and well hydrated. Any truth to this?