Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - How long does it take?

How long did it take until you started noticing weight loss? I've been biking for about a month now 4 days per week and about 10 miles per session and I've only lost about 1-2lbs. The weight will fluctuate throughout the week and I'm trying to keep it from doing that. I've been watching what I eat and staying away from the candy/soda and also trying to ride a bit farther each time I ride. Is there anything I should be doing differently?

I average 100 miles/week, and in my experience weightloss all about restricting eating, and pretty much not about exercise. If you ever eat until you feel full, you just over-ate.

I had the same experience as Shimagnolo. Even when I was riding a lot (for me a lot was 70-100 miles/week) I didn't lose much weight unless I was very careful with what I ate. I tend to eat more, to get the same level of satiety, when I'm biking. I think the most important aspect of cycling, for weight loss, is that you become more in tune with how you feel when you eat right or not.

Consider the fact you are probably gaining some muscle as well which hides the actual fat weight you may be losing.

So, you are riding 40 miles a week, at say, 30 calories per mile for moderate riding, you are burning 1200 extra calories per week. It takes 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound, so your 1-2 lbs in the four weeks is about right. At this stage, this is why restricting food is so important.

For weight loss, I want to exercise 500 calories per day (3/4 to an hour of exercise) and I want an eating deficit of another 500 calories. That 1,000 calorie a day deficit will cause a two pound per week weight loss.

If I were you, I'd push up my intensity a bit on the ride (do you wear a heart rate monitor? If not get one) and keep your heart rate in the appropriate aerobic zone, and extend your ride to an hour and then monitor your calories as best you can. You will lose rate.

Good luck.

Bob

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm trying to watch how much I eat each day and eating a bit healthier, but I do understand the importance of eating just to eat and eating when your hungry. I do see a small change in the shape of the muscles on my thighs and calves & have noticed an increase in strength. I was just trying to reach my goal of 10 miles per ride and then bumped it up to around 15, but I'm ready to do 20-25 miles per ride. When it was around 10 miles, I'd get done with the ride in around 1h 15m, but have been able to cut 10 minutes off that in the last 2 weeks. I don't have any extra equipment other than my CamelBak & misc tools I carry with me. I'm looking at getting a bike computer next month though to help with my distance and speed.

Cycling alone isn't going to make for anything resembling rapid weight loss. A discernable change in eating habits is required, usually in terms of both quantity and types of foods. You're going to have to consider some substantial limits on calories in.

I lost 23 lbs right off. Felt and looked better.
Loosing weight is about less calorie intake.

Count your calories. Figure out how many calories you are burning (keep in mind the calculation is going to be very rough). http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

Run a deficit of 500 per day (either through exercise or reduced calories) and you will lose a pound a week.

If you want to lose weight, count the calories you take in and the ones you burn.

Ride for fitness, diet for weight loss!

Count your calories. Figure out how many calories you are burning (keep in mind the calculation is going to be very rough). http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

Run a deficit of 500 per day (either through exercise or reduced calories) and you will lose a pound a week.

I plugged my information from my commute on Saturday and it said I burned 834 calories. My Garmin 500 said 450 calories burned. Quite a difference, the website calculator said I burned 85% more.

I think that it's both (diet and exercise). If you didn't have a lot of muscle base to begin with there will be a period of time where you are losing one, building the other and not noticing much change at the scale.

As you build up be sure to challenge yourself more, to longer rides.

Also you need to do more than 'Stay away' from candy & soda - You need to treat that kind of stuff like kryptonite!

Stick with it man! :thumb: It's a worthy cause!

Consider the fact you are probably gaining some muscle as well which hides the actual fat weight you may be losing.

+ 1 - muscle weighs a lot. Try a scale with body-fat percentage (like an impedance scale) and focus upon watching body-fat percentage along with weight to see what happens. Another thing to watch is any post-ride meal. People tend to get hungry post-workout and then overeat, not knowing that they just erased some of the benefits of the exercise.
Tim Ferris (author) has one interesting method that I'll oversimplify: write down your weight/body-fat every day. The psych of knowing that you are measuring yourself makes you more conscious of eating and exercising habits

Weight bearing exercises do better at building muscle which will burn more calories than fat. Do some squats. Walk.

Lots of good advice here. If you've only been at it a month I wouldn't ramp it up so fast. I've lost alot of weight but I've been at it for 22 months. A pound a week doesn't seem like very much but over time it'll add up. Make the changes in a way that they become permanent changes. What good would it be to lose the weight quickly and not learn how to keep it off?

May want to try using a calorie counting website (such as MyFitnessPal). I started doing it recently and was somewhat surprised at how many calories I was taking in a day. I thought I was a good "ballpark" guesser. I was wrong, lol.

