Originally Posted by Drew Eckhardt

There's a lot of flexibility in what you can eat and still maximize weight loss, just not how much.

This 5-layer chocolate cake was one of my favorite diet foods losing over 65 pounds, although I didn't have more than half a slice per dinner and one slice a week total.


You use 2500 Calories total per 100 miles on the low end, maybe 5500 if you're riding a 5 hour century. (assume 250W x 5 hours x 3600 seconds = 5400kj and Calories. On flat ground I go faster on 210W; although I might manage that for 90 minutes at best).

You need 0 replacement Calories provided you don't fully deplete your glycogen stores and let glycogenesis slowly replenish them. Muscle catabolism and hunger contraindicate that.

On the low end replacing losses you need 500 Calories per 100 miles when you are fat adapted because 80% of your 25 Calories per mile came from fat.

On the high end you need 250 Calories of carbs an hour while riding because that's the most you can digest + the storage limit of 2000 after.