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Originally Posted by Devoidarex
If I was a lotto winner, and had 24 hours a day to do as I please, this would be a great plan. However, my free time is limited, which is why I asked the original question.
Perhaps on my days off, I can ride and ride and ride. However, during work days, this isn't an option. This is why I'm trying to get a ballpark answer as to how long I should expect to put into a ride (or keep my HR in the target zone) in order to get a decent benefit from it. If the answer is, say, an hour, then I can aim for that. If my HR is too low, I can always ride faster. Unfortunately, riding longer isn't necessarily an option for me. The more you eat the more you absorb(one slice of bread=100cal 2 slices=200cal). The difference will come out as a change in weight over the long term. Fat and carbs are both burned at all times. Fat is the main fuel for staying warm (shivering excepted, thats carbs) and is generally the main fuel up through moderately intense excersize. Carbs tend to dominate at higher exersize intensities. The longer a workout lasts the more the fat burn goes up and the carb burn goes down, even with carb intake(sugar water), there is no cutoff. The specific numbers, percentages, and intensities, for fat verses carb burn, vary from person to person so much it is not possible to give you a narrow target range without a lot of lab testing. Total calorie burn rate is always equal to exorsize intensity. It takes a certain amount of energy to move the bike from point A to point B with a given wind speed/drag. Energy is measured in calories, thus it takes a certain number of calories to move the bike from point A to point B at a given speed(wind drag). It does not matter if it is your first mile of the day or your 100th mile of the day, that mile takes the same amount of energy. I'm wildly guessing that you ride 12-15 MPH so would burn 420-650 calories per hour with a MTB on a smooth packed gravel or paved surface. |
Originally Posted by Crunkologist
OH MY GOD...
I burn between 2 and 3000 calories on my long rides twice a week. Thats a pound of fat. When I do my current long ride, I burn about 3500-3800 calories... I'm so glad I found that calculator! |
Thanks to everybody who offered advice here. I appreciate the different viewpoints and sources of info.
I think, after reading everything, I will aim to ride a minimum of 4 times per week, at 1 hour per trip. If possible, I will try to get in 6 to 8 hours if the weekend weather permits. I'm not sure if I'll buy a scale. My belt will be a good measure, but the precision of a scale does appeal to my desire to see numerical results. I've only had the bike 12 days, but I've ridden 9 of those days, and I already am beginning to feel more energetic, and my endurance has already increased a significant amount. I'm just happy that I've finally found a way to exercise that I actually enjoy. |
Just get on a bike and ride! I am getting back into this and I probably would have asked the same question since im doing it for weight loss as well (fun too). The reason I didnt is it will be like a crutch...or an excuse to give up. So and so said I only need to go for 30 minutes so I can quit now when in reality you arent even warmed up and can go for another hour but you lack motivation to do so.
So just get out and ride...use your body as your gage. If you are out of shape, maybe 15 miutes is all you can do at first...so what? Bump that up 5 minutes a week and before you know it you will be cranking away. Anybody who gives you crap for riding for 15 minutes or even 10 if thats all you can do is an idiot...do what you can but push yourself while doing it. Like I tell myself about everything I do...if it wasnt hard I wouldnt bother doing it. |
Originally Posted by kritter
Just get on a bike and ride! I am getting back into this and I probably would have asked the same question since im doing it for weight loss as well (fun too). The reason I didnt is it will be like a crutch...or an excuse to give up. So and so said I only need to go for 30 minutes so I can quit now when in reality you arent even warmed up and can go for another hour but you lack motivation to do so.
So just get out and ride...use your body as your gage. If you are out of shape, maybe 15 miutes is all you can do at first...so what? Bump that up 5 minutes a week and before you know it you will be cranking away. Anybody who gives you crap for riding for 15 minutes or even 10 if thats all you can do is an idiot...do what you can but push yourself while doing it. Like I tell myself about everything I do...if it wasnt hard I wouldnt bother doing it. |
EXACTLY! Thats what I've been trying to say: AVOID EQUIPMENT. The key to your continued success is you, and the bike. Thats it. No scale (THEY LIE! You could carb up, have a GREAT ride, rehydrate afterwards, gain 3 pounds, be frustrated, but have made the most progress you ever have, that day), just inches.
The entire idea is to connect your mind to your body, through exercise. Not just for the purposes of knowing when to quit, how much is enough, etc. But because this feeling of connectedness is SATISFYING, and will lead you to continue the cycling. Whats more, once you've got the mind-body connection, it will control what you eat as well... you'll eat for FUEL for your cycling, or to recover. And not just to eat cause you're hungry. Its about a transformation. And simplicity is the quickest way to get there. Just ride, blank your mind, and enjoy what comes. It will be all good. Gadgets will get in the way. No scale. No HR monitor. No nothing. Not for a couple months at least. |
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