Another Weight Loss Thread
05-04-10, 11:32 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Another Weight Loss Thread
Just found this Q&A article over at CyclingNews.com. Thought you all might find some of it interesting. Some quotes:
Many people erroneously assume that the more calories they can "burn" on the bike, the more weight they'll lose. The error comes from the fact that when we exercise hard (near LT) we metabolize almost exclusively carbohydrate and very little fat, while at lower intensity, the fuel mix includes a lot more fat.
Any carbohydrate you metabolize has to be replaced before you can ride strongly again, so hard rides do very little for weight loss. Fat metabolized during exercise does not need to be replaced, so riding at an intensity that actually uses fat is the way to go if you are using exercise for weight loss.
That means you want to ride relatively lower intensity to lose weight.
There's another common misconception related to exercise intensity and weight loss that comes from the sloppy way some research has been reported in the media: After an exercise session the body continues to metabolize more fat, even after you are no longer exercising, than it would if you had not exercised.
The research that showed this found that the exercise had to be "intense" to get the effect, but remember that when we are talking about sedentary research subjects, "intense exercise" might not be exactly what a trained cyclist would think of as intense.
Any carbohydrate you metabolize has to be replaced before you can ride strongly again, so hard rides do very little for weight loss. Fat metabolized during exercise does not need to be replaced, so riding at an intensity that actually uses fat is the way to go if you are using exercise for weight loss.
That means you want to ride relatively lower intensity to lose weight.
There's another common misconception related to exercise intensity and weight loss that comes from the sloppy way some research has been reported in the media: After an exercise session the body continues to metabolize more fat, even after you are no longer exercising, than it would if you had not exercised.
The research that showed this found that the exercise had to be "intense" to get the effect, but remember that when we are talking about sedentary research subjects, "intense exercise" might not be exactly what a trained cyclist would think of as intense.
05-04-10, 10:41 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 1,306
Bikes: CAAD9-1, Windsor Cliff 29er
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I thought that common thought was starting to reverse regarding these points. I just want to mention a couple of things:
1. Yes, you tend to burn a higher percentage of your calories from fat at lower intensities. But you also burn calories at a lower rate. So to burn the same amount of fat calories you have to workout longer. If you only have X amount of time then go as hard as you can go for that amount of time (by as hard as you can I'm including intervals, see below).
2. Intervals are so great because it does give you that after effect of continuing to burn calories after you're done. Plus, even if you're sedentary you can do intervals (after being cleared by a doctor). In fact, for some sedentary people that's the only way they can exercise.
I still say it's easier to just go by calories in < calories out and you'll achieve the desired results.
1. Yes, you tend to burn a higher percentage of your calories from fat at lower intensities. But you also burn calories at a lower rate. So to burn the same amount of fat calories you have to workout longer. If you only have X amount of time then go as hard as you can go for that amount of time (by as hard as you can I'm including intervals, see below).
2. Intervals are so great because it does give you that after effect of continuing to burn calories after you're done. Plus, even if you're sedentary you can do intervals (after being cleared by a doctor). In fact, for some sedentary people that's the only way they can exercise.
I still say it's easier to just go by calories in < calories out and you'll achieve the desired results.
Last edited by cooleric1234; 05-04-10 at 10:48 PM.
05-05-10, 08:44 AM
#4
Senior Member
There are all kinds of theories about weight loss, many espoused by people who are uniquely unqualified. The best thing to do is try a couple of methods and see what works best for you. I lost 40lbs last year, so I know what works for me! Apparently, CyclingNews.com does not know what works for me...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
johngwheeler
Training & Nutrition
62
06-09-17 06:52 AM
Jabs1888
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
23
07-13-16 07:37 AM
breadbin
Training & Nutrition
16
10-15-14 10:33 AM
digger531
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
13
03-23-13 07:38 AM
