Gym decreases appetite, biking increases it...why?

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Graelwyn75
Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have noticed that after doing some running or elliptical and weights at the gym, I come out with my appetite effectively diminished to almost nothing.

But when I go cycling outside for an hour or two, I am famished, often halfway through.

Both seem intense workouts. The cycling involves a lot of hilly terrain, but when in the gym, I have resistance in place and push myself to the point I leave a puddle of sweat and look a bit of a smelly mess, lol.

So I a, confused as to why the biking has such a totally different impact on my appetite.

Replies

  • Bettyeditor
    Bettyeditor Posts: 327 Member
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    I'm not great with science terms, so someone can correct me if I get this wrong, but I believe it has something to do with the muscles used and the type of fuel. For short cardio and HIIT (and maybe strength training?) your body uses your medium-twitch muscles and the glycogen stored in them. However, when you do a longer-term endurance type exercise like biking, it uses the long-twitch muscles and your body switches to burning fat for fuel. Which makes you more hungry. You have heard about "swimmers physique" -- athletes who focus on an endurance sport like swimming or cycling develop the long-twitch muscles instead of the short- or medium-twitch muscles so even though they are also strong, they aren't so bulky and have a leaner physique.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Thank, that sort of makes sense, though my gym cardio workouts are often 60 mins long, but I always seem to end up leaner when I cycle, even if I eat a lot of carbs.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    You don't create a puddle of sweat when riding outdoors because of the wind. You are probably working harder when riding out in the real world, hence the reason why you are more hungry.

    Even on very warm days, I find myself less sweaty when I ride my bike, because the wind creates evaporation. After riding for 5-7 hours, my biking clothes and skin are covered in a white powdery substance: the salt left over from my sweat.
  • erulasse
    erulasse Posts: 141 Member
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    The only reason why the gym kills my appetite, is the damn mirrors everywhere.
    I never want to eat again after staring at my huge butt for an hour straight. :ohwell:
  • EmmieBaby
    EmmieBaby Posts: 1,235 Member
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    The only reason why the gym kills my appetite, is the damn mirrors everywhere.
    I never want to eat again after staring at my huge butt for an hour straight. :ohwell:
    kills my appetite too =( that or my "im not fraking pregnant" belly
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    lifting totally kills my appetite. i'll lift at 6am, and need to remind myself that i need to eat something by 1pm.

    but cardio in the morning? forget it. i'm starving an hour later.
  • gigglybeth
    gigglybeth Posts: 365 Member
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    I have the opposite issue. I can do cardio all day long with no appetite change, but I recently added in strength training and am starving all the time. I've upped my protein and that sort of helps.
  • emaren
    emaren Posts: 934 Member
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    Easy answer - wear a HRM when you workout and when you ride.

    The best cardio workout I have managed at the gym is approximately 750 calories / hour.

    This morning I burnt 1900+ on a 30 mile bicycle ride in two hours and ten minutes.....

    Burning calories on a bicycle seems to be way more fun for me.....

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