Non-competitive/Non-racing Bicycling Exercise Question

ValGogo

OK, so I've been riding a mountain bike for over 20 years. I ride for fun and commuting. Now, I don't bike 20 and 30 miles a day like the racers but at some point I was biking a total of 15 miles a day on a back and forth commute with a large bridge in and out of Manhattan.

Now I'm riding a 13 mile a day back and forth commute with a gradual incline at the last leg of the commute that lasts about 5-7 minutes on the way up.

Well, actually I did it twice THIS week but it is going to rain the rest of the week so that's a wash. I don't bike commute to work in the rain. No gear and I don't like it.

So, my question.......if I average 13-15 miles a day, let's say 3-4 days a week, along with weight training, and all the exercise stuff I'm doing, along with watching my calories, will I be giving myself a boost and start to melt away a little more?

I'm 5'9" tall, 238, been active most of life, but have been exercising seriously for last 7 months and have only started to take the calorie deficit seriously in past month. My muscles and body form are taking shape but since I've been stupid with my calories, the weight number is still the same.

So, any comments on the bicycling? I love my bike, by the way.

JTick

It depends.

Cardio can help create a deficit, but a deficit is just that - you have to eat less than you burn in a 24 hour period. Keep in mind that doesn't mean cycling for 6 hours to burn 2000 calories and then eating 1500. You burn calories just sitting on your butt too.

So, if cycling helps you create a deficit and you track your calories to make sure you're not eating too much, then yes it can help.

If cycling causes you to be a raging hunger monster like running does to me, then it won't help you lose weight. I can run miles upon miles each week and lose no weight if I don't keep my food in check.

melaniedsm

My husband and I have recently got into biking and I love it. We usually average about 12-15 miles a night. We are like you, if it rains we stay home. We do a gym workout also, this is kind of our us time. We have a cart that hooks to the back for our baby girl, so lots of times we stop and let her swing in the middle of the ride.

I have always been more of a pear shape. I have noticed a huge difference in inches from when we started. I have 15lbs heavier than I was when I got pregnant, but running shorts that were too small before then fit. Plus the shorts look damn good on my toned tan legs. Not to be narcissistic, but got to take the wins where you get them.

Also my endurance improved, I was able to add millege much quicker when I started running again than I have been able to in the past. Because biking isn't isolated, I can't tell you exactly how much weight loss. For sure you will gain muscle though and in turn burn more calories through out the day as a result. It can't be bad for weight loss.

cwolfman13

I'm maintaining and have been for 12 months plus...I ride roughly 60 - 80 miles per week for general fitness (more when I'm training for an event...generally 85- 100). I also lift weights 3x weekly and throw in some swimming once or twice per week. I do all of this and I'm maintaining...

My point being that "melting away" and getting rid of the fat is all about having a deficit of energy. Exercise does not guarantee a deficit of energy...in fact, unchecked, regular exercise results in being hungry and your body wanting to consume enough energy to at least maintain weight.

If you're doing MFP, you have to understand that your weight loss deficit is built into your calorie goal already...that is why you get additional calorie goals to "eat back" when you log exercise. You're not trying to create a calorie goal through exercise with MFP...doing so is actually a rather inefficient way of going about things.

You can use your exercise to make your deficit bigger, but that can also be counterproductive...too large of a deficit is going to start jacking with your hormones, your thyroid, your ability to absorb nutrients, etc and actually make it more difficult to lose weight. There's a fine line...most people are in too much of a rush to lose weight to heed any of this, but I throw it out there anyway.

ValGogo

I'm maintaining and have been for 12 months plus...I ride roughly 60 - 80 miles per week for general fitness (more when I'm training for an event...generally 85- 100). I also lift weights 3x weekly and throw in some swimming once or twice per week. I do all of this and I'm maintaining...

My point being that "melting away" and getting rid of the fat is all about having a deficit of energy. Exercise does not guarantee a deficit of energy...in fact, unchecked, regular exercise results in being hungry and your body wanting to consume enough energy to at least maintain weight.

If you're doing MFP, you have to understand that your weight loss deficit is built into your calorie goal already...that is why you get additional calorie goals to "eat back" when you log exercise. You're not trying to create a calorie goal through exercise with MFP...doing so is actually a rather inefficient way of going about things.

You can use your exercise to make your deficit bigger, but that can also be counterproductive...too large of a deficit is going to start jacking with your hormones, your thyroid, your ability to absorb nutrients, etc and actually make it more difficult to lose weight. There's a fine line...most people are in too much of a rush to lose weight to heed any of this, but I throw it out there anyway.

Thanks for posting. Yeah, that's not me. I got all the good stuff I need to know. I was only wondering if it will make any more differnece. I'm not starving here, not looking to lose weight fast either, I understand the eating back and the deficit and it's definitely not going to mess with my hormones.....I'm a normal chick and I was asking to see if it will kick it up a notch, assuming that I'm getting all the right calorie intake and output.

Just imagine I'm the normal, average recreational yet hardcore bicycle rider (not a newbie) who's had my bike in the "garage" for the last 9 months because I couldn't afford to get it fixed and I just got it back from the mechanic.

I'm just wanting to hear what y'all have to say. Oh, I liked when you wrote "too large of a deficit"....that made me laugh! That would never happen. (still giggling) Nom nom nom!

TMattP

Hi.

I love to run and I love to cycle. I don't like hefting heavy weights as I find it boring.

I think if you enjoy it and you're out doing it then it must be doing you some good. Does it really matter if you're burning a little extra?

Think there's a lot of over analysis that goes on in these pages.

ValGogo

Hi.

I love to run and I love to cycle. I don't like hefting heavy weights as I find it boring.

I think if you enjoy it and you're out doing it then it must be doing you some good. Does it really matter if you're burning a little extra?

Think there's a lot of over analysis that goes on in these pages.

I do it because I love it. I'm just asking. And it does matter. Over-analyzing would be me asking whether pepper or garlic powder will mess up my calorie intake for the day.