Originally Posted by
tetonrider
i've written many times on how it is possible to lose fat even during hard training, and how one can lean out while not only maintaining but also improving power.
after years of thinking about it and hearing most peoples' responses, i think many would be happier just looking at photos and believing they're at 9, 10, 12, whatever % BF. a quality DEXA can leave many people shell-shocked, and the steps to get really lean in a verifiable way are not easy. you are no stranger to the need to get lean based on your past experiences and hobbies, and you now realize that you were 15, 20# to go before you've reached a holy-grail limit. it's easier for people to claim they want it and think they've gotten there rather than to actually do it.
for many, the journey leads to disappointment (it's hard to get there let alone maintain it), and once you're aware some people then focus on what they are NOT instead of what they are.
i've used them annually for years and believe in them strongly to improve health (awareness of BF%, types of fat, where it is stored, and associated cardiovascular risks based on where it is stored).
it's kind of like power, though: lots of people want to own a power meter or for #s to just match their expectation (or higher! ;-)); accuracy is less a priority.
just my experience based on talking to lots of others and observing how they respond. ignorance can be bliss.
I thought 152 was my end point but its probably another 10. I'm at 150 now, so there's still work to do but if I can maintain my FTP that puts me on a level I never thought would be attainable. I've tightened up my diet, and started doing a lot of other exercises off the bike that are critical for me (yoga, nerve flossing, ab work, weights). After 5 years of serious training this is the closest I've gotten to peak but part of me thinks I'm still a year off.
I think if most cyclists hired a coach, and that coach would have them ride 500 miles a week, they'd be fine with it; but if they had them ride less and put them on a diet, gym routine, calisthenics, and yoga they'd be fired in a heartbeat. After doing an honest assessment of where I was at, those things off the bike are just as important. It also make training crazy harder than it was.