MinnMan

I lose weight when I'm cycling regularly, but it probably isn't only the calories shed on the bike.

I'm up about 10 lbs from my "fit" weight, owing to 6 months out of the saddle from August to February. Now the weight is just beginning to go down, though my cycling tights are still embarrassingly tight. But yet, my weekly mileage is still quite low, and I don't think the difference is calorie burn.

I eat *LESS* when I'm riding. When I'm not riding I look for comfort and diversion by snacking, particularly in the evening. During the work week, I cycle in the evening, either before or after dinner, and afterwards I just don't have any interest in snacking - the cycling endorphins are plenty to keep me content. Sure, when i'm riding I eat full meals and there is road fuel to consume, but the net intake goes down.

icyclist 

I'm guessing you expend more energy than you take it in when you ride your bike.

Without keeping an accurate record of what you eat each day, though, it's difficult to know if you really eat less food when you exercise than when you don't exercise.

MinnMan

True from the point of view of science, but I don't need a detailed inventory to know when I do or don't go to the freezer for ice cream.

North Coast Joe

Just thinking about this today. I'm less on the trainer and more on the road within the last couple of weeks.

An hour or so after finishing a ride, I'm absolutely ravenous. Snacking and eating like crazy. I'm not tracking intake, either, nor denying the appetite. I'm not tracking my weight, but seem to be holding steady. I'm seeing no increase in size of all those fatty places like love handles and top of the belly. Way more leg and abdominal muscle definition now, though.

During the last physical in Sept., the Doc told me maybe another 5lbs., if I want, but would rather not see me that light. Been this way for about three years now. I ride from one to two hours daily. I have a feeling that I'm burning more than the ordinary cyclist as the temps have consistently below freezing, not to mention the snow and ice....and those durned studs that feel like they make my wheels square!

Weight loss doing cycling has been relatively easy for me. I feel badly for those who expend great effort and diligent record keeping, and still have a tough time shedding lbs. I'm so lucky in so many ways.

OldsCOOL

For me, there is the increase in metabolism that makes it easier to burn calories and the warmer weather to keep me busy rather than sedentary lifestyle. And the warmer weather.

icyclist 

As you wrote, though, "when I'm riding I eat full meals and there is road fuel to consume, but the net intake goes down." Without keeping score, there's no way to know how much less - or more - you're esting when you ride.

i applaud your ability to stay away from ice cream. If it's in my 'fridge, it soon disappears.

Daniel4

I am 53, 5ft 7in and was never a big guy to begin with. My maximum weight was 148lb and with a protruding belly. My doctor wasn’t concerned. My blood sugar and cholesterol were all low. At the gym I squatted 165lb, dead lifted 221lb and bench pressed 155lb.

But I was concerned with my belly fat so cut the sugar from my coffee, stopped drinking fruit juice except for a teaspoon of lemon juice in my morning black tea. I also cut the weekly gourmet coffee from Second Cup/Starbuck after my weekend gym session.

After ten months of cycle commuting from June to March, my weight is all the way down to 133lb. I’m still squatting 165lb, dead lifting 221lb but only bench pressing 135lb. I’m not concerned with my cardio but that my low weight means I could be one of those scrawny old men prone to osteoporosis if I can’t keep my weightlifting up.

avidone1

Unfortunately, I find absolutely no correlation between riding and weight loss. NONE.
I think exercise for weight loss is way over rated. It takes a whole boat load of exercise to burn off just a pound or two of fat.
One meal heavy on the carbs and it all comes back and then some.
No, for me weight loss is ALL about portion control and carb cutting.

qcpmsame 

Respectfully disagree with the above reply. I lost over 100 lbs. in just over 1˝ years, and kept it off. I doubt that just the strict nutrition plan that chronic kidney disease forced on me could allow me to lose this much weight, and successfully keep it off this long. I kept the nutrition plan going, I enjoy what I eat now, and appreciate the benefits of healthy nutrition very much. Cycling and the exercise has benefited me in other ways, too, I'll freely admit.

My physicians all agree the cycling, as my exercise means, played a very big part in both the weight loss, and in getting my kidney function numbers back to excellent status. Yes portion control helps and is a big part of losing weight, but exercise in order to use up the calories and benefit other parts of your fitness as well, plays a part in losing and in keeping weight off. You might read some of the threads in the Clydesdale/Athena Forum where so many have used, and attribute their successful weight loss to cycling. No real issue with your thoughts, just that I have found differently.

