Cross-training to lose some lbs?

[Schmed]

I need to drop a few (ok, more than a few) pounds. It seems that doing the same thing (biking) doesn't quite burn up the calories that I'd think.

What about cross training to mix it up? I did a triathlon a few years back, and it seems like the pounds melted off. Or.... I was just busy running/biking/swimming instead of sipping beer.

I think I'll try some shorter runs at the local park, despite the fact that I think running is considered torture by the UN. :p

[John H.]

Any cross training is great for burning calories.
But here is the "real" tip for losing weight-

Weight is made in the kitchen- not out training.
If you are having issues with weight- diet needs to be re-vamped.

[Dead Man]

Any cross training is great for burning calories.
But here is the "real" tip for losing weight-

Weight is made in the kitchen- not out training.
If you are having issues with weight- diet needs to be re-vamped.

Yep. My experience is that when you rely solely, or even mostly, on exercise increase for weight loss (assuming you're already pretty good about exercising), you just end up even hungierier than your fat ass already is and subsequently eat more.... balancing everything out.

Cutting out the junky calories from the diet (like alcohol... sry), and deliberately running a deficit through deliberate calorie restriction is the best bet.

[Dead Man]

or... meth.

[beeatnik]

an extra 2-3 hours of intervals weekly (depending on your age). can be done on the bike, stairs or local high school track

[gordosburritos]

also adding weights if you're not doing that. Converting fat to muscle will increase your calorie burn even while not exercising. but diet clearly most important (And at least for me the hardest to consistently modify)

[shovelhd]

an extra 2-3 hours of intervals weekly (depending on your age). can be done on the bike, stairs or local high school track

You'll need to add rest, and then it's back to the diet situation.

[Schmed]

OK. Good ideas. I think I'll try calorie reduction (duh - not what we want to hear, but the most basic rule: intake<output), intervals, and meth. But they recently opened 4 breweries - all along my local rides, so avoiding those would be cruel and unusual punishment.

[booglebug]

My problem is I keep picking up things and putting them in my mouth. For me finding an event to train for helps me leave those things on the counter. As others have said, it all begins at the table.

[Cicli]

In-hole<out-hole+exersize=weightloss.

Simple math.

[JOrange]

Definitely! I like to spend ~50 minutes on the bike, and then sprints/lifting at the gym ~30-40 minutes a day. I feel with the addition of the sprints/lifts the lbs definitely "melt off"

[Tandem Rider]

Watch the glycemic index on whatever you eat, don't eat more than you do now, exercise 2x daily for over :45 min ea, weight will come off.

[Louis]

Personally, I think loosing weight (and keeping it off) is a three-step process.

In descending order of importance they are:

1) Eat less
2) Eat the right foods
3) Burn more calories

[daker13]

Running might be the ticket, but if you're exercising more, you'll tend to eat more--at least, I do.

[AngryScientist]

my totally unscientific theory is that, yes - cross training does help with weight loss. i think doing different activities "wakes up" different muscle groups than the ones your body is used to working hard and generates an increased calorie burn.

add to that, i think you just feel better and more well rounded when you mix up your routine and add in other fitness activities.

unless you have major, specific cycling goals, you really have nothing to lose by adding in some cross training activities like running, swimming, rowing, etc.

[Gummee]

Most of us here are 'of an age' that cross training is a good thing. Not necessarily for weight loss, but to keep the body healthier longer. Cycling works a few muscles a lot, but lots of them very little.

I've been dropping weight by not eating when I'm not hungry. I know I'm not eating enough to 'train' on, but for Dec/Jan/Feb it's working out OK. My waist size has dropped 1-2" from Crimmus till now.

Cutting out most beer/alcohol and pretty much all soda hasn't hurt.

2-a-days were helping last spring/summer. AKA commuting to work by bicycle. That second ride raises the metabolism back up and burns more calories.

...and the best tip: portion control. Don't fill the plate! If you DO fill the plate, fill it with veggies, not taters or meat

HTH

M

[rugbysecondrow]

Hey ya'll. Depending on what you are looking for, I started a company last year that just launch individual remote coaching. Personalized fitness programming geared for you and your goals. We have some great coaches on hand.

We also have nutrition coaches who will customize a meal program for you, geared for your performance and life goals.

Cheers!

Paul

[weisan]

Hey ya'll. Depending on what you are looking for, I started a company last year that just launch individual remote coaching. Personalized fitness programming geared for you and your goals. We have some great coaches on hand.

We also have nutrition coaches who will customize a meal program for you, geared for your performance and life goals.

Cheers!

Paul

rugby pal, you been busy, welcome back!

[ptourkin]

Any cross training is great for burning calories.
But here is the "real" tip for losing weight-

Weight is made in the kitchen- not out training.
If you are having issues with weight- diet needs to be re-vamped.

Yep. Trying to lose pounds with kilojoules doesn't work. Do it at the table.

[Clean39T]

Switch to a plant based whole food diet, low on the fat, and no alcohol. The change to your system will shed pounds and who knows, you may never want to go back...

