Accelerated weight loss & last minute training?
 

I'm doing a 3-day, 225 mile charity ride in three weeks. Terrain will be reasonably hilly (Herhsey, PA to NYC).

Unfortunately, my training plans turned out to be pretty much a bust. Recent leg injuries kept me off the bike for most of the last seven weeks. And I will miss training rides both this weekend and next with out of town commitments. I'll likely get 6-8 rides in before the ride and some work on the trainer.

I'm 49 and somewhat overweight. I'm a decent rider but am not feeling prepared for the task at hand. I know I'd enjoy the ride more if I could drop pounds now. I'm contemplating a 7-day super diet (cabbage soup perhaps) from September 17-23. Ride starts on the 28th.

Any feedback would be appreciated. I'm feeling a bit behind the eight ball. Thanks.

Crash diets are never a good idea. You'll be stronger and faster if you focus on some quality long rides for the next three weeks. If you try to loose a bunch of weight that quickly you won't have any energy to ride or recover properly. Plus, any weight you loose from a crash diet usually comes right back. Better to begin a real, sensible diet as a part of a long term goal.

Starving yourself will give you more strength and endurance? Seems contrary to everything I've ver heard about conditioning. But hey, give it a shot , I would be interested to hear about the results. 225 miles of hills in three days is also an interesting injury recovery plan. Let me know how that works also. Maybe you could try dehydrating yourself also.

Don't change anything. Just train sensibly and get comfortable on the bike. You'll be just fine. It's more important that you don't take any diet or overtraining risks.

if you crash diet you'd be lucky to complete the first day of riding. Either skip the ride until next year or train as much as you can before the ride and do your best. You'll lose weight during the ride itself, then after you can work on losing the rest of the weight.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Were you always this way or suffer a catastrophic fall?

Best of luck with that. We are going the opposite direction starting a week on Monday, so I know of the hills you are describing... it won't be easy.

+1 to all above for suggesting that a diet at this point is too late. Better to haul your fat ass up those hills in a lower gear than try and pound up them. Just take it slow, maybe consider an extra cog or two on the back if you do not have gearing suitable for hills (e.g. 39 x 25 like me).

+5

Do not eat any less than you have been. Any weight you lose in the short term will not help your performance. Short-term weight loss will kill your energy. If you didn't train, you didn't train. Go out and ride, but do not mess with your diet at this point.

I think you can drop a little weight in the next 3 weeks. I'd try to eat sensibly with a small calorie deficit everyday, aiming to lose 1-2lbs a week. 5lbs by the 28th will help.

Try to gradually up your mileage between now and then. If your leg is up to it, put some intensity (i.e. intervals) in on your short trainer sessions.

These next 2 weekends, can you take the bike and trianer, and put in an hour in the evenings, or early mornings?

During the event, pace yourself, ride a little slower than your normal pace, eat and drink a lot, and don't be afraid to bag out before you reinjure yourself if you have to.

Have to agree about not trying for weight loss. You could lose a bit by eating sensibly but keep up the Carb intake till after the ride.
On the training- No need to go overboard on milage. Just do quality rides. 30 milers where you push a bit harder than comfortable will do- Take in a few 15% hills on a similar length ride. If no real hills available- Sprint up 1/2mile slopes as interval training. Then take a good milage ride for 4 hour nonstop if possible to get the butt attuned.

Get out on the bike but don't over do it. Just get out and enjoy yourself and enjoy the ride

I've made the 'lemme drop just 5 lbs. before this trip' mistake one too many times. Been miserable and bonking on the very first day, and never felt strong the entire trip.
If anything, watch the calories NOW, then ramp back up well before the ride. Instead of a true diet, just eat clean until the ride - nothing fried, nothing with cream sauce, easy on the cheese, nothing white - rice, bread, or potatoes, but whole wheat, brown rice and sweet potatoes. Obviously, no sugary stuff. While you might eat the same calories as before, try to make sure all the calories HELP your health, not hinder.

Being overweight isnt the issue; youre undertrained.

Dropping the weight with a crash diet will eat muscle as well as fat so you will gain nothing other than being a little lighter.

Thanks to all for your consistent and good counsel.