Effects of endurance exercise on appetite & fat loss.

Adventure9
Adventure9 Posts: 58 Member
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
I ride bicycles 3 days a week, lift weights 2 days a week and do other sports on the weekends. I typically cycle about 2 hours total during those 3 days. Recently I've increased my cycling to 3.3 hours a week. Just from this simple change, my appetite has increased noticeably.

Now I've been reading where some authors are questioning whether or not we should be doing much endurance exercise because it makes us hungry and it makes us become efficient at storing fat. These authors recommend more strength work and interval work vs. Endurance work. It's all kind of confusing. Ride more, ride less, ride with more intensity etc?

Any informed opinions? Thanks.

Replies

  • rickloving
    rickloving Posts: 90 Member
    edited January 2015
    That was one question I had for you, your rides are they at a steady interval? It is sad, but last year while training for my first Iron distance Tri, I gained 6 lbs pre event and 6 lbs post. While training, I spent nearly every day swimming, biking, or running and I couldn't eat enough. I was riding at a steady pace just training for the estimated 7 hours on the bike. I was so hungry all the time. The weight slowing crept up, like less than a lb a month over 8 months. My bad eating habits continued after wards, without the exercise and I gained another 6 quickly.

    I now do a mix of weights (3 days) with my running and cycling. Additionally I add interval training (alternating between moderate output to high output hign RPM) and strength training ( biggest gears, mashing slow and hard to mix it up.

    I have dropped 13 lbs since Oct..... my eating is in check and I am feeling better than ever.

    My last fitness eval shows nearly steady weight of lean body mass ( it was .2 lbs lower) and all the weight from fat and water.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    I ride a lot more than you, run regularly, swim, and more. But I don't find that it increases my appetite. I do, however, lift 2-3x per week. What I've found that helps is eating real food during my rides. When I was doing supplements/gels/etc., I was always starving afterwards. Since I've started eating food I make (check out FeedZone portables or energy bites on pinterest), I usually have to force myself to eat after a ride, and its usually lots of veggies and lean protein since that is what I usually crave. I actually lose weight when I'm in full training mode and have to work hard not to lose too much as its hard for me to eat enough.

    I recommend adding strength training to your regimen and looking into your ride nutrition. Endurance cycling is my true love!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Any type of exercise the breaks down your muscle fibers can induce hunger. But I found, I am way more hungry after an hour long session of lifting than I ever was playing soccer or ice hockey. The good news is, that if you find yourself hungry often, increasing fats and protein can help that. But as an endurance athlete you will need to try and find balance between your macros.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Look at all these guys storing all that fat from riding their bikes...

    cycling_season_preperation_a.jpg

    And of course it makes you hungry...you're burning energy (calories)...your body's natural response to that is to trigger your hunger ques to recoup that energy. Weight training also makes you hungry...really hungry.

    The bottom line is still the bottom line...if you require XXXX calories per day to maintain the status quot and you consume at a level below that threshold you will burn fat and lose weight...

    I would highly recommend cycling as well as lifting weights as a matter of general fitness...and eat according to your activity level and your goals and stop over-complicating that which is not complicated.
  • Adventure9
    Adventure9 Posts: 58 Member
    edited January 2015
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Look at all these guys storing all that fat from riding their bikes...

    cycling_season_preperation_a.jpg

    And of course it makes you hungry...you're burning energy (calories)...your body's natural response to that is to trigger your hunger ques to recoup that energy. Weight training also makes you hungry...really hungry.

    The bottom line is still the bottom line...if you require XXXX calories per day to maintain the status quot and you consume at a level below that threshold you will burn fat and lose weight...

    I would highly recommend cycling as well as lifting weights as a matter of general fitness...and eat according to your activity level and your goals and stop over-complicating that which is not complicated.

    The photo might actually agree with some of the authors that say we should ease up on endurance and increase intervals? Those guys look fit and strong. But, it also looks like a criterium race or criterium training - sprint/recover type training? (In a questioning tone, not trying to be adversarial in this comment)

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