Calorie intake vs 23 mile bike ride

taco_tap
taco_tap Posts: 152 Member
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
I understand the math, you know, you need to burn more than you intake. My calorie goal per day is 1200. And I also understand that you can go into "starvation mode" if you dont eat enough calories. I work out about 4-5 times a week. I have gone on a 11.5 mile bike ride twice in one day (equaling 23 miles, burning about 2500 cals in one day.) On these days, do I need to hit up a buffet to get back those calories? (joking) I had 2463 calories remaining!! If I make a habit of this, will I go into starvation mode? Do you feel starvation mode? I haven't lost anything but I just started doing this last week. I think my main question is, should I tweak my calorie intake, even if I don't feel hungry enough too?

Replies

  • GypsyRose25
    GypsyRose25 Posts: 407
    I think on those days you should find some healthy higher calorie foods to eat...
  • Pink_turnip
    Pink_turnip Posts: 280 Member
    a good thing for those days would be foods with higher calories such as nuts and whole grains. you don't necessarily have to 'stuff' yourself, but you want to make sure your body has enough energy.

    If you are frequently burning way more than you are taking in, (which would be essentially going into starvation mode) you will feel hungry, and tired, and grumpy.

    this site is very helpful for this kind of thing, but for the most part everyone is going to just say 'eat back your calories'. If it's something you are really concerned with, go talk to your doctor, or a dietitian.
  • schobert101
    schobert101 Posts: 218 Member
    23 cycling miles would be nowhere near 2500 calories. For me I'm usually 30-35 calories per mile and running or walking is about 100 calories per mile for most people.. The calorie burn you quoted would be more likely if you ran or walked 23 miles than biked that distance.
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
    On high cal burn days I try to eat at least half of them back..I know it's hard! Not mentally...it's just a lot of food! But some simple things can be: handful of nuts, adding some cheese to your afternoon snacks, eating a bigger portion of the protein you have during meals, drink a glass of chocolate milk, make protein smoothies (if I don't split mine with my boys, they are easily 500+ cals) Good luck!!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    When I mountain bike, I eat a LOT before my rides (like all my calories since I usually go in the afternoon), then as much as I want at dinner. Ends up being about half of my exercise calories but yeah, it'd be hard to eat them all.
  • Dmax12
    Dmax12 Posts: 36 Member
    Invest in high quality energy bars and protien shakes. If your caerful and get a good quality product you can get an easy and HEALTHY 500+ cals added a day :-)
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    23 cycling miles would be nowhere near 2500 calories. For me I'm usually 30-35 calories per mile and running or walking is about 100 calories per mile for most people.. The calorie burn you quoted would be more likely if you ran or walked 23 miles than biked that distance.

    This is highly variable. It depends on intensity, weight, muscle mass, etc.
  • taco_tap
    taco_tap Posts: 152 Member
    You are QUITE right, i looked and I entered it for 1/3 more (I rode to and from work so I entered three trips instead of two) So I recalculated, and came up with 1600 calories left over. Still, that's a lot left over.
  • rgalisky
    rgalisky Posts: 11 Member
    Buy a new bike - 2300 cals for 23 miles is insane.

    I did a 44 mile ride on a old road bike and burned 3500, my buddy on a good road bike burned 2200. I bought a new bike :)


    simple answer - eat 35% of your calories in protein (lots of whey powder or cottage cheese) to avoid muscle loss especially after the ride. Eat during the ride - snack bars to avoid hitting the wall (400 - 600 cals and 2 bottles of water) and enjoy the weight loss that comes with negative calories and forget about starvation mode.....ooh yes, also reward your self with a good solid meal (high carb/protein) at the days end.
  • routerguy666
    routerguy666 Posts: 188
    Might be different doing two shorter rides, but any ride over 15 miles (for me, about 40 pounds overweight still) and I absolutely have to fuel up before and during the ride or I crater.

    A 20 mile ride for me is about 1500 calories. I'll drink about 300 calories in sports drink before/during/after, and then I try and take in another 500 in additional proteins the rest of the day.

    Still leaves a (very) nice calorie deficit. Without the additional intake (and especially the drinks), I'd end up with bad headaches and legs that wouldn't feel recovered by the next morning.
  • taco_tap
    taco_tap Posts: 152 Member
    Might be different doing two shorter rides, but any ride over 15 miles (for me, about 40 pounds overweight still) and I absolutely have to fuel up before and during the ride or I crater.

    A 20 mile ride for me is about 1500 calories. I'll drink about 300 calories in sports drink before/during/after, and then I try and take in another 500 in additional proteins the rest of the day.

    Still leaves a (very) nice calorie deficit. Without the additional intake (and especially the drinks), I'd end up with bad headaches and legs that wouldn't feel recovered by the next morning.


    Now that you mention it, I got a really bad headache that night. Im prone to them so I thought nothing of it. I have made a pact with a coworker to ride at least two days a week to work. To avoid the headache, its food that I need more of? I drink a lot of water. Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to get the most out of what I am doing.
  • art4fun69
    art4fun69 Posts: 151 Member
    If you trail ride, the calorie burn is a little higher. I average about 50-60 cal per mile for an easy to moderate trail ride. I use an HRM with a GPS and also mapmyfitness on my phone. It seems to be pretty consistent, although I do take the calorie burn from the HRM as it seems more realistic than mapmyfitness which runs a little high. I dont ever use the calories burned in MFP they always seem too high to me.
  • routerguy666
    routerguy666 Posts: 188
    Now that you mention it, I got a really bad headache that night. ... To avoid the headache, its food that I need more of? I drink a lot of water.

    You sweat out more than just water. The sports drinks have the electrolytes and other things you need to be replenishing. Maybe it's marketing hype, but when I started drinking them instead of water I stopped getting the headaches. I get the Powerade Ion drinks from target.
  • rjhw44
    rjhw44 Posts: 6 Member
    You are doing great and I am proud of you!!!! Drink plenty of water and get electrolytes and protiens9. the carbs usually take care of themselves).
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