Ok - I do not have a weight problem- but I read a very interesting article today about weight loss whilst exercising. By going out out hammering a ride- pushing yourself to the limit and doing lots of high milage does not work.

The way to burn off fat is to put the heart rate in the correct zone to burn fat instead of energy.
Find your maximum heart rate and your resting HR. In my case that is max 165 and resting of 70- difference of those is 95. The best heart rate for burning fat is at 65 to 80% of the difference so for me- My fat burning heart rate is between 132( 70 + 65% of 95) and 146 (70+ 80% of 95). Thats good as I like to ride between 140 and 145.

If you go above the upper limit your body changes from burning fat to burning energy (Muscle Glycogen) which is stored in the muscles. You need plenty of Oxygen to to burn off the fat so the bottom line is- if you are getting breathless- you will not be burning fat.

Now in the same magazine- It recommends that we reverse our normal eating process for rides. Normally we eat to build up energy for a ride and they recommend differently. Go for a ride and then pig out- Longer the ride- more you can pig out. The suggestion is a 4 hour ride in which you will burn off 1800 calories. Then you can have a Steak and kidney pie, Mash and gravy= 1280 calories and a couple of pints of Guinness= 420 calories. Net loss on the ride= 100 calories.

Sounds good to me- providing the pig out is a breakfast halfway on the ride, and instead of the Guinness- a good slice of pie at the end.