Riding and weight loss?

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding. This
could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes
every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective that
90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes once
each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

I think you are right on. Not every day is a good riding day here in the
Wild wild Wet. If it makes me feel good I know I am doing it right. Most
people forget about the endorphins that help your mood. More O2 to the
brain is uplifting too and you will think better and feel positive.
As for losing weight. We just had a thread on that.
Very complicated stuff. Kenneth Cooper's Aerobic books would help you out
alot. He has been training people all his life and is used in University PE
faculties. Mine at least. Anything you get here you have to take with a
grain of salt. Good people get shot down. Just all the more confusing.
Heart Rate monitoring with just a fingers on a pulse is the best way.
Target HR for at least 5 minutes results in a training affect on the heart
and lungs.
Fat is reduced with stamina exercises like long swims, cycling and jogging.
Remember to warm up for 30 minutes first to reduce injury and enjoying
yourself is number one. You cannot do that if you are injured. I could not
cover it all here but that is a start.

SN

On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:49:39 -0500, Ernie Willson <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding.
This could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180
minutes every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective
that 90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
once each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

Along with a reasonable diet (no sweets, sugar, binging), I have to hit
above 150miles/week at a modest tempo (15-17mph avg speed, flat terrain) to
achieve weight loss. Cycling is just not that strenuous at recreational
levels.

On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 17:15:53 GMT, "nash" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding. This
could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes
every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective that
90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes once
each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

I think you are right on. Not every day is a good riding day here in the
Wild wild Wet. If it makes me feel good I know I am doing it right. Most
people forget about the endorphins that help your mood. More O2 to the
brain is uplifting too and you will think better and feel positive.
As for losing weight. We just had a thread on that.
Very complicated stuff. Kenneth Cooper's Aerobic books would help you out
alot. He has been training people all his life and is used in University PE
faculties. Mine at least. Anything you get here you have to take with a
grain of salt. Good people get shot down. Just all the more confusing.
Heart Rate monitoring with just a fingers on a pulse is the best way.
Target HR for at least 5 minutes results in a training affect on the heart
and lungs.
Fat is reduced with stamina exercises like long swims, cycling and jogging.
Remember to warm up for 30 minutes first to reduce injury and enjoying
yourself is number one. You cannot do that if you are injured. I could not
cover it all here but that is a start.

SN

Almost everything you just wrote is wrong or not applicable.

The OP asked about weight loss, not about endorphins, being 'shot down',
monitoring heart rate, or how to warm up.

Warm up is rarely necessary unless you're planning to race your bike,
neither is stretching pre-ride. There's no evidence that warming up for
cycling will prevent or reduce injury.

Some people get a noticeable endorphin release during exercise, but it is
rare for cycling; more common for runners.

Weight is reduced when caloric output exceeds caloric input. Long swims,
rides or runs are not necessary. A person could do three high intensity
rides per day and lose weight if they slightly exceed their caloric intake.
Fat is still burned in high intensity work, though not preferentially,
perhaps.

Many people lose weight by reducing their caloric input and getting no more
exercise than is achieved by daily living; walking, moving. Notice that
normal weight people lose some weight everyday - they just don't
significantly overeat above their expenditure. Someone five pounds
overweight could reduce just by cutting back on portions for a few weeks,
and no execise at all.

How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes

Quoted message said:

once each week?

Weekend warriors are more likely to die on their sword.
Has to be regular and HR has to be 75% of max.
3 X a week. Once you get in the shape you want the maintenance routine
could be a little less.

If you did what you said above you might be sore for a week and end up doing
it again and again only once a week. Even sore, a little exercise will
make you stronger faster. Blood circulation at the increased level hastens
the healing by increasing the fuel to the area and taking away the garbage
(CO2).
45 min/day or 90min every second day depends on the intensity. Recreational
riding is still beneficial but faster will give you a training effect.
Walking 2 miles a day may be all you need if you are just looking to firm up
and lose weight. It is aerobic too for good overall fitness. The distance
and time is the more important measurement, plus HR of course.
Cardiovascular fitness will keep you out of the hospital.

SN

In article <[email hidden]>,

Ernie Willson said:

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective
that 90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
once each week?

I think longer rides are better since a good chunk of a short ride is
wasted on your warmup. If you can go all out for 2 hours, that would be
a good ride.

My guess is, your best strategy is probably 90 minutes every 2 days.
This way you give your body a day inbetween to recover. Plus it gives
you some flexibility -- you can pick and choose which days you ride.
And, if you're a relatively new rider, 90 minutes isn't as daunting as
2-3 hours.

