Hurt back, stopped biking... lost weight?!
 

So long story short, lost 100 pounds last year, slipped over the winter and gained 40 back. Got earnestly back into cycling in April, stopped the upward climb... but there was no downward movement. Increased my distance from 300 a month in April to being well on my way to hitting 600 in June, but no matter how hard I exercise or how much I cut from my diet, my weight has been rock steady and unchanging for 3 months.

Then last week I did my first really hilly ride of the season, and ended up hurting my back. I think all the standing did me in, not sure. But rather than risk making it worse, I've stayed off the bike and done nothing for the past 6 days. Over these 6 days I've lost 8 pounds.

What. the. heck.


Anyone know how this could possibly occur?

What are your eating habits on and off the bike? ( Last meal of the day, first meal, what you eat and the times you eat)

What do you do besides biking, both when riding, and when not riding? ( sitting around, walking, jogging...)

It could be something as simple as one of these 2 things, or it could be something more complex.

I think it's water. I know when I Amin town and riding every day I drink twice as much as when I travel and do t ride...hence I always come back lighter than when I left, even though I eat worse. Within 3 days of being back on the bike I usually go right back up.

As to the 3 months no weight loss...has to be calories in vs out...or a world record plateau

When I don't ride, I don't get as hungry so I eat less. I also don't get as thirsty so I drink less. After a couple of days of not riding I usually weigh less.

I am using this technique now to try to lose a few more pounds. I will ride hard for a few days to speed up my metabolism and then I will not ride for a few days and really try to cut back on the calories that I eat. I am having a little success with this.

Could be excess water retention, which can happen with exercise. Muscle cells which are worked store water and glycogen for later use. Now off the bike you dump the water and see how much you lost.

Could also be adaptation where your body was doing its best to conserve energy because you weren't eating enough for the amount of exercise you were doing. Now you shook things up a bit and are not in conservation mode.

Could also be less calories now.

People are walking water bags and you've got a gallon less sloshing around inside than you usually do.