It took me a little over 3 months to realize cycling alone won't make you lose weight. So starting January I researched into BMR, calories in calories out, high fiber diets, high protein diets, vitamin supplements, exercises for weight loss, so on and so forth before I decided on my best course of action. I changed my diet, my lifestyle, my general outlook on fitness and just living. Since the start of the year I've lost about 50 pounds, and still losing. My weight will fluctuate throughout the week, even 2-4 pound changes throughout the day. I just don't let it get me down. Do your own research and decide what is best for you. Remember in all things in life, what works for one person, my not work for everyone.

I use an app called nutrition menu for my iPhone. I don't eat anything that doesn't get logged in the journal. I started back again by changing my diet on April 3rd at 297, as of yesterday I was down to 280. I have been riding when I can but the weather here has been raining alot. So a good majority has been from purely diet change. I have a bad habit of scale watching, I really try to only weigh once a week (Sunday's) otherwise the fluctuations are discouraging. At one point last week I was as low as 276, but was up 4 lbs by weigh in day. I personally don't SEE a change but can tell a difference in how my clothes fit for sure. Others around me say they can definitly tell there is a loss.

Riding every day, really watching what I ate, cut out candy, cakes, pie,
sodas. Reduced my overall intake about 1/2.
It took about three months to really see the weight come down. I gained
at first but lost inches.

One year later, 12,000 miles down the road, 70lbs lighter.

Do not give up! Ride every chance you get, even if it is a
mile or two up and down the street.

Cut out all the junk food. Start reading label!

The main thing is!!! It is not what you eat.
It is how much you eat!

Sodas are one of the worst thing. I drink only
water with a bit of lime. Walmart, American Clear.

How long did it take until you started noticing weight loss? I've been biking for about a month now 4 days per week and about 10 miles per session and I've only lost about 1-2lbs. The weight will fluctuate throughout the week and I'm trying to keep it from doing that. I've been watching what I eat and staying away from the candy/soda and also trying to ride a bit farther each time I ride. Is there anything I should be doing differently?

Riding alone doesn't do it unless you were totally sedentary before. What will.work is running a calorie deficit daily. You srillhave touse more than you eat. There are a number of programs available to help track your food intake and exercise. You just have to be consistent and patient.

Marc

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843

Decent beginner's workout routine. You should also check out the book Starting Strength for some more info and ideas.
But like psalm said, do your own research and find out what works best for you.

Losing 100+ pounds is nice, but you'll still be flabby if you don't build muscle (depending upon skin elasticity and body type).

As far as weight fluctuation, try to measure yourself consistently once a day. Keep in mind that if you drink a couple liters of water and eat lunch, that's at least a couple pounds more inside of you until you..eh heh..."lose" the weight.

I try to weigh myself in the morning after I've "lost" my meals from yesterday but before I eat another meal. Also with as few clothes as possible.

How long did it take until you started noticing weight loss? I've been biking for about a month now 4 days per week and about 10 miles per session and I've only lost about 1-2lbs. The weight will fluctuate throughout the week and I'm trying to keep it from doing that. I've been watching what I eat and staying away from the candy/soda and also trying to ride a bit farther each time I ride. Is there anything I should be doing differently?

I ride about 100 miles and loose about .5 pounds a week (as in 25 pounds/year) eating enough more than when not riding that I'm not hungry.

A representative hard week includes 1:17 at a tempo pace, 1:01 threshold, and 1:02 zone 5 or harder totaling 3616 kilojoules (about 1 kj/Calorie).

Lots of good advice here. If you've only been at it a month I wouldn't ramp it up so fast. I've lost alot of weight but I've been at it for 22 months. A pound a week doesn't seem like very much but over time it'll add up. Make the changes in a way that they become permanent changes. What good would it be to lose the weight quickly and not learn how to keep it off?

I have to give a thumbs up for that. I am watching and eating healthier but I am not on a "diet". To me it gives the impression that I am going to go back to the way I was eating before. Slowllllyyyy I am eating healthier.

I have to give a thumbs up for that. I am watching and eating healthier but I am not on a "diet". To me it gives the impression that I am going to go back to the way I was eating before. Slowllllyyyy I am eating healthier.

Thumbs up to you, too. It took me a very long time -- all my life, actually -- to get up to 260 pounds. So I figured my calorie surplus wasn't all that great, and it wouldn't take all that much to turn it into a deficit and start losing weight. I changed the quantity more than the nature of my diet, joined a gym and started riding whenever I could. I only lost a pound a week or so, but it all adds up. I lost 70 pounds in a year and a half.