Actually, if you're a brand-new rider, I'd start with 45 minutes 3-4
days per week. Try that for a couple of weeks and if it feels good,
throw in a 90-minute session once a week. Then build up from there.

Good luck!

-JR

"sally" wrote: (clip) a good chunk of a short ride is wasted on your
warmup. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The calories expended during warmup count toward weight loss--they are not
"wasted." It's a very simple equation:
Calories in - calories out = weight gain (If the weight gain number is
negative, it's weight loss.)

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding. This
could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes
every 4 days and so on.

Daily is best, but to make consistent gains in your fitness, thereby
improving your metabolism and fat burning ability, you need to strive for
improvement pretty much every time you head out. HIIT training is the
perfect way to maximise results and only requires 20- 40 minute sessions.

I love this site - http://www.hussmanfitness.org
"The key to success - in anything - isn't extraordinary, superhuman effort.
It's daily action. You find a set of actions that you believe will produce
good results if you follow them consistently, and then you follow them
consistently."

Ernie Willson said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding.
This could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180
minutes every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective
that 90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
once each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

Time on the bike is not the most important factor, effort (higher heart
rate) is.

If you spend 90 minutes on a bike at about 8mph you're not going to
burn much in the way of fat. Unless it's 8mph up hill. You could have
walked for 90 mins and had a better work out.

45 minutes at a good pace (a simple measure is to be breathing quickly,
but still able to hold a conversation) everyday, is your best bet. You
say you want to loose the weight and not get fit ( you may getter
fitter too), so you do not need any recovery time between work outs.
Getting fitter requires you to push yourself beyond your present
limits, exhausting muscles and hence requires recovery. You should be
riding within your fitness limits, but at a point where you start to
burn fat, about 75% of max heart rate (see a doctor first if you're
really unfit). Stretching after exercise helps in maintaining
flexibility and increases blood full. Don't bother stretching before or
any warm up. Get changed, jump on the bike and go.

Longer rides sound great, 3 hours at an average of 20mph is going to
burn around 2800 calories (depending on 'a whole bunch of factors'😉.
But if you only do that once a week it'll do almost nothing for you as
your body will just start storing the fat/energy it needs for the next
time you go ride.

Drink plenty of water.

Watch your diet, if you've been roughly the same weight for some time
on a pretty steady diet, don't change too much. Start exercising and
see what happens first. Then if nothing changes then drop or change one
item at a time, I've just switched to non-fat milk to see if that helps
me.

Using the gym bike as an example I'll spend 45-50 mins on the bike,
cover 25km, at a steady cadence of 105-110rpm, heart rate roughly
around 135-145bpm and usually end up burning around 700 calories
(according to the display on the bike). Oh, I'm 37 and 225 pounds.

Drink plenty of water.

Don't listen to me, talk to someone you trust. What works for me may
not work for you.

Laters,

Marz

Ernie Willson said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding.
This could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180
minutes every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective
that 90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
once each week?

I like the hard day, easy day routine. However, I think you're more
likely to keep it up if you try to ride every day. If I were in your
shoes, I'd try to start off with 45 minutes every day, until you can
do that easily. Then you might want to find 60 minute rides, and
alternate them with 30 minute rides. This also gives you some
flexibility to deal with weather.

Pat

Email address works as is.

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding. This
could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes
every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective that
90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes once
each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

Ernie--

If you want to maximize your weight loss, you need to do three
things. You need cardio, strength training, and meticulous attention to your
diet. The strength training will help you more than you think, because as
you build muscle you will burn more calories. Granted, doing as much cardio
as we cyclists like to do will make muscle growth difficult, but you will
still grow some. Besides, cyclists need strength training to keep up bone
density, and to work the underutilized upper body. Keep your calories at a
reasonable level---you can find out approximately what calorie level you
need for your activity level at various sites on the net.

"Set" <@setnet.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 17:15:53 GMT, "nash" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding. This
could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes
every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective
that
90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes once
each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

I think you are right on. Not every day is a good riding day here in the
Wild wild Wet. If it makes me feel good I know I am doing it right. Most
people forget about the endorphins that help your mood. More O2 to the
brain is uplifting too and you will think better and feel positive.
As for losing weight. We just had a thread on that.
Very complicated stuff. Kenneth Cooper's Aerobic books would help you out
alot. He has been training people all his life and is used in University
PE
faculties. Mine at least. Anything you get here you have to take with a
grain of salt. Good people get shot down. Just all the more confusing.
Heart Rate monitoring with just a fingers on a pulse is the best way.
Target HR for at least 5 minutes results in a training affect on the heart
and lungs.
Fat is reduced with stamina exercises like long swims, cycling and
jogging.
Remember to warm up for 30 minutes first to reduce injury and enjoying
yourself is number one. You cannot do that if you are injured. I could
not
cover it all here but that is a start.

