Bear in mind though, Charles, that there is a 2 hour window where intake after intense exercise is used exclusively to restock muscle and liver glycogen and not stored to fat. In addition, if you are expending 500 kcals an hour and intaking 250 kcals/ hr under exercise, then you are running at a deficit, and the intake supports blood glucose and glycogen under these circumstances.
It's important to remember though that this only applies when you are riding far or fast enough that you risk glucose/glycogen depletion. Under high intensity or long duration exercise, crashing the blood sugars leads you to the "bonk" and this is a beast you don't want to awaken. Some intake is perfectly appropriate during high intensity or endurance events, and don't forget those electrolytes either!
By the way, beer, in
MODERATION is a good recovery drink, but the key is moderation and you are better off using a nonalcoholic version as alcohol is also a diuretic and slows re hydration recovery.
Originally Posted by charles vail
You are the only one who can decide why beer is so important to you. Is it the taste or the buzz, hmmmm?
Of course your liver might have a different opinion about the alcohol but either way, you know its not healthy to drink in excess (more than about 12 oz. of beer a day).
You can be a fit fatty......sort of but carrying extra fat puts a strain on your heart causing it to thicken over time and thats not healthy. I am quite fast on a bike on level ground being a sprinter but give me any steep hills and my heart can't keep up with my legs. I'd rather lose 40 pounds and be a better climber. Its difficult going on long rides to burn fat so just ride as much as you can and start lifting weights to increase muscle mass. This will help burn fat when at rest and shouldn't take more than 1 hour per day x 3 days a week. This is my plan for fat loss and I intend to ride my normal 9 mile per day heart/lung workout in addition to longer rides when time permits. I don't ride to lose weight but because I like it so much. Others are correct in saying that short intense rides burn glycogen not fat and do little to grow muscle unless you progressivly add intensity or duration. Any increase in calories used will help,unless you reward yourself for it, with excess food.