I say this as someone who quit drinking Turkey Day 2015 and lost 50lbs (6'4" - went 220 to 170) through running and eating clean over about 6 months. Didn't go fully plant based until 1/1/17. Have been the same weight for almost a year, just got stronger and leaner as the diet got cleaner. I don't (and never did) count calories. Just eat a shat ton of beans, rice, and veg - plus giant bowls of cereal for brekkie.

And I still don't drink. Best decision I ever made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nooch]

Switch to a plant based whole food diet, low on the fat, and no alcohol. The change to your system will shed pounds and who knows, you may never want to go back...

I say this as someone who quit drinking Turkey Day 2015 and lost 50lbs (6'4" - went 220 to 170) through running and eating clean over about 6 months. Didn't go fully plant based until 1/1/17. Have been the same weight for almost a year, just got stronger and leaner as the diet got cleaner. I don't (and never did) count calories. Just eat a shat ton of beans, rice, and veg - plus giant bowls of cereal for brekkie.

And I still don't drink. Best decision I ever made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

True stuff. My wife and I did the Whole30 starting back on 2/26. By the end of the 30 days I was down 20lbs. We've been slow on the re-introduction of foods, mainly because we're not troubled eating 'whole30' still and given our hectic lives, we haven't been able to nail down when we want to see how uncomfortable some foods will make us. (don't need to spend a day in the john following the re-introduction of dairy, ya know..)

[benb]

No doubt cross training is good for you but it's really hard to see how there are many sports that are better for weight loss than cycling. Running strikes me as the only thing that is competitive, and do you really want to run as many hours as you bike? You can ride a bike for many hours and as long as you're not coasting a lot it's very efficient in terms of calories per hour. (Maybe concentrate on riding solo too, the increased power outputs required will mean more calories burned.) Stuff like weight lifting IME is very inferior in terms of calories/hr if the goal is to lose weight. Obviously weight lifting is important and has big benefits but most folks you see in the weight room are obsessed with gaining weight, not losing it.

Just ride more and be disciplined at the dinner table. Beer/alcohol should be an easy one. They really don't have any positive value for nutrition just saying no to them completely shouldn't be that hard and there are very few social situations that really "require" you to drink a bunch of beers. (Whereas if you go on some crazy diet that eliminates a whole food group or something that can be hard to stick too in some situations.)

[joosttx]

Any cross training is great for burning calories.
But here is the "real" tip for losing weight-

Weight is made in the kitchen- not out training.
If you are having issues with weight- diet needs to be re-vamped.

This. Also, I have noticed consistent nights of quality sleep helps.

[cachagua]

Trying to lose pounds with kilojoules doesn't work. Do it at the table.

In general that's good advice. Strictly speaking, it is possible to burn more than you eat even when you're eating plenty -- I can tell you from experience. But it takes a REALLY active lifestyle, like a multi-month self-supported bike trip, or a job on a farm or construction site.

Unless you have an opportunity like that, then, yeah. What he said.

[Ronsonic]

Cycling is a wonderful sport, activity and method of transportation. For overall fitness it kinda sucks.

For me, and I'd recommend it to others, weight training works. Builds muscles that the bike ignores, reinforces the ones the bike needs to prevent injury and does help burn excess fat.

Even one or two visits to the gym a week will make a big difference.

[berserk87]

This. Also, I have noticed consistent nights of quality sleep helps.

YES! This is the most underestimated part of weight loss. I am much more hungry when I am tired from sleep deprivation. The opposite is true when I am getting consistent, quality sleep.

Research seems to support this.

[rugbysecondrow]

rugby pal, you been busy, welcome back!

Yeah man. Been a busy year. 3 kids and less screen time has certainly impacted my forum time. :banana:

[rugbysecondrow]

The solution is different for different people. Me, as a 6'2", 225 male (built more like a linebacker) might have a very different approach than a female who is 5'5" and 125 (built like a distance runner).

If you are going to do anything, start with nutrition. When I began managing my nutrition better and working with a nutrition coach, my energy, mood, and sleep all improved. Fixing the nutrition helped me feel better for my workouts. I was fueled properly and I could maximize the time I spent training.

Next, you could get a fitness program that works for you. Something you can follow, which fits with your lifestyle, ability, available equipment, and drives you toward your goals. This might cost a little extra, but so too does spending time on a workout regimen that doesn't move you toward your goals. Your time is valuable. If you don't enjoy it, if it doesn't fit your lifestyle, if it doesn't show results for you, then you will quit it.

If you have questions, feel free to message me.

[carpediemracing]

+ bazillion on diet

Also I found that a protein heavy diet keeps my energy levels more even. With sugar/carb based foods I get hungry in 2-3 hours and I get bonky pretty easily. With more protein based stuff I can go much longer before getting hungry. No bonky sensations either.