SN

Almost everything you just wrote is wrong or not applicable.

The OP asked about weight loss, not about endorphins, being 'shot down',
monitoring heart rate, or how to warm up.

Warm up is rarely necessary unless you're planning to race your bike,
neither is stretching pre-ride. There's no evidence that warming up for
cycling will prevent or reduce injury.

Some people get a noticeable endorphin release during exercise, but it is
rare for cycling; more common for runners.

Weight is reduced when caloric output exceeds caloric input. Long swims,
rides or runs are not necessary. A person could do three high intensity
rides per day and lose weight if they slightly exceed their caloric
intake.
Fat is still burned in high intensity work, though not preferentially,
perhaps.

Many people lose weight by reducing their caloric input and getting no
more
exercise than is achieved by daily living; walking, moving. Notice that
normal weight people lose some weight everyday - they just don't
significantly overeat above their expenditure. Someone five pounds
overweight could reduce just by cutting back on portions for a few weeks,
and no execise at all.

My weight fluctuates by as much as 9 pounds a week. I have a 35 mile round
trip commute, and I do it at minimum 4 out of 5 days. I have a tendency to
make poor food choices on the weekends(pizza, burgers, etc). I usually start
Monday weighing at 179#, and end up Friday at 170#. It's mostly water, I
know.

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into recreational riding. This
could be 45 minutes in one day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes
every 4 days and so on.

This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule to maximize
weight/fat loss. For example would 45 minutes a day be less effective that
90 minutes every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes once
each week?

TIA, EJ in NJ

I started riding every day for health reasons in August.
My target is a 15mile minimum with longer rides on weekends and free days,
so I ride between one and two hours a day. Fortunately I have a schedule
(or lack thereof) to allow it.

The problem with cycling is it is a very efficient means of moving so the
calorie per hour rate is fairly low compared to most other activities.
The advantage to cycling is that it does not stress the joints.
If you can run that would be the way to max your calorie burn for the time
you can afford.
I can't anymore and feeling the wind is something I need so I pedal.
It is harder to head out as the weather has gotten colder but there is
technical clothing available that makes it comfortable.

I don't weigh myself yet (still too depressing) but my pants size has gone
down 4 inches in the
last four months. So has cholesterol, other blood factors and BP.
However I also took control of what I was eating so cycling was not the
whole regimen.

45 minutes a day is not going to be a big calorie burn by itself
and diet is always a more effective way to lose. But maybe lifestyle change
helps
in maintaining a diet and increasing the probability of success.
In my case always was daily is the key.

JP

"Set" <@setnet.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:49:39 -0500, Ernie Willson
:: <[email hidden]> wrote:
::
::: I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into
::: recreational riding. This could be 45 minutes in one
::: day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes every 4
::: days and so on.
:::
::: This being the case, is there an optimum riding
::: schedule to maximize weight/fat loss. For example would
::: 45 minutes a day be less effective that 90 minutes
::: every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
::: once each week?
:::
::: TIA, EJ in NJ
::
:: Along with a reasonable diet (no sweets, sugar,
:: binging), I have to hit above 150miles/week at a modest
:: tempo (15-17mph avg speed, flat terrain) to achieve
:: weight loss. Cycling is just not that strenuous at
:: recreational levels.

This is just complete nonsense. Exercise doesn't need to be strenuous to aid
in weight loss. All it needs to do is burn calories. The rest has to do
with how much you eat in relation to what it takes to maintain current
weight. As long as you're not eating too much, one can lose weight on any
amount of exercising (including zero). Your problem is you're simply eating
too much to achieve weight loss on less riding than that amount. It has
little to do with strenuous.

"Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into
:: recreational riding. This could be 45 minutes in one
:: day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes every 4 days
:: and so on.
::
:: This being the case, is there an optimum riding schedule
:: to maximize weight/fat loss. For example would 45
:: minutes a day be less effective that 90 minutes every
:: two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes once
:: each week?
::
:: TIA, EJ in NJ

Do whatever you can do consisently, while keeping a close eye on how much
you're eating. Riding short but frequently probably helps build better
habits, especially at first. Harder/longer riding my stimulate appetite to
the point that you may eat too much to achieve weight loss.

You can easily eat in under 1 minute what it will take over an hour to work
off. Hence, diet (how much you eat) is of primary importance in weight
loss. If you eat too much, you'll have a really hard time making it up in
exercise if you have other committments on your time (ie, you can't devote
24/7 to exercise/weight loss - like on TV).