Bill

justblues

Beyond the calories burned during a workout there are other benefits of cardiovascular exercise where it comes to weight loss. Although there is an initial increase in appetite as your body tries to replace calories lost during a workout, overall there is a net decrease in appetite long term that results from regular cardiovascular exercise.

BadBurrito

well for me, I somewhat agree, it seems I lose more with portion control and carb cutting that I do with exercising. My big gotcha, is my after work snacking. That first hour after I get home, if I'm not really disciplined, I can eat a lot of calories pretty quick. I seldom eat during rides less that 25 - 30 miles which is my target distance during the week. So if I can get out on ride after work, but before I start snacking - then I'm good. The ride, basically distracts me so I eat less. but yes I will admit I get the bonus of burn more calories.

I'm seldom ravenous after a ride.

Biker395 

I know what you mean. That's me too, but with a twist.

On a longish ride, I make it a point to eat anything and any time it looks good. And I'll eat a lot ... at the beginning of the ride.

But somewhere along the way, I dunno what happens, but I stop eating so much. I'll look back and realize I had little more than a Clif bar over the last several hours ... no way enough to replace what was consumed.

And there is no doubt in my mind about the "comfort and diversion" of eating. I learned long ago that for me, there are two kinds of hunger:

(1) Bored hunger, or hunger for [fill in the blank ... something tasty or satisfying], and
(2) Real ... "I'm not eating enough and I'm starting to bonk" kinda hunger.

Cycling pretty much wipes out the first type for me.

icyclist 

"so many have used, and attribute their successful weight loss to cycling"

The problem with that is we don't know how many people have tried cycling to lose weight and either not lost weight or gained weight.

Certainly it's better to be have a fit cardiovascular system than not, for at least a few good reasons. Exercise, though, for most of us, means we want to replace lost energy, i.e. it makes us hungry. Hence the phrase, "working up an appetite."

Personally, I'm not hungry at all after a good bike ride. That only lasts for a little while, though. The harder I've turned the pedals, the less I've eaten during a ride, the hungrier I become as the minutes after a ride tick by.

So I'm pretty sure that for most of us, it's not exercise that makes us lose weight. It's taking in less energy. And for most of us that means, short of a forced hospital stay, exercising our will over how much energy we put into our bodies.

trekmogul 

I will toss my story in here also. Just about 6 years ago to the week I topped the scale @ 265LBS. I had enough of being fat, lazy, sluggish and just down right unfit. I dropped just about 110lbs in less then 8 months. Yes I did wiht no doctor, no meds and i had no problems. 44 trousers are now 31's. I have maintained 151lbs now for the last 5.5 years with only a pound or 2 either way. You know what is needed..? A lifestyle change and CONTROL what goes in the Chops. Yes i ride almost every days too but the main reason i stay where i am is discipline and will power. You dont have it..? Then forget about it, its not gonna work..

justblues

After recovery from my first spinal fusion about eighteen years ago, I made it up to 220 pounds. Before that period of inactivity, I couldn't gain weight if I tried. After about eight years of that, I decided that enough was enough and I started exercising and dieting and brought my weight down to 165. Since then, it stayed between 165 and 180 for several years. This past year I had to miss a lot of exercising due to a variety of issues and by the end of the holidays I was up to 190. Then my new spinal problems kept me on my back for a few months and I am up to about 195 now. It's going to go away though because I am going to make it go away.

locolobo13 

Cycling works very well for me on the calorie burning side. But it is the other side calorie intake, or eating, where I have troubles. Six or seven yrs ago I lost 30-35lbs when I started riding again. I also watched my diet. Now I've gained 5-10lbs back. If it was muscle I gained back, good. Pretty sure it's mostly ice cream and cookies tho.

justblues

sugar has earned its bad reputation. Not only does it tend to cause you to gain weight, the weight that you gain from sugar intake is the lowest quality weight there is. However, giving up altogether usually does more harm than good. Nothing makes you crave something than knowing that you can't have it. I firmly believe in the all-things-in-moderation diet.