I was always heavier, from about year 2000 on, when I first broke 160 lbs. Until then I could eat anything and be 140-145 lbs. Then suddenly I was 160+. I hit 215 in 2003. I got a bit better, 185-205 lbs (in season, winter) for many years, until fall 2009. I ended up fracturing my pelvis, was in a wheel chair for a while, etc, and after 2 months I decided that if I can't ride then I'll diet. At the time I was 183 lbs, which is what I was when I fell. I saw some 147-149 lbs readings on the scale by late December, tapered at just over 150, and then started training again and went up to about 158 lbs by March 2010. The prior spring I was 195-200 lbs, so this was a huge drop in weight.

I've since been a bit more aware of what I eat etc and currently hover around 170 lbs, even though I really havent trained much since May-June 2015.

Weight = diet
Fitness = training

I used MyFitnessPal to track foods, although I stopped for a while now. In 2015, when I got down to about 160 lbs, I used MFP, and in 2009-2010 I used either that or another app.

[stien]

Another vote for vegan. I used to think I was skinny while riding and eating junk. Now I ride more and eat fruits and veggies all day and enjoy some of the best shape of my life.

[11.4]

It's worth figuring out what your basal metabolic level runs. That lets you know just how harshly to diet and lets you calculate what your workouts really do for you.

Here's the basic idea: Let's say that without any workouts you consistently can eat 2200 calories and maintain the same weight. That's a mixed diet, not all Coke but not all keto either. That tells you that 2200 calories is what your body will burn on its own before you throw in any exercise or alter your basal metabolism.

Next, if you start doing weightlifting three times a week, see how much weight you lose. Count those calories (and especially their mix of food types) and adjust your calories to see what you can eat while weightlifting without changing weight. There's a complication of adding muscle that warps the analysis slightly, but for general purposes and certainly for cycling, you know have a new caloric level when you're weightlifting. The difference is how much more your weightlifting burns. You can also stop weightlifting for a few days and find a third caloric level for when you aren't lifting but your body is still working at a higher energy level. That gives you a very rough approximately of how much weightlifting builds your basal metabolism (aside from the actual energy expended in the lifting, this is the ongoing bump you get in metabolism throughout the day).

Now do the same with cycling. You'll probably see that 50 miles of hard cycling workout don't necessarily change your caloric level that much. That's because cycling alters aerobic consumption but doesn't change your basal metabolic level all that much (if it did, it would burn out pro cyclists trying to survive a Tour de France). Cycling doesn't build musculature so if you're very light and thin, you don't have much body mass to consume calories, hence your basal metabolism will be relatively low.

At this point you have the tools to test your own workouts and your eating. On workouts, you may consume 50% more calories than someone else because your weight is higher, you don't have the same temperature tolerance, whatever. On eating, remember that the calorie counts you find for food are based on burning food down to carbon. Unfortunately, it assigns the same calories to an apple that it does to four tablespoons of sugar. However, your body has to do a lot to metabolize that apple so it actually only yields a third or quarter of the net calories that the corresponding amount of sugar does. When you hear about empty calories, they are calories that don't have any "overhead" as they get metabolized. You want calories that cost a lot to metabolize, like carrots, green beans, meats, etc.

Basically, the idea is to measure your own metabolic efficiency and caloric load and then be able to calculate just what workouts work best for you, what diet works best, and how sensitive your body is to exercise versus eating. Remember that the smaller you are, the more you have to use exercise to burn your calories because your basal metabolic level will be smaller (less body burns less energy). Some people increase their basal metabolic level rapidly and stably, other people just don't change as easily. All this drives not only how you choose to lose weight, but also how you want to tune your own diet and exercise levels on a lifetime basis.

[BigDaddySmooth]

There's 3500 calories in a pound of fat. Safe and reasonable weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. To lose 2 pound per week increase activity 500 calories per day and cut food intake 500 calories per day. There are numerous "Basal Metabolic Rate" calculators on the web that are pretty accurate and they'll tell you the number of calories you need per day based on your weight, age, sex and activity level. What's less scientific is estimating your workload to accurately measure calories burned. Food accuracy is best accomplished by measuring. Weight lifting is best for changing your body fat % and gaining strength. Running will drop weight but increase your injury risk and it takes a long time to gain efficiency. Good luck.

[11.4]

There's 3500 calories in a pound of fat. Safe and reasonable weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. To lose 2 pound per week increase activity 500 calories per day and cut food intake 500 calories per day. There are numerous "Basal Metabolic Rate" calculators on the web that are pretty accurate and they'll tell you the number of calories you need per day based on your weight, age, sex and activity level. What's less scientific is estimating your workload to accurately measure calories burned. Food accuracy is best accomplished by measuring. Weight lifting is best for changing your body fat % and gaining strength. Running will drop weight but increase your injury risk and it takes a long time to gain efficiency. Good luck.

Actually, that 3500 calorie number is not that useful. It's a number based on combustion of fat, not on actual metabolism. Further, people have a very broad range actual fat consumption rate. And then the consumption rate is different for subcutaneous fat versus visceral fat. What popular articles have you do is basically step down your consumption until you see yourself losing weight. The "calculators" on the market aren't much more accurate than that, and you can do a lot better with a little effort focused on your own unique parameters. And on a relative basis, how running or cycling works for a particular person is entirely dependent on body mass and body metabolic rate. You won't know how it works until you test yourself out.