As far as optimum, forget that. Do what it takes to lose the weight. That's
optimum for you. And I'm saying this after having lost 140 lbs while keeping
it off.

"OzCableguy" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]
:: "Ernie Willson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
:: news:[email hidden]...
::: I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into
::: recreational riding. This could be 45 minutes in one
::: day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes every 4
::: days and so on.
:::
:::
::
:: Daily is best, but to make consistent gains in your
:: fitness, thereby improving your metabolism and fat
:: burning ability, you need to strive for improvement
:: pretty much every time you head out. HIIT training is
:: the perfect way to maximise results and only requires
:: 20- 40 minute sessions.
::

HIIT is very good for weight loss. One way to get this on a bike is to climb
hills and run your HR up (do downhill and on flats to let HR come down - the
active rest period). Do it repeatedly to get the intervals in. If you do it
right, 40 minutes will be too long, though! 🙂

:: I love this site - http://www.hussmanfitness.org
:: "The key to success - in anything - isn't extraordinary,
:: superhuman effort. It's daily action. You find a set of
:: actions that you believe will produce good results if
:: you follow them consistently, and then you follow them
:: consistently."

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:17:11 -0500, "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Set" <@setnet.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:49:39 -0500, Ernie Willson
:: <[email hidden]> wrote:
::
::: I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into
::: recreational riding. This could be 45 minutes in one
::: day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes every 4
::: days and so on.
:::
::: This being the case, is there an optimum riding
::: schedule to maximize weight/fat loss. For example would
::: 45 minutes a day be less effective that 90 minutes
::: every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
::: once each week?
:::
::: TIA, EJ in NJ
::
:: Along with a reasonable diet (no sweets, sugar,
:: binging), I have to hit above 150miles/week at a modest
:: tempo (15-17mph avg speed, flat terrain) to achieve
:: weight loss. Cycling is just not that strenuous at
:: recreational levels.

This is just complete nonsense. Exercise doesn't need to be strenuous to aid
in weight loss. All it needs to do is burn calories. The rest has to do
with how much you eat in relation to what it takes to maintain current
weight. As long as you're not eating too much, one can lose weight on any
amount of exercising (including zero). Your problem is you're simply eating
too much to achieve weight loss on less riding than that amount. It has
little to do with strenuous.

You might think that Roger, but I'm just relating what actually happened to
me. I was on a fairly strict LC diet at the time. Riding from 80-100 miles
per week just does not result in significant weight loss at my age, even
with a moderately strict LC diet. Sorry if it doesn't fit your experience
or expectations.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>You might think that Roger, but I'm just relating what actually happened
>to

me. I was on a fairly strict LC diet at the time. Riding from 80-100 miles
per week just does not result in significant weight loss at my age, even
with a moderately strict LC diet. Sorry if it doesn't fit your experience
or expectations.

Some people like me can stay slim just by not eating more than you use.
I do not ride 35 miles a week anymore and I do not do physical labor lifting
a ton of mail a day. That is what he means. There are many factors we do
not know about you like leanness, metabolism, age, etc so I could not say it
is not right for you. Maybe it's the LC diet. Like I said a while ago you
need to stomach hungry not mouth hungry.
Cardiologist diet: If it tastes good spit it out. : + )

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:17:11 -0500, "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Set" <@setnet.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:49:39 -0500, Ernie Willson
:: <[email hidden]> wrote:
::
::: I can afford to put about 45 minutes a day into
::: recreational riding. This could be 45 minutes in one
::: day, 90 minutes every two days, 180 minutes every 4
::: days and so on.
:::
::: This being the case, is there an optimum riding
::: schedule to maximize weight/fat loss. For example would
::: 45 minutes a day be less effective that 90 minutes
::: every two days etc? How about 315 (45 times 7) minutes
::: once each week?
:::
::: TIA, EJ in NJ
::
:: Along with a reasonable diet (no sweets, sugar,
:: binging), I have to hit above 150miles/week at a modest
:: tempo (15-17mph avg speed, flat terrain) to achieve
:: weight loss. Cycling is just not that strenuous at
:: recreational levels.

This is just complete nonsense. Exercise doesn't need to be strenuous to aid
in weight loss. All it needs to do is burn calories. The rest has to do
with how much you eat in relation to what it takes to maintain current
weight. As long as you're not eating too much, one can lose weight on any
amount of exercising (including zero). Your problem is you're simply eating
too much to achieve weight loss on less riding than that amount. It has
little to do with strenuous.

BTW, you might cite yourself as an excellent example of how hard it is to
lose weight cycling. You've been stuck at 230-240lbs for several years and
you ride centuries, correct?

Why not just lose that additional 40-50lbs and be slim and trim?