Juan Foote

As it relates to cycling, not dieting, per se.

Last year I started riding, lost quite a bit of weight then reached a plateau for a while, then started to gain weight again. This year I lost weight for the first few weeks and have started to gain again.
I attributed a good part of it to diet the first time around so I changed my diet quite a bit this time. I have cut red meats, fried foods, cola, and changed my portion size so I don't just eat till I am full.
I little over two weeks ago I was at 208 and now I am right at 220. In the last three weeks I have increased my ride time and distance by a good amount as well.

I guess the point of all that was to ask, is what I am seeing transition from fat to muscle, and normal?
Will I see a return to a drop in my weight as I build the muscle and then lean and condition it while continuing to lose fat?

And with all that said, I am not a small fellow, not rotund, just a big guy at 6'3", and have been over 200 for years now. I weighed around 180 while riding regularly in my late 20's. Is it unreasonable to think of getting under 200 again in my 40's?

chefisaac

in my opinion.... at 6 foot 3 inches, you are not heavy.

Street Pedaler

Unfortunately, the weight gain is probably not due to muscle gain. It takes a loooonnnng time (years) to pack on 12 lbs of muscle weight and, to be honest, you'd probably not be able to do it through cycling alone. Start a Food Journal and try to keep track of every calorie that you take in. You'll probably be surprised at how much more is going in than you thought. In the meantime, keep riding and good luck. You'll get it figured out.

jimnolimit

Are you also doing any weight training?
How are your clothes fitting on you?

P.S. Nothing wrong with eating red meat, in moderation of course.

Haff

Hydration may be a factor. Changing your daily activities, your salt intake, the humidity, all kinds of factors can change how much water your body retains per pound. This kind of weight can move very quickly.

I doubt its fat. You would have to eat a ton of extra food to pack on that much weight that fast. Taking the conventional number of calories per pound to be 3500, and a weight gain of 12 pounds, over lets say 15 days, thats an EXCESS food intake of 2800 calories. Thats a lot of food!

Something else you can do is pick up a scale that has those impedance measurements for body fat% and lean tissue% and all that jazz. Measure at the same time every day, I suggest when you wake up prior to any showers. The data is a little noisy, but you should be able to see trends fairly well.

Juan Foote

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

FrenchFit 

Take a look at a BMI calculator that takes into account body frame size, it's an eye opener.

I think acclimation to riding is part of it, the weight loss benefits seem to disappear as you become more efficient in the saddle. The fat finds new places to accumulate. Mixing it up with running or similar seems to help.

Age is the biggest factor for me. In my 20s I could drop into the 160s-170s with little effort, and that would require a stravation routine for me now. The 190s is a stretch goal...and I'm OK with that but it's real work to get there. It's like your body govenor is telling you it's not good to be an old guy running around with 13% body fat.

robberry

"I attributed a good part of it to diet the first time around so I changed my diet quite a bit this time. I have cut red meats, fried foods, cola, and changed my portion size so I don't just eat till I am full."

You should start using a calorie counter (like LoseIt.com). It's kind of pathetic what one can eat to lose and maintain a "healthy weight."

I'm 6'2" and my "range" is 155-175lbs. I'm guessing you should be around 160-180lbs, and that's not unreasonable at all. Eat balanced meals in small portions and exercise regularly. Make it your lifestyle and not a diet.

goldfinch

It is very tough to break through the plateau range and then lose the last weight you need to lose. It is very common for people to start gaining weight after they hit the plateau. They have to exercise more to get the same benefits and can end up hungrier. I am paying attention to the issue for myself. Maybe the best thing is to slightly cut the calories and be willing to lose the last weight slowly, over a year or so. Keep in mind that your calorie needs are likely lower than they used to be because you weigh less.

jimnolimit

it's my thinking that weight training will help with that. on a strict weight loss regiment both muscle and fat will be lost causing the body to burn even less calories.

McCallum

The best thing to do is check your lean body mass/body fat %. I did this a while back and found I am at a 21-22% body fat or 78-79% lean body mass which is not good but it is also not bad when one figures where I started two years back (almost 40% body fat!) I am woth street peddaler though do a food log it weill help you see if you are eating someting that is adding pounds. Also watch the salt intake; that will kill me one day to the next really quick!

goldfinch

For sure.

However, if you have a calorie intake of at least your BMR you should lose only fat regardless of exercise.