Thumbs up to you, too. It took me a very long time -- all my life, actually -- to get up to 260 pounds. So I figured my calorie surplus wasn't all that great, and it wouldn't take all that much to turn it into a deficit and start losing weight. I changed the quantity more than the nature of my diet, joined a gym and started riding whenever I could. I only lost a pound a week or so, but it all adds up. I lost 70 pounds in a year and a half.
Thats so great! 70 pounds! :) Good for you...you must feel so much better.

Thats so great! 70 pounds! :) Good for you...you must feel so much better.

Aww, thanks. I feel great, as if 20 years went away along with the 70 pounds. I guess I'm not an official Clyde any more, but this is still my favorite BF forum, full of helpful, practical advice from some of the coolest, funniest and least pretentious folks on the site.

Basically, just riding more, and not changing how I ate, I lost about 40 lbs over maybe 2 years. Then I started changing how I ate and lost more.

Note that you can ride 10 miles at a relaxed pace and not have a great deal of exercise out of it. If you're after exercise, don't cruise around the neighborhood, tear around the neighborhood. Increase your distance, work on increassing your speed, too.

forgive me for not reading everyones replies but
1. 10 miles isn't very much
2. if your riding that 10 miles at the same pace you did it at day 1 then your not pushing yourself
3. add more miles, or up your intensity or alternate both. some days do 10 miles going all out, other days look to do 15 or 20 miles

Ten miles can be quite a bit if you have only been riding a month and you are older or out of shape or overweight or some combination of all three. Like me. :)

Ten miles can be quite a bit if you have only been riding a month and you are older or out of shape or overweight or some combination of all three. Like me. :)

absolutely, during week 1. but if you've been doing it 4 times a week for a month than it should definately be far easier or else your not doing something right (i.e. not pushing yourself ever)

absolutely, during week 1. but if you've been doing it 4 times a week for a month than it should definately be far easier or else your not doing something right (i.e. not pushing yourself ever)

Yes, I agree. In the month I have been riding it has been getting easier and I can ride longer. For me longer was 10 miles as I had difficulty getting past the five mile barrier.

Anyway, weight loss is going to be more about calorie restriction than anything else.

Once I hit the 10 mile mark (around beginning of week #2), I began pushing myself to be able to complete it in around 1 hour. I then started to add miles after I completed my 10 miles/hour and got to around 15. Then, for reasons unknown, I ended up riding 36 miles (18 out/18 back) on one particular day. Now, I'm looking at a goal of 20-25 miles per day and completing that in less than 2.5 hours. Mind you, this is only after 1 month of riding and a change in my diet.

I'm currently 70lbs overweight (5'9" and should be around 150lbs, but I clock in at 220) and I had a very hard time completing 4 miles on flat land. I went for a ride with a random group of people on a technical 8 mile trail the second time I was on a bike in over 3 years and found myself constantly out of breath and walking most hills and barely keeping up. I told myself that the next time I tried that trail I'd be able to do a lot better. I find myself on my bike 5 out of 7 days per week and always pushing myself to do better. I found my warm-up consists of riding at least 5 miles, then I can really give it the beans.

I really do appreciate all the feedback on this thread. Thanks!

Crikey Hydraulic, that is a fast improvement. How old are you? Did you do other kinds of exercise before?

I must be doing something wrong. I lose well over 2 lbs a week....I'm eating healthy, maybe not completely balanced as I don't eat baked carbs (breads, rice, grains) and commute about 40 km a day (M-F), more on Fridays. I'm energetic, and feel fine. When I eat baked carbs (as I mentioned above) I get all lethargicky and can't stay awake.

I'm 30 years old, male and 259ish as of 630ish May 24, 2011. Your mileage will vary, other than being fat/overweight I'm healthy.

Crikey Hydraulic, that is a fast improvement. How old are you? Did you do other kinds of exercise before?

I'm only 23 and I rarely did any exercises after graduating college. I used to be on a bike when I was still in school (not college) all the time and rode everywhere, so I was in great shape most of the time until my bike got stolen.

I must be doing something wrong. I lose well over 2 lbs a week....I'm eating healthy, maybe not completely balanced as I don't eat baked carbs (breads, rice, grains) and commute about 40 km a day (M-F), more on Fridays. I'm energetic, and feel fine. When I eat baked carbs (as I mentioned above) I get all lethargicky and can't stay awake.

I'm 30 years old, male and 259ish as of 630ish May 24, 2011. Your mileage will vary, other than being fat/overweight I'm healthy.

The quality of the carbs is also an issue. Refined, "enriched" flours, breads and pasta screw up your blood sugar much worse than those made of whole grains. I can eat my own homemade lasagna with whole grain noodles and feel energetic and attentive. If I eat commercially prepared lasagna with noodles of"enriched"flour, I'll collapse on the couch like a beached whale in a food coma. Just staying away from highly processed crap makes a difference.

Marc