Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Why did I gain weigth after riding 130 miles?

I have been riding 3 to 5 times a week for about one year. I just rode two back-to-back metric centuries in 80 degree weather and somehow gained 3 pounds. What happened?

I ate about 1000 calories extra each day, mostly before and during the rides. My garmin 705 reported close to 4000 burned calories on each ride, so I was expecting to lose a few pounds after all. I drank plenty of water and a few bottles of Gatorade. I was at my limit the first day, and felt a little bit of leg pain during the last 20 minutes, mostly because I was pushing way too hard (couldn't let cute chick on mountain bike pass me going up hill :). The second day was all pleasure at endurance pace the whole time.

It has now been three days and I’m still up 3 pounds over where I was before the ride. I feel water logged and have jiggly love handles I don’t think I had before the ride.

Is this a common reaction? I must be holding 5 pounds of extra water. What else could have happened?

I’m working my way up to 100 miles and plan on doing at least a metric every weekend, probably adding 10 miles each week. It will be interesting to see how my body behaves.

It's common to retain water after, especially if you got dehydrated during. Also you do know that the Garmin's calorie calculations are complete BS, right?

It's common to retain water after, especially if you got dehydrated during. Also you do know that the Garmin's calorie calculations are complete BS, right?

If you got "dehydrated during", you would have been finished! Your energy would have been gone. Once you reach that point, only time (and rehydrating, of course) can fix the problem. I know from a one time experience, that there aren't enough watermelons in the world, to bring you back. :)

Also you do know that the Garmin's calorie calculations are complete BS, right?

You'd think a company like Garmin would have it right. I seem to remember reading where the Garmin calorie number includes what you burn during the workout plus an estimate of what you'd burn from the raise in metabolism after the workout. Sound like BS to me. Still for a ride like that, it has to be from 600 to 800 calories per hour, maybe more.

I wonder if the Garmin calorie number uses the input from my power tap to come up with a better estimate, or it is still way high.

You'd think a company like Garmin would have it right. I seem to remember reading where the Garmin calorie number includes what you burn during the workout plus an estimate of what you'd burn from the raise in metabolism after the workout. Sound like BS to me. Still for a ride like that, it has to be from 600 to 800 calories per hour, maybe more.

No, the garmin calorie calculation is only based on speed and time, scaled by age and weight. If you coast down a hill it will say you burned more calories than riding as hard as you can up the hill.

I am always a lil heavier the day after a long ride. I think it is water retention. Give yourself a day or two and you should see a nice loss. Be sure to weigh yourself at the same time of the day. Your weight flucuates through out the day. I weigh myself when I wake up after I go to the bathroom.

You're doing it wrong. All wrong.


...couldn't let cute chick on mountain bike pass me going up hill :)...

You should ALWAYS let the cute chicks pass you. Much better scenery when they're in front of you.

Just as a point of reference, how much did you weigh to start with?

Not that this is the case with everybody, but for giganti-clyde Sasquatches like me, 3 pounds is only a 1.2% fluctuation and might be the difference between what I weigh after dinner and what I weigh after my morning ride to work.

I've learned to track my weight based on weekly measurements; same day, same time, always put the scale in the same place (yes, uneven floors, even just a little bit, can affect scale readings).

You're doing it wrong. All wrong.



You should ALWAYS let the cute chicks pass you. Much better scenery when they're in front of you.

:thumb:

You should ALWAYS let the cute chicks pass you. Much better scenery when they're in front of you.

Kind of like a carrot...hummm, I'm learning.

Just as a point of reference, how much did you weigh to start with?

Not that this is the case with everybody, but for giganti-clyde Sasquatches like me, 3 pounds is only a 1.2% fluctuation and might be the difference between what I weigh after dinner and what I weigh after my morning ride to work.

I've learned to track my weight based on weekly measurements; same day, same time, always put the scale in the same place (yes, uneven floors, even just a little bit, can affect scale readings).

I always weigh myself first thing in the morning, after the p. I was 171 in the morning before the ride. I was 174 this morning. In between, I saw numbers as high as 179 (after dinner the second day). I didn't gorge on food, but ate well and balanced meals I did drink extra water, before, during and after, so don't know what else I could do to stay more hydrated. I did run out of water once, for about 20 minutes, before a rest stop, so maybe that's all it took.

