burnthesheep

You can't argue this topic with certain users on BF. They contribute nothing other than hand waving about how parts of the discussion are hopelessly unknowable.

There ARE accepted norms that can be applied to 95% of people. There ARE people significantly smarter than a bunch of joes on BF.

If anyone cares educate themselves, bike related, there's quite a few podcasts by Fasttalk on this EXACT topic. Even from a diabetics perspective if that's a need.

Being goal based is key. General health and well being, fondo riding, or racing? From there, how much time per week do you have to exercise? From there, the longer you have the easier you can go and the more frequently as well. The shorter you have, the harder you have to go and less frequently. In either scenario, going hard occasionally improves insulin sensitivity. Lookup the "80/20" training method and the associated podcast.

Super basic stuff that's been repeated a lot by people a lot smarter than myself and repeated a lot on those podcasts.

I simply will not accept in life that just because we're all made a touch different that there aren't underlying norms and best practices we can all benefit from. They may take some tweaking or customization given those differences, but they're still best practices. That may change over time by applying the scientific method and updating the norms.

Bubu White

+1 on diet. You can’t out-train a bad diet. I’m an endomorph, I gain fat and muscle very easily. I peaked at 260 then rigorously began cycling 25 miles 3 times a week. Didn’t lose weight the first two months so by the third month I began eating cleaner and in smaller portions and the change was immediate. Currently at 230, haven’t ridden in 2 months and my weight is the same.

greengo

I watch my diet and try to ride at least 5 days a week for one hour minimum
I try to keep my heart rate up to where I am hopefully getting something out of it vs. just spinning my wheels. I also use interval training.
there are a lot of hills where I live & it has shocked me at how long I can maintain (or not) a certain percentage heart rate when I am getting my butt kicked on some of the hills.
If you can afford it get a computer and a heart rate monitor so you can track your progress using that data

maschwab

None. You don't start to burn stored body fat until you run out of carbohydrates.

Week one. Start consume dietary ketones (Best is Ketones in a can (most expensive, all ketones, tastes bad), next is MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides, usually made from coconut oil) (less expensive, 50% converted to ketones, little taste), next is liquid Coconut oil, least expensive, 20% converted to ketones, little taste). These are converted to Ketones and will restart your fat metabolism. This will prevent weakness due to lack of carbs (Keto flu) or even Diabetic Ketoacidosis if your fat metabolism can't keep your body supplied with energy.

Week two. Stop consumption of wheat or potatoes, continue with dietary ketones.
Week three. Stop consumption of wheat AND potatoes, continue with dietary ketones.
Week four. Above plus reduce other high carb vegetables. Goal is 15g carbs per 6 hour meal period, 25 g per day.

Continue to follow a ketogenic diet, I suggest the Wheat Belly Total Health book. It include a list of supplements and maintaining certain level of thyroid hormones.

BlazingPedals

Everyone is different, so there's no number anyone can throw out at you. Cycling only burns about 35 Calories per mile (or ~100 Calories per 3 miles - this isn't an exact number!) That is on top of your basic per-day usage, and additionally being active on a regular basis will tend to increase your baseline numbers. A pound of body fat is about 3500 Calories; so burning a pound of fat requires riding about 100 miles. You can see that cycling may help, but to lose weight you must control your mouth.

livedarklions

Yeah, you missed the damn point. For me, I ate a lot less at 220 pounds than I do now at about 180 pounds, and that's not a "swing", that's a bunch of weight I've kept off for going on 5 years. So, yeah, I find blanket statements that emphasize diet over exercise to be more than a little overdone. All the "you can't out exercise a bad diet" nonsense doesn't take into account that something that might be a "bad diet" at one level of activity might be entirely suitable at a higher or lower level of activity.

And I think OP's question's limit went out of the rear view about 100 posts ago. Almost none of this has anything to do with specifically targeting belly fat for the simple reason that there's a four word answer to that--"you can't do it."

livedarklions

Norms that apply to 95% of people, that's why the problem of obesity has been licked so thoroughly in this country, amirite?

