jschristian44

Hi guys,
So I just started riding my road bike about 10-20 miles every day for the past 2 weeks or so. I am determined to lose some weight. I am really not that overweight, but I am in the high range for my height. I also want to feel better. I am about 5'11" and weigh about 180. When I first started riding I weighed in at 178, and I think I gained 2 lbs of muscle or water weight during that time or something. I do feel a little better though. But I keep hearing that it's what you eat is how you lose weight and not exercising. I was never on a diet before because I was never really overweight, and I know it is harder for skinnier people to lose weight than it is for overweight people. Like, I know it's going to take longer to lose 20 lbs at my height/weight ratio that it would for say a 5'10" person who weighs 280. But, I am going to keep up my cycling regime for quite a while I think. I enjoy it. But how would I get about started on a diet regime, or just eating the right foods to lose the weight? Can I keep eating what I want, in portions conservatively, without a food schedule. I always dispesed those weight watchers and stuff my mom was always on. She had to write in what she ate, etc and I just don't like that.

Cateye

Ride more-Eat less

hyegeek

Diet has a much larger impact on your weight than exercise does. Just upping the exercise will make you hungrier. If you are eating foods that will lay on the fat, you will continue to do so. Since your weight is not far out of whack, you can probably just concentrate on limiting processed foods, sugars and simple starches and replace them with better choices (fruits and veggies). Keep up the riding and implement that kind of diet changes should drop you down without having to keep track of everything you eat.

This assumes you are relatively normal and do not have some sort of health issue that is the cause of excess weight.

dsprehe89

I had the same issue when I started rock climbing. Granted, rock climbing requires more muscle and less cardio compared to biking. Granted, from the way it sounds I am a little more out of weight that you, 6' 2" 245lb. But, I actually gained weight until I was up to 250 (it was all muscle weight though) until I started dieting..... I eventually made it down to 240 but then stopped dieting and am now back up to 250 (gonna start back up this month and try to get down to 215lb this summer. Good luck with your weight loss.

ks1g

Watch what you are eating (moderate adjustments to portion sizes, be more aware of what and how much you eat and really avoid junk) but don't starve yourself. Don't fall into the trap of eating a lot more "because I'm riding it off" either. Keep riding, and I'd increase the ride durations gradually. Look for opportunities to bike (or walk) instead of drive. Give it time - it takes your body a while to adjust to new activity levels. I am not in a situation where I need to loose weight, but nonetheless my data point: My daily commute went from 4 miles each way to 12 in March. Starting in late April (about 6 weeks), my weight suddenly (so it seemed) dropped a few pounds and now (10-12 weeks) seems to be stabilizing around 10 pounds lower. We'll see if I've found a new equilibrium. I didn't make any radical diet changes, just watched what I was eating and brought some extra fruit or a cycling bar in case I felt particularly hungry when I arrived at work or felt "empty" on the way home.

Diegomayra

You sound like you need to get "lean", where is the fat that you are trying to target?
A calorie burned = calorie burned. That is a fact.

I would recommend using a program like Livestrong and set a daily caloric limit, try to be -3500kcal in the red at the end of the week. That would require you to be -500 kcal per day to maintain weight, easier if you do long-hard rides on the weekends.

I am no nutritionist but @ 5"11 and 180lbs. I would set your daily caloric limit @ no more than 1800(or less) in combination with cycling.
If you eat healthy already, than a 55-60% Carb/ 25-30% Fat/ 15-20% Protein breakdown won't be difficult to achieve.
If you do a long ride in which you enter glycogen depletion, it is important to replace with carbs. During the ride simple carbs work, but post ride meals should include complex carbs and protein.

Another tip?
It's been proven that multiple workout sessions of 20minutes (3x/day) are more effective for weight loss than 1hr session. Reason? Even a 20 minute session just before work/school or a power lunch can in fact boost your metabolic rate for several hours after the session.

DataJunkie

I find it debatable that cardio has any long lasting effects to ones metabolism. In my experience it tends to drive ones appetite at a rate 3X in excess of what they actually burned.
I am 5'9" and weigh 155. I ate 1800 calories a day in winter and was starving without loosing weight. Eating 2000 a day resulted in a weight loss. I would count and play around with that number from month to month to see what happens.

I am building muscle and as such eat 2500 a day at the moment but that is neither here or there.
For me a 50 % Carb 20% Fat and 30% protein ratio has worked much better than my previous high complex carb low fat low protein diet.
For god's sake strength train in combination with cardio. Your body will thank you for it.

jschristian44

did anyone here know that oreo cookies have 140 calories for 2 cookies?

DataJunkie

Yes. Do yourself a favor and never lookup the calorie content of a donut.
Consider that oatmeal is 150 calories for a bowl that will keep you full for a couple hours.