Originally Posted by
ericm979
1000 cal/day deficit is a lot. No wonder you are hungry. I find that 500 cal/day is about as much as I can cope with. That's 1 lb/week. Yes it's slow.
Try changing when you eat in order to deal with hunger rather than eating more. Eating smaller meals more frequently keeps me from getting hungry as much when I am trying to lose weight.
40 miles a week is not much. You'll get better quicker if you ride more. Weight lifting and swimming won't make you a better cyclist, although they can be enjoyable on their own. Weight lifting as practiced by a lot of guys in my gym doesn't burn a lot of calories... too much rest between sets, and too much talking.
I echo that. The best way to do this is to work with a trainer so that you'll be able to get counsel on not only the strength training but also on the nutrition part. On the days you work out, you definitely shouldn't be giving yourself a 1,000 calorie deficit because that will cause you to lose muscle, not gain it. If anything, you should be having a recovery shake right after you work out.
I've been doing strength training for about 18 months and can tell you that you'll be exhausted after a hard workout if you don't refuel properly after. Add to that, you won't be gaining the benefits you should. You do want to be concerned about what you eat, but you need a diet that fits what you're trying to achieve.