We are not just a "touch" different. Two seconds of looking around in public should tell you just how different our bodies are.

xroadcharlie

You want numbers? Here you go. Just fill in the blanks.

https://caloriesburnedhq.com/calories-burned-biking/

1 lb. of fat is 3,500 calories. Since we can't choose where the fat comes from, Only some of it will be the belly.

Bicycling IMO is one of the most effective ways to loose weight through activity mainly because it is so enjoyable I'm inclined to do it longer and more frequently then my weight lifting or treadmill work. Understand I bike for pleasure first, The exercise is a side benefit.

wolfchild

Absolute nonsense.

UnderDawgAl

Best answer thus far. Fact-based, direct, and no arguing with anyone. I'm not the OP, but thanks!

jimmyodonnell

dialogue addressing the OP's question is the point, isn't it?

livedarklions

Which I was doing in the context of the thread. The topic had expanded to fat loss generally. Guess what, the 40 pounds I lost while working out and eating more was not muscle or bone.

I directly answered your post because I lost a bunch of fat in a manner you said was impossible. If I was off-topic, so were you.

cycology

If you bike 600 calories an hour (15mph?) and eat 3000 cal day, basal rate 1800 cal, you need to burn 1200 cal, two hours, 30 mi/day, 210 mi/wk will maintain your belly, need more to decrease (Just my wild ignorant estimate try to figure out for yourself.

Here's an idea I just "discovered," j if you eat 3 meals a day, dropping to 2 should help. Scientist report health benefits of daily fasting, maybe 8 pm to 10 am or longer: breakfast is not the "most important" meal, it shortens life (according to them.) I tried skipping breakfast but too hungry in am. One scientist said takes a couple weeks to get used to it, he was right, I no longer need breakfast.

Paul930

Stop drinking carbonated drinks - especially soda. Allows your stomach to shrink and not feel so empty.
Stomach-exercises May make your belly larger. Practice having those muscles tight when walking, exercising, &c. - don’t let it push out.

c_m_shooter

You can't out ride a diet. My first loaded bike tour was 700 miles in 8 days. I gained 20 lbs.

seaweedsam

I would think there would be a result immediately however small.

genejockey 

My take on it :

1. If you don't ride, and don't limit your intake, you won't lose any weight or get more fit. You may even gain weight.
2. If you ride and don't limit your intake, you won't lose weight but you'll get more fit. You MIGHT gain weight.
3. If you don't ride, but do limit your intake, you'll lose weight but not get more fit.
4. If you ride and limit your intake, you'll lose weight and become more fit.

I have tried all of the above. #4 is best. I'm down close to 20lbs since February, and my riding is also improving - I'm going farther and faster, and enjoying it more.

I have to use a calorie-counting app (I use My Fitness Pal), because it keeps me honest. When I'm feeling like a snack, I think of the cost in calories.

Miele Man

A few years ago I lost a LOT of weight and inches on my belly. #1 thing to remember is that fat comes off from the FIRST place it came on and that fat is all through the body not just in the belly.

What I did was cut out ALL JUNK foods like potato chips and pizzas and candy bars and soda drinks. I also rode a lot. Not so much a lot of miles in one ride but a lot of rides of 15 - 60 miles. I didn't ride particularly hard either but did have a lot of hills with not too steep inclines.

The thing to remember is that in order to lose weight you must burn more calories than you take in. Be careful not to eat a lot of high carb food or drink a lot of beer after your ride. You can also do some exercises to strengthen your tummy muscles.

For me, losing the belly inches was a lifestyle eating change couple with riding.

Like Eddy Merckx said, "“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride."

Oh, you might find that at first your lose weight but then the loss slows or you gain a bit. Don't be put off by that as a lot of times it's simply due to increased muscle mass and muscle is denser than fat.

Good luck and cheers.

Troul 

Wanted to lose some gut to fit into some pants... well, the gut definitely shrank more than planned, but the pants still fit tight. My legs grew, which bulges the pants. FML.

genejockey 

I wanted to buy some sweatpants for just lounging around, so I bought some XLs without trying them on. The waist was loose, but the thighs were TIGHT! I can only assume they were made for fat guys with bird legs.

Troul 

those are the dadbod edition.

Paul930

I am fairly fit. When I start going to a gym, I go three to four times a week and work hard. I usually expect to see noticeable results in the mirror in about 8-weeks.