Another "why am I fat" thread…

I’ve been following the Race Weight diet for some months now, (documented here http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/race-weight) and despite maintaining 2300 clean cals per day and averaging 100ks per week the difference is….. Nothing except 0.1% reduction in BMI!

So it doesn’t work for me from a weight loss perspective – why, and are there any good alternatives I could try

Here we go then, I’m first to take the bait – sum total of my contribution to this thread is “eat less then”

100ks a week is 60 miles.

I’ve done that today, admittedly on a road bike, but it’s not a lot even on a mountain bike. It’s less than 10 miles a day…

If you are relying on exercise to help with weight reduction, I would think that there is scope for doing more.

Check out the fitness blender channel on YouTube.

If hey don’t work, you’re destined to be fat-nacker for life.

Is it because of the pies?

unfortunately the start truth is you need to consume less. its faaar easier to do that than exercise it off. what height/weight are you?

Do you have a fairly active job? 2300 sounds a bit on the high side otherwise.

that’s lots of calories if you’re trying to loose weight, for not a lot of miles on the bike

Get down to 1500cals daily any you will soon fade away

Reduce your carb consumption. End of thread.

A serious reduction in calorie intake coupled with an increase in activity will help enormously.

Honestly, I have found in the last two months that I needed to go down to about 1700 calories per day and either swim or run on a treadmill in order to make any substantial gains. I am now down 10 pounds from what I was. Only a hair more than 2 more stone to go!

You’re asking on the wrong forum, most of the people on here will be naturally thin(ish) anyway – hence the athletic hobby

My irony alert just went to 11!!

To try to answer it all at once….

I’m 5’11.4, 41 and 12st 14ib. 2300 was the race weight calculated average for my exercise vs clean intake. I did say “average”, I’ve ridden 84k today in one ride and 160k this week (2 x 35k intervals and 1 x 84k Z2). February and March were tough as I’ve had a recoccuring LRT infection. I’ve a busy (10 hour days average) yet sedatory (desk) job.

I can’t help thinking that 1500 cals won’t support the energy I need for rides – will it?

Eat whilst you’re riding then.

IMO it’s not just formal exercise – it’s daily, routine activity. e.g. how do you get to work – how can you get more walking/cycling into that routine?
When you get to work, what floor are you on and do you take the lift or the stairs?
Does your job require you to sit at your desk? If so, get up as often as you can (every hour?) and go and do a couple of flights of stairs… etc etc…
Good luck, I’m sure it’s not easy and it’s going against the cultural grain which is always a challenge!

200-300 miles a week on a road bike will have you looking like a racing snake in no time.

brooess – I do speed walk to and from the trains/home office probably a total of 30 mins per day – I’m on the 3rd floor and do take the stairs.

Neilsonwheels – if only I could find the time! (I have 2 young kids as well!)

I find I have to do a heck of a lot of exercise to lose weight unless I am strict about what I eat. Are they road or MTB miles you’re doing, or a mixture?
Some may disagree with me but I think road miles are at least twice as easy as MTB miles. I did 65 miles on the road last Sunday, and that was considerably easier than either of the 2.5 hr and 4 hr MTB rides I did this week.
I have a sedentary job too, so I make a point of walking around outside for half an hr or so at lunchtime.

I’m 5,8 and 150 lbs at the moment I’m riding mtb and road and ride to work 4 days a week (6miles) with couple big lumps in it I prob do 150 miles a week at the moment but will do more soon, I use daily burn tracker to monitor what I’m eating and restrict myself to 1800 max calls per day, I work on my feet all day. If I’m training for a sportive or event obviously I have to replace some of the calls used, usually in drink form on the bike with a recovery drink afterwards. 2300 calls sounds a lot to me ESP if you have a desk job? I would reduce your calls until you see some results nothing too drastic try 1900 instead of 2300 good clean calls I bet it’ll drop off

100km average week is not a lot on a bike.

When in training I average that fell running.

I can’t help thinking that 1500 cals won’t support the energy I need for rides – will it?