I always weigh myself first thing in the morning, after the p. I was 171 in the morning before the ride. I was 174 this morning. In between, I saw numbers as high as 179 (after dinner the second day). I didn't gorge on food, but ate well and balanced meals I did drink extra water, before, during and after, so don't know what else I could do to stay more hydrated. I did run out of water once, for about 20 minutes, before a rest stop, so maybe that's all it took.

Sounds like some of the noted fluctuation is variation with your scale. 171 to 179 is a pretty huge difference. You'd have to eat a massive meal and drink a half gallon of water to put on that kind of weight.

I always weigh myself first thing in the morning, after the p. I was 171 in the morning before the ride. I was 174 this morning. In between, I saw numbers as high as 179 (after dinner the second day). I didn't gorge on food, but ate well and balanced meals I did drink extra water, before, during and after, so don't know what else I could do to stay more hydrated. I did run out of water once, for about 20 minutes, before a rest stop, so maybe that's all it took.

People's weight varies all the time. 3 pounds seems to be about reasonable for the variation. It takes some time to gain "permanent" weight (due to fat/muscle). You'd need multiple measurements over more than a few days to detect permanent weight changes.

It's not clear why you are worried about it.

You're doing it wrong. All wrong.

You should ALWAYS let the cute chicks pass you. Much better scenery when they're in front of you.

Exact same reason why I sit in the back of spin classes.

But seriously, your weight is going to have some major swings. For example, I gained 5lbs after a century, only to see it drop two days later. Could be water retention or maybe even increased muscle, since it weighs more than fat.

If you maintain the same daily diet and exercise, in theory, the 3lbs is not an increase in fat.

Takes about 3-5 days for my weight to stabilise after a big ride.

The last time I did a fast double century in June I had to do a body composition test 2 days out from the ride. This is for a study my wife are invloved in that spans a 2 year period. Going into the ride I weighed in around 133lb's. The next time I weighed myself was when I was at the university getting everything checked. Wow Looks like in 2 days I put on 6lbs which ended up goofing up my data over the 2 years. Then 3 days after that I was back down to 133 lbs.

I wouldn't worry to much about it.

I just rode two back-to-back metric centuries in 80 degree weather and somehow gained 3 pounds. What happened? There's no such thing as gaining three pounds in several days.

Unless of course you completely stuff yourself.

Serious athletes weigh themselves regularly. Often weighing themselves to determine their level of hydration, and in some cases whether they retaining fluids. (females particularly)

Typically, by weighing oneself in the morning as well as at night, before bed, an athlete will discover a range of weight that they fall into most of the times. In some situations coaches request athletes to weight themselves after strenuous workouts to determine whether they have become dangerously dehydrated.

I doubt you have any idea, what your "real weight" is supposed to be. Certainly your post supports this idea. Therefore, no one knows if you are retaining an abnormal amount of fluid or not.

Remarkably, my body weight has often varies as much as five percent due to fluctuations caused by exercise in hot weather. Although, I would imagine most people's weight fluctuates much less. On several occasions, my weight has fluctuated nearly nine percent.

Your post about a "three pounds of gain" would be significant for a 100lb person, but would be pretty common among larger, heavier people.

Why so many adults seem to have so little understanding of weight fluctuation, hydration and exercise effects on their weight is a mystery.

Thanks for the replies. My weight is coming back down to where it was before the ride and I'm sloshing around a lot less. I do closely monitor my weight, calories and power level, like most cyclists. I just never saw such a large fluxuation in weight before this and wanted to make sure it wasn't an indication of a health problem. Thanks for the info. Rides over 50 miles are new to me. I can't wait to do it again a little longer this time.

There's no such thing as gaining three pounds in several days.
....
On several occasions, my weight has fluctuated nearly nine percent.


I gather that you weigh under 33lbs?

Perhaps a ride to McDonalds for a cheeseburger is in order.

Yep, your weight will vary according to your state of hydration, elimination, and recent eating. Even at 105, my weight will vary by a pound or more during the course of a day. Scale that up for a normal size person and that means a range of +/- 2 lbs. at least can be expected.