Originally Posted by blsecres
Decent but slow ride this morning. Rode 3.5 hours Sunday so I took a rest day Monday. I'd been meticulously tracking my calories to help drop a few pounds and make sure I don't burn out from under eating. Decided it was no big deal for the rest day and I guess I severly under-ate because the ride home last night was miserable: back cramps, no power, couldn't spin above 95 RPM, lack of focus. Trying for some active recovery now because I don't like taking too many days off.
A word of advice (if you'll do me the honor): calories are over-rated. I know that docs say the only way to lose weight is by counting calories, and it is true to some extent. But if you're riding a lot, then the weight should take care of itself. If you deprive yourself of too many calories, your body can go into a "famine mode". Your body will conserve calories however it can, mainly by slowing down your metabolism. It is best to eat until you feel full, and it is best to eat sensibly. In a depression, I once gained 30 pounds (I'm only 5'3", that's
really bad). I did not diet to lose the weight. I rode my bike. I found that the more I rode, the less I craved sugar and snack foods. I also put on more muscle, which helps with weight loss. One pound of fat requires 3 calories a day to maintain itself. One pound of muscle requires 75 calories a day to maintain itself. That's 72 more calories a day (times however many pounds of muscle you put on riding) that you can eat, without gaining weight, when you exchange a pound of fat for a pound of muscle.
P.S. I lost the weight when I moved to Chico, and had no car. I began commuting on my bike. I've weighed between 115 and 120 pounds, depending on the season, ever since (7 years).