Hmm, if I was trying to lose weight. I’d be aiming to not eat enough to support the rides.

Are you burning fat on rides, or are you getting round on carbs?

Neilsonwheels – if only I could find the time! (I have 2 young kids as well!)

Yep that’ll be a spanner in the works.

Hate to be the duty pedant but isnt 12stone 14 pound usually expressed as 13 stone, any way how about adding a bit more to the mix, weight training, tabata routines it works for me, the hard bit is maintaining the regime, especially after a hard day.

I’m 5’11.4, 41 and 12st 14ib.

And you’re trying to loose weight? I’d suggest you’re a perfectly healthy size just where you are. “Fat”? Be still, my beating heart.

5’11”, 25 years, 14st 2lb and perfectly happy.

You should see my classic mid-life spare tyre duffer….

That’s a carb-belly

piemonster – Member
I can’t help thinking that 1500 cals won’t support the energy I need for rides – will it?
Hmm, if I was trying to lose weight. I’d be aiming to not eat enough to support the rides.
Are you burning fat on rides, or are you getting round on carbs?

How would I know?

You’ll feel awful, or thereabouts .

Heavy legs, that sort of stuff. With the sedentary job you might almost never be running out of carbs to use as fuel.

Or at least not often enough. By the sounds of it, you don’t have time to hammer the training. If that’s the case, it really comes down to diet.

Just re reading your posts.

In your position, I’d make a further reduction in calorie intake. Even if it meant some rides being a suffer fest. I doubt it’d effect anything other than the long ride at the weekend though.

Is it time for a turbo trainer?

Just to clarify, I’m just some bloke on a forum. Not an expert.

isn’t 12st 14lb, 13st? 😉

For the record, I’m 5’10” 11st 7lb (currently) and live off about 1800-2000 cals a day. Now the eves have got lighter I’ll ditch the running (ave. about 30miles a week) and do more fast road work, I’ll do hours ( a loop of about 19miles rolling), and fast long eves of about 28 miles trying to maintain a +19mph average. By aug/sept I’ll expect to have dropped 3-4 lbs (but probably not a lot more than that). Oh, and longish mtb rides every weekend.

Losing weight is harder than people think

Is it possible that the riding k57 is doing could be bypassing the fat burning process?

Is it possible that the riding k57 is doing could be bypassing the fat burning process?

yes, depending on what and when you eat, and the intensity of the ride for starters

Why are people obsessed with BMI?? Is it possible that you are actually losing fat, but have added muscle mass?? Are your cloths any looser??

From his training it’s pretty unlikely.

No offence Kryton.

Same height and similar weight to me. I consider myself skinny.

I cycle a lot more than you do on a lot less calories.

If you’re looking for something different to try though…

Try forgetting about the carbs, concentrate on the type of food.
Packaged food, tinned food, canned drinks, bottled drinks… it’s all got sugar in which messes with your insulin levels. Cut them out.

Cut out the high carb foods.

See where that gets you.

Here we go then, I’m first to take the bait – sum total of my contribution to this thread is “eat less then fatty“

FTFY 😉

piemonster – Member
From his training it’s pretty unlikely.
No offence Kryton.

That’s ok – you are right. And to address others read the first post – I am eating “clean”. But I feel and can see I’ve more on my belly than before.

Other points: I’ve had a couple if bonks on 70k plus rides and heavy legs. I usually fuel up with breakfast of granola and brown toast, carry a carb drink (high 5 2:1) and eat 1 cereal / energy bar en route.

Also I’ve posted about this before – I haven’t averaged more than 17.8mph for 8 months now. Could be the winter effect but I’m feeling slow.

Analyse that I’d you want…. :-/ im confused by the whole thing.

granola = clean?

To misquote, you keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means.

On the rare days I do over 120kms I’ll have porridge, with some fruit in it (berries) and probably a jam sandwich while I’m out, drink will be juice squash with a pinch of salt if it’s warm.

Clean as in no processed food, veg, fruit, water, wholemeal breads and pasta. Ie if you can’t grow it/catch it I dont eat it.