Originally Posted by
PeteHski
I went through this exact project myself for the 2022 L’Etape du Tour. I dropped 10 kg over an 8 month period in the lead up to the event. The event was in early July and I was down to my target weight a couple of months earlier. But my calorie reduction was not as severe as yours and I was fuelling my training rides with generous carbs throughout. Most of my weight loss came from simply increasing my training volume and using a calorie counting app (MyFitnessPal) to keep on track.
After that event it took me about a year to creep back up to my normal weight. My goal for this year is to drop around 5 kg and stay there indefinitely. I’m not overweight, but I would like to be a little leaner for cycling.
Wasn’t the Etape that year an absolute nightmare reaching over 35°C? Or was that 2023? Either way, chapeau for completing it. On my bucket list.
This is a really interesting thread. Congrats to the OP for the weight loss so far and I do think a lot of that will be down to ditching the junk which in itself isn’t easy. I struggle to walk past an open pack of anything. Except Krispy Kremes, those things are vile.
I think that loop/track is a tough one to do any consistent zone2 (seriously recommend a power meter and proper bike computer to be able to keep an eye on effort level but you seem to be doing ok with the HRM). Can totally understand getting bored so finding some new routes will help with both of those. Maybe even on road, don’t know what traffic is like in your area.
Did you resolve the aching tricep? Maybe was the saddle move, putting more weight forward onto your arms and bars. Maybe unrelated strain from something else too.