Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Best cadence to lose weight?

Hi all,

I am trying to help my dad get into shape and I was wondering what kind of riding he should do to lose weight? Should it be fast and short and slow and long? This will be on an exercise bike if it makes any difference.

I was thinking about 30mins each day and then 1 hour on the weekends should be a good time allowance.

Thanks

Daven

I find that I'm best able to keep my HR in the upper zones by doing interval training.

Sprint 2 - 5 minutes in low zone-4
Recover to mid zone-3
Repeat until sufficiently worn out.

Slow and long burns fat.

Thanks. So would 30 mins of slow steady cycling per day, and then 1 hour at the weekends make a decent start? Perhaps swapping some cycling for rowing.

I would say that one hour every other day would be better.

I'm 53 and lost 40 lbs in the last two years. I rode 5000 miles this year. I rode 2 to 3.5 hours per day. I did this 12 to 15 days a month.

Every other day was ideal, It allowed for recovery time. Muscles burn calories during recovery as muscle tissue rebuilds itself.

I would say that one hour every other day would be better.

I'm 53 and lost 40 lbs in the last two years. I rode 5000 miles this year. I rode 2 to 3.5 hours 12 to 15 days a month.

Every other day was ideal, It allowed for recovery time. Muscles burn calories during recovery as muscle tissue rebuilds itself.

@Barrettscv: Did you do any cross training or resistance training in addition to riding your bike? Just curious as I'm about to embark on a weight loss journey.

No cross training, nor did I change my diet much.

I did strive to increase my distance about 20% per month. I started at 300 miles a month and began exceeding 600 miles/month until winter came. I also pushed myself to increase my pace from 16 mph to 18.5 mph on 40 to 55 mile long rides.

I've been off the bike for 6 weeks with less than 5 lbs weight gain from my absolute recent low point.

Thanks, I thought 30 mins because my dad gets home from work fairly late (7:30pm) and by the time dinner is done and digested it will be around 9:30. I will see if it can work otherwise it will have to be 30 mins!

I remember some studies which showed that most folks don't begin to burn fat until after about an hour of aerobic exercise. If those are accurate you should try to get in at least one 90 minute + ride per week.

Well that can be done 2 days a week :)

Slow and long burns fat.

Just not a whole lot of it... at least for me.

I am trying to help my dad get into shape and I was wondering what kind of riding he should do to lose weight? Should it be fast and short and slow and long? This will be on an exercise bike if it makes any difference.


Stationary bike? Akkk! Might need to get a TV and DVD player in front of it. Moderate and long is the best for fat burning. A heartrate monitor helps make sure you're in the "zone".

I agree with GliftonGK1 with intervals, once he is ready for it. If he is riding an exercise bike, I would start slow and grow 10% time every week for the first 5 weeks and then stay even for one week and the 5 more weeks of 10% increase in time.

Yep it is going in front of the TV! Good idea regarding the increase time by 10% each week, will start to help him plan a schedule. Thanks for the advice.

How about letting your dad figure out what works for him?

20-30min at a good heart rate is plenty to start.

Exercycles are pretty darn boring though, so the more important issue will be motivating him to get on the thing on a regular basis, not figuring out the proper cadence.


Hi all,

I am trying to help my dad get into shape and I was wondering what kind of riding he should do to lose weight? Should it be fast and short and slow and long? This will be on an exercise bike if it makes any difference.

I was thinking about 30mins each day and then 1 hour on the weekends should be a good time allowance.

Thanks

Daven

I remember some studies which showed that most folks don't begin to burn fat until after about an hour of aerobic exercise. If those are accurate you should try to get in at least one 90 minute + ride per week.


Maybe 40 minutes but that's the idea, you need to work at about 60-70% of your AT to best burn fat from what I understand. You may want to move up to 70-75% AT to build endurance then advance to some interval work.

I watch a TV when I ride inside. When I get bored I figure I'd be sitting watching anyway so I may as well ride some more.

Bill

Perhaps swapping some cycling for rowing.
:thumb:

the main focus for loosing weight is burn more than you take in. 3,500 calories = 1 pound of fat.

the 'fat burning zone' of a lower max HR vs. the 'cardio of 80% max hr is a bit of a misnomer for weight loss...

if you can burn 1000 calories in 1 hour pedaling harder, and burn 800 calories in 90 minutes pedaling slower, the math is pretty simple (arbitrary calorie outputs)

Exercise is only 1/2 of the equation, significant weightloss and fitness is predicated on DIET and EXERCISE.

If HE is motivated to change (you can't do it for him) set him up with a nutritionist, and a personal trainer to get proper nutrition in him, and a workout regimine utilizing resistance exercise and 'cardio (cycling).

Current ACSM guidelines are at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise more days than not in a week (4 d/week)

I enjoy cycling, but I don't enjoy exercise cycling. An hour indoors is a big accomplishment for me. If you could ride outdoors and ride with him I think it might be more motivational. Don't worry about pace or candance or time. Just try to get him to ride with you for the social time together. Your dad might just like spending time with you. After awhile he may decide he likes riding and wants to work on the different aspects of speed, distance, and time.

Also, I find I can ride sooner after a meal than if I was doing other exercises so you may be able to start your ride earlier than you think.

Thanks guys, basically I have a bet with him that 6 months using an exercise bike regularly is going to be better for him than going to the gym once a week and using theirs! If he makes an improvement then he buys the bike, if he doesn't then I buy it.

It all comes down to practicality for me, I start work soon and I will be cycling for 2 hours every day. He hasn't cycled for years and the roads around here aren't that great and the park is always muddy (and technically is a no-cycling zone)! I know he wouldn't be motivated to go for a ride if it was: cold, raining, too hot etc. both of the first two apply right now!

Of course I realise that diet comes into it, but keeping your diet the same and raising your activity levels will improve your fitness level too, but maybe not as quickly. Diet is next, but one step at a time!

Am thinking about a turbo trainer - this may be a bit better :)

Thanks guys, basically I have a bet with him that 6 months using an exercise bike regularly is going to be better for him than going to the gym once a week and using theirs! If he makes an improvement then he buys the bike, if he doesn't then I buy it.

Hope you've left out some details: this bet doesn't sound like much of an incentive to exercise :D

Well there will be a huge money saving by not having a gym membership!

Well there will be a huge money saving by not having a gym membership!

If he doesn't lose weight, you're going to buy him a bike? If he does lose weight, he gets penalized by having to buy it himself? If it were me, I'd sit on the couch for six months, collect my free bike, and then start exercising :D

My thinking goes that you exercise to get fit, control diet to lose weight. Exercise and diet together will help get fitter and lose weight faster. The inescapable truth is the only way to lose weight is to take in fewer calories than you use, for a meaningful length of time. Don't let your dad think that he can eat anything if he works out a half hour or so per day.

If he doesn't lose weight, you're going to buy him a bike? If he does lose weight, he gets penalized by having to buy it himself? If it were me, I'd sit on the couch for six months, collect my free bike, and then start exercising :D

No it only works if he does what I suggest. If he sits on the couch then he gets nothing!

Thanks terrierman, I do realise that and will make sure he knows that too.

the main focus for loosing weight is burn more than you take in. 3,500 calories = 1 pound of fat.



I am a middle school health teacher and I say this to my kids all the time. It comes in the context of a lesson about diet fads. The look on their faces is priceless. They can't believe the science behind it is that 'easy'.

If you have him on a stationary bike 1/2hour for 4 days a week, instead of his usual duration 1 time a week at the gym, he will almost have to come out ahead. The frequency of the exercise will keep his metabolism elevated for more of the week. However, he will have to reduce or maintain his caloric consumption. I had my father start some exercise and that was his excuse to eat ice cream and all other stuff late at night. It ended up being a wash. He didn't gain, but he certainly didn't lose.

How old is your dad? Did I miss that somewhere? He doesn't sound very self motivated. Has he seen a doctor lately? As an older guy who started riding again last July here is my list of motivators.

Take a few pictures with the shirt off, standing in some baggy shorts. Take pictures every month, let him see the progress.

Take measurements of the waist and legs. When he sees inches moving around it will get him pumped up.

Take his blood pressure and resting heart rate. When he realizes the changes are internal C|V as well as outward, you have a complete picture.

He needs to own it personally as well as you pushing him. Good luck, you are doing a great work.

Hi all,

I am trying to help my dad get into shape and I was wondering what kind of riding he should do to lose weight? Should it be fast and short and slow and long? This will be on an exercise bike if it makes any difference.

I was thinking about 30mins each day and then 1 hour on the weekends should be a good time allowance.

Thanks

Daven

I'm with a couple of others here, it isn't the cadence its the Heart Rate, keep it below the Cardio zone and above the Weight Loss zone, which for myself is >121 and <150.
I usually try and keep it at about 140 and I end up burning about 900 calories/hour.
I'm roughly 300lbs, down from 425lbs about half of that on the bike.

Thanks, I will choose a bike with a heart monitor then :)

That makes sense. I am glad I picked up a heart rate monitor.

You don't really choose a bike with a heart monitor. You can pick any bike (or not, even) and just pick up a heart rate monitor separately.

anything is better than nothing. he should have fun cuz if he doesn't then he won't do it. it would help if his riding got him sweating but I'm sure there will be some debate about that cuz some people just don't sweat and others sweat just thinking about exercise. :-) me - I have hyperhidrosis so I sweat a lot but if I'm not sweating I'm not working ... or